Luxury Stays and Getaways: Discover Nemacolin, a World-Class Resort and Spa in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands
Nemacolin is a luxury destination spa resort located in southwestern Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains.
Recently, my daughter Rachel and I visited Nemacolin, a luxury resort hotel and spa about 70 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. A hidden gem in the historic Laurel Highlands, it’s attracted its share of celebrities (Snoop Dogg and John Stamos visited recently), but the truth is, each guest is made to feel like the most important person in the world.
Spa Profile: Woodlands Spa and Salon at Nemacolin
Service goes above and beyond anything you’ve ever experienced. Think of it as your Downton Abbey moment. You’ll have a personal butler to cater to your every need: wardrobe pressing and steaming, shoe-shining, coffee and tea service, bath drawing, luxury pillow delivery, and nightly turndown service.
Our butler was Andy, who greeted us with a complimentary bottle of champagne and a box of the most decadent chocolates.
The Chateau is the first thing you see as you enter the property, and it’s mind-blowing.
Why You’ll Love It
There’s something for everyone—spa services, a fitness center, championship golf, two outdoor pools open year-round, a meditation garden and labyrinth, cosmic bowling, target paintball, six pickleball courts, tubing in summer and winter, skiing and snowboarding, an off-road instructional Jeep adventure, wildlife habitats, a casino, the Nemacolin Field Club with one of the nation’s top sporting clay facilities, and an outstanding collection of fine art and sculpture with over 1,000 individual pieces on display.
One of two outdoor pools on the property.
There’s also an auto toy store that features rare and antique automobiles, boarding and grooming for your fur babies, and a wide range of retail shops.
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If you’re in the mood, you can ride the classic Allan Herschell carousel with 20 horses and two chariots. There’s even an airstrip if your preferred method of travel is by small plane.
Nemacolin also has onsite boarding and grooming for guests traveling with their fur babies.
The property is huge—2,200 acres. Fortunately, there’s complimentary shuttle service to everything from restaurants to the golf course. Make like Lady Mary and ask your butler to call one for you.
And that’s just the beginning. There’s lots more to do.
Open since 1988, Woodlands Spa and Salon features a harmonious Feng Shui design.
Woodlands Spa and Salon
The three-story, 32,000 square-foot facility was imagined by iconic designer Clodagh, one of the earliest adopters of Feng Shui in her practice, who uses the five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water to balance and harmonize the flow of energies in each space she creates.
The spa’s amenities include an indoor pool.
The Forbes Four-Star Spa features 40 treatment rooms, two locker rooms, an indoor pool, men’s and women’s whirlpools, steam rooms, saunas, a fitness center, a full-service salon, and a retail boutique. A private fireside lounge is available for guests and includes a complimentary drink and snack menu, as well as an a la carte wine menu and option for lunch delivery.
The word “pamper” is strictly verboten at the spa where most of the guests are looking for serious treatments that address physical issues from inflammation to lower back pain. “The trend now is toward self-care,” says Katlyn Hatcher, Nemacolin’s Director of Spa and Wellness. “Our guests are looking for solutions, not fluff.”
Ask about the Golf and Wellness Package, which includes an 80-minute functional mobility/range of motion assessment to identify and alleviate movement restrictions, mobility exercises, and rhythmical stretching techniques along fascia body lines to improve your swing, and an 80-minute medical massage to address specific issues and loosen you up for your 90-minute, custom-tailored golf lesson.
Holistic Healing Center. If you’re looking for an innovative, personalized approach to life balance and integrated wellness, you’ve come to the right place. The space is designed to take guests on a sensory journey that involves all five senses. The menu of wellness alternatives includes acupuncture, medical massage, and yoga. Ask about Salt-Water Float Therapy (650 pounds of Epsom Salts allow you to float effortlessly on a bed of water in a deeply relaxing, anti-gravity environment). Benefits include muscle relaxation, better sleep, decrease in pain, and decreased anxiety.
At the Holistic Healing Center, guests can experience cutting-edge services including Infrared Light Therapy in the NovoTHOR therapy bed to reduce pain and relax muscles.
Take advantage of Infrared Light Therapy, which is beneficial for pain relief. Just 12 minutes in the NovoTHOR therapy bed reduces pain, increasing blood flow to muscles, allowing them to relax. There’s real science at work here, which is why doctors and physical therapists as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL utilize red light therapy to provide relief to aching joints and muscles.
There is also a cryotherapy chamber that can help to address chronic pain.
Cryotherapy is another wellness option that addresses chronic pain. You’ll enter a chamber where the temperature will drop to -180 degrees Fahrenheit. The theory is that exposing your body to extremely cold temperatures for a short period of time (2-3 minutes max) can reduce inflammation and reduce pain. Think of it as an alternative to the cold plunge (submerging your body in cold water for an extended period of time), which reduces inflammation.
Golf. Play 36 holes of world-class golf at one of two courses. Ranked in the top 100 U.S. golf courses by Golfweek and Golf Digest magazines, Mystic Rock was updated in 2021 and is known for its PGA destination. With a 7,290-yard course stretching across the glorious Allegheny Mountains, Shepherd’s Rock opened in 2017 and was the final course completed during his tenure by legendary golf course designer Pete Dye, who was known for his supremely challenging layouts. “His courses built for tournaments are hard,” Tiger Woods told Golf Digest in 2008, “but there’s a good reason for everything.” Other amenities include luxury locker rooms and seasonal lunch at Mulligan’s. At the state-of-the-art Nemacolin Golf Academy, instructions and practice plans are designed to improve swing, confidence, and shot consistency.
The Peak. This is the place to go for year-round fun: target paintball, cosmic bowling, indoor axe throwing, ropes courses, tubing in summer and winter, skiing and snowboarding (weather permitting), and an off-road instructional Jeep adventure. Private poolside cabanas allow guests to enjoy live entertainment, indulge in delicious food and drink, enjoy hot cocoa by the fire, and more.
A portrait of Joseph A. Hardy, who founded Nemacolin in 1987 and was said to enjoy a good cigar, hangs over the mantle in the Hardy Room.
Lounges and Bars. There are six bars and lounges at Nemacolin, including the Hardy Room, which is steeped in history and a taste of iconic luxury. Choose from an array of world-class cigars as well as an impressive selections of bourbons, scotches, and cognacs.
Guests can stay in a variety of luxurious accommodations including The Chateau (pictured) during their visit.
Accommodations
Prefer complete privacy? Stay at one of three estates or eight unique homes on the property. You also have three hotels to choose from including Falling Rock, a 42-room boutique hotel inspired by legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The Grand Lodge, which has been completely reimagined, is scheduled to reopen in November, 2023.
Guest rooms in The Chateau include marble bathrooms with large jetted soaking tubs.
We stayed at The Chateau, which was designed to resemble the famed Ritz Paris. Each guest room (there are 124) features vaulted ceilings with crown moldings, crystal chandeliers, and marble bathrooms with large jetted soaking tubs. A Forbes Four-Star and AAA Four-Diamond hotel, The Chateau offers dining, shopping, outdoor gardens, and hundreds of pieces from the Hardy Family Art Collection.
A bear wearing sunglasses greeted us in the lobby at The Chateau.
Indulge your sweet tooth while at The Chateau by stopping in for one of the delicacies at The Patisserie, which has been reimagined with décor inspired by the timeless pastry shops of Paris. The croissants are so buttery they practically melt in your mouth, and the pastries are works of art.
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The jaw-dropping cakes that looked exactly like the Tiffany lamps you’ll find at various locations on the property.
Hidden away behind a secret door at The Chateau is Le Bleu Room, an ultra-exclusive parlor that only opens upon invitation. Designed to resemble the private room where Marie Antoinette secretly entertained her closest friends, it’s magical.
The interior of the exclusive Le Bleu Room inspired by Marie Antoinette.
Rachel and I were lucky enough to be invited to have cocktails there before dinner. My Lemon Drop was sheer perfection, while Rachel asked for and received a martini made with rhubarb syrup.
Rachel enjoying her Marie Antoinette moment in Le Bleu Room.
Dining
Aside from PJ’s Ice Cream Parlor (a 1950s-style ice cream parlor serving up jukebox treats) and a few places where guests can enjoy casual fare, there are four restaurants that offer fine dining.
Barattolo specializes in freshly made pastas, wood-fired pizzas and delicious desserts.
Fawn & Fable, set to open in The Grand Lodge in late November, 2023, will pay homage to the farm-to-table tradition of the Laurel Highlands with a menu of steakhouse classics grilled to perfection.
With its luxe interiors and six first-print lithographs by French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Lautrec will offer award-winning cuisine when it reopens in The Chateau in Fall 2023.
Aqueous is Nemacolin’s modern seafood restaurant that serves a fresh and vibrant menu.
My daughter and I had dinner at Aqueous, Nemacolin’s modern seafood restaurant at Falling Rock where a skilled culinary team creates a fresh, vibrant menu each night.
We were joined that evening by Donna Herto, Nemacolin’s Communications Manager, who was delightful company. Since she and I both love Chardonnay, she ordered a bottle of Rombauer (my personal favorite) for us to share.
With my daughter Rachel and Nemacolin’s Communications Manager Donna Herto at Aqueous Restaurant.
The heirloom tomatoes with goat cheese were a standout as was the salmon on a bed of farro. We also made short work of the fresh bread which was served with salted butter.
The piece de resistance: a tray with three of the pastry chef’s signature desserts for us to sample.
The verdict: sinfully delicious.
The dessert tray with Clementine-Coconut Mousse, Thousand Layer Cake, and Red Currant and Hazelnut Cake.
Our Day at Woodlands Spa
A stone Buddha greeted us in the reception area of Woodlands Spa, which incorporates all five elements of Feng Shui into its design.
A stone Buddha greets guests at the entrance to Nemacolin’s spa.
We had a spa lunch in the Fireside Lounge, which included a spinach salad for Rachel and hummus with vegetables for me. Loose tea was served in a French press.
The cozy Fireside Lounge offers guests a place to relax between spa services.
We sipped on tea that was served in a French press.
Rachel had the S’more’s Facial, a seasonal option available from September 1 to November 30 that maximizes hydration and reduces inflammation. Skin is transformed with a Marshmallow Whip hydrating mask infused with peptides and botanicals. Enjoy a warm and decadent foot massage during the jelly mask application on the skin.
What She Loved: The chocolate enzyme scrub loaded with antioxidants and the super-hydrating masque infused with marshmallow. As for the facial bed, it felt like sinking into a cloud.
I enjoyed the Mystic Facial, a customized treatment for all skin types that harnesses the healing power of gemstones to calm the mind, activate the chakras and rejuvenate the skin.
What I Loved: The gemstone-infused collagen hydrogel mask.
The spa offers a wide variety of healing treatments that target various issues including inflammation and pain.
While Rachel went off to enjoy her 50-minute Focus Massage, I was introduced to Jessica Frederick, a licensed medical massage therapist who incorporates assisted stretching into her massage to increase mobility and flexibility.
I came into the spa complaining of lower back pain. I’d already been to a chiropractor who determined that my spine was out of alignment, and I’d been having muscle spasms. To say that Jessica is deeply invested in her craft is an understatement. The word “miracle worker” comes to mind because I left standing up straight for the first time in months.
Maggie Hardy is the owner and CEO of Nemacolin.
On our last morning at Nemacolin, my daughter went off to tour the property on an E-Bike before taking a solitary swim in the pool at the spa. Her verdict: “Pure bliss. You’re in an atrium so you can float on your back and see the foliage outside through the glass.”
While Rachel was enjoying her swim, I met with Dr. Jerry Lin, the heart and soul of The Holistic Healing Center and a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine in which herbs are prescribed to restore energy balance to the opposing forces of energy—Yin and Yang—that run through invisible channels in the body.
Dr. Lin, who holds a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM), will create a curated treatment plan of acupuncture, holistic integrative therapy, and wellness recommendations to combat stress, pain, migraines, injuries, sleep disruptions, digestive problems, or other health concerns. The onsite Apothecary was his idea, and it’s here that he’ll create a blend of loose tea and Chinese herbs tailored to address your wellness needs.
Dr. Lin is also Lead Acupuncturist, and I was fortunate enough to have a session with him to address my lower back pain. Now here’s a perk that all 1,200 employees at Nemacolin enjoy: four complimentary acupuncture sessions per year. “We want to keep our staff healthy,” Dr. Lin explained.
Spa services are costly ($300 and up), but guests are free to enjoy amenities like the pool, sauna, steam room, and whirlpool.
The bottom line: Everything is designed to make you feel like queen for a day, and you can’t put a price on that.
The region is rich in early American history. At The Chateau, a portrait of General Lafayette, a French aristocrat who believed that the American Revolution was a noble cause and volunteered to join George Washington’s Continental Army, hangs over the mantle.
The Nemacolin Story
In 1987, Joseph A. Hardy III, founder of the 84 Lumber Company, purchased the land in Farmington, Pennsylvania, that would become the site of the Nemacolin Resort as a gift for his daughter Maggie. The name is a homage to Delaware Nation Chief Nemacolin (1774-1770) who helped blaze the trail from Cumberland, Maryland, to present day Brownsville, Pennsylvania, that would become the National Road (Route 40).
Hardy began expanding the former hunting lodge that was on the property into a world-class resort with the goal of making the American dream come true for his guests. Over the years it became a passion project for him and his daughter, with Maggie assuming the role of CEO in 2002. Known for his philanthropy, Hardy made significant contributions to many area universities and donated $60 million of his personal money to revitalize the nearby town of Uniontown because he believed in the people and the community.
During the holidays, it was not uncommon for him to visit local retailers and pay off the layaways. People who knew him like to talk about how he made moments “magical.” Determined to live to be 100, his motto was, “Nothing is impossible.” He proved his point when he died on January 7, 2023 (his 100th birthday) at his home in Farmington. Surrounded by his family who sang Broadway show tunes to comfort him, it was a fitting end to a life well lived.
Side Trips Worth Taking
While you’re in the area, plan a visit to Fallingwater, the house designed in 1935 by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It’s only a 20-minute drive (11 miles) from the resort. Built of native sandstone and other materials quarried from the property, it rises above the waterfall over which it is built.
History buffs will not want to miss Fort Necessity National Battlefield, which is right down the road on Route 40. The confrontation at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the prelude to the war fought by England and France for control of the North American Continent that became known as the French and Indian War. The action was the first major event in George Washington’s military career and the only time he ever surrendered to the enemy.
For more information and to book a stay at Nemacolin, click here or call 866-344-6957. Follow them on Instagram: @nemacolin
1001 Lafayette Drive, Farmington, PA 15437
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[Photos courtesy of Nemacolin/Marianne Dougherty]
Marianne Dougherty is an award-winning writer, editor and publisher, who has twice been a finalist for a Golden Quill Award for journalistic excellence. Predicting the day spa trend, she founded American Spa magazine in 1998. She has also been editor in chief of American Salon, Launchpad, and Shades of Beauty magazines. In 2003 she published her first novel, What We Remember, which was a Mariel Hemingway Book Club selection. Follow her on Instagram: @mariannedoughertyauthor. Or visit her website: mariannedougherty.com