A Sister “Staycation” at Lithia Springs Resort, Ashland, Oregon

Recently my sisters and I went on a Sister “Staycation” at Lithia Springs Resort, Ashland, Oregon, where we also enjoyed a visit to Waterstone Spa. Follow along for an inspiring post and details of this fabulous resort.

A few weeks ago, my sisters and I traveled a very short 15 mile distance from our home town to beautiful Ashland, Oregon, for a unique Oregon experience staying at Lithia Springs Resort. We were pampered by the lovely staff, where we enjoyed an unforgettable 3 day “staycation” of relaxation and rejuvenation.

Welcome to Lithia Springs Resort.

At the resort, we got to experience their mineral water spa (private tubs in each room), “tea” every day, a delicious buffet-style breakfast, relaxing by their outdoor pool, a massage at Waterstone Spa, and strolling through the ever-so-lovely gorgeous gardens.

A “Staycation.”

We live in such a fast-paced world, it takes time and commitment to plan a get-away, but because we girls value our time together, we have learned to make it a priority! Staying in the Rogue Valley–so close to home–was an added bonus (no stress with long-distance travel + saves money). Having had the best experience at Lithia, we’ve decided “staycations” will be in our future!

Ashland, Oregon.

Lithia Springs Resort is nestled among grassy gardens atop a mineral spring, only a few miles from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the splendid Lithia Park, in Ashland, Oregon. The curative springs found deep beneath the resort are rich in sulfur and numerous minerals, which help the body heal, relieve stress, and rejuvenate. Lithia is one of the only places on the West Coast that offers a private bathing experience, with mineral springs in every room.

From the moment we arrived, we walked through the beautiful grounds to the lobby (their gardens are on beautiful Native American Indian land), to be greeted by their friendly staff.

The resort is tastefully decorated with a soft white decor, with touches of blue and bright yellow. In fact, every door on the grounds is painted a bright yellow!

The rooms.

After getting our key and parking our car, we went up to our room to unload our stuff. We opened the door … so airy and fresh and beautiful and contemporary!

The resort has 38 accommodations, including bungalows, suites, and studios, all with flat-screen TVs, microwaves, minifridges and free WiFi. Some units add decks, balconies, fireplaces, and separate living rooms, that include a sitting area with a couch that converts into a queen sized pull-out sofa bed, with tempurpedic mattress.

Let’s talk “sleeper-sofas.” It felt good to sleep in such comfort, and to know that this hotel was willing to invest in one of the best brands (American Leather Comfort Sleeper).

We stayed in the Hillside Queen-Queen Suite, a spacious newly built unit, with a kitchen w/stove top, bar, oven, microwave, fridge, freezer w/ice maker, sink, dishes, dishwasher, table & chairs.

We had a separate bedroom, with a private patio looking out at the greenery of an undeveloped hillside, with sliding glass door access from both bedroom & kitchen. The bedroom had a flat screen TV plus a fireplace plus a 2-person tub that has piped-in hot spring water!

The bathroom was just as beautiful, nice and roomy for 3 ladies! :)

Every morning we enjoyed coffee on the patio. There’s something about being nestled up against the Siskiyou mountains, and getting a whiff of that fresh mountain air!

The perks.

Every guest receives a complimentary hot breakfast buffet, afternoon tea and baked goods, parking and WiFi. There’s also an outdoor saltwater pool with a hot tub.

Obviously, my heart did a happy dance again when I saw these yellow and white striped pool towels and the gorgeous blue lounge chairs. :)

The Tea Room served fresh scones, homemade cookies, lemonade, tea, and some fresh fruit with delicious lemon curd and jam.

Whether relaxing with a book near the koi pond, or visiting out near the gardens, there were so many hidden nooks and crannies where you could get away … lay down a blanket, bring your food out, enjoy a bottle of wine.

The breakfast.

The breakfast is beyond the ordinary, cooked by Chef Cheryl. Everything is well-prepared, homemade and fresh, and served buffet-style. One morning, we were offered asparagus and mushroom scrambled eggs, potatoes, fresh fruit and yogurt, steel cut oatmeal and other goodies.

The next a delicious, fluffy, crustless spinach quiche. You may take your food out to the garden, to enjoy. If you are an early riser, there is also a continental breakfast served before the main breakfast (if you’re hitting some of the trails, or want to get started early). One morning we hiked through Lithia Park. Beautiful!

Other activities.

We noticed other families who were vacationing at the resort. Besides board games, Lithia offers bicycle rentals with hiking and bicycle riding trails adjacent to the Inn. There’s also bird watching, boating, canoeing, cross-country ski trails, downhill skiing, fishing, golfing, hiking trails, horseback riding, hunting, kayaking, mountain bike trails, wine tasting, live theatre shows, Shakespearean Theater, spa treatments, ice skating in the park, shopping, tennis, and even whitewater rafting in the area.

Lunch was fabulous, at downtown Agave, and dinner one night at The Loft. Of course we had to stop in at our favorite organic juice bar, NW Raw, and then enjoyed dinner that last night at Larks Home Kitchen Cuisine. Because this was a “sister vacation,” next door to Lark’s at the Varsity Theatre we saw Meryl Streep’s new movie, Get Ready for Ricki, a chic flick, indeed. Rick Springfriend was the first rock concert for me, back in the 80’s, and Meryl Streep is my all-time favorite actress – ever, ever, ever! Being there for all of these reasons—with my sisters, whom I adore—was the icing on the cake!

Dinner at Larks Home Kitchen Cuisine.

The highlight meal for us was the last night of our visit, in downtown Ashland next door to its sister property, Lithia Springs Hotel: Larks Home Kitchen Cuisine. Their supper inspirations included fresh, seasonal cocktails, soups, starters, fabulous entrees (with fresh-caught fish), and mouth-watering desserts. Plus, they have excellent service and the ambience is fun, lively, homey, comfy, pretty (love all the pictures of the larks), big windows (I hate dark restaurants), and, you feel the “Ashland vibe.”

Their menu is all about sourcing local ingredients into their recipes and  cooking from scratch – and let me tell you, Lark’s Chef de Cuisine – Franco Console does not disappoint. Our server, Selisha, was also fantastic, giving us the best service known to man.

Some of the dishes we enjoyed:

-Fried Green Tomatoes with Corn Aioli + their classic Caesar salad.
-Summer Beets: Roasted with olive oil, salt, and a bay leaf, then peeled and cut with ring mold-micro arugula. Served with a crushed walnuts-dressing.
-Pork Chops: Brined for 48 hrs. and simply grilled. Served with caramelized onions deglazed with balsamic and folded into a mashed potatoe sauce with a secret recipe brine. We decided this was our favorite main dish!

Also, if you haven’t had their classic Country Fried Chicken, you’re missing out!

Waterstone Spa.

Lastly, we enjoyed an afternoon at the Waterstone Spa, with a 60-minute massage, but the spa also offers reflexology, Ayurvedic body treatments, Jurlique & Ilike facials, professional peels, Vichy Shower and Solarium foot treatments. There are 2 spa locations. One is located in a historic building in the heart of downtown Ashland. It is bright and cheery, with a boutique-luxe vibe. The “resort” spa is more modern. The quality of service at both, the ambiance, the convenience of the locations, is so handy to resort guests, and Waterstone has a repuation as one of the best spas in Oregon!

All our their products offer medicinal benefits of herbs and flowers, such as lavender, jasmine, rose and calendula.

Start with a soak in epsom salt waters, before heading to the next room for a 60 or 90-minute massage, then head down the hall for a steam and sauna … rest in the solarium before heading out for the day. We did, and we felt so refreshed and pampered!

You and I are Sisters …

Sisters are just the best. The best! I found this card while shopping and had to take a quick picture with my iPhone. This pretty much sums up the special time we had together (and a little inside joke about our dear Mama who always wore a shower cap when she swam.)

Your next vacation!

I hope that you’ll consider Lithia Springs Hotel next time you come to Oregon–it’s a perfect location for an intimate escape, fun-filled getaway, a “stay-cation,” a sister weekend, a romantic wedding, or a family vacation. Or, perhaps you live close, as I do. It’s the perfect place for locals to come and enjoy a refreshing getaway!

And lastly, spending time with my sisters, enjoying all the amenities of the resort, was a great way to say goodbye to summer, and a fresh way to say hello to fall.

Hello, beautiful fall …

Follow along the Neuman Hotel Group:

Follow Lithia Springs Resort on Facebook
Instagram @Lithia_Springs_Resort
Twitter: @NHGoregon, @Lithia_Springs
Follow on Pinterest: “Neuman Hotel Group” – there’s a board called “Lithia Springs Resort”
Want to book a room today? You can, HERE.

Follow Larks Home Kitchen Cuisine on Facebook
Instagram @larks_ashland
Twitter: @NHGoregon, @LarksRestaurant
And on Pinterest: “Neuman Hotel Group” – there’s a board called “Larks Restaurant”
Want to make a reservation for dinner? You can, HERE.

Follow Waterstone Spa on Facebook
Instagram @Waterstonespa
Twitter: @NHGoregon, @WaterstoneSpa
Want to book a SPA treatment today? You can, HERE.

This post is sponsored by Lithia Springs Resort and the Neuman Hotel Group. As always, all opinions are my own.