In researching this trip, I read many reviews of this Spa. Everyone talked about how pretty it is (true) but many people complained about having to walk between buildings in their robes and the traffic. I hoped these folks were just too sensitive. Now I know what they were talking about!!

This spa is located on HWY 29 (main road through Napa) at the intersection of 29 and Lincoln Ave. (main street Calistoga). This intersection is a three way stop outside of the building - every car traveling these road must stop and start in front of the spa!! Traffic noise is amazing.

The spa is pretty. The grounds are quite beautiful (wonderful garden in back). That said, it is not a terribly comfortable place. The chairs in the cramped waiting area are uncomfortable which, unfortunately, sets an appropriate tone for the place.

The buildings are connected by stairs and decking which is open to the street! Yes, when you are walking around in your robe outside the cars going through this busy intersection are a few feet way. I am not particularly shy but I was put off by this.

We started with a salt scrub and time in the mineral bath. Both were lovely. Have to admit I was concerned about the wet tile floor and navigating stairs, both inside and out, in the slippery plastic sandals they provide.

We then had a massage. Mine massage was, at best, mediocre. My friend enjoyed her massage a bit better.

This was the first (of five) massage of the trip. Fortunately, there are other, far superior, places in town to get a massage (Dr. Wilkinson's and Calistoga Massage Center). If you are looking for a "spa retreat" this place is ok. If you are looking for superior services, look elsewhere.

We take day trips to Napa regularly and have tried many spas in the area. I had wanted to try Lavender Hill for quite some time due to positive reviews.

From the outside, it's a small little place.This explained why we have had difficulties getting appt.'s in the past. We did not know what to expect. having visited many more polished and more "iffy" locations.

We were warmly greeted when we entered the cottage that is decorated with accents from Bali. We were escorted through the garden to another cottage that housed 2 rooms. One had 2 tables and a fireplace while the other had 2 clawfooted jacuzzi tubs. It was clean, the linens were soft and plush and the whole room felt tropical.

Our treatments were good and they use quality products. I thought the details and arrangements were well considered (for ex., they offer a bag for transporting you clothes from treatment room to treatment room). The staff was considerate and professional.

The only disappointments were:
1. You can here the road from the massage rooms (but that has been the case with many day spas in the area)
and
2. They only have 1 shower in a bathroom that is the main facility for the whole spa. This was a bit awkward since it was early appointment and we both needed to prepare ourselves for the day ahead. We felt a bit self conscious and consequently rushed. They also request you do not use a blow dryer due to the sound near the massage rooms.

They had a great weekday couple special so I'm ok with taking the good with the bad for great treatments at a good price. We will return.

Lavender Hills sits right off a main road and is not much to look at from the outside. However behind and between the buildings there are beautiful, serene gardens to greet guests. The insides of the main building and bathhouses reflex that same tranquility. The setting was quite nice despite what others have written here. It is the experiences that happened inside that this writer feels is important. There were two couples in our party. We split 50/50 on the experience. First each couple went to soak in pre-selected aromatic salts. All of us agreed 30 minutes was too long to sit in a hot tub no matter how nice it smells. If you're a bath person, you may want to bring a book or something to do. It is too loud to talk when the jets on. Three of us had hour messages and one had a salt rub, 30 minute moisturizing facial & 30 minute moisturizing message. The former salt/facial/message member of our entourage was the most satisfied. Although the experience was not very smoothly run, he said his skin felt great. Out of the three left only one loved their message. She said the masseuse (a male) touched all the right places perfectly. Her partner was less impressed with his female masseuse. His opinion was "it was okay". I was the least satisfied. I get messages regularly and this was the strangest I've ever encountered. It was far from relaxing. Never have I been so sore. It still hurts between my shoulders when I breath in too deeply. In short, no one was impressed with the baths themselves (the rooms were nice). Two out of four were happy with their treatment, one was neutral and one (I) hated it.

Do not go to this spa! I was looking forward to a relaxing afternoon after driving 2 hours to get there. It is quaint and clean. However, it is poorly managed, is located right next to the highway and the rooms are too small. My experience was horrible. The 50 min. salt glow was more like 40 min. bubble bath and 10 min. salt scrub; the lady left me some salt scrub and said I could rub some on my belly if I wanted. She was very unprofessional - she forgot my robe, and then my slippers and accidently dropped my shirt into the tub, which probably wouldn't have happened if there was a decent place to hang my clothes. Then I had to walk across the "garden" in my (ultra thin white) robe with passing traffic and through the lobby with waiting men and women for my massage. The room I was put in was right next to the highway and there was a fly buzzing around my ear and face for the entire massage. Although I requested another room or that she swat the fly, she insisted that I focus on the massage and the music. I left more tense and stressed when I left than when I came in. What a waste!!!