The Senator Spa in Augusta: the Perfect Day of Recovery and Rejuvenation

One of the best things about visiting Maine is how unpretentious most of it is: it’s accessible to all kinds of visitors and it’s very much come-as-you-are. The Senator Spa at the Senator Inn is just this as well. A very nicely appointed spa and fitness club, the Senator Spa is a wonderful find and perfect to add to your time in Maine. Located in Augusta between Portland and Bangor, it’s very easy to add a stopover here and enjoy a relaxing spa day and decompression period, especially after a few days of hiking or skiing.

Have you gotten to visit the Senator Spa or stay at the hotel? It’s really a great find in Augusta and is a wonderful homebase for exploring the area from the capitol building to the towns of Waterville and Hallowell. If you have any questions about planning a visit to the Senator Spa in Augusta or need additional recommendations for when you’re in town, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a wonderful trip through Maine.

Highlights of a Recover Day at the Senator Spa

There are lots of great things to enjoy at the Senator Spa in Augusta, but what I think makes it stand out is how well it combines the access to spa treatments AND general health and wellness space. Spa guests are very much encouraged to use all the facilities available to them in addition to their booked appointments. You can arrive early and have a workout, and then a swim, then enjoy a nice sauna, take a shower and then proceed with your treatments. Or do all that after your appointments.

The spa facilities you have access to with your Senator Spa experience include: fitness club space (cardio and weightlifting equipment), fitness classes in the studio, full sized indoor swimming pool for laps, hot tub, steam room, men’s and women’s saunas, locker room facilities and space public space.

If your goal is to have a full day of relaxation and just enjoying the peace and calm of the spa atmosphere, another way to enjoy the Senator Spa is to plan your whole day here, including having lunch in the spa. You can space out your personal wellness time, spa treatments and lunch or snack to last all day long and you’ll never have to get out of your bathrobe. For me, that’s the ideal way to recover from whatever life has been throwing at your, whether it’s been a week of winter sports and skiing or if you have been traveling with a group for several days and just need a break to recover and reset.

Tips for the Best Spa Day Possible

So how do you plan a full day at the Senator Spa? It’s not difficult and is absolutely worth the time. Here’s how I spent my last visit to Augusta, Maine: arrive at opening to enjoy the full gym, swim a few laps after morning workout, steam room for a few minutes, sauna for twenty minutes, shower and head upstairs for first spa appointment, sports pedicure with paraffin wax, relaxation time, men’s facial treatment, more relaxation time and then lunch in the spa, end with a massage.

Planning a full day like this is both physically and mentally rejuvenating. For me in particular, I came to the Senator Spa after a week of skiing and snowshoeing, so my body was tired. The calm and physical wellness activities really helped restore my energy level and get me ready to be back in the real world.

Complete List of Treatments from the Senator Spa

So, what sort of treatments are available at the Senator Spa and what are the best options for relaxation and recovery after an active week in the mountains of Maine? Here are all the options (subject to change):

• massage therapy including aromatherapy, reiki, hot stone, maternity, CBD, couples and more
• body wraps and polishes
• skin care facials using Eminence products, peels, extractions and more
• manicures and pedicures, including paraffin wax treatments
• waxing
• lash and brow treatments

The line of products used for facials and some other services is the Eminence collection. When you have your time at the Senator Spa, be sure to talk with your esthetician or treatment specialist to share any allergies or dislikes in terms of smells and textures. They’ll be able to make sure that the products they use are well suited to you.

Favorite Treatment at the Senator Spa

Frequent spa goers usually have their standard spa treatment that they like, and no matter where they are it’s their go-to. For me it’s typically a short, focused massage for a troubled area, but I’m changing it up and moving over to the pedicure treatment. I’ve been told I have nice feet, despite not getting pedicures on the regular, but my feet felt genuinely good after my Senator Spa pedi.

The combination of having a skilled person addressing the quirks of my toes and feet paired with therapeutically getting my ankles and calves to relax is truly the best. Also, doing the paraffin wax treatment to end the pedicure is certainly the icing on the cake. That last blast of heat and moisturization feels amazing and it symbolically seals in the care and relaxation from the spa treatment. A+ for this specific Senator Spa experience.

Being Prepared for a Senator Spa Day

Being prepared for a spa day is different for everyone. I personally take some mental preparation before entering a spa setting, as I am not the most comfortable with strangers touching me or just being in a vulnerable position. For the Senator Spa, I used the fitness center and sauna facilities to mentally get into a space where I could fully relax and accept the treatments I had scheduled. Some people can just show up and be whisked away, but that’s not me, so I took extra time to work through my own anxiety beforehand. I think that’s what made my day of rejuvenation at the Senator Spa effective for me, letting go of the high energy week I’d had and working myself into a calm prior to each of the treatments.

Depending on what you’ve got set up at the spa, you may just be able to show up and roll with their process. You have the option of changing into loungewear that you’ve brought and a provided bathrobe, or you can just proceed with whatever you arrived in. I like the bathrobe because it helps me be mentally in the spa experience.

Regarding any other preparation for a day at the Senator Spa (or any spa), you should always arrive clean and showered, and depending on your planned treatments, typically free of skin products beyond simple moisturizer. If you have questions about being properly prepared for your spa appointments, always call the desk and ask in advance for details. And of course, arrive early so you can enjoy the relaxing atmosphere.

Need to Know for the Senator Spa

When you’re having a day at the Senator Spa in Augusta, if you’ve got scheduled treatments, access to the whole spa area is available to you. That includes the mineral lap pool, hot tub, co-ed steam room, women’s/men’s saunas, the fitness center and group fitness classes. When you arrive you’ll be provided an optional bathrobe, sandals and towel, as well as a locker if you wish.

With any spa services, there is an automatic 20% gratuity added to your final bill. Also, if you’re getting a treatment that uses the Eminence line of products, you’ll be provided with a card noting what was used in the event you want to purchase some for home use. If you want to visit the spa and use the pool, fitness center and classes, a day pass or class fee will be charged if you’re not also having treatments. If you’re staying at the Senator Inn, access to all of the fitness center/club amenities are complimentary with your stay, including classes, but spa treatments are additional.

Parking at the Senator Spa

The Senator Spa is located at the Senator Inn in Augusta. It’s not far from either downtown and the capitol building or from the airport (AUG). For the spa, when you arrive at the Senator Inn, you’ll actually proceed to drive around to the back of the hotel where there is a separate entrance for the Senator Spa and fitness club. If you enter through the hotel you’ll have a long walk through the corridors to get there. There is ample parking at the spa entrance, so don’t stress about street parking. It’s all a very easy, mellow experience.

More Things to do in the Highlands of Maine

The Highlands of Maine stretch from Bangor and sprawl to the north and west following the rise of the Appalachians. There are lots of small towns and state parks, and some of the most beautiful sights in Maine. I know that most people think of coastal Maine and its lighthouses when they think of what they’ll see when they come for a visit, but the Highlands are really the playground of Mainers. This region is why Maine is called “Vacationland” and you’ll see why when you come for a visit.

And you cannot forget that the Highlands is an epic winter playground too, with destinations like Sunday River, Saddleback and Sugarloaf. In winter you’ve got downhill and Nordic skiing, and in summer it’s all about hiking and fishing. During fall this is where you come for leaf peeping and to look for moose and other Maine wildlife.

Here are some great ideas for ways to enjoy the Highlands of Maine.

Where to Stay in the Highlands

Depending on the season you’re visiting the Highlands, you will have different options for where to stay. If you’re planning on climbing Mount Katahdin or doing a portion of the Appalachian Trail, Millinocket is a great place to be based. For other Appalachian Trail launch points you can find fun places to stay in Eustace, the Carrabassett Valley, and Rangely. Another amazing summertime destination is Greenville and Moosehead Lake.

For skiing you can stay in Newry or Hanover (for Sunday River), Rangely or Phillips (for Saddleback), or Carrabassett Valley for Sugarloaf. You’ll find lots of cross country / Nordic skiing all over, but the Katahdin Area Trails are great for it!