by Toby Smith

ost holiday stress often calls for dramatic steps to notch down the action and rejuvenate. One could take the waters in France’s far away Vichy. Now that would be wonderful. A full body massage, plus a facial? Now we’re getting somewhere. Add a quiet walk in a private preserve with someone special, and a newyou will emerge.

Oh, but there’s the getting-there-and-back part.
So here’s the plan without the pain: Soak in private tubs of warm mineral water, the same chemical content as at Vichy; let experts soothe those muscles and erase frowns, and take that walk — right near Northern California’s Ukiah.
Ukiah?

Yep. On a recent weekend, a couple of non-believers traveled north on Highway 101 —two hours from the Golden Gate Bridge — for a stay at Vichy Springs Resort. Turning east at Ukiah along a winding road for a few miles following historic marker signs, you are soon at the lush 700 acre resort. Huge trees among sprawling lawns bordering a stream are dotted with nine cottages, 12 guest rooms and some patron use buildings. Three of the luxuriously restored cottages are the oldest standing structures in Mendocino County. The complex itself recently celebrated 150 years as the oldest continuously operating California resort. Its grounds have seen the likes of ancient native Americans, presidents, poets, artists, movie stars and sports greats over the decades.

“… twin fawns tiptoed under an apple tree for some tasty treats …”

None of the above were visible at our arrival, but at dusk, twin fawns tiptoed under an apple tree for some tasty treats, followed by Mama Doe who hurried them along at the sound of our approaching footsteps.

“This water has the same makeup as Vichy, France, waters,” says most recent owner and restorer Gilbert Ashoff. “Vichy means ‘hot cross’, or ‘warm water crossing your path’,” he continues. Ashoff should know; he claims to have searched every hot spring in the nation before settling on this one in 1973.

Fourteen original tubs, resurfaced and some in private sheds, line the creek just below a warm bubbling spring, along with a huge hot tub of the stuff. Ashoff says the water, thousands of gallons daily, comes from deep in the earth’s layers. It has tested as 25,000 years old and silica free.

What does it feel like to soak in ancient warm water from miles below the earth’s surface? Lying — well, floating — in a tub big enough for two, gazing at treetops and watching small bubbles all over one’s body get bigger and bigger is like lying in warm champagne.

One must eat, of course. An elaborate breakfast is included with the room and dinner is no problem. There are several fine restaurants in Ukiah — some with takeout if you have a cottage with mini kitchen — and menus are in the resort’s office.

Soak in the mineral water hot tub, sign up for a massage or facial, take a swim in a nearby 124-year-old Olympic sized pool, or take an adventure hike past an abandoned mine to an isolated falls.
And relax.

Vichy Springs Resort: tel. 707/462-9515; www.vichysprings.com.

Toby Smith is a freelance writer based in Santa Rosa, Calif. whose iUniverse book, Romantic Inns of Mexico, is available on the Web.

Return to: Current articles, Top, Home.