The Bellmoor Inn, Spa, Gardens and Conference Center in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Julie Register visited this inn and spa on the Delaware Shore in June 2005

Click Images to Enlarge The Bellmoor

Day 2

A heat advisory has been issued. It is hottest day in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware this year - 98°F, but it feels like 105°F with the heat index. Feeling lazy, I decide not to work out in the Fitness Room. Lea and I are in no hurry to go outside. We take our time going down to the complementary breakfast buffet at The Bellmoor (7:30 - 10:30 am daily). The selection is very appealing. I fill my plate with samples of yogurt, granola, fresh berries, scrambled eggs and pastries. Normally, we would choose to sit in the garden next to one of the many fountains. We decide to eat in the bright, air-conditioned dining porch today. We linger over orange juice and coffee.

Dining Room	Afternoon Tea
Dining Porch	Garden Dining Area

We are on a short, two-day friend's getaway. Yesterday, we shopped and enjoyed The Bellmoor's spa. Today we will shop and enjoy the beach before we go home. Armed with bottled water, we brace ourselves for the heat and stroll two blocks to Rehoboth Avenue which is lined with tax-free boutiques, clothing stores and typical beach shops. We are drawn through many doorways simply to enjoy their air conditioning. Lea is on a quest to find a beach cover-up, yet I am the one trying on and buying clothes. It's so hot, I even buy a pair of shorts - my first in over 20 years! Lea finally finds something she likes, and we head down two blocks to the boardwalk to scope out the beach. It is a sea of umbrellas. The thought of getting our beach chairs and umbrella out of my car and carting them down to the water seems overwhelming. We could rent them from vendors on the boardwalk, but we simply decide not to go to the beach today. We walk back to The Bellmoor thinking we may just read in our room or in one of the inn's public rooms on the first floor. However, when we get to the inn, we walk through the garden and pass the adults-only pool. It's empty! Everyone else must be on the beach. We spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying the shade of large magnolia trees, dipping in the shallow pool and reading. Lea's book: Zorro, A Novel by Isabel Allende. My book: Prey by Michael Crichton.

Adult-Only Magnolia Pool in the Garden	Fountain
The Bellmoor Garden	Fountain

A few hours later, we decide to go inside to enjoy iced tea and cookies at The Bellmoor's Afternoon Tea (3 pm - 4 pm daily). We then pack up, check out and do a little outlet shopping before we go home (Find of the day - I bought two beautiful Chico's coats that were each originally $138.00 for $2.75!).

Day 1

Lea and I made the trip from Wilmington to Rehoboth Beach in about an hour and a half. The traffic was light, and it's expressway for most of the distance. We checked into The Bellmoor and parked the car in the free underground lot. We had a tour of the inn from owner Chad Moore. His enthusiasm and pride in the property was evident - and rightly so. The Bellmoor has an elegant and sophisticated décor, yet the atmosphere is comfortable and unpretentious. Guests range from families (separate family pool) and couples (separate adults-only pool) to business meeting attendees.

The Bellmoor Lobby	Public Room off of First Floor Lobby
Public Room off of First Floor Lobby	Public Room off of First Floor Lobby

The inn offers 78 rooms (22 are suites) that include Garden Rooms, Deluxe Rooms, Deluxe Suites and, on the fourth-floor Club Level, Club Suites. We stayed in a Deluxe Room on the third floor - a very comfortable, large room with two queen beds and a marble bath.

Deluxe Room #3318

After a morning of shopping, we were ready for a bit of time at the spa. The Spa at the Bellmoor is located on the second floor, across the exit to the hot tub and family pool.

Stairs from the Garden to the Second Story Family Pool	* Family Pool
* Hot Tub next to the Family Pool	Sitting Area Near Second Floor Exit to Family Pool and Spa Entrance

We checked into to The Spa and were offered water or an Elixir to sip while we waited. Lea and I both love the Virtual Buddha Elixir, so we choose the Elixir. Soon it was time for our treatments. Lea enjoyed a pedicure from Carol in a very comfortable pedicure throne. I enjoyed a massage. My therapist, Kaitlin, worked on my tight shoulders with Swedish techniques. She finished my back by using a pair of hot stones - a very nice touch! I turned over on cue, and Kaitlin put an eye pillow over my eyes while she finished the massage. Another nice touch was a towel on the floor to step on and a warm towel for me to wipe off excess oil before I got dressed. I met Lea back in the waiting room. We both had another Virtual Buddha and wandered off to read for a bit.

Other treatments offered by The Spa include:

EXPERIENCE THE TROPICS Lazy Lavender Massage Tropical Glow Hawaiian Silk Body Wrap Lavender Lava Pedicure Mango Manicure Treatment Leaping Lemon Reflexology Treatment Lavender Lava Facial Hawaiian Orchid Facial MASSAGE Swedish Body Massage Bellmoor Stone Massage "De-Stress Massage" Sports/Deep Tissue Massage Couples Massage Reflexology FACE CARE "Come Clean Facial" French Porcelain Facial "Smooth as a Baby's…" Facial Gentlemen's Facial Sea and "C" Facial	BODY TREATMENTS "Sea Garden" Marine Algae Body Wrap Sea Salt Glow Marine Body Polish Instant Glow WAXING NAIL CARE Manicure Microdermabrasion with Manicure Pedicur Microdermabrasion with Pedicure ADDITIONAL SERVICES Paraffin Wax Dip "Lunch Time" Skin Resurfacing Peel
The Spa at The Bellmoor	Spa Reception
Spa Refreshment Area	Waiting Area
Spa Treatment Room	Couples Treatment Room
Spa Treatment Room	Pedicure Station
Manicure Station	Spa Treatment Room
Spa Treatment Room	Fitness Room offers a flat panel TV, two True treadmills, a Sohn recumbent bicycle and a multi-station Nautilus machine

The Spa was originally built with three treatment rooms when the Moores renovated the inn in 2002. Chad expanded it to ~1,500 square feet and six rooms last year - including a mani/pedi room, a couples treatment room and a treatment room with a shower. He envisions another expansion within the next two years.

Spa Refresher

¨ one night's accommodations (mid-week) for two persons
¨ one De-Stress Massage and one Come Clean Facial per package
¨ hearty country breakfast for two
¨ afternoon refreshments

Available dates: 10/02/05 - 11/11/05
Check In Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday
Rates:
Garden Room $295
Deluxe Room $325
Deluxe Suite $385
Bellmoor Club Suite $425
(Carolina, Roanoke and Newbold Suites excluded)
Rates are for two persons. No refunds are given for services not used. Spa services may be upgraded for an additional fee. Package includes a total of two Spa services, not two per person. Standard reservation cancellation policy applies to all packages. Does not include tax, service charge or spa gratuities.

Invigorating Spa Escape

¨ two night's accommodations (mid-week) for two persons
¨ two 50 minute Swedish Body Massages, one Come Clean Facial,
one Gentleman's Facial per package
(total of four spa treatments per package)
¨ hearty country breakfast each morning
¨ afternoon refreshments

Available dates: 10/02/05 - 11/11/05
Check In Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday

Rates:
Garden Room $545
Deluxe Room $565
Deluxe Suite $725
Bellmoor Club Suite $795
(Carolina, Roanoke and Newbold Suites excluded)

Rates are for two persons. No refunds are given for services not used. Spa services may be upgraded for an additional fee. Standard reservation cancellation policy applies to all packages. Does not include tax, service charge or spa gratuities.

Spa Sampler

¨ three night's accommodations (mid-week) for two persons
¨ two 50 minute Swedish Body Massages, one "Sea Garden" Marine Algae Wrap, one "Smooth As A Baby's..." Facial, one manicure, one pedicure per package (total of six spa treatments per package)
¨ hearty country breakfast for two each morning
¨ afternoon refreshments

Available dates: 10/02/05 - 11/11/05
Check In Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday

Rates:
Garden Room $850
Deluxe Room $875
Deluxe Suite $1050
Bellmoor Club Suite $1195
(Carolina, Roanoke and Newbold Suites excluded)

Rates are for two persons. No refunds are given for services not used. Spa services may be upgraded for an additional fee. Standard reservation cancellation policy applies to all packages. Does not include tax, service charge or spa gratuities.

Signature Bellmoor Experience

• 3 nights accommodations in the Carolina Suite, The Bellmoor's signature suite
• 10 spa treatments, including four 50 minute massages of your choice, 6 body or facial treatments of your choice (Total of 10 spa treatments per package)
• hearty country breakfast each day
• afternoon tea and cookies
• private limosine service from your home to the Bellmoor and the return trip home(up to 150 miles each way)
• dinner for two at Eden Restaurant one night (alcohol excluded)
• horseback rides on the beach
• helicopter tour of the coastal area (one hour).
  Available dates: January 2 - June 2, 2005 and September 25 - December 25. 2005
  Rate: $4000.00
  Rates are for two persons. No refunds are given for services not used. No exchanges are allowed for services specified in the package. Standard reservation cancellation policy applies to all packages. Rate does not include tax, service charge or spa gratuities.

Special Mid-Week Family Time Packages

Specially priced family packages include three midweek nights (check-in Sunday, Monday or Tuesday) in a deluxe room with two queen beds, a hearty country breakfast each morning, and afternoon refreshments. Each child will receive a sand bucket with tickets for miniature golf, ice cream and Funland rides. Families can create their own treasure hunt with free area maps pinpointing the locations of 30 dolphin statues on display around Rehoboth Beach.

Three night family package rates for up to four persons from June 19th to July 14th are $795; packages from July 17th to August 25th are $895; and from August 28th to September 1st the package rate is $735. Fourth nights (excluding Fridays) may be added for an additional charge.

• Seared Rosemary Scallops on Warm Ginger Bread, Citrus Compote, Bitter Chocolate Sause and Rosemary Oil
• Gulf Shrimp Risotto finished with Whipped Lemon Butter, Tomato Tepenade and Prawn Crackers
• Soy Caramel Glazed Chicken Breast with Peanut Noodles, Cob-Corn % Egg Drop Soup and Chinese Long Beans
• Pan Seared Black Grouper with Spiced Nuts, English Pea Shoots, Sweet Apricot Puree and Confit Garlic Fritters

The superstar, however, was the dessert - a Summer Raspberry Soufflé with a Valharona Chocolate Shot and Raspberry Sorbet. It was, as Lea said, "quite possibly the best dessert I've ever had." I couldn't agree more.

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