My Golden Door Experience
It was love at first sight, the minute I stepped out of the black BMW luxury transport and took a look at the Japanese lanterns and those “golden doors”. I knew my lavish love affair had begun. I was greeted quickly by an attendant and my luggage was whisked away into my Asian-inspired upstairs suite overlooking the swimming pool.
Somehow an air of zen and tranquility in seclusion overcame me as I walked across the bridge through those iconic and literal “golden doors” and passed the crook in the walkway. It was said that there is an old ancient Japanese saying that negativity cannot cross a crooked path, and so it was here that I left my real world behind and entered the world of luxury well-being and spa getaway.
Find Your Way
There are times when each of us feels a little discombobulated, a little out of sorts and we try to find our way back to who we are. I know a lot of men and women have experienced this, either through empty nesting, divorce, changes in relationships and just in everyday life. Many people use travel as a way to escape their lives, but there are also times when you need to use travel as a way to find yourself. That is where I was at. I decided it was time to start looking.
Wellness Spa Resort
However, finding a wellness center at a spa resort near me to try to regain my life and health was certainly not easy. Much less taking time off from my work for myself was quite a difficult decision to make. The options can be expensive and many spa getaways may be out of reach for some. But if you’re willing to put yourself first and to go “off-week” or “off-season” or on a “deal”, for a smart luxury experience, then I found the perfect place for you:
The Golden Door
Clean eating, a personal trainer, massages in your room daily, facials, body treatments, manicure, pedicure, hair treatments, daily hikes of up to 3 to 5 miles in the rolling hills of California, tai chi, watercolors, cooking classes, water classes, dance, yoga… you name it, it seems as if they have it. They’ve thought of everything.
Golden Door Offers It All
Things from mindful living to essential oil’s, acupuncture, speaker series on things and ideas that can enhance your life, it’s all done here. I have to give a shout-out to my personal trainer Sandy, who has worked at the Golden Door for over 20 years. I felt like her service was extremely personalized. She really listened to my erratic schedule and the difficulties that I find in getting a regular workout into my daily routine and taught me the 7-minute workout that I can do from anywhere in the world, including a hotel room. She counseled me and encouraged me just the perfect amounts of each.
De-Stress and De-Clutter Your Life
So what’s it like to spend an entire week at a wellness center and spa getaway? First of all, it’s fantastic. But for me, it takes a while for me to get into de-stress mode and to simply relax. My first couple of days were spent in my mind trying to slow down and figure out how things worked around here, but the Golden Door staff was there at every turn, bringing me breakfast every morning at 7:30 am in my suite. They had wake up calls for early morning hikes for two different strenuous levels depending on what you were comfortable with or nothing at all if you chose.
Luxury Spa Getaway
I had daily laundry, clothes given to me that I could wear for working out, a Japanese print yukata robe that I wore every night for dinner, and a plush spa robe that I wore to different spa services from manicure and pedicure to hair and facial treatments. I had daily massages in my room. I had a 1200 calorie clean-eating meal plan for lunch and dinner (with two additional snacks-one in the morning and one in the afternoon that we’re healthy).
Get into A Morning Routine
My morning at this spa getaway was filled with exercise, cooking classes, garden visits, and literally thinking of anything other than my normal “routine”. The afternoon was spa-type activities, such as body wraps and scrubs, massages, hair and nail treatments, learning about essential oils, mindfulness skills, and swimming classes. By late afternoon, I was relaxing in my suite when I would hear the daily Edo-period Japanese Temple bell go off alerting the guests that hors d’oeuvres and dinner would soon be served.
Afternoon Routine
I didn’t even have to dress up for dinner. I was able to put on my yukata Japanese print robe with my t-shirt and shorts on underneath, no makeup, and would go to join my new friends at the communal dinner. For once, it was really nice to just go as you were, without worrying about what you looked like. I even wrote a Japanese Haiku on a watercolor print I painted while there:
My Japanese Haiku
A “Haiku” is a traditional form of Japanese poetry. Haiku poems consist of 3 lines. The first and last lines of a Haiku have 5 syllables and the middle line has 7 syllables. The lines rarely rhyme.
Golden Door’s Cooking School
I also attended the Cooking School, but I ended up getting so much more than that on my spa getaway and I promise, you will too! I even came home with a few lifelong friends! (You ladies know who you are!)
Be sure and make plans to visit Chef Greg Frey Jr.’s Cooking School, as it only happens twice a year and is very special. Check out the Golden Door website for more information. You won’t regret it! You can read about my experience at the cooking school in this Huffington Post article.
Disclosure: As is common in the travel industry, I was provided with accommodations, meals and other compensation for the purposes of review by the Golden Door. While it has not influenced my review, PointsandTravel.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. All Photos by the author.
This looks really blissful. Sheer indulgence for the body, mind, and soul. Really love the environment of the Spa.
It was pure bliss.
I’ve heard that the Golden Door is awesome and your pics prove it! I would LOVE this kind of getaway!
You should go!
This looks amazing. I would love to visit here someday. Looks and sounds like my dream vacation.
Jenn – it is awesome, put it on your bucket list!
Wow! It all sounds absolutely incredible! This is something that I would love to do for myself someday soon!
I had a great time!
I have to find this Golden Door! It sure looks like the place I have dreamed of spending sometime in. Everything around the place invites peace and relaxation. I will check the website to learn more. Thanks for letting me know about The Golden Door.
Yes, it is pretty darn cool!
That looks like an amazing place to visit! It has to be an awesome experience!
Yep, amazing!
I’m jealous! I’m a spa lover. I agree with you, the Golden Door, at first sight, is such a beauty. I would love to visit this place and book a massage, yoga class and try their healthy meals.
It was awesome plus they book you a daily massage, so you have one every day!
This looks so peaceful and beautiful! This looks like the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate! Sign me up!
It was the perfect place to relax! It worked for me!
This sounded like such a refreshing getaway! I like that there was an opportunity for both exercise and relaxation. What a cool place!
yes, both – relaxation AND exercise!
Just strolling around outside would be so very relaxing. The gardens are beautiful and I could spend hours taking it all in.
Yes, the grounds are gorgeous as well.
There is nothing like a spa break for getting to spend some time relaxing and coming out feeling a bit rejuvenated. I am loving the look this spa as well what a beautiful.
Yes, look it up!
I have never been to a real spa and have always wanted to go to one. This one sounds like it’s very lovely and relaxing.
It is lovely!
This looks like a wonderful place! I would love to have a getaway there! It looks so quiet peaceful and relaxing. I could use that right now.
I know the feeling! It was amazing!
This is such a relaxing and refreshing place for a spa getaway. I would love the views here and you’re definitely going to be pampered.
Being pampered was the best!
What a beautiful place! I could use a relaxing spa getaway. The cooking school sounds like an awesome experience.
The cooking school was awesome too!
Oh wow, what a gorgeous area! I would LOVE to go here. I could use a trip to a spa and relax some.
It is gorgeous and Japanese inspired!
What an amazing spa getaway! I would love to take the cooking class and would enjoy not having to dress up for dinner. This looks like the ultimate spa getaway!
Yes, not dressing up for dinner is a plus!
WOW! What an amazing experience! I would LOVE to spend some time at this wonderful spa! It really sounds like just what I need.
It was awesome!