Where there is water there is wellbeing — and history. Glen Ivy Hot Springs may have been attracting guests who wanted to revel and relax in its healing waters since 1860, but for thousands of years before this the area was a seasonal home and sacred site to three semi-nomadic Native American tribes who were peaceful indigenous hunter-gatherers. Today, Glen Ivy remains a place where people come to congregate, to socialize and to celebrate. It’s leading the way when it comes to nature-based renewal. Glen Ivy’s mission, explains Jim Root, CEO and general manager, is “personal, spiritual, and creative renewal.” The Hot Springs are located on a 17-acre piece of an 85-acre parcel and offer a healing playground of sorts. There’s the Lounge Pool, Saline Pool, Mineral Baths, Roman baths, Club Mud, Grotto, Massage Villages, and an area called “Under the Oaks,” among others. A day pass ($39 to $59) will buy you the ability to enjoy it all at your leisure. “It’s like a buffet,” says Root. “Sometimes it’s nice to know that all of the buffet options are available—the mud or the grotto or a program. People often say they never use Glen Ivy the same way twice.”
Upon arrival, guests are given a printed “Wheel of Wellness,” that explains all of the wonderful opportunities that make up the Glen Ivy Experience, and how to partake of them. They are: connecting with nature; healing treatments and therapies, taking time for good food; keeping our bodies healthy and fit; nurturing relationships, finding a deeper sense of wellbeing; and knowledge to learn and grow. For the past few years, the property has been offering programs and retreats (guests stay at the Glen Ivy Center that’s a stone’s throw to the mineral springs).
Editor’s Note: This feature was published October, 2013.
Mary Bemis
A pioneering voice in spa and wellness journalism, Mary Bemis has spent four decades chronicling, championing, and helping shape the modern spa industry. As Founder and Editorial Director of Insider’s Guide to Spas, she brings a distinctive editorial perspective informed by a career that has helped define the language and landscape of spa media. Mary launched American Spa magazine in 1997, co-founded Organic Spa, and helped launch Luxury SpaFinder and NewBeauty. Her industry leadership extends to board service with ISPA, NYSPA, and WSPA, the latter two organizations she helped establish. She has also served as Special Advisor to the Balneology Association of North America. Today, she serves as Special Advisor to Global Wellness Day and sits on the board of the International Sauna Aid Foundation. Recognized among Medika Life’s Top 30 Influential Voices Transforming Wellness, Mary is also a recipient of the prestigious ISPA Dedicated Contributor Award, an inaugural Folio Top Women in Media honoree, and an American Spa Wonder Woman of Wellness. Her mission remains as steadfast as ever: to keep spa culture alive and relevant, honor its roots, challenge its shortcomings, and inspire an industry to live up to its promise.
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