Canyon Ranch Lenox

The proper context of this review is that my most recent spa day was my third attempt to be a dude and my second “successful” one. All three involved highly avoidable “snags” that front-line workers easily could have resolved but did not. I sincerely deeply appreciate the extraordinary efforts of upper management to put right what once went wrong, but the trauma-and-drama that getting there requires is too much. This is particularly true for a place that charges such a premium for the promise of the happiest place on earth. I spent too large of a chunk of my visit yesterday addressing the “hiccup” that I speculated to the ranch poet laureate might occur. My highly significant other keeps urging me to try what is promised to be a moment of Zen at the Mandarin Oriental in Boston, I am giving great thought to enjoying the suite life (complete with the in-resident black lab) at the Tipton and getting a good massage at the Mandarin. To the credit of Canyon, I cannot imagine any masseur coming close to Bill, who has perfect instincts regarding both touch and conversation. Speaking of Bill, my ills this time began with booking this eagerly anticipated stay. The call center rep. initially expressed great annoyance regarding my very valid and on-point questions. These included if there was a record of my speaking with the very helpful former rep. whom I wished to leave thanks. The bad rep, then validly told me that Bill was not available until mid-afternoon. That would have required my staying past the allotted time. On my asking to stay later, the rep. told me that I would need to speak to a supervisor. Two spoilers are that Bill could have been available at the requested earlier slot AND staying a little later if a service requires is standard. I then spoke to the aforementioned poet to whom I will refer as Mr. Smith. I even joked about the aptness of his first name related to an unpleasant environment. Smith got me the desired appointment and said that he would oversee my stay. Several days before my arrival, another business refused to resolve an issue that was entirely on them. That prompted wanting to ensure that my ranch stay went without a hitch. I will spare the details of my first two calls trying to reach Smith not getting me anyone. My third call was not the charm. When I asked if she worked in Lenox as opposed to the call center, Monica testily replied that she was in Lee. That is one town over. That also was one of many signs that the ranch allowing people to work from home is an issue. When I asked to speak to a manager, Monica was nastily replied that she was not a manager but had worked there 26. She then got very impatient regarding the history that I provided. She stated that she would do the exact opposite of what I repeatedly asked not be done. I then got Smith, who was on site. He already was there psst his time to leave. I speculate there that the ranch does not have enough hands and has the foremen regularly fill in. I asked Smith if he wanted to talk in the morning. He told me that he wanted to speak then. I repeatedly apologized for keeping him late. This included asking him to convey my apologies to anyone who might have been waiting for him at home. Smith and I discussed a few possible scenarios and Plan Bs if they occurred. I also offered a specific thank-you gift, which Smith said that he would accept. He also said that he would be at the spa on the day of my visit. Trying to not make this epic poem even longer, I repeatedly stopped by the spa desk to thank Smith. That included killing time that could have been spent relaxing. I found out nearly 90 minutes later that Smith, who told me a few days earlier that he woukd be on site, was working from home. An exact “what if” that Smith and I discussed occurred. This had been going on for several days. Smith definitely would have been aware if he was working on site during that period. Advance notice would have allowed me to easily adapt. This led to another extended period trying to get a supervisor. It seems that not knowing even if any were not working from home was an issue. Ultimately, I spoke to spa manager Melissa, who heard me out. She made things better but far from perfect, This was after 90 minutes of wasted and/or stressful time. I will add that the men’s locker room was very messy the whole time. A used towel was by the Jacuzzi several hours and other areas that were very well maintained my last visit went untouched. I do think that Canyon Ranch can offer a spectacular experience. I just have lost faith that getting there will not involve a badly bumpy stagecoach ride that will offset much of the bliss. The bottom line is that there are no issues if there are no issues. Otherwise, you are in the foyer of the bad place.

Do not recall when I went but several times. Too expensive but love it!!!

I just completed my first stay at a Canyon Ranch property, three nights at Canyon Ranch Lenox as part of a women’s wellness retreat. We came in a night early and stayed nearby in Lenox, which is only about a mile from the Ranch. A quick transportation tip: We flew into Albany, just under an hour away, and Canyon Ranch offers shuttle service to and from the airport on your arrival and departure days. I would highly recommend using it. We had a surprisingly difficult time finding rideshare drivers willing to make the trip to Lenox. Several accepted our ride and then canceled, presumably after realizing they’d be nearly an hour outside Albany with limited opportunities for a return fare. But back to the Ranch, ha ha… it’s amazing!! The grounds are absolutely stunning. Flowers, fountains, beautiful landscaping, and thoughtfully curated little spots to sit and enjoy nature. From the moment you arrive, the staff go out of their way to make you feel pampered and looked after. The property isn’t enormous, but it does take a minute to get acclimated. I actually started to prefer walking outside because it was easier for me to orient myself between the three places I visited most: my room, the spa/fitness area, and the dining area. We stayed in an entry-level room with two double beds. After reading some of the scathing room reviews on TripAdvisor, I truly wasn’t sure what to expect. Perhaps there have been recent renovations, because our room was lovely. It was large and had everything I like in a hotel room: plenty of outlets, lots of towels, lots of space to put things, a mini fridge, and even an extra sink outside the bathroom. There are also tons of pillow options available, which I appreciated. My extremely minor critiques, and these really are minor: there was no true full-length mirror, the desk felt a little oversized for the room, and the artwork was a little mishmashed and didn’t feel especially cohesive. That’s it. Seriously. Otherwise, the room was more than adequate, and I’m sure the accommodations only get nicer as you upgrade. Now… onto the food. What the heck are people talking about?! The food was AMAZING. Fresh. Abundant. Artfully served. Plentiful. And incredibly accommodating for people with dietary restrictions. And I’m an eater. I’m a diner. I’ve stayed at multiple high-end spa properties and resorts, including Kohler, Montage, Jade Mountain, Ritz-Carlton and Autograph Collection properties, and the food here was absolutely on par with, or better than, many of them. The luxury of having all of your food included in the daily rate makes it even more fantastic. Was every single dish amazing? No. But so many were. And if you wanted something different, the staff genuinely seemed happy to accommodate you. Want to try a half portion? Go for it. Want something adjusted? Just ask. And, yo, the salt and pepper are on the table and a banger wine list is at your service, so quit the fear-mongering about both of those! Yes, there is salt. Yes, there is pepper. AND YES, there is alcohol if you’d enjoy some. Lastly, I cannot say enough about the incredible staff. The spa attendants, workout instructors, dining staff and, WOW, the hiking guides. Knowledgeable, friendly, funny and genuinely engaging. Many of the employees I spoke with had been at Canyon Ranch for more than 10 years, which says a lot about the leadership and the company. If I had to sum up Canyon Ranch, I’d say it’s a little like going to a really expensive, really fabulous camp for adults. Yes, it’s expensive. No, every single detail is not perfect. But frankly, if absolute perfection is your expectation, good luck to you, and perhaps go elsewhere because I don’t want to vacation around you!! Canyon Ranch is beautiful, welcoming, indulgent without feeling stuffy, and full of opportunities to do as much or as little as you want. If you can’t have a great time here, it might be a you problem. I can’t wait to go back.

This was overall a huge disappointment. The entire property needs a full renovation. The rooms were clean but were comparable to a 3-star hotel, and the food was straight up bad. The service was also sub par and not what I would expect from a “5-star” resort. I found the classes and spa to be okay, but I don’t understand why you’re paying such a premium for mid tier a accommodations and food when you have to also pay for many of the activities and experiences.

The incredible gesture by Canyon corporate and general manager John (as well as the sublime service by the jolly ranchers) prompt intense guilt regarding not granting the five stars that I definitely want to bestow on this oasis. The bliss that I experienced had me rebook my area stay and count down to my next spa day three days later. Their policy of only allowing booking those visits 28 days out has me counting the days until I can do so again. Unfortunately, a small number of minorly unfortunate incidents harshed my mellow. I will address the ecstasy of my day before sharing the agony of those disappointments. The entire property inside and out is immaculate to the extent that puts Disney World to shame. Figuratively walking wounded John (aka Johnny on the spot) constantly wheels his knee scooter around the property to ensure that all is in good order. His little dog Pip (who loves romping) informally serves the role of hotel dog. (I still attribute Catie Copley and I almost knocking down the Boston Copley Christmas tree to that hotel placing that item in her play area.) Every ranch hand offered greetings and provided information that would earn them Cast Member of the Year at the aforementioned Mouse Factory. The argument easily can be made that adults are much better off having a spa day there than a Disney day. The cleanliness in the locker room that is much more than close to divine validated my decision to postpone my stay until it was renovated. The always pure and lightly scented spa air and the very comfortable lounge air helped achieve badly needed rejuvenation. Additionally literally shutting out outside noise made me never want to leave. The Jacuzzi temperature and jets are perfect, and the steam room steam level is equally ideal. The locker room area was mostly empty, but those amenities and the entire space is large enough to avoid feeling crowded even during peak hours. Locker-room attendant Julio deserves high praise for his exceptionally mellow hospitality and for keeping the entire area pristine. Masseur Bill outshines his spectacular co-workers. Booking a month out limited the availability of Bill to a 50-minute CBD massage. (I will book an 80-minute one with him for my next visit.) I arrived incredibly tense and achy but left far more relaxed than I ever could have imagined less than an hour later. The instincts of Bill regarding the appropriate pressure and the literal sore spots seem psychic. His instinct for the level and subjects of conversation is equally spot on. Our topics included his Iowa teen years out in the corn fields and Tom Arnold entertaining him during their joint shifts flipping burgers at McDonalds. The perfection continued with the spatastic restaurant with the wonderfully peaceful environment and food that was tasty enough to make me not mind that it was healthy. I offset the latter with a meat-lovers monstrosity pizza at nearby Pizza Bueno followed by an ice- cream sundae that included an abundance of Reeses Pieces that evening. We now come to the point of this review that I hesitate to include. I implore ranch foreman John to take it in the intended spirit. I do believe that easy minor twerks can put right what once minorly went wrong. The joy of Canyon Ranch includes the wide range of daily activities that appeal to every dude. My partner and I booked an afternoon session on making tea to end our day on a fully relaxing note. We booked it individually, but only he received notification a few days before that it was cancelled. There were absolutely no tears or recriminations regarding an emergency requiring that the service provider cancel. None of the other activities were feasible for us. My friendly (and hopefully helpful) advice is that any cancelled activity be replaced by another. In this case, having a member of the culinary team prepare a traditional afternoon tea complete with a discussion of different types of teas and pairing them with meals, times of the day, and ailments seems that it would have been a viable substitute. Similarly, we did not book a hike but at least one that day surely was rained out. I suspect that that regularly occurs. A nature documentary, a walking tour of the massive indoor space, or even a narrated extended walk in the indoor track all seem alternatives to merely cancelling the hike. Rather than further prolong this novella, I will state that some gift shop items are not labelled. An honest mistake in quoting a price was not devastating, and I did not want to play gotcha. I do wish that the manager had offered to honor the (not much) lower price that she had initially quoted instead of waiting to do so on hearing that it was a second disappointment after the cancelled event. I do have great expectations regarding stratospherically high-caliber properties such as Canyon Ranch that arguably are the actual happiest places on earth. My stay achieved 99% of that.