The Spa at Primland in Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia
The Spa at Primland is nestled inside 12,000 acres in the South’s Blue Ridge Mountains. As you relax with a cup of herbal tea to support wellness in the spa’s relaxation lounge, you take in a view of the resort’s golf course surrounded by the peaks of Virginia’s mountain range.
The spa, located on the ground floor of Primland’s luxurious mountain lodge, which has a very European chic grace about it, sets itself apart from any other top-ranked spa by taking a nod to the land’s enriched Native American past.
As many as eight Indian tribes visited, claimed, or lived on this rugged Virginia land, now known as Primland. In order to take the spa to new heights for guests, the entire menu is based on American Indian beliefs, legends and the respect for Mother Earth and every living thing.
Since Primland blends the luxury of a traditional European spa approach with the holistic healings and remedies used by American Indians to renew one’s spirit, it gives you an experience like none other, which is just one of many reasons why the intimate spa received the honor of being named one of the Top 25 spas in the U.S. by Conde Naste Traveler for 2014.
The wisdom of the Indian people and their sensitivity toward nature have been assimilated in our spa philosophy. The symbol of this holistic culture is the medicine wheel, a compass of life which connects the outside world to the inner world of heart and spirit, and which reminds us that everything in nature works in a circle, turning, as do the seasons in an ongoing cycle.”
remarked Spa Director Melissa Dillon as she chatted with me before my Blue Corn and Honey Wrap and Float Treatment.
The Spa at Primland also believes that even the youngest children benefit from nurturing a commitment to well-being. As a result, they offer spa services as well as yoga and fitness classes for children ages five and up.
We pride ourselves in being a family-friendly resort.To have an entire family embrace our philosophy of well-being by introducing them to the pleasures and benefits of caring for body, mind, and spirit is a core mission for us.”
commented Primland General Manager Mara Bouvier.
During the summer months, local Native Americans who act as advisors to the resort work with children, teaching them the basis behind these holistic beliefs in special classes offered by the spa and resort. Through their teachings, children learn that nature is a wondrous healer, and their time spent on Primland property brings families in touch with Mother Earth.
Parents accompany children for all spa treatments, and in order to create the utmost tranquil experience for adults, children are not allowed in all areas of the spa. My daughter experienced the “Little Star Fingers and Toes” treatment, inspired by the tale of a young heroine, “Little Star,” as told by Grandmother Littlewolf, a Native American storyteller and author from Danville, Va.
Since I had to be present for my daughter’s treatment, I made a separate appointment for my Blue Corn and Honey Wrap and Float Treatment, but for parents and teens, some treatments can be done simultaneously in the family unity suite.
When I arrived for my morning treatment, I was asked to pick a Native American medicine card. It is believed that the totem animal I chose would help me achieve personal growth and balanced living. My Dog card reminded me to “Be loyal to yourself. Be true to yourself. Bolster your integrity.”
The Blue Corn and Honey Wrap and Float Treatment is a Primland signature treatment using natural Native American ingredients. This luxurious treatment incorporates the use of a unique Soft Pack System, which allows your body to experience weightlessness without getting wet. After blue corn and honey are applied to the body, you are wrapped in a thin membrane, which adjusts to your body shape due to water pressure.
Primland is one of very few spas in the U.S to have this European-designed system that mimics the sensation of being in the womb.
During this 60-minute treatment, heat helps you absorb the products at optimal speed, and you are kept cool with the application of cold turquoise stones rubbed on the face and feet.
According to spa officials, American Indians believe that turquoise is the most sacred of the stones, and is a piece of sky fallen on earth that regenerates the skin while harmonizing the mind and body. As a result, turquoise also plays a prominent role in the spa’s elegant décor and several treatments.
Since Primland is an active resort with golf, tennis, mountain biking and hiking, the spa is a great way for the family to take a day off from strenuous activities and come indoors for healthy rejuvenation.
Children and teen spa services begin at $45. The Blue Corn and Honey Wrap and Float Treatment begins at $140. Men’s spa services begin at $80. For a list of spa services, visit the
spa’s website.
The Primland Resort is located in Meadows of Dan, Virginia, approximately a half hour away from the North Carolina town of Mt. Airy. Roanoke, Va., and Greensboro, N.C.. The closest regional airports is 90 miles away. Primland is a member of the Preferred Hotels and Resorts. Rates for the resort begin at $285. The resort also has mountain homes to accommodate multiple families.
This story was made possible by a media visit.
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During the summer months, local Native Americans who act as advisors to the resort work with children, teaching them the basis behind these holistic beliefs in special classes offered by the spa and resort. Through their teachings, children learn that nature is a wondrous healer, and their time spent on Primland property brings families in touch with Mother Earth.
Parents accompany children for all spa treatments, and in order to create the utmost tranquil experience for adults, children are not allowed in all areas of the spa. My daughter experienced the “Little Star Fingers and Toes” treatment, inspired by the tale of a young heroine, “Little Star,” as told by Grandmother Littlewolf, a Native American storyteller and author from Danville, Va.
