My day at the Rock Barn Spa in Conover

Photo by Kim McKinney

I love a spa day. So do most of my girlfriends. It has become our favorite way to celebrate any special occasions.

While I had attended events at Rock Barn Country Club, I had never visited the spa. A friend had a special birthday (you know, one of those that end in “5” or “0”), so we decided to celebrate at the Rock Barn Spa.

We arrived at about 8:30 a.m. We were greeted with friendly faces at the front desk and a lovely man with glasses of champagne.

In the lobby areaPhoto by Kim McKinney

We were each given a locker that includes a spa robe you can wear for the day. They do have additional sizes if you need them. Get one that’s plenty big, so you don’t spend your day tugging.

They also provide spa shoes. We each chose to wear our own flip flops. Note if you are getting a pedicure, you will need flip flops. Some of the others we met wore slides or tennis shoes, so used the flip flops the spa provided.

When in our robes and ready for our treatments, we were taken to a waiting area. We filled out some paperwork, and were called for our first spa appointment precisely at 9.

One of the massage roomsPhoto by Kim McKinney

I had a massage, as my friend experienced her first facial.

My massage therapist was a strong communicator, which always improves the experience. I chose a Swedish massage that day because of a potential back issue I didn’t yet have a handle on. Normally I choose deep tissue. The masseuse did a great job of giving me some of the heavy pressure I love, while taking care to be gentle in my problem areas.

When I met up with my friend after her facial, she was glowing. Her skin was beautiful and she looked very relaxed. She felt very relaxed, too, and loved this first facial experience. We have a facial convert on our hands.

Our next stop was for pedicures. There were three of us in the chairs at the time. At least two of the technicians have been there a long time (I don’t know about the third.) My technician did a great job, and didn’t make my ticklish feet cringe. They have a good assortment of polish colors, but you are also welcome to bring your own,

We next spent 45 minutes in the salt cave. It was a relaxing time. We laid back in zero gravity chairs and absorbed the salt - and the atmosphere. It’s easy to fall asleep there.

All of the spa time was in a quiet, serene environment that I greatly appreciated.

Photo by Kim McKinney

That changed a bit as we went out to the pool area for lunch. We lunched poolside and it was very noisy. I eventually adjusted, but missed my spa bliss.I had simply not expected it, but when I thought about it, it made sense.

Keep in mind that this is a country club, so members and their guests may be using these hydrotherapy services. They also offer Day and Evening passes for only this area.

There appeared to be several groups there. It would be a great place for a bachelorette party.

Photo by Kim McKinney

Lunch was good, but I was a bit taken aback by the calorie counts of the items offered. Don’t expect typical spa food. Plan ahead if you have any dietary restrictions.There is also an extensive bar menu that features beautiful drinks, as well as smoothies and green drinks (I had a green drink to up the nutritional value of my lunch and it was delicious).

Photo by Kim McKinney

We found a more quiet place after lunch around one of the two therapeutic waterfalls. Note that the spa has a full hydrotherapy circuit that also includes a salt water pool, indoor and outdoor jacuzzis, saunas, steam rooms infused with essential oils, and a cold water pool.

Photo by Kim McKinney

Around 4:00 it quieted down considerably in the whole hydrotherapy area and we relaxed a bit more before we left

The spa offers various specials and packages to meet your needs, though you can also go for just one service or purchase a pass to use the facilities.

We chose the Summer Spa Escape, which included either a 50-minute Swedish massage or a 50-minute facial, a pedicure, a 45-minute salt cave session, lunch and one of their specialty drinks, chocolate covered strawberries, and all-day access to the hydrotherapy circuit. The cost for this was $275 (plus gratuity and 8% facility fee).

Photo by Kim McKinney

A hint on tipping. You will be asked how you want to tip. I tipped on the whole package and probably would do it differently in the future. They take your tip and allocate it across the “tippable” employees. I’d ask who these employees are, and come up with a figure for each. Frankly it seems easier and you know what each will receive.

Overall we had a great day. Rock Barn Spa has a staff that is customer-service-oriented and incredibly kind. They go out of their way to be helpful.

The Rock Barn Spa is located at 3779 Golf Dr. in Conover. It is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m, to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is closed on Tuesdays.

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