Indulge your senses with luxury services and treatments offered in and around Park City
We all have them—our favorite guilty pleasures. From binge-watching Friends reruns and playing the new Harry Styles album on repeat, to eating a pint of Chunky Monkey or adding one more pair of sneakers to your shoe collection, there’s a reason why we all succumb to these little indulgences: They make us happy!
So why must we feel guilty about enjoying things that make us feel good? We submit that we don’t! In fact, we’ve rounded up a decadent list of time-out activities that are sure to transform your idea of guilty to gifted.
Next time you book that spa treatment, consider turning it into a “day-cation,” or let the glam squad come to you for your next big occasion. Elevate your yoga practice, literally, with a helicopter ride to a 10,000-foot mountain peak or expand your wine knowledge with a private tasting while surrounded by 20,000 bottles of the world’s best wine. Looking for some quality me-time? Try a true exploration of self and experience a deeper connection to yourself and nature with a handsome horse as your teacher.
Sound like fun? We think so, too! So let go of that guilt and read on, for your guide to embracing some of Park City’s most gifted and unique pleasures.
MAKE A DAY OF IT
While many of us include regular massages, facials and pedicures in our personal self-care routines, ever wonder what it would be like to extend those appointments into an entire afternoon or day of pampering? Find out for yourself when you book your next treatment at Montage Deer Valley, where all spa guests can enjoy complimentary access to the hotel’s luxury amenities and wellness facilities.
Let the day’s stressors slip away as you drive up to Montage’s mid-mountain location, nestled in Empire Pass at 8,600 feet. Hand your keys to the valet and head to the 35,000-square-foot spa featuring beautifully appointed treatment rooms, an indoor mosaic lap pool with mountain views, separate his and hers relaxation rooms, serene meditation areas, redwood saunas, steam rooms, jetted whirlpools, deluge showers, beauty salon and state-of-the-art fitness facilities.
As for which treatment to choose, we’re particularly drawn to the 120-minute Peace Within experience, one of Montage’s signature Elements of Wellness services. This Ayurveda-inspired treatment begins with a balancing aromatherapy essence and chime ritual followed by chakra work and a customized full-body massage. The ritual culminates with a traditional Shirodhara—the Ayurvedic procedure of slowly dripping medicated oil on the forehead to bring deep rest to the nervous system—and a luxurious scalp massage.
TAKE YOUR RECREATION TO NEW HEIGHTS
Residents and visitors alike flock to the Wasatch Back for superior access to outdoor adventure, but The Lodge at Blue Sky offers guests the opportunity to take their hiking, biking, fishing and even yoga to literally the next level with their premium menu of High-Alpine Heli Adventures. For those yearning for space, solitude and singular experiences, Blue Sky’s helicopter adventures drop you directly into Utah’s remote, high-alpine wilderness areas, where you can explore endless horizons and experience nature away from human contact.
Imagine yourself moving through empowering yoga sequences on a remote, high-alpine peak with nothing but your instructor, your mat and boundless vistas inviting you to connect with Mother Nature. For the fishing enthusiast, a short scenic helicopter ride over peaks and valleys delivers you to the High Uintas Wilderness, where you’ll marvel at the diversity of native Utah trout while fishing pristine lakes, rivers and streams. For the hiker looking to truly get off the beaten path, heli-hiking offers the chance to explore high-altitude terrain and commune with the majesty of the mountains in complete solitude. Add a rustic picnic lunch and your afternoon adventure is complete.
LET’S WINE ABOUT IT—IN PRIVATE
What makes wine such a captivating beverage? Besides the delightful release of dopamine, a good glass of wine can be compared to the satisfaction of a good meal. Not only does it hit your palate a certain way, but also the sights and smells create a well-rounded drinking experience. But like most things involving the palate, wine can be subjective, presenting a perfect reason to learn more about your preferences and increase your wine knowledge at the same time with a private blind tasting at Stein Eriksen Lodge.
Led by a certified sommelier, the hour-long tasting unfolds in the hotel’s impressive wine cellar, which boasts more than 20,000 bottles and over 2,000 selections estimated to be worth more than $2.6 million.
But why a blind tasting? This method forces you to use only your senses to determine the variety, vintage, region and subregion of a wine based on its appearance, its nose and its effect on the palate. Experiencing wine this way can improve your evaluation skills as well as your ability to describe the wine based only on what you perceive through your senses, not any prior expectation. It can be particularly useful when trying to determine what you really like, without being influenced by a label.
LET THE PROFESSIONALS COME TO YOU
What’s not to love about a good blowout? Imagine a bliss-inducing head massage, a mindless meditation session courtesy of a humming hairdryer, walking out of the stylist with the confidence boost you didn’t even know you needed and the added bonus of not having to do your hair for days. What’s more, what if an entire team delivered the salon experience to you?
That’s exactly what h2blow Blowdry + Beauty Bar offers from its Park City location in Redstone. Book one of their on-location services and h2blow will bring its glamour team to you for the ultimate convenience ahead of your next big event or even for a personal pampering session at your home or hotel room. Treat yourself to a bouncy blowout that will last for days and give your hair some extra love with one of their restorative add-on treatments, a single braid style such as fishtail or French, or a full-on updo. Additionally, complete your look with h2blow’s full-face makeup services. H2blow uses premium makeup brands like Kosas Cosmetics, Smith & Cult and Jouer, and also offers a faux lash application to complete your glowing look.
LET THE HORSE BE YOUR GUIDE
Taking time for yourself is the ultimate guilty pleasure in whatever form it comes in, but Alejandra Lara, owner of Park City Horse Experience, believes that some of the best time you can possibly spend is in the company of horses. As the founder and coordinator of the Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) program at the National Ability Center, Lara knows the power that horses have to help humans, which is why she also founded Park City Horse Experience in 2016.
Offering unique, customizable sessions that range from combination trail rides and yoga to family adventures exploring better communication and horse meditation circles that harness these gentle giants’ healing energy, Park City Horse Experience invites you to open yourself up to new perspectives. We’re most interested in the signature Horse Experience, where the horses lead participants to emotional, physical and mental alignment. The horses guide this experience by reading your energy and body language and responding to what they see and sense, offering an honest and authentic mirror to your intentions and behaviors.
