Mountainside Spa Holladay, Utah Review
Mountainside Spa FULL Review
The latest stop in our 2018 Fitness Travel Series, where we research and report on the BEST fitness resorts and vacations for individuals looking for active and relaxing escapes.
Where We Visited: Mountainside Spa. 6556 S Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd Ste 700, Holladay, UT 84121.
Services: Mountainside Retreat ($120/per guest)
Create your own spa retreat. Choose two services from the Mountainside Spa menu and tell them how you want to spend your day.
Front Desk and First Welcome/Impressions
If you have ever had the pleasure of driving through Cottonwood Heights and experiencing all that the stunning town has to offer, it should come as no surprise that the we were equally blown away to see the Mountainside Spa tucked away at the gorgeous base of Mount Olympus in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah.
As we resumed our 2018 Fitness Travel Series and kicked off our autumn excursions, we did so at the quaint and oh-so-relaxing Mountainside Spa here in our new home, Utah. It’s a real haven for outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers, thanks to the hundreds of trails surrounding the area. The Mountainside Spa blends together premium spa packages, services and self-indulgent treatments at an extremely affordable price.
There are two premium locations where guests can go to escape reality and treat themselves to an impressive array of spa services that Mountainside Spa has to offer.
We visited Salt Lake Valley – Old Mill (open year round), though it is important to note that there is also a seasonal location up in Alta, Utah which is predominately open during the thriving ski season that Utah is famously known for (it’s not called the greatest snow on earth for nothing!).
Once we arrived we were immediately greeted by the warm and friendly staff at Mountainside Spa where we received a refreshing glass of ice water and a chance to browse the extensive collection of Eminence Organic Skincare products that is used in many of the Mountainside Spa facials.
Shortly after our arrival, we met the two lovely ladies who would be taking care of our spa experience:
Ezralea Robbins (left), is the Managing Partner for Mountainside Spa. Ezralea is a professionally licensed Massage Therapist and Esthetician, with 20 years of experience in the spa industry, working in private practice, group practice, destination resort spas, professional coaching, and spa development. She originally ran the business up in Alta seasonally for several years, before opening this second, year-round location at the foot of the mountains.
Kimberlee Miller (right) is an expert massage therapist with over five years of experience who works to combine expert knowledge of muscle and nervous systems within your body to create treatments that can help overcome injuries and trauma.
The Mountainside Retreat Package
The full breakdown of the spa package Rich and I received involves 75 minutes of both an Organic Hungarian Facial that is custom-designed to your specific skin type, as well as a complete full-body massage therapy focused on the pain points that mean the most to you.
I began the first half of my spa experience with Kimberlee as she assessed the major pain-points within my body and how to best adjust the massage to suit my needs. I loved how attentive and calming she was in creating an environment where I could essentially be the one in charge, asking her to focus on certain aspects of my body that truly needed therapy. I was provided with a heated bed and a chance to choose my own essential oil to be used in my massage, overall- the most relaxing massage experience I have had in a long time.
During my massage, Rich was in a neighboring room receiving his custom facial by the extremely talented Ezralea.
Rich received what Ezralea described as a typical example of a men’s facial from the spa, using a variety of popular products from Eminence, his favorite being the Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant. Rich had never had a facial before and said he can see why people have it done, and found it very refreshing. Having what felt like a lot of fruits used, and the addition of spices to stimulate and bring blood to the surface, was a real sensory experience, with steaming hot towels used to open the face and provide relaxation. Ezralea was an extremely knowledgeable and kind practice owner, and Rich learnt that they have helped to plant 1200 trees through their business. She even noticed that Rich’s C2 (vertebrae) was slightly out.
After the first half of our sessions, Kimberlee and Ezralea switched rooms and allowed us to stay in our cozy, heated beds awaiting the second half of our spa treatment.
As my skin is quite pigmented and heavily affected my hormonal acne, Ezralea combined a unique facial to provide me with the best Eminence products to deep clean and exfoliate my face and neck. This was then followed by an application of healing and hydrating masques with the Mountainside Spa signature face and neck massage using an Apricot body oil also from the Eminence skincare line. The final steps of my treatment involved a soothing serum, toner and deliciously scented moisture cream to leave my acne-prone skin feeling refreshed, glowing and on the road towards outward recovery.
Rich’s experience comprised a very relaxing full body massage from Kimberlee, a perfect way to end a day of activity. He commented that whilst he was fully intent on asking questions throughout (for the benefit of this review), he was unable to, and drifted into a peaceful sleep. A Utah native, Kimberlee is a very knowledgeable resource should you need to know what to do in the area, fully aware that we are spoiled by the abundance of natural beauty offered by the national parks and outdoor activities available in Utah.
Other Services Offered By Mountainside Spa
Mountainside Spa offers a vast amount of various other services at each location. Those services include:
- MASSAGE THERAPIES
- Swedish Massage: A Swedish massage is one of the most well-known therapies, and many consider it one of the most relaxing and rejuvenating styles. It involves long, fluid strokes of muscles and tissues, with pressure that varies from light to medium to firm, which your massage therapist will adjust according to your preferences.You can expect one of the most relaxing and soothing experiences from our Swedish massage experts in Holladay.
- Deep Tissue Massage: Deep tissue massage offers a deeper and more intense therapy. This technique uses slow and guided strokes with pressure that is expertly designed to relieve tension.A deep massage like this is perfect for relieving over-used muscles, and our specialists will also recommend it for people who experience consistent pain and soreness.
- Sports Massage: Sports massages help you stretch tight muscles, stimulate inactive muscles, and improve soft tissue condition so you can move more freely and enjoy more flexibility. It can even help improve your posture over several treatments.This type of massage is usually prescribed for skiers, runners, bikers, and people who enjoy other active sports. Focusing on your individual muscle groups like this can enhance your performance, assist your recovery, and prevent many injuries.
- Hot Stone Massage: Hot stone massage is a form of therapy in which your therapist will use warm basalt stones and light to firm pressure with long flowing massage to help induce deep relaxation.Our experts use this technique to melt the tightness and soreness in your muscles, so it is highly recommended for individuals suffering from arthritis, fibromyalgia or other chronic pain. The penetrating effects of the heated stones allows massage therapists to deliver a relaxing experience without using excessive pressure.
- Trigger Point Massage: Trigger points are sore, painful knots that you feel in your muscle tissue. They are called trigger points because they “trigger” a painful response that often refers pain to different parts of your body.A trigger point massage uses fascia release and concentrations of finger pressure on each area to prevent cycles of muscle pain and spasms. Most people who experience this technique often see the benefits after just one session.
- Pre-Natal / Pregnancy Massage: A prenatal or pregnancy massage is a soothing, nurturing massage that focuses on the needs of mothers-to-be during pregnancy.We use pillows and cushions to support proper positioning and decrease pressure while increasing the feelings of relaxation for the mom-to-be. The best part is that both mother and baby share in the benefits. Stress and tension melt away, leaving you feeling balanced and energized. We can provide relief for sore feet, ankles, lower back and neck by reducing swelling and easing muscle pain in her body.At Mountainside Spa, prenatal massage is only performed on healthy pregnancies. It is advised that you consult with your doctor to see if prenatal massage is right for you.
- BODY SCRUBS & TREATMENTS
- EMINENCE ORGANIC FACIALS
- WAXING SERVICES
- INTUITIVE HEALING
- LASH EXTENSIONS
- SPA PACKAGES
- Mountainside Retreat:Create your own spa retreat. Choose two (2) services from our menu and tell us how you want to spend your day.
75 minutes $ 120
- Man Of The Mountain Retreat:Massage on the back, head, neck & shoulders, with our Tired Feet Relief and a boost of altitude therapy.
75 minutes $ 120
- Alpine Retreat: This package includes a body treatment or facial of your choice, followed by a therapeutic massage. Your retreat will melt away stress and rejuvenate the spirit.
100 minutes $ 150
- Nordic Retreat:Melting your muscles & bones from the top of your head to the tips of your toes, with our Hot Stone Massage, Organic Hungarian Facial & Tired Feet Relief.
150 minutes $ 245
- Reflexology Tired Feet Relief: Warm liniment foot wrap, with a head, neck, and scalp treatment followed by a reflexology foot massage.
45 minutes $ 65
- Mountainside Retreat:Create your own spa retreat. Choose two (2) services from our menu and tell us how you want to spend your day.
Summary Of Spa
To summarize this spa, we could not be more pleased by all that Mountainside Spa has to offer. The staff truly creates an incredible ambiance and sense of occasion from the moment you walk in. They have easily achieved their goal of establishing a luxurious location that allows individuals to enjoy true relaxation for an incredible price. Rich and I have spent far more money in far less-impressive locations to receive much less of an experience. What we love most about Mountainside Spa is that they provide nothing but quality, warmth, and here’s the kicker – education!
The staff are incredibly knowledgeable about what your muscles, bones, and skin may need to truly reset and thrive after even just one visit. They will walk you through first-hand experiences with products and suggest the best course of action for you moving forward.
After speaking with Ezralea and opening up about my own problematic skin, I felt like she sincerely understood my current frustrations and recommended me a great Eminence Skincare line (the starter pack) that I am now using twice a day and could already see results after just TWO DAYS.
Usefulness For Athletes:
We rate the usefulness for athletes as a solid, 10. Mountainside Spa is a premium destination at an unbelievably affordable price and one that we look forward to visiting again in the near future. The specialized staff can cater to any athletes needs and provide a total body reset from the inside out. A must for anyone looking to elevate and further progress their current fitness regimen.
