Calistoga,
that once sleepy little timewarped town at the north end of
Napa Valley, has long been known for
its hot springs and mineral baths. Californians
have been going there for over a
century to enjoy its curative waters. Now an
important part of the valley’s winery scene,
Calistoga has entered the 21st century to the
extent that you’ll find excellent restaurants,
shops and wine tasting opportunities along
its main street, as well as the spas for which
it was originally famous. But it retains its
19th century western charm, and although
you won’t find any cowboys slouching along
the sidewalks or horses tied up outside a
saloon, you wouldn’t be all that surprised if it
actually happened.
The Golden Haven Spa, tucked away at
one end of town, manages to combine the
charm of yesterday with all the modern, you gotta-have-it-right-now
spa services you can think of. Twenty-eight guest rooms are clustered
under spreading shade trees, and
although you can take advantage of day spa
services without staying overnight, when
you’ve finished your mud bath, European
body wrap, massage or salt scrub treatment,
you’ll be feeling so relaxed you won’t want to
go anywhere except maybe out 
for dinner.
All the rooms have been completely redecorated
in the past year, and they are inviting
havens for rest and lounging. Many areequipped with dry heat saunas
or Jacuzzi
baths; all have TV, fridges and coffee makers.
A large outdoor (but covered overhead)
mineral swimming pool and sun deck are
additional enticements to linger and relax in
this sun-drenched environment.
Golden Haven Spa is perfectly suited for a
weekend getaway spot. It’s just a two hours’
drive from San Francisco or Oakland airports,
yet it is situated in one of the quietest parts of
Napa Valley. With Golden Haven Spa as a base, you can take day
trips to any of the
renowned wineries in the area, hike up Mt. St.
Helena in the beautiful Robert Louis
Stevenson State Park, or just indulge yourself
with Golden Haven’s fabulous spa services.
The courteous and efficient staff will be
happy to book for you on the telephone any
of the many spa services available, but it’s
really worthwhile going to the excellent
website first to view all the special combinations
of treatments that you can customize
for yourself, such as the Girlfriends’ Spa
Special. And Golden Haven Spa uniquely
offers couple spa treatments. Usually a spa
separates its guests based on gender, but here
at Golden Haven men and women can take
mud baths together in a private room or
share other spa services together. Obviously,
this makes a great honeymoon site!
For more information, call (707) 942-8000 or go to www.goldenhaven.com.
The
spa is located at 1713 Lake Street in Calistoga.