Garden Glory

Located in Texas Hill Country, the Sage Hill Inn Above Onion Creek (Kyle) overlooks 89 acres, which are teeming with wildlife. “We are surrounded on all sides by open space,” says innkeeper Amy Dolan. “The property is close to Austin, but it feels like we are truly in the middle of nowhere.” This ultimate Texas getaway recently underwent a renovation that included a new pool deck, an outdoor fire pit, multiple room remodels, and the debut of the Garden Spa. Appropriately named, the spa is integrated into the main garden and its treatments rely on local herbs, such as basil, peppermint, rosemary, and thyme.

According to Dolan, who also serves as spa director, guests can choose to relax before their treatments in the spa lounge, on the porch, in the garden, or in the gazebo. “We have a full-time gardener who does nothing but grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers for the restaurant and spa,” says Dolan. “It is truly a unique setting.”

In keeping with the spa’s garden theme, the treatments rely on organic and natural ingredients. The spa’s product lines certainly speak to its green focus. Essensa Provence Active Organics, which hails from the heart of Provence, France, is an organic line created more than 50 years ago. Young Living Essential Oils, another product company with a green philosophy, was chosen for its high standards of purity and authenticity. The spa also relies on lavender bodycare products from local Hummingbird Farms, which is owned and operated by a husband-and-wife team. They were inspired to launch an aromatherapy line using lavender harvested from their fields. Another local and family-run business, First Texas Olive Oil Company, provides the spa with fresh olive oil.

Guests can experience the natural products and ingredients in a variety of treatments, such as the Garden to Table Facial & Hand Treatment ($95, 60 minutes), in which local honey is used to hydrate the skin. An olive oil soak and scrub followed by a hand massage with lavender-infused cream helps to heal dry and chapped skin. In the Herbal Body Wrap ($90, 60 minutes), spa-goers are enveloped in linen sheets that have been soaked in a hot herbal solution. A number of specialty treatments can also be found on the menu, including the Raindrop Technique ($100, 60 minutes), which incorporates nine essential oils dropped along the vertebrae and a light massage. In a more intense variation of the treatment, the Rock N Raindrop ($145, 90 minutes) combines the use of heated basalt river stones with the Raindrop Technique. While each massage includes the use of Hummingbird Farms lavender and Young Living Essential Oils peppermint, guests can also choose an Aromatherapy Essential Oils Add-On ($5) for any service.

The four treatment rooms are able to accommodate 10 to 20 guests each day, depending on the length of their services. With three full-time and five part-time employees on staff, Dolan is focused on building the spa’s team of therapists. “We do well locally recruiting therapists, as our therapist share is higher than anyone around, and we have consistent volume for them,” she says.

Although the spa has only recently debuted, Dolan and her staff are busy spreading the word about the garden-inspired treatments. “We have started to advertise the spa as a day spa and will do so aggressively in the coming months,” says Dolan. “Our plan is to use typical online channels, as well as promote a variety of day spa specials for locals.”Fortunately, spa-goers needn’t have a green thumb to reap the rewards of this charming garden reprieve.

Owners: John Banczak and Eric Goldreyer

Spa Director: Amy Dolan

Opened: February 2014

 

CLIENT BASE

65% female

35% male

 

SPACE

1,000 square feet; 4 treatment rooms

 

OFFERINGS

aromatherapy, body treatments, couples’ treatments, energy work, facials,
hair and scalp treatments, hand and foot treatments, massage, prenatal services, reflexology, yoga

 

SIGNATURE SERVICE

Stress Reliever ($175, 2 hours), includes a massage and a facial

 

MOST EXPENSIVE OFFERING

All the Time in the World ($315, 4 hours, 30 minutes), includes a sugar polish, an herbal body wrap, a massage, a facial, and a spa lunch

 

PRODUCT LINES

Essensa Provence Active Organics, First Texas Olive Oil Company, Hummingbird Farms, Young Living Essential Oils

 

EQUIPMENT

EarthWorks, Mindbody