This Spa Hidden in Greenbrier Valley, West Virginia Is Exactly What You Need to Kick off 2021...
Tucked away in the misty mountains and electric green pastures of Greenbrier Valley, West Virginia you will find a spa destination like no other. The Salt Cave and Spa is located in White Sulphur Springs, the resort town famed for being home to the Greenbrier Resort. A few miles from town hidden just beyond plain site, The Salt Cave offers new allure to visitors who seek a unique wellness experience. Quite literally built into the side of the mountain, the spa has an appearance that is both captivating and otherworldly. Everything you need for the perfect spa weekend is here on-site: halotherapy in the salt cave, a full-service spa, a café, and lodging accommodations.
The Salt Cave
Halotherapy is a holistic wellness experience that roots back to its initial use centuries ago. It is believed that the natural, healthy ions and minerals contained within the saline crystals benefit the body and can be absorbed through inhalation. The salt cave contains over 17,000 pounds of deep-mined Himalayan salt and was created to be an immersive sensory experience. Faux stalactites hang above you, star lights twinkle, and a moon-like light installation serves as the centerpiece. Sessions in the salt cave last 45 minutes, & perhaps the greatest part- all you have to do is sit back, relax, and breathe.
Another great way to experience halotherapy here is to sign up for one of their yoga sessions in the Salt Cave. As described on their website, “classes are designed to heighten all of our senses through deepening our breathing and gently moving our bodies through a dynamic relationship to the air, shape and textures of the Salt Cave.”
The Pomona Spa
Next door to the spa is a separate building that houses the full-service Pomona Spa and the Garden Café. Just about any spa service you can dream up is offered here, I highly recommend booking a package so you can get a taste for a few of the services during your visit. We opted for the Mountain Memories package which for $260 gets you 150 minutes of seamlessly intertwined services and let me just tell you, IT IS NIRVANA. Our package included a foot soak, reflexology & scrub followed by a scalp + hair treatment and a Swedish massage. Also included in the price was a smoothie and snack from the café and a Halotherapy session over at the salt cave.
I am an absolute spa junkie, so rest assured that you can trust me when I say the quality of services here was 5-star perfection. The cost value for services at Pomona Spa are unrivaled, in DC an hour-long massage can cost you upwards of $200 or more. Here at the Salt Cave and Spa anyone can afford to indulge in a full day of the relaxation and wellness we all so badly need ( and deserve!) after surviving the insanity of 2020.
Accommodations
This past year lodging accommodations were debuted on property for guests who wish to extend their spa day into a full weekend experience. There are two apartment spaces available to book, both with two bedrooms and one bath, each can sleep up to four guests. The apartments are outfitted with modern cabin furnishings and include earthy & elemental design touches. Each space features a full kitchen, living and dining room in addition to amenities such as WiFi and TV. Also included with your stay- a complimentary 45-minute halotherapy session in the salt cave!
We couldn’t have been happier with our decision to stay on property at the Salt Cave during our visit. The space is brand new, immaculately clean & the perfect place to land after a relaxing day at the Ponoma spa and salt cave. You also have the added benefit of being just steps away from the garden café, perfect for a tasty lunch or breakfast! The nightly rate ranges from $249 Sunday- Thursday, and $299 on the weekends.
What to do & see in Greenbrier Valley:
After our relaxing spa day, we were feeling refreshed and energized to set out & explore the rest of Greenbrier Valley. There is SO much to do in this area, I highly recommend using the Greenbrier Valley Tourism website as a resource when planning your itinerary. Here are a few of my favorite things to do & places to see in Greenbrier:
Lost World Caverns-
You’ve experienced the Salt Cave, now it’s time to head deep into a real one! 120 feet below earth’s surface, visitors can descend into Lost World Caverns on a self-guided tour that covers a 1/2-mile loop. Now I have to say- I am usually not a huge fan of visiting cave attractions due to the lengthy tours, large groups, and cramped spaces. This experience is quite the opposite and I LOVED it; the self-guided tour experience allows you to move at your own pace & visit the cave in a way that is distanced from other groups of visitors. The cavern is massive in size (imagine an amphitheater size space) and a walking path winds throughout leading you as the staggering formations reveal themselves at every bend. During our visit we were the only ones there, making it especially intimate and captivating.
For those seeking a more exhilarating adventure, Lost World Caverns offers a Wild Cave Tour which “provides an opportunity to go beyond the standard walking tour and discover more by crawling through undeveloped parts of the cavern using only a headlamp.”
Uncover history at the Greenbrier Resort -
The Greenbrier, otherwise known as “America’s Resort” has been a West Virginia icon since it first opened its doors in 1778. Its distinctive over sized patterns and colorful aesthetic channel the legacy of Dorothy Draper, one the world’s most recognized interior designers in the 1950’s. Visiting this renowned resort is a must do while visiting Greenbrier Valley, the massive estate is a terrific place to spend a day getting lost. You do not have to be a guest of the hotel to visit and enjoy the property which features shops, restaurants, a casino, and even its very own bowling alley.
During our visit to the Greenbrier we decided to take a step deeper into its fascinating history by booking a tour of its now declassified, Cold War Bunker. This fascinating tour takes you beneath a wing of the resort where an emergency Cold War fallout shelter for congress was built & kept secret until the early 90’s. This is definitely a must-see attraction to check out during your trip, it is an experience you will not soon forget & certainly won’t find anywhere else!
Shop & Dine in Downtown Lewisburg-
It did not take us long to understand why Lewisburg was once named “Coolest Small Town in America” by Budget Travel Magazine. This eclectic community is dotted with a colorful collection of small shops and restaurants, we easily spent an entire day exploring Main Street and still were left wishing we had more time!
Dining Recommendations:
Wild Bean– friendly people, good vibes, great coffee- also connected to this space is a retro themed taco shop called Thunderbird Taco
The French Goat– offers a menu of classic French dishes with a twist, an eclectic and quality wine list, and handcrafted cocktails
Hill & Holler – wood fired pizzas and sandwiches, tasty apps & great tap beer selection
The Humble Tomato – pizza, pasta, sandwiches with a warm & inviting aesthetic
Shopping Recommendations:
While I would usually do a break down of a few specific shops I loved in town, I think there were simply too many amazing options in Lewisburg for me to that! Small businesses are alive and thriving on Main Street and you could easily spend an entire day exploring and shopping. Book stores, antique shops, art galleries and boutiques- Lewisburg truly has it all and more. For more information about shopping in Lewisburg, visit the official website for a full directory.
A big thank you to Greenbrier Valley Tourism & The Salt Cave and Spa for generously hosting us during our visit. All recommendations and reviews remain genuine, these opinions are my own. Check out the official Greenbrier Valley tourism website here for more getaway inspiration and start planning your visit!
