Raindance Spa at The Lodge at Sonoma a Renaissance Resort & Spa in Sonoma, California
Julie Register visited this hotel spa in California in January 2004

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. It's been my experience that the absolute best times to visit a spa are on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesay morning - in that order. Local spa goers are at work and vacationers don't seem to spa early, so there are no crowds and lots of individual attention. I visited Raindance Spa on a Wednesday morning and I was not disappointed. With the exception of a couple of other early risers, I had the spa to myself.

I checked in at the spa reception desk and was taken to the Women's Changing Room where I exchanged my clothes for a robe and slippers and spent a little time in the steam room. I had my choice of waiting for my treatments in the upstairs lounge or out in the lovely Spa Garden. I decided to stroll around the garden for a little while. It was a beautiful morning - clear sky and bright sun. Being January, some of the plants were dormant, but many weren't, and the pool and whirlpools looked inviting. There were lots of places to sit and relax. It is a great place to have a spa lunch - later in the day, of course. You can have a massage in one of four private outdoor cabanas in the garden or enjoy a watsu-therapy treatment in the body-temperature watsu pool filled with natural mineral-enriched waters from a source directly beneath Raindance Spa. The pool even has an underwater stereo system so you can listen to relaxing music during your treatment.

When it was close to the time for my first appointment, I headed to the lounge and had some hot tea. At the appointed time, Suzanne escorted me to the treatment room. Inspired by the wine country location of the spa, I had to try a Grape Seed Facial followed by a Warm Grape Seed Oil Massage. Suzanne made me comfortable then proceeded with the facial - cleanse - mask - moisturize. I was so relaxed, I don't remember all of the steps Suzanne took to make my face look bright and feel soft. I do remember, however, the wonderful aroma. The products used were Eminence Organic Skin Care. I have seen Eminence's booths at spa expos many times, but this was the first time I actually experienced the products in a treatment. They were great! The hour passed quickly, and soon it was time for my massage - a combination of Swedish and Intensive Therapeutic methods using local grape seed oil to hydrate the skin and protect it from environmental stresses - another truly relaxing experience.

Other treatments Raindance offers:

Massage: Foot reflexology, Swedish, intensive therapeutic, aromatherpy, grape seed mud, pregnancy, couples, watsu
Body Exfoliations: Turkish salt, crush grape seed body polish, botanical butter scrub
Facial Treatments: Raindance spa, essence of aromatherapy, antioxidant anti-aging organic, deep cleansing, gentleman's, glycolic acid resurfacing, alult acne / problem skin, botanical brightening peel, power vitamin C and eye repair
Kur Treatments: Thermal mineral, aromatherapy, thalasso, Sonoma Valley grapeseed
Hydrotome Thermal Capsule: Grapeseed Antioxidant
Body Wraps: Natural spirulina, mineral enriched moor mud, grape seed rosehip mud, essential oil
Hydrotherapy Baths: Mineral, Krauter, thalasso, grape seed
Manicure and Pedicure: Grapeseed manicure, grapeseed pedicure, olive oil pedicure, gentleman's pedicure, mini manicure, gentleman's mini manicure

The Raindance Spa has a manicure/pedicure suite on the ground level and 11 treatment rooms on the second level. Eight of the rooms are manicure or facial treatment rooms. One is a couples treatment room and one is a wet room with shower and Hydrotome Thermal Capsule. One is the signature treatment room, the Raindance Spa Suite that can be used by individuals or couples. It has a monsoon shower and hydrotherapy tub and a private cedar sauna with a window offering a view of the room's fireplace. Raindance Spa Kurs and the Sonoma Valley Grape Seed Indulgence treatments are both offered in the Raindance Spa Suite. Couples have the choice of having their treatments at the same time or they can alternate treatments - while one person receives a massage the other can relax with a glass of Sonoma wine on the private balcony overlooking the Spa Garden.

The Lodge at Sonoma has 102 private guest cottages, 80 lodge rooms and four suites. I stayed in one of the private guest cottages near the main pool and whirlpool. The room had a private patio and a cozy sitting area warmed by a fireplace. There were shutters over the bath that could be opened to the main room. The Lodge at Sonoma's lavender/geranium shower gel, shampoo and conditioner were very nice. Other guest room amenities include desk, 2-line phone, voice mail, data ports on phone, high-speed internet access, TV with remote control, cable/satellite TV, in-room movies, newspaper delivered (Mon-Fri), refrigerator, in-room coffee, iron and ironing board, hairdryer and bathrobe.