Outside it’s cold, it’s gray, it feels like winter is never going to end. Yet I’m in my bathing suit, surrounded by blue water, wrapped in warmth and bathed in light. I want to stay here till spring. Where am I? The Caribbean? No, much closer to home . . .
This winter we haven’t had much snow but the cold and the ice storms wear thin quickly. The Spa at the Hotel Hershey is wonderful (as a central PA resident, I will always recommend it), but I needed a little road time so Mary the Photographer and I headed west to Bedford and the Bedford Springs Resort. I heard it’s been newly restored and I certainly needed a little personal restoration.
Sporadic rain and snow didn’t stop us from the quick hour-and-a-half drive to Bedford, which some people may not realize is more than just a turnpike exit with a very large coffeepot. Bedford has American history, antiquing, good restaurants, and a new discovery—the National Museum of the American Coverlet—but that’s going to have to wait for another visit.
Instead we drove south of town, off a little side road, and around a curve. Just as the resort came into view, the sun broke through the clouds and lit up this long, white, grand hotel. Mary and I said in unison, “Wow.” I began to wonder if my “business casual” slacks and sweater were good enough.
We drove up to the covered entryway to valet parking. Again, I thought, “wow.” I’m more a find-the-parking-meter-with-time-on-it girl, so I’m not used to this kind of treatment, but Scott the valet was both friendly and polite. His greeting set the tone for our day. Too often places that specialize in luxury also intimidate, as though we don’t belong there. But at Bedford Springs every single person we met was helpful, warm, and courteous. I never felt out of place.
Entering the lobby we found plush carpets, Federal décor, and overstuffed chairs around a welcoming fireplace. I love old hotels—the Carnegie in Johnson City, TN; the Del Coronado in Coronado, CA; and the Omni Parker House in Boston come to mind—and Bedford Spring Resort is in the same class.
With a little time to spare before lunch Mary and I walked around the lobby, reading wall plaques about the hotel’s history. I was surprised to find that while Bedford Springs is a beautiful resort and spa, it is also—quietly—a museum spanning over two centuries of Pennsylvania and national history. In the late 1790s Dr. John Anderson purchased acres of land and the local springs, which the local Iroquois and Shawnee had used for medicinal purposes. Dr. Anderson then treated some of his patients by giving them a prescription that included a trip to the springs; depending on the ailment, a person could receive a day ticket, a three-day ticket, a family ticket, or, in serious cases, a lifetime ticket.
In the beginning, Dr. Anderson’s patients stayed at Defibaugh’s Tavern in town, but soon he recognized the need for a place closer to the springs and the first inn was built. Over the years the structure grew as more rooms were added. The centerpiece of the building is Greek Revival style, completed in 1842. By then, Bedford Springs had gained a reputation as a fine place to stay. James Buchanan had his own suite at Bedford Springs; during his years as president, it was his summer White House. In all, ten presidents have visited Bedford Springs, from James K. Polk to (then California governor) Ronald Reagan.
In the Victorian resort era, Bedford Springs was a popular place for young people to socialize. Brides began a tradition of scratching their married names and wedding dates in the front windows; a lot of names survive today.
The walls of the Crystal Room, one of the resort’s three restaurants, are covered with photographs from the late 1800s. The only person I recognized was landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, but it was very interesting to look at the faces, clothes, and dates. We agreed that one woman needed to be on What Not to Wear (her choice of hat was really unfortunate). Mary and I had our scallops and Bedford Springs Salad with the house-special lemon vinaigrette in the company of Lou Sadler (1896) and Ruth Bailey (1895); they were cheerful but not very talkative.
Bedford Springs continued to thrive in the twentieth century, but World War II intervened and the hotel became the Keystone Radio Communications School for the U.S. Navy and housed some captured Japanese ambassadors. With all this history, it’s no surprise that in the 1980s the hotel was named a National Historic Landmark before closing in 1986. Then, after a three-year, $120-million restoration (I would say rejuvenation), with incredible attention to both historical detail and modern convenience, Bedford Springs reopened in July 2007.
Our spa appointments weren’t until mid-afternoon, which gave us time after lunch to look around a little more. If we played golf, we would have tried out the historic course, designed in part by famed golf-course architects Spencer Oldham (1895), A. W. Tillinghast (1912), and Donald P. Ross (where he developed his “signature” hole [1923]).
Finally it was spa time! I chose the Blackberry Retreat hand massage just to give my hardworking, winter-ravaged digits a little gift. Mary took the foot massage. A little FYI: It’s not necessary to spend a lot of money to get a really nice spa experience. If you aspire to be a Spa Cat (like Gym Rat, only much more fun), always investigate what is offered. At Bedford Springs, in addition to the relaxation room, the “extra” is an hour in the mineral springs. You won’t get this anywhere else.
So on with the comfy robes, the spa slippers, the exfoliation, the lotion, the hot towels (oh, those hot towels!). My hands forgave me for all the typing and housework I make them do. Mary’s feet were so refreshed from her massage, she said she was ready to try the resort’s hiking trails (at least in warmer weather!).
And then the best part—the springs (bathing suit required). Shower, steam bath, cooler water with jets, warmer water with jets. Signs in the spa tell you how many minutes to spend in each and in what order. I really never wanted to leave. My only regret was we stayed so long, we missed tea, served daily in the lobby.
What’s any trip without some shopping? First the spa gift shop, to pick up the signature Bedford Springs hydrating spray. Then the snack shop (Che Sara Sara), the gift shop, and the pro shop, looking for gifts to tell our husbands we were thinking of them (at least for a moment!). I could easily see coming back for a nice weekend-with-spouse, massages, time in the springs, gourmet meal in the 1796 Room. (They even provide entertainment for children with “Resort Rascals.”)
Mary and I ended the day with a casual dinner in the Frontier Tavern--burgers, spicy fries, and their specialty root-beer floats. I really did hate to leave, but it was time to take our hydrated, relaxed selves home.
What have I missed mentioning? Fishing, nightly fire-ring (with s’mores), guided tours for overnight guests, couples’ retreats, conference meeting rooms (don’t think I’m not trying to figure out how to arrange for that!). From the Grand Staircase in the lobby to the mineral-spring-fed, original swimming pool (the first-ever indoor pool anywhere), Bedford Springs Resort is a must-have experience.
