Montauk Pioneer - July 3, 2009 - Pampered At Gurney's

I am a strong believer in pampering. Now that does not mean that I am a frequent pamper-ee, but I used to belong to a gym and let's just say that the majority of my time was spent in the steam room and sauna, pretending that I had been working hard on the treadmill. This past Sunday, however, I was completely spoiled with a trip to Gurney's Spa and they definitely take this sort of indulgence to a whole other level.

I was in the car whizzing down Old Montauk Highway on my way to Gurney's on Sunday morning, I wondered what my "Marine Kur Therapy" was actually going to consist of. I knew it was a hydrotherapy massage, and that's one of the specialties at Gurney's, but to be honest I really wasn't very clear on what that involved. I understood that seaweed featured somehow as well, but was slightly afraid as to how it was going to be applied and where.

I needn't have worried for a second. The Marine Kur Therapy lasts an hour and a half, costs $220 and is worth every penny.

I was waiting in the women's pavilion wearing my Gurney's robe and slippers when I was greeted by Margarita, the woman who gave me all my treatments. She told me she has been working at Gurney's for 27 years, and there's no doubt that she knows what she's doing.

She took me into a room where I was going to have my hydrotherapy massage. Now, this massage, for those of you who have not been enlightened by experiencing one, takes place entirely in the water, with water. You climb into what looks like a bath/hot tub and there are little champagne-bubble-jets all around. Margarita then took a small hose-type-thing she referred to as a thalassa and used the water pressure to give me a massage. It was 30 minutes of unadulterated bliss. Margarita explained that the hydrotherapy massage is really good for your circulation and that the saltwater they use is particularly good for skin.

After that, we went into another room where I was exfoliated with a seaweed toning gel. Once I was well and truly exfoliated, Margarita told me I could choose between a normal shower and a Swiss shower, which she described as "a tornado, a good tornado." How could I turn down the chance to be in a "good tornado?" And that's exactly what it felt like.

After my shower, I went back in for a nourishing seaweed body mask. While I was lying on the massage table, covered in seaweed in a state of pure joy and relaxation, Margarita began massaging my head. I think that it was at that point that I strongly considered proposing to her. After that - possibly the most relaxing experience of my life to date - I went back into my old friend, the good tornado, and then had Gurney's signature seaweed cream applied.

I was so thoroughly relaxed that I think it took me a full ten minutes to walk up to the salon for my Hot Sea Shell Manicure and Pedicure. I got into the salon and was shown a huge selection of colors and was told to pick one. Luz, my manicurist, also told me that they just had recently received a new collection of vegan nail polish. As a strict carnivore, I stuck to their traditional brand and picked a bright pink called "Funny Face," quite appropriately, I think.

Luz then went through a strategic massaging and tending to my feet (using the "warm sea shell" which is out of this world) taking them out and putting them back into the foot bath while I happily sat in my massage chair, reading magazines and occasionally catching myself staring off at the lifeguards on the beach. One of the most amazing things about Gurney's salon is that its huge windows look out onto the hotel's Ocean Beach. It added to the unbelievable serenity that was my day at Gurney's.

The manicure and pedicure that I had took over an hour and were in a league of their own. This pedicure costs $112.10 and the manicure costs $53.10, including service charges.

The entire experience was fantastic and I would really recommend it. There are dozens of treatments available - different ones for people of different ages, different genders, with different needs, et cetera. Whoever you are, I have no doubt that Gurney's has a treatment that would be perfect for you. For more information visit their website at www.gurneysinn.com or call them at (631)-668-2345.