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Welcome to the second iteration of Vogue’s global spa guide, an index of the 100 best spas in the world, built from the expertise of our global editors and trusted contributors. There is a lot to choose from in the world of wellness, and no matter how far you’re planning to travel—from a subway ride to a trans-Atlantic flight—we want to make sure it’s worth the journey. Whatever your path, let us be your guide.
Why Go Here?
If you’ve found your way to Sundance—the mountain resort nestled into the base of Mount Timpanogos 40 minutes or so west of Park City, not the film festival it’s sometimes confused with—you’re already privy to one of skiing’s best secrets, so checking yourself into the rustic-luxe Spa for some après-mountain recovery, wellness, and relaxation is just the next smart and soothing step on your agenda. If the entire place—from the homesteader-style cabin where lodgers here check in to the reclaimed-wood-and-antiques-centric main buildings—seems like the perfect marriage of cowboy chic and nature, the Spa itself is the apotheosis: A sun-lit space inspired by the Sioux concept of Hokoka, which connotes a sacred space dedicated to restoring and healing the body and spirit.
What’s The Vibe?
The vibrations are strong: If Big Sur was a ski resort, it would be Sundance, which was modeled after Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, with the specific goal of balancing art, nature, and community. Staying on-site? Enjoy complimentary yoga, meditation, and sound bath sessions. As for the Spa itself: Like everything else here, it’s low-key gorgeous and utterly in harmony with its surroundings—those beautiful stones you see sculpted in the big fireplace in the spacious waiting room are similar to what you’ll see in the nearby Tree Room restaurant and Gallery space. As for the facilities: Five single treatment rooms and one couples’ suite are the setting for an array of massages (from CBD sports-recovery-centric to prenatal), body treatments (from a high-altitude hydration wrap to a warming ginger citrus exfoliation), facials, manicures, and pedicures.
The History
While the resort was founded by Robert Redford in 1969, with all the trust and hope in nature and righteous, peaceful vibes that that decade still held, the Spa came along in 2001—with the building that now houses the Spa serving as the original check-in office.
What Should You Try?
An itinerary I can recommend from experience: A pre-dawn walk down the well-lit path from your cabin to the brand-new Springs for a soak in one of three heated pools and tubs with your morning coffee while the sun rises, followed by a day on the slopes (whether skiing them in winter or hiking around them in summer) and then a late-afternoon spa treatment. The house specialty is a Gemstone Energy Balancing Massage—a sublime blend of traditional massage supported with the healing power of gemstones and energy-balancing techniques—but everything I sampled here, including an off-the-rack facial, was infused with care and both expert and gentle attention to mood, technique, and materials and potions.
How Environmentally Friendly Is It?
“We believe in harnessing the healing power of nature to elevate our guest’s wellness journey,” says Claire Fisher, a massage therapist at the spa, “and we partner with reputable brands such as ISUN, Eminence Organics, Venn Skincare, Antara, and Zents to leave you feeling refreshed, revitalized, and connected to nature.” Given that the entire resort was founded to celebrate and honor the natural world, you can certainly expect the Spa to minimize single-use plastics and to focus on sustainably produced products.
Who Can Go?
While the complimentary yoga, meditation, and sound bath treatments—and the new Springs hot-soak options—are only for Sundance guests, the Spa is open to anyone.
Booking details for Spa at Sundance Mountain Resort
Address: 8841 Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, Sundance, UT 84604 United States
Read more from Vogue’s Global Spa Guide.
