Canyon Ranch Lenox

Spent the past weekend at Canyon Ranch. Had high expectations considering everything I heard and the cost. I had a great weekend with a special friend and made the best of everything offered. I came away disappointed. The food was OK. I think their Michelin star rating must be from years ago. Food and service was adequate but not great. Spa services expensive and short ($350 for a 50 min facial when maybe got 40 mins in reality.) Classes were good. We had to pay extra money for some classes. Our room was fine. Bathroom was small with toilet abutting tub and old shower style). Intent is not to bash but the price was very high and we did not see the value.

What a great long weekend! Went with a girlfriend and we had equal parts of fitness, spa treatments, workshops and FOOD. Have been here multiple times and would absolutely recommend. While there is not much to do in the evening (perhaps they can coordinate some entertainment or events at night)... it does allow you to rest/go to bed early. Really love that they are now offering wine in the evening (although $25 a glass is a bit of overkill with pricing). The staff is lovely, some of the classes are excellent, rooms are comfortable, food is delicious, grounds are beautiful. Already looking fwd to my next visit!

This was my 11th trip to Canyon Ranch Lenox, and my first since COVID. I have so many warm memories of this being a luxurious, ahead-of-the-curve place and was very sorry to see that it no longer is. First, as many have noted, the rooms remind one of a roadside hotel. They are clean and totally serviceable but they are brown, bland, and basic. Second, as also noted, the food in the dining room is unacceptable. Meat is dry and quite literally flavorless. The loss of the salad bar is just that -- a real loss. Service is hit or miss and it seems they've added alcohol in an attempt to make up for the fact that the food falls so short. I will say the all day restaurant Rebel is a lovely place to sit and the smoothies are a nice addition -- but muffins baskets were often empty, they only had grab & go sandwiches on our first day, and many of the staff behind the counter seemed to be working there for the first time. The biggest issue is that the whole experience does not feel like a cutting edge, luxurious wellness experience. The wellness field has exploded since my last visit and parking a red light bed on the top floor of the mansion does not compensate for the lackluster classes and uninspired staff. This could be so much better -- but one gets the sense that those in charge do not know about or have not experienced "better" so might not be equipped to bring it to Lenox. I hate that it felt so stale and behind the times as it really was a pioneering place for many, many years -- but this is not where you should go if you want a true wellness retreat.

I recently joined some friends for a milestone birthday and was very much looking forward to visiting a Canyon Ranch location, since I had several times stayed at Miraval (Tucson and Austin), had loved them, and people were always telling me that Canyon Ranch was even better. While that might be true for CR Tucson - it was definitely not the case for me at CR Lenox. As others have mentioned, the rooms are fairly dated and amenities are not what you'd expect for a top level resort/spa (e.g. generic coffee pods, cheap TP, low quality room toiletries). Staff quality was hit and miss - mainly seems to be an issue of training and experience, but possibly, as we wondered several times, could have something to do with the legal marijuana situation, as we wondered if a few of the servers were actually a bit high (odd comments, long wait times for orders and frequently forgotten items or requests.) Which brings me to the food. A few menu items were ok and some even good, but they were things that are hard to get wrong. As someone else noted, meats seemed precooked and reheated, and we had several dishes that were so awful we called them to the waiter's attention and sent them back (Dover Sole and the Shrimp Scampi - both tasted terrible and had the texture of wet cardboard). Salads are plentiful on the menu and should have been fine, but there was not a lot of variety in greens and dressings were all very similar and bland. Soups were the safest choices, but sometimes were not smooth enough or strained well -I finally gave up trying to eat my artichoke soup as it had so many rough strings in it. One of the wonderful things about Miraval Tucson was their breakfast and lunch buffet - with lots of varied, delicious and healthful options. I heard that Lenox used to have a salad bar - and maybe that would be a good thing for them to bring back. The spa was also a bit of a mixed bag - but overall the best part of my visit. All three of my services were by excellent providers (deep tissue massage, a Biologique facial and a reflexology session). However, for me, the layout of the spa is problematic - the pools are not connected to the showers/locker room or the steam/sauna rooms and the although there is a whirlpool/hot tub and cold plunge near the locker room - you have to walk through the spa waiting room to get to the steam/sauna and showers. Bad space planning. The location is gorgeous - and the surrounding towns are cute and fun to explore, so if you are in the area and want a spa treatment, maybe look into booking something a la carte if possible, but for the cost, it really isn't worth it. In my opinion, shockingly not worth it.

Pausing before I write to collect words to describe the INDESCRIBABLY WONDERFUL 4 days (3 nights) at CR. My sister-in-law and I went to the Deepak Chopra "An Awakened Life" retreat and not only was it an amazing lecture series but the experience of CR was perfectly suited to support the work Dr. Chopra was doing for us. The staff was genuinely warm, gracious, and friendly without being intrusive or overbearing...just there for you whatever your needs. The food was absolutely phenomenal. I usually do intermittent fasting, but for these 4 days, NO WAY, I ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner and actually lost a pound while I was there! The portion sizes are actually healthfully calculated, but sincerely I ordered two of everything (which I assume any man would have to do to be full), but it's all included so that wasn't a problem at all. Specifically, my favorite dish was the Maine Lobster Cakes, but even if they don't have that when you go, you just can't go wrong. Everything was expertly prepared with the best ingredients. I chose to stay Keto, but there are carbohydrate options like sesame crackers, sour dough pita crackers, and sandwich bread (just not large, sugary deserts which I don't even eat anyway even on vacation). It's the TOP OF THE LINE healthful, flavorful, expertly prepared, and nutritious menus. Not to mention food, coffee, smoothies, health shots, etc, are offered from 7 AM - 9 PM (between the snack bar and the restaurant). I'm in my 50s and have stayed in plenty of hotel rooms at all costs (4 Seasons to Motel 6). This was BY FAR THE CLEANEST (looking and, more importantly SMELLING) room and hall I've ever experienced. NO MUSTINESS, DUST or ANYTHING OF THE SORT. TOTALLY CLEAN, NO SMELLS of any kind and certainly no dust or grime. SPOTLESS. Anyone with allergies, come with confidence (I have asthma). The Spa was as one would hope, although, I have to say that the prices are quite high. Maybe that's due to the high quality amenities that need maintenance; unlimited towels, bathing suit spinners (like salad to get the water out), luxurious robes, spa sandals, and a magnetic bracelet key to a locker. Showers, bathrooms, and all manner bath necessities. Maybe it wasn't that expensive after all, now that I think about it - you don't get all that at a local spa, after all. The Sound Bath is a must-do if it's on the schedule while you're there. We could barely walk back to our rooms afterwards we were so relaxed! Jim deserves special mention for his extraordinary heart-felt concern for CR guests.