18 North Shore Towers Courier n February 2015 A winter weekend getaway at the beach — Gurney’s Inn Montauk BY ELIZABETH ALONI I love being a mom, but raising a 3- and 5-year-old without a dad can be exhausting, so I was looking for a weekend getaway near home. I wanted to relax and rejuvenate and I found the perfect place to do just that — Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa. The drive to Gurney’s is peaceful and beautiful, which gave me an opportunity to decompress from the stresses of my life so when I drove down to the property, I was ready to relax and indulge. I was welcomed by a friendly valet greeter who took my car and bags and walked me to my room. The sound of the waves and the warmth of the sun beating down even in January was breathtaking. I took a deep inhale and smiled widely. My room had a full view of the ocean and was recently updated with light warm tones, repurposed wood and modern amenities like a flat screen TV and iPod hook-up that was disguised as a vintage phonograph. The first thing I did was take a nap, and the bed was luxurious! When I awoke, I freshened up and met a friend at the bar for wine and “snacky snacks” as the bartender called them. Her terminology reminded me of my 3-year-old and made me smile. She was warm and accommodating and reminded me of Kristen Wiig. My friend and I shared crabcakes, hummus and spinach artichoke dip, and everything was delicious. At 9 p.m. a DJ began spinning lounge tunes and slowly made it louder with a dance beat. Gurney’s offers a DJ every Friday and Saturday night starting at 9 ... lots of fun since I hadn’t danced in eons. The next morning I enjoyed breakfast by the window overlooking the ocean at The Ocean Cafe. I had a wonderful omelet and coffee and read through magazines, a real luxury for a mom! I could feel the tension releasing from my body, but not until my 50-minute deep tissue massage with Mike did my aches and pains actually disappear. The massage was fantastic and I could tell that Mike, with his 20 years of experience, was a real pro. He used stretching and fascia techniques rarely found in your typical spa experience. After the massage my whole body was relaxed. I returned to my room, put on my coat, grabbed a blanket, sat on my terrace overlooking the ocean and enjoyed the serenity. The sounds of the waves were a welcome change from the usual crazy decibels I hear from my children and it was beyond delightful. Just a 20-minute drive away, I explored East Hampton and had a great lunch at NovoCento of butternut squash soup and salad. Even in the winter, many stores are open so I had fun meandering through the town. I returned in time to see a most spectacular sunset from the Sea Grill dining room. The colors of the sky through the décor and perfect lighting of the restaurant brought tears to my eyes. It was magical. I enjoyed a perfectly crafted martini, delicious fries and a scrumptious beet salad before heading to bed for a great night’s sleep. Sunday I grabbed a coffee and muffin at The Market at Gurney’s and brought it back to my terrace where again I relaxed under a blanket. My face warmed by the sun and kissed by the cool air as I read a book, breathed deeply and enjoyed my delicious apple crumb muffin. Then it was time to head back to the spa. I relaxed in the Roman Bath and then the dry sauna before Emma picked me up for Brush & Tone Seaweed Wrap. The service included an exfoliation of my skin with a dry gentle brush to remove dead skin cells and improve circulation. Then Emma slathered a pre-warmed seaweed mask all over my body that would absorb minerals and bio trace elements from the wrap and it toned and detoxified my skin as well. I felt a bit like sushi with the smell, but when she wrapped me up in the blankets, put the scent of lavender oil for me to inhale and gave me a head massage, I was in pure bliss. I got to luxuriate for 20 minutes wrapped up warm and cozy. Then I hopped into their Swedish shower with eight water openings and a control for the perfect temperature. The water sprays on you from every direction, and it was the perfect way to wash off the seaweed. Then I returned to the spa room to be slathered in Gurney’s signature seaweed body cream. When it was over, I felt like I was walking on air and was completely relaxed. I put on my coat and boots and hit the beach. Even in January walking on the beach is just wonderful. Inhaling the sea air, hearing the waves crashing and looking at the incredible beauty was as amazing as any summer day, yet I had most of the beach to myself. What a treat! After that it was time to check out and head back to reality. But after such a relaxing weekend, I was ready. The weekend away at Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa was just what I needed to take a break from the craziness of life, rejuvenate and come back ready to take on life’s challenges. I will be returning soon and often.
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