Our Couples Spa Retreat at The Lodge at Woodloch

One year into the pandemic and virtual school for our kids, we were in desperate need of a relaxing couples getaway. We discovered a sanctuary of peace and quiet at The Lodge at Woodloch. This adults-only all-inclusive destination spa resort is nestled in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains in Hawley Pennsylvania. Our couple spa retreat was exactly what we needed to disconnect from technology and work and instead connect to each other. Our romantic spa getaway allowed us to focus on each other without any distractions, such as our phones (or children 😂).

This cozy and luxurious Poconos spa resort has fireplaces warming nearly every common area and a stunning spa that couples can enjoy together. The food (which is included) is out of this world! There are dozens of mind and body wellness activities included like yoga, meditation, journaling, art classes, fitness classes, hiking, archery, fishing, hatching throwing, and educational seminars.

If you’re looking for a romantic spa for couples near New York City, Philadelphia, or anywhere in the tri-state area, we highly recommend this Pennsylvania spa resort in the Poconos. It was a 4 hour drive for us from Baltimore, close enough for a romantic weekend getaway without the kids. If you are looking for a family resort, we recommend their sister property Woodloch Pines, where we visited recently with our kids and had so much fun!

Covid precautions at The Lodge at Woodloch

We felt safe visiting this PA spa resort, which has implemented enhanced safety and cleaning protocols to keep guests safe during the pandemic. We received a contactless temperature check in our car before we even set foot into the resort. All guests must complete an online waiver prior to arrival verifying to not have any Covid-19 symptoms. Masks are required in all indoor public spaces as well as outdoors when unable to social distance from other guests or staff.

The resort is operating at reduced capacity, requires advance sign-up for most activities to limit attendance, and has limitations of the number of people allowed in the spa facilities. Since the resort has so many hot tubs, we never had to wait to enter one and at most shared it with one other guest. The saunas and steam rooms allow only guests from the same traveling party at a time, so I had to wait about 5 minutes maximum to enter the steam room.

Luxurious accommodations

We booked the Intro to Spa Plan in a Veranda Standard Classic room overlooking Little Lake Teedyuskung and the forest. Our 400 sq ft room was luxuriously appointed with a King bed, desk area, spacious bathroom, and private veranda with a table and chairs. Crown molding and modern rustic decor gave the room an elevated feel.

The resort has an extensive pillow menu with 8 different kinds of pillows, including down, hypoallergenic, memory foam, body pillow, buckwheat, cooling gel, leg spacer, and reading chair pillow. We called and asked to try all of the different pillows. We arrived later to find a stack of pillows waiting for us and had fun trying them all out. We ultimately decided on the classic down pillow and remarked how the bed was one of the most comfortable we’ve ever slept in.

Our bathroom had a double granite vanity and oversized marble shower with a rain shower and detachable shower head. The shower was big enough for two (yes- we both fit), and had a marble bench. The signature rosemary and mint bath amenities smelled good enough to eat. They were attached to the walls in environmentally friendly refillable pump bottles instead of small individual size bottles. We secretly wished the resort wasn’t so green so we could take some extra little bottles of the bath amenities home with us. 😉 Luckily they do sell their signature bath products in the gift shop.

Plush bathrobes and slippers waited for us in the closet, which is what we wore much of the weekend while indulging in the spa facilities. We loved the relaxed atmosphere, where going to breakfast and lunch in your robe is encouraged and commonplace. However, for dinner resort casual attire is required.

 

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Housekeeping stayed out of our room during our 2-night stay as part of the Covid protocols to reduce contact. A bag of fresh towels was delivered outside our door as well as delicious mint chocolates in the evening.

Award-winning Spa at Woodloch

The Lodge at Woodloch Spa has won countless awards, such as the #3 Destination Spa in the World by Travel and Leisure! We certainly understand why after visiting for our spa weekend getaway. The spa at Woodloch has a women’s spa and a men’s spa, as well as the Aqua Garden which allows both men and women to enjoy together. We appreciated the co-ed spa area since it was much more fun soaking in the hot tubs together.

We received a tour of the spa upon arrival from a friendly spa assistant who explained how everything worked. We received a locker for the duration of our stay, a robe, and spa shoes. We also received reusable water bottles and canvas backpacks at check-in. The women’s spa and men’s spa were spacious with many cozy places to sit and relax before and after spa treatments by the fireplace. Crystal-infused water is available to promote happiness or love, as well at Two Leaves hot tea. There are multiple private rooms for showering, which I appreciated since most spas only have a curtain separating the showers from the rest of the spa.

There was a spacious vanity area for getting ready with items available to use including new hair brushes, hair spray, lotion, and nail polish remover. A sign said that blow dryers, curling irons, and other personal grooming items are available from a spa assistant.

The men’s and women’s spas have their own saunas, eucalyptus-infused steam rooms, hot tubs, and porch areas. We were not able to utilize these together, but noticed groups of friends enjoying the women’s spa areas together. The resort is popular for girls trips and bachelorette/bridal parties besides couples getaways. I would love to come back sometime and treat my mom to a mother daughter weekend. A spa weekend here would make a fantastic Mother’s Day gift.

The Aqua Garden co-ed area has a beautiful indoor pool and 2 indoor hot tubs with waterfalls providing hydrotherapy. We loved sitting below the waterfall and letting the water massage our shoulders and backs. Just outside there’s an infinity hot tub and large patio with loungers for relaxing. This was where we spent the majority of our weekend, soaking in the hot tubs and then cooling off in the pool. The pool is heated to 85 degrees, which feels refreshing after a soak in the 103 degree hot tubs.

In addition to the Aqua Garden, there are two co-ed lounges that couples can enjoy together. The Whisper Lounge is a silent sanctuary with a fireplace and several lounge chairs. The smaller Gather Lounge is designed for socializing. Both lounges have hot tea, water, fresh fruit, and delicious homemade granola in single-serving containers available to snack on.  There’s also a screened-in porch for couples to enjoy together with a porch swing and an area with rocking chairs. We’ve never seen a spa with so many inviting places to lounge and unwind, and they were all so beautifully designed.

The Lodge at Woodloch offers couples spa packages, including a couples massage followed by drinks and a treat in the lounge afterwards. We had a couples massage and it was incredibly relaxing. Our massage therapists used firm pressure and gave a lot of attention to our areas with the most tension. They also used hot towels on our backs and faces, which felt wonderful.

Elegant interior design

A cozy living room with a fireplace that is always lit greets guests at the entrance to the dining room. A musician plays guitar and sings every night during dinner. Those lucky enough to secure a coveted spot by the fire sip cocktails pre or post-dinner.

We were in awe of the beautiful ambience of the dining room. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook a peaceful lake setting and flood the room with natural sunlight. Giant wrought iron chandeliers hang from high vaulted ceilings, giving the room a romantic vibe. See our Pinterest stories and TikTok page for videos of the resort.

As someone with an eye for interior design, I couldn’t stop admiring the architecture and decor throughout the entire resort. The interior design combines rustic elegance with elements of nature throughout, bringing the outdoors inside. Everywhere you look is extremely inviting, with plush couches and chairs next to illuminated fireplaces. We learned that the resort was designed to keep people indoors, and with such stunning spaces, it certainly makes you want to linger.

All-inclusive Dining

Beyond the stunning decor, we were even more impressed by the food at The Lodge at Woodloch. The gourmet meals were a highlight of our stay. Three meals per night of stay are included. We decided to start with dinner the day of arrival and end with lunch on the day of departure. Alternatively, you can start with lunch on the day of arrival and end with breakfast on the day of departure. We noticed that many guests added on an extra lunch, which costs about $37 after taxes and gratuity.

We came with high expectations after reading so many reviews raving about the food. The chef certainly did not disappoint. The impeccable quality and presentation of each dish rivaled Michelin-starred restaurants. Service was friendly and attentive, with knowledgeable servers who gave excellent recommendations from a menu of so many enticing options. Although the menu states to choose one item from each course, we asked and were able to receive an extra appetizer to share a few times when the choices were too good to just pick one. In fact, the food was so delicious that we often overindulged and left needing to loosen our belts.

Thankfully we didn’t gain any weight from our indulgent weekend, likely because the food is prepared with healthy farm-to-table ingredients. The chef uses fresh and seasonal locally sourced ingredients, including fruits and vegetables from their own garden and Blackmore farm. They also have their own beehives, so make sure to try some of their honey in your tea. There are also meals for those with dietary restrictions, such as vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Check some sample menus from the Tree Restaurant here.

Breakfast includes a hearty main dish with the choice of 3 sides, such as fruit, breakfast potatoes, bacon, and turkey sausage. My favorite breakfast dish was the skillet scramble, a savory mix of eggs, cheese, turkey sausage, sweet potatoes, peppers and onions. Bertaut loved the eggs benedict and I enjoyed an omelette on my second morning.

Lunch and dinner includes 4 courses- a starter, salad, entree, and dessert. Their home-baked bread at dinner was so tasty I couldn’t resist dipping into the bread basket. Dinner was our favorite meal, with delectable options including lobster pasta, New York strip steak, pan-seared sea scallops, tuna tartar, mussels. Dessert included fresh baked cookies, brownies, and fruit tarts on offer at midday. Desserts at dinner were more sophisticated, with choices including bananas flambay, cheesecake, opera torte, raspberry chocolate tart, and mint chocolate chip gelato. We highly recommend the Chilean sea bass, NY strip steak, and crab-stuffed mushrooms, although everything was outstanding.

Non-alcoholic drinks are included with meals, including juice, smoothies, soda, iced tea, hot tea, and coffee. Specialty coffee drinks, cocktails, wine and liquor are available for purchase a la carte. The drink menu offers a selection of creative cocktails in addition to classics like the Bellini and Bloody Mary, which were popular breakfast choices.

Activities at The Lodge at Woodloch

The Lodge at Woodloch has a daily schedule with dozens of classes and activities for the mind and body in addition to a cardio weight studio. There are also different motivational speakers every weekend. You can check the schedule here. The majority of the classes are included, although a few have an additional fee like the wine tasting and mosaics class. Some activities do not require sign-up, such as archery, geocaching, biking, birding, fishing, and disc golf. Others require advance sign-up, which you call the Spa Concierge to schedule.

We came to the Lodge at Woodloch to relax and enjoy each other, so we purposefully didn’t schedule too many activities. We did a chakra bowl sound meditation class, hatching throwing, archery, hiking, and a Hatha yoga class. That was the perfect amount of activities to give us ample time to enjoy the spa, savor our meals together, and hang out by the fireplaces and fire pits scattered throughout the resort and property.

If you like s’mores, head down to the lake and grab a free s’ s’mores kit and cup of tea, hot cocoa, hot cider, or coffee. We sat by the fire pit and roasted our s’mores before heading to the dock and taking in the beautiful views of the lake. There are also hammocks scattered around the property, so bring a good book and enjoy the outdoors.

If you really love to keep busy, then by all means schedule lots of activities. There were many interesting options, like watercolor painting, drawing, fly fishing, TRX, pilates, t’ai chi, cooking demonstrations, barre, aqua aerobics, and so many more! You could enjoy a couples yoga retreat with the variety of yoga classes they offer. The weekly schedule is available about a month in advance. We recommend signing up early because some classes fill up. Check the list of the activities at The Lodge at Woodloch here to see the vast array of wellness classes and activities.

Last thoughts on our romantic spa getaway

We had a wonderful couples spa getaway at The Lodge at Woodloch. This charming resort is a haven of tranquility. It makes for a great spa weekend for couples, groups of friends, or even solo travelers who want to tune into themselves.  It has been recognized not only as one of the best resorts in the Poconos, best spa resorts in the U.S., and even as one of the best spa resorts in the world! So if you’re in the tri-state area and have been wondering “Where is the best spa resort near me?”, check out this Poconos spa resort.

If you live close enough for spontaneous weekend spa breaks or even a mid-week Poconos retreat, sign up for the their Last Minute Club to get alerted to The Lodge at Woodloch deals. We could always use a weekend at a spa to decompress. Let us know if you decide to visit, we’d love to hear about your experience.

*Disclosure- We were hosted by The Lodge at Woodloch, but all opinions are our own.

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