The Sundara Inn & Spa in Wisconsin Dells, WI

Have you ever wanted to visit one of those posh spas that Oprah and the other stars talk about? Well recently, I (just an everyday woman) had the pleasure of visiting the Sundara Inn & Spa in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. This spa is just a few hours drive from the Chicago area. The Sundara Inn & Spa offers a vacation of relaxation, seclusion and a time for reflection and study/meditation.

Our Arrival
Upon arrival we called the Sundara office as we had been told that a complimentary car would pick us up at the Amtrak station. They were very prompt and courteous in coming to pick us up. After we loaded our things in the car, the driver immediately began to tell us what to expect on our visit. I was pretty disappointed initially because the town looked quite dead and all of the restaurants and activities closed. The driver explained that it was the "off season", but if we'd come back in the summer the town would be buzzing. I thought for a minute that we'd made a mistake in choosing this spa, that is until we arrived at the facility. When we pulled up to the front door I was so excited! It was late in the evening and still some of the guests were swimming in the "hot springs" pool and others in the hot tub. From the car I could also see the reading room which overlooked the pool. I just couldn't wait to get in there and relax.

When checking in we were directed to a small office area which appeared to be the concierge area. There we were asked to sign "service forms" with us answering some basic health questions. It didn't take long for my husband and I to figure out that this was standard procedure to market more of their "spa services", but that was okay. We just decided to stick with the services that came with the package.

The Spa/Services
The spa offers all kind of services - therapeutic massage, holistic skin care, facials, pedicures and more. Some of the services are quite "New Age" as is many other principles/concepts of this spa. (For my husband and I this was a problem due to our beliefs, so you may want to consider this before you visit). Nevertheless, I must say I truly enjoyed the complimentary services. All overnight guests get to visit the spa and participate in the basic spa service as much as you'd like. The basic service (they call it a ritual) starts with a great smelling exfoliating wash/body polish (it smells like a combination of eucalyptus and possibly tea tree and peppermint and it feels so good to the skin). You shower with this polish while wearing your swimsuit. Now the shower is not a standard shower, it is more like a rainfall and feels so good to the body. After the shower, you spray yourself down with a body mist of either Rosemary or Lavender (they say Rosemary rejuvenates and Lavender relaxes) and you sit in the sauna for about fifteen minutes to let the oils penetrate your skin. From there you go back and forth between the hot tub and the cool plunge, it's very, very refreshing. The reading room is right off from the spa room, so we put on the complimentary plush robes and spent a couple of hours in the reading room. They offer many reading selections, but we'd brought our own. We used this time for some intense bible study and to read some books that we'd been too busy to read. While in the reading room you can order tea, a smoothie or juice, whatever you'd like. They also complimentary water with cucumbers and citrus fruit in it. It's quite refreshing. You can just lounge in the reading room all day. You can also go outdoors and take a swim or enjoy the hot tub, or explore nature on the walking trail.

Accomodations
Our room was quite luxurious. There are several suites to choose from but being it was just my husband and I, we chose one of the smaller suites. They also offer very large suites, some with more than one bedroom and an upper level. These rooms are great for a girls "spa" weekend, or a bridal party. Anyway, our room the Niva Suite came with the Waterhaven Tower Shower which comes with seven adjustable heads. The bathroom had double sinks and there was complimentary soap, body wash, shampoo and conditioner. The bed was a king with a beautiful feather comforter. It kind of reminded me of the bed coverings in Europe. We also had a gas fireplace and a little bar area or refreshment center (everything was quite pricey so we didn't touch anything). The room was painted in a soft beige/taupe, and all of the linens in a cream. The room was extremely clean and the bathroom as large as most hotel rooms On the back of the bathroom door was two very, very cozy terry cloth robes (I love them but I wouldn't pay a $130 for it) and some very uncomfortable spa (supposedly therapeutic) slippers. By the end of the visit the bottom of my feet were sore from having worn them so I surely don't recommend them.

The Cuisine
The food is actually one of the best features of this spa. In fact, their cuisine has been featured in one of the spa magazines. Anyway, the food is expensive but well worth it. My favorite on the menu is the Cuban Chicken Salad (I had this twice while I was there, it was just that good). Another favorite is their no flour chocolate cake with a strawberry puree. Everything of course is very healthy, like buckwheat pancakes, smoothies made with fresh fruit and organic vegetables. Staying three nights, we ate two breakfasts, two lunches, one dinner and one late night snack there. The other nights we went into town for dinner. Our bill ran $35-$50 per meal for two (no alcohol).

In Conclusion
As you can see I had a delightful time at the Sundara. It was peaceful, relaxing and romantic. My husband and I appreciated the private time together. I felt truly refreshed when I left. I'd recommend going during the off season if you're just going to relax because the room rates are so reasonable. My husband and I paid for two nights and got the third night free.