Nemacolin Woodlands Spa

Located just about an hour and a half from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the Nemacolin Woodlands Spa.  Just off the National Road, Route 40 (other interesting sites along route 40 include Fort Necessity, where an important battle was fought during the French and Indian War), it is a bit of European luxury in the Laurel Highlands.  Famous for its Five Star restaurant, Lautrec, Nemacolin offers the guest a full menu of entertainment and resort options.  It is the home of the outstanding Pete Dye designed 18 hole golf course, Mystic Rock.  Along the 18th green is a hotel called Falling Rock. Originally built to be used by touring professionals during tournaments on the course, now, anyone can reserve a room. Not only is it a golf resort, Nemacolin is also a small ski resort, Mystic Mountain, perfect for beginners.  Coming this summer is a new casino.

The brainchild of 84 Lumber founder, Joe Hardy (whose family owned the Hardy & Hayes Jewelry Store), it features something for just about everyone. In the new 26,000 square foot ski lodge, there is a bowling alley, an arcade for the kids and a restaurant, Apex.  Also on the property is a shooting range and an off-road driving experience using Jeep Rubicon vehicles.

There are two main buildings, the Chateau and the Lodge. Separated by an extensive series of walkways, reportedly filled with some $46 million of artwork and collectibles, the Lodge is the more informal of the two hotels. Our room in the Lodge was quite nice, with two queen beds and a small balcony. The bathroom was huge by any standard and seemed to be quite new. We did not see the rooms in the Chateau, but I am sure they are even more lavish.

Not to be missed is the Woodlands Spa.  In a separate building from the Chateau and the Lodge, it can be reached on foot through a series of buildings and a skyway or via the Nemacolin shuttle. For a $20 fee, you are given access to the large, indoor, heated pool, the hot tub, sauna and steam room. Laying on the lounge chairs and listening to the soothing spa music is a great way to just relax.

The piece de resistance is the spa itself.  The spa offers a variety of massages, facials, etc at additional cost.  The massage therapists are well-trained and they make sure you are released of all tension by the time they are done with the 50 minute treatments (which cost $125). 

In addition to Lautrec, which offers a tasting menu at between $110 and $200 per person, Nemacolin affords additional dining experiences, including Autumn and the Tavern.  Autumn is more informal than Lautrec and offers an eco-friendly menu featuring locally-grown and raised foods, in addition to seafood flown in daily. At our dinner recently, all 5 of us had seafood entrees, including crabmeat stuffed trout and sesame tuna. The wine list is extensive and a sommelier is available to help with your selection.  The wines are slightly pricey. The sesame tuna was perfectly prepared and rare as ordered. Autumn also serves breakfast. Among other selections is a freshly-prepared sausage patty, which is actually more like a pork meatball and quite good.

The Tavern and the adjacent ice cream shop are even less formal, but do offer a nice selection of sandwiches, burgers, chili and a fairly expensive fish and chips offering.

For more information on rates and availability, please go to the Nemacolin website, www.nemacolin.com.

On the Road to Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo.  The very name conjures up visions of men in black tuxedos playing baccarat with stacks of  black hundred dollar chips in front of them and beautiful blonds dripping with pearls urging them on as they gamble away their inheritances.  Wait a second. That's the movies---Sean Connery as James Bond, even Steve Martin in the movie, "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels".  Unfortunately, the reality is much more mundane.

The Grand Casino in Monte Carlo, which just happens to be the capital of the small independent country, Monaco, is located on a hill in a building which doubles as the opera house.  There are lots of tourists outside snapping pictures of themselves in front of the casino. Inside it is quite a different story.  First of all, there is a charge for entry.  Just a few euros, but nonetheless, annoying since the whole purpose in going to the casino is to gamble.  You should not have to pay for the privilege to lose your money! Interestingly enough the residents of Monaco are forbidden by law from gambling at the Grand Casino. 

Although we had read that a jacket was appropriate for men and a dress for women, we were overdressed when I wore my blazer and my wife wore a cocktail dress.  Everyone else wore typical casual clothes.  Now, admittedly, we visited in the middle of the day, but still.  Inside the casino were rather large cavernous rooms, which were mainly empty. There were a few scattered blackjack and craps tables and a few players,but most of the main room was filled with slot machines of the 1 euro variety.  Although I had gone there to "break the bank at Monte Carlo" with my blackjack skills, we ended up playing the slots for half an hour and left. By the way, the slots were quite accommodating and we were able to pay for our lunch at the nearby Cafe de Paris with our winnings.  The restaurant, where it is said the French dessert, crepe Suzette was invented, was quite good.

After leaving the casino, we decided to walk down the hill to the port, where our cruise ship lay at anchor. It was a fascinating walk as we went through the tunnel and the course where the Monaco Grand Prix Formula 1 race is run each year. The stands were already set up for the race which was to take place in just a few weeks.

Although the casino was somewhat of a disappointment, Monte Carlo had several interesting places which we will describe in another post. These include the Palace (which is open to visitors), the Cathedral where Princess Grace and her husband, Prince Rainier are buried and the Oceanographic Museum, which has one of the best aquariums in the world.