Dells doubles as adult getaway
It's still March, barely spring, but folks are swimming in the outdoor pool at Sundara Inn and Spa, just as they have been doing all winter long.
This becomes particularly remarkable when you consider the locale is Wisconsin Dells, Wis., the popular family getaway destination where, in recent years, the trend has been to move swimming indoors. By recent count, the Dells offers close to a score of indoor water parks.
Logs crackling in a fire pit and steam rising off the water make a swim positively appealing, particularly with the knowledge that the infinity-edge pool is kept at 83 degrees and the adjacent hot-soak bath at 104.
Another anomaly about Sundara is that it is an upscale resort that caters to adults and is extremely popular for romantic getaways. It is tucked away in a fragrant 26-acre pine forest adjacent to the championship golf courses of the Wilderness Resort, far from clattering go-karts and roller coasters. Deer frequently wander up to the back door. Don't be alarmed if a flock of wild turkeys struts past your sundeck.
Cell phones and pagers are taboo at Sundara, where the quiet is palpable and you may need a wake-up call if you plan to rise early. Many guests marvel at how much they enjoy restorative sleep. Stress and tension quickly melt away, especially with the expertise of spa-treatment specialists.
At breakfast, relax in a plush robe and sandals as you enjoy a buffet featuring not only plenty of fresh organic fruit and signature granola, but also frittatas and quiches and hot entrees made with chicken and beef. Lunch brings innovative sandwich combinations and the likes of mahi mahi tacos and white tuna and cannelloni bean salad. Featured on the dinner menu are Atlantic salmon, seared scallops, butternut squash ravioli and duck breast along with, for carnivores, bone-in rib-eye and filet mignon.
Accommodations are in 26 suites and 12 private villas, designed using feng shui principles and featuring king-size featherbeds, designer spa bathrooms and cozy fireplaces. All guests are free to enjoy the indoor bathhouse with its Purifying Bath Ritual and the outdoor infinity-edge heated pool. A complimentary Lincoln Town Car service chauffeurs guests to local restaurants and attractions.
Treatments range from a variety of facials (including one designed purely for men) to manicures and pedicures with an extensive menu of massages and body treatments. In breaking ground for the spa in 2002, the team was amazed at the fine quality of sand found on the site in shades of gold and red, rich in minerals that originated in the ancient Cambrian sandstone. It is incorporated into the spa product line, along with oil from peppermint and ginger found growing wild.
Begin with Sundara's signature purifying bath ritual with skin polishing that uses the native sandstone scrub under a calming rainfall shower. Then, step into an aroma steam, followed by a cooling second rinse. These are the prelude to a soak in an essential oil-enhanced hot pool with massaging jets, alternating with an invigorating plunge in the cool pool and followed by a peaceful rest in the Relaxation Lounge.
Another Dells resort that enjoys an enviable location is Chula Vista, tucked as it is into the wooded banks of the Wisconsin River and flashing an intriguing first glimpse to Dells visitors taking a dinner cruise or boat excursion.
In recent years the property was showing its age, looking worn and tired. A $200 million massive makeover has changed all that. Guests now have the option of staying in comfortable condominium units with fireplaces, full kitchens and stylish earth tone decor.
As part of this extensive expansion, the Chula Vista upgraded its water parks and redesigned its Cold Water Canyon Golf Course. It also added a Chicago-style steakhouse offering hand-cut, dry-aged beef. Kaminski Bros. Chop House offers big-city food and service (but expect prices to match). Stylish wood-paneled walls are decorated with black-and-white prints by famed photographer H. H. Bennett, whose favorite subjects were the Wisconsin Dells and the people vacationing there in the late 19th century. In fact, it was Bennett's photography that helped popularize the Dells as a Victorian vacation retreat.
Choose your steak from a selection that is presented au natural, with the majority of cuts priced between $40 and $50, with a petite filet mignon at $34 and a double porterhouse at $79. On Fridays, a Shore Dinner is served family style and includes fried battered bluegill, lake perch and walleye with a "garbage salad" packed with chopped bacon and eggs, blue cheese and tiny shrimp. It is priced at $12.95 per person.
Wisconsin Dells has broadened its live entertainment options in recent years, including the addition of the Broadway Dinner Theatre. Shows for 2008 include "Musical Memories," a tribute to music from the Roaring '20s through the Fabulous '50s (through May 25) and the summer run of "Footloose" (May 30 through Aug. 31). "The Best of Broadway: 1930s to Today" runs Sept. 5 through Oct. 26. A high-energy ensemble stages productions. Dinner, served at your theater table, is tasty enough (such as a combo of beef tenderloin and moist breaded chicken).
If you go
Information: Sundara Spa (888) 735-8181, www.sundaraspa.com; Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau (800) 223-3557, www.wisdells.com; Wisconsin Department of Tourism (800) 432-8747, www.travelwisconsin.com.
Mileage: Wisconsin Dells is 188 miles northwest of Chicago.
MikeMichaelson is a travel writer based in Chicago and the author of the guidebook"Chicago's Best-Kept Secrets."