Cranwell Resort, Spa & Golf Club
Lenox, Massachusetts
800.272.6935; www.cranwell.com

With its idyllic Berkshire setting, Gilded Age grandeur, and outstanding amenities, the Cranwell Resort Spa & Golf Club is the epitome of a full-service luxury resort. Set on a spectacular 380-acre property designed by the renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, the Cranwell offers magnificent views of the surrounding Berkshire mountains, as well as easy access to the area's acclaimed cultural attractions.

The architectural centerpiece of the resort is the hilltop Tudor-style mansion, built in 1894 by businessman John Sloane, a relation of the Vanderbilts. The richly decorated Great Hall sets a tone of appropriate opulence with its handsome dark, wood paneling, Oriental rugs and French tapestries. The Mansion's 13 rooms and suites offer the most lavish accommodations in the resort. All are decorated in the 19th century English arts & crafts style and have spacious and comfortable bathrooms. The remainder of the resort's 107 rooms are divided among a mix of renovated historic buildings and modern structures, offering amenities such as decorative fireplaces and whirlpool baths depending on the location.

The luxurious 35,000-square-foot spa is a state-of-the-art facility featuring a wealth of world-class amenities with dozens of spa treatments found only in the most prestigious European spas. Decorated in warm earth tones, the interior design of the Spa creates a calming environment where guests can enjoy the specially designed saunas, steam rooms and spacious whirlpool therapeutic baths. Before or after receiving a treatment, guests can relax in a luxurious lounge complete with a refreshment bar and fireplace.

Over 50 spa services ranging from soothing massages and detoxifying wraps to rejuvenating skin and body treatments are offered. A specialty of the spa is The Renovateur by Carita of Paris, a series of facial offerings rarely seen outside the famed Carita House of Beauty in France ($190, 75 minutes). In keeping with Carita's natural approach, no steam or invasive extractions are allowed. Instead, a blend of roasted sunflower seeds, combined with clove, thyme, and lemon is massaged into the skin to miraculous effect. Extraordinary body treatments such as the Grand Mosaic Dry Float Body Treatment ($275, 120 minutes), an ethereal body wrap, warm immersion and full body massage will leave your skin buffed to perfection and you in a state of complete relaxation. The spa is in the process of launching a specially designed menu of treatments for teens. Given, the spa's emphasis on individualized treatments, teens can be assured that their specific concerns will be attended to.

Although guests may be tempted to remain in the pampering confines of the spa, the Cranwell also offers myriad ways to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Berkshires. Golfers will enjoy the 18-hole, par-70 championship golf course, the only one in the Berkshires with GPS-equipped golf carts. The Cranwell's prestigious Golf Digest School offers top instructors and a 10,000 square-foot indoor learning center, the largest in the Northeast. An outdoor heated pool, four Har-Tru tennis courts and a Fitness Center offering a range of specialty classes in Pilates and Aerobics are also available.

The overall excellence of the Cranwell also extends to its four restaurants. The Wyndhurst Restaurant and the Music Room, located in the Mansion, offer award-winning American Classic cuisine in an elegant setting. Equally delicious, but more casual dining options are available at Sloane's Tavern, located on the Cranwell's golf course and the Spa Café.