Spalon Montage Makes a Splash at Madden's

I recently had the opportunity to stay at Madden’s on Gull Lake and attend the opening shindig for Madden’s latest addition: a Spalon Montage.

If you’ve been to a Spalon before, you already know about the top-notch quality of their spa and salon services, and the new outpost is pretty spectacular. Being on the Madden’s property lends the whole experience a certain throwback Dirty Dancing quality—after finishing a round of golf, croquet, or tennis, you can stop in for a massage, facial, manicure, or pedicure and get gorgeous in time for your dinner in the lodge. Love that.

Here are a few snaps of the new space.

 

The lobby is calming and natural, but not full of cliché spa décor. It feels contemporary and fresh. Upon arrival, you’re quickly whisked back to the nicely-appointed dressing room to get into a fluffy robe.

The lounge area is absolutely lovely, done up in calming gray. I lounged here for a few moments before being called back for my massage. One thing I loved was the choice of aromas for my massage oil—I picked an orange-basil scent, but the others were equally decadent. And after I was flattened and stretched into a semi-coma state, I made my way back to the lounge; the fireplace was flickering as I sipped my lemon water and slowly, reluctantly came back to reality.

My favorite room was the nail service room. This photo is a little dark, but the room is actually filled with tons of natural light and overlooks the lake. So while you get your nails done, you get to take in a truly stunning vista. If only all the rooms could face the lake! (I realize this is a physical impossibility, but the view is not to be missed.) The whole Spalon experience marries the North Woods getaway vibe with cosmopolitan spa services. It’s not an easy balance to strike, but I think they did it well. 

Prices are what you’d expect for Spalon services, so no major sticker shock there—an hour massage is $90, a pedicure $70. But can you put a price on total relaxation at one of the swankiest resorts in Minnesota? I didn’t think so.

Spalon Montage at Madden’s on Gull Lake, 218-855-5917