On a recent visit, a friend and I bypassed the spa's Vitality wing, bristling with cardiovascular equipment and clearly devoted to fitness, and headed straight for the Sanctuary wing, where the focus is on relaxation and pampering. Historically an upscale summer retreat for the wealthy, Lake Placid was transformed into an outdoorsy all-seasons resort town after it hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and again in 1980.
Olympic athletes train here year-round.
She layered on four different seaweed-based creams while massaging my face, neck and skull and cocooning my hands in heated mitts. Back in the lounge, other clients were also between sessions. Then it was off to have a body massage with another therapist, Kathy. As she worked, she explained she was combining Swedish, Shiatsu and various other techniques. My friend, meanwhile, raved about the magic fingers of Sarah, a certified physiotherapist who relieves the stress she accumulates from her job at a nearby medical centre by working part-time as a massage therapist at the spa.