“We need a couple of these chairs for ourselves,” Dennis said, leaning into a heated, whirring recliner as his feet soaked in its mini–hot tub.
We were getting a couple’s pedicure at the Inn & Spa at Intercourse Village, in Amish country just west of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and roughly two hours north of Washington. Before this were 60-minute side-by-side massages. After would come lunch at the inn next door. We were blissed out.
And all that before our overnight stay, in a room with a gas fireplace and jetted bathtub. Thanks to our spa indulgence, plus an afternoon of browsing Kitchen Kettle Village shops across the street and then dinner out, we slept soundly until breakfast. Worth getting up for, it included oatmeal with cinnamon and strawberries, sausage, fruit, cereal, and pineapple/coconut/sour-cream cake.
The inn’s eight-year-old suites beat the main-house rooms, but layout and appeal vary; premium “grand suites” are spacious with full Jacuzzi, while our “country homestead suite” felt a bit cramped. And I’d gladly have traded the bedside chocolate for a fluffy robe to curl up in.
The Serenity for Two package adds $259 (plus tip) to the cost of whatever room you choose. Unlike many B&Bs, this one doesn’t require a two-night stay most weekends, so, if careful, you can pull off two days of pampering and play for about $500. That’s a bargain, especially with such a terrific spa.
It’s smart to book both room and spa time ahead: Although this is presented as one package, they are booked separately, and, if you wait, spa treatments may not be available for the day you choose.
The Inn & Spa at Intercourse Village, Intercourse, Pa.; 800-664-0949; theinnandspaatintercoursevillage.com. Rooms $169 to $379 including breakfast.
Other Inn/Spa Choices
While resorts and hotels have long offered spa services, many inns in the Mid-Atlantic now offer spa packages too. While some have on-site spas, others make arrangements with nearby facilities or bring in spa therapists.
Here’s a sampling of spa packages at well-regarded inns; most are aimed at couples. Rates include breakfast but not gratuities. Other B&Bs and inns also offer in-room massage on request; ask at your favorite.
• Five Gables Inn & Spa, St. Michaels, Md.; 877-466-0100; fivegables.com. Three 1800s buildings with indoor pool are set in a popular Chesapeake Bay town. Celebration Package: two nights’ accommodation, two 1½-hour hot-stone massages, $100 toward dinner out, $770 to $1,300. Romance Package: two-night stay, herbal baths, two hourlong massages, Champagne, chocolates, $550 to $1,080.
• Goodstone Inn & Estate, Middleburg; 877-219-4663; goodstone.com. This verdant retreat in Hunt Country offers a grand outdoor pool and golf privileges nearby. Spa Package: one night, two hourlong massages, bathrobes to keep, afternoon tea, turndown service, $540 to $860.
• Gramercy Mansion B&B, Stevenson, Md.; 800-553-3404, gramercymansion.com. This romantic mansion, with its pool and butterfly garden, is popular for weddings. Soothing Spa Package: two massages for 30 minutes ($150) or 60 ($250) in a separate building; spa goodies in room. Rooms $75 to $375.
• Haley Farm B&B Spa & Retreat Center, Oakland, Md.; 888-231-3276, haleyfarm.com. Guests enjoy lovely views, a trout pond, bikes, and a hammock near Deep Creek Lake. Romantic Package: choice of two 30-minute Swedish massages, two 25-minute reflexology sessions, or one hour of horseback riding, plus dinner, flowers, and Champagne or cider, $175. Rooms $150 to $225.
• Lake Pointe Inn, McHenry, Md.; 800-523-5253; deepcreekinns.com. This beautiful Arts and Crafts lodge overlooks Deep Creek Lake, complete with kayaks and stone fireplace. Spa Packages: one hourlong massage and spa gift, $95, or one 80-minute hot-stone massage with spa gift, $115. Rooms $178 to $269.
• Woolverton Inn, Stockton, N.J.; 888-264-6648; woolvertoninn.com. This luxurious manor house and cottages sit amid meadows near New Hope antiques and dining. Warm Up/Chill Out Spa Package: two 45-minute massages; gift of candles, body butter, bath salts, home fragrance, meditation CD, and breakfast in bed, $195. Rooms $170 to $425.
