Woodside, California
Canyon Ranch Woodside
Wellness in Woodside
What it is
The iconic all-inclusive Canyon Ranch’s new 16-acre spa outpost is tucked amid California’s restorative redwoods, with boundless amenities (including hiking trails, a labyrinth and saline pool).
What it isn't
Wasteful. The property is as sustainable as you might expect in earthy California, from purifying wastewater to water the surrounding forest to devoting itself to local ingredients whenever possible.
What we think
The Japanese concept of “Forest Breathing” has met its match at Canyon Ranch Woodside, where seemingly everything is infused with the healing powers of the planet. The 38 guest rooms are seemingly lofted 50-feet high amidst the canopy like tree houses, with hushed private decks with teak furniture, soaking tubs, Ubarre weights for in-room sweat sessions and even iPads for booking spa appointments and room service. Wellness is paramount with the included dining program; Chef Isabelle Jackson Nunes whips up everything from blueberry mochi pancakes with jasmine wildflower honey (breakfast!) to grilled Devil’s Gulch Ranch quail, served with Castelvetrano olives and fermented garlic chimichurri (a boon for the immune system).
You're here because
The place became an instant hit with overworked Silicon Valley executives; if you squint, you could swear you see a robed Elon Musk awaiting a spa treatment...perhaps the chakra balancing massage.
The Moment
Boredom doesn’t exist at Canyon Ranch, not when included amenities and services are so varied that they range from the exultant (a free-wheeling fitness course through the forest, complete with monkey bars) to the deliciously tranquilizing (steeping in the whirlpool). On this afternoon’s agenda? Meditating while strolling the labyrinth, which took its cues from France’s 13th-century Chartres Cathedral.
Restaurants & Bars
The Hearth - Meals put together by Executive Chef Isabelle Jackson driven by wellness philosophies including root-to-stem use of vegetables and fruits, meat raised by humane animal husbandry practices and ingredients and beverages that do not put a strain on the region’s natural resources.
Location
Just 35 miles south of San Francisco, tucked between El Corte de Madera Creek Preserve and La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve, both untrammeled spaces chockablock with trails.