Skaná is the Oneida Indian word for peace—a fitting name for
Turning Stone Resort and Casino's new luxury spa facility. Located in the
Twelve treatment rooms, a VIP spa suite and a couple's suite are here, as is a 10,000-square-foot fitness center with an exercise and yoga studio. Both the men's and women's locker rooms have steam and sauna rooms, hydrotherapy showers and vanities stocked with Molton Brown amenities. Skaná's lowest level has a flower-shaped co-ed heated mineral whirlpool. Staff members are positioned throughout the locker room and in the fireplace-filled lounge area, to bring guests a robe, a beverage or anything else they may need.
The spa's unique feature is its authentic American Indian sweat lodge. Guests can experience a traditional sweat lodge ceremony, complete with storytelling, drumming, chants, and prayers in a customary fire pit. The practice has been used for centuries and was thought by Native Americans to be a way of spiritually "cleansing" the body and soul.
Traditional Healing
Spa manager Karen Watson designed a menu of various massage,
body and skincare treatments that follow
The Native American theme extends to the spa's décor, which includes natural woods, stone-covered walls, trickling water, fireplaces, and authentic American Indian artwork. The rug in the main sitting room is made of tiny strips of animal hides, and bearskin rugs are scattered throughout the Garden Lounge and other sitting areas. A large woodburning fireplace is in the center of the main room, and scattered fresh flowers, trees and shrubbery also contribute to a relaxing and natural, earthy feel.
Outdoor activities include year-round scenic sunrise walks and daily yoga and tai chi classes on Turning Stone's expansive lawns. In the winter, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are led by hotel staff members.
Spa cuisine is available at Skaná Spa Café; the menu offers gourmet salads and other light fare made with fresh ingredients, as well as freshly squeezed fruit juices and herbal teas.
Guests at the spa stay in The Lodge at Turning Stone, a 94-suite AAA Four Diamond boutique hotel that is attached to Skaná. Suites include king-sized beds and elegant linens, Jacuzzis, sitting rooms, and full Internet access. Guests can also relax in the Great Room, which is designed in the style of a traditional Oneida Longhouse and offers sweeping views of the woodsy property with its 20-foot-high floor-to-ceiling windows.
The spa opened in November 2006 and is smoke-free,
alcohol-free, and cell phone-free. (The entire Turning Stone Resort is
completely dry; guests are permitted to bring their own alcohol). All-inclusive
spa packages are offered; roundtrip airport transfers from
For more information, visit www.turningstone.com.