If you've got a baby on the way, chances are you're putting a lot of effort into getting ready. Birthing classes: Check! Baby equipment: Check! Nursery ready: Check! Now, how about taking a Babymoon?
A babymoon?
More and more, expectant parents are slipping away for a romantic, pampering pre-baby trips; one last chance to connect and relax before diapers, feeding and sleep deprivation make luxury vacations seem a distant memory.
"Preparing for a new baby can be stressful," says Bellevue Community College parent education instructor Cubba Reese. "A babymoon lets you and your spouse reconnect and prepare for this change. That can be a bedrock for your relationship in the months to come."
Seattle mom Staci Snyder Jones found her babymoon both relaxing and a helpful preparation for parenthood. "We really tried to soak up everything, knowing that our time would no longer be our own once the baby arrived," Jones says. "The babymoon gave us time to discuss our excitement and anxiety about having children and becoming parents. It also provided a kick-start for getting physically prepared for the baby. Once we got back, we seemed to have new motivation to get organized and prepared."
Several local resorts offer goodies such as pregnancy and couples massages, cookies before bed, romantic meals and pampering touches like in-room movies. Whether you crave island escapes, mountain resorts or coastal retreats, these luxury resorts offer expecting parents ideal romantic getaways before the big arrival.
Mountain resorts
With great views of Snoqualmie Falls and the Cascade Mountains, Salish Lodge & Spa offers an enticing babymoon package, designed to thoroughly pamper expecting moms and entertain expecting dads. Babymoons at Salish Lodge & Spa include rose petals and sparkling cider in the room upon arrival, two 50-minute spa treatments of the couple's choice - including prenatal massage with a foot revitalizer or a romantic fireside massage for two - as well as a special baby gift.
Rooms feature a bedside wood-burning fireplace, two-person whirlpool tub, goose-down comforter, feather bed and balcony or window seat. In addition, a special pregnancy pillow is provided as an extra comfort for the mother-to-be.
Expecting dads can get the adventure out of their system at an onsite "adventure center." Activities include rock climbing, winter snowshoeing, hiking, biking, fly-fishing and whitewater rafting and kayaking on the Snoqualmie River.
A short stroll from award-winning wineries in Woodinville, Willows Lodge offers babymooning couples a full-service spa and gourmet dining at two of the Northwest's most highly acclaimed restaurants: The Herbfarm Restaurant and the Barking Frog.
Babymooners can enjoy couples massages in two romantic locales: a private guest room or an outdoor cabana where marketing manager Rhanda Rosselot says, "Couples can enjoy the fresh air, nice weather and thoroughly relax."
Rooms offer a massive fireplace, luxurious beds featuring 300-count Egyptian linens, goose-down pillows, an extra-large soaking tub and 24-hour room service.
Island escapes
Nestled on 30 waterfront acres on Orcas Island, with views of Cascade Bay and surrounding evergreen forests, Rosario Resort & Spa treats babymooners to a bottle of Martinelli's Sparking Cider and homemade cookies at check-in. The pampering continues with a massage (couples and prenatal massages are both available) and a baby gift.
"The transition of coming to an island promotes the feeling that you are totally escaping," says marketing director Christopher Peacock. Orcas Island offers myriad outdoor activities, such as hiking ("You leave your room and can walk right into Moran State Park," Peacock says), kayaking and whale watching, as well as diverse shopping and art galleries.
With a 180-degree water view from every room, The Inn at Langley offers a picturesque babymoon setting. The Inn was designed as a quiet and intimate retreat for couples; as chef and inn manager Matt Costello notes, "The Inn is so serene! We think of it as a retreat, not a resort."
Besides its great location, the Inn is renowned for its gourmet, open-kitchen culinary dining experiences, full-service spa overlooking the beach, and luxury rooms that offer fireplaces and jetted tubs. The Inn also offers an abundance of outdoor activities, including biking, hiking, horseback riding, golfing, kayaking, canoeing, boating, whale watching, beachcombing as well as easy access to museums, markets, quaint shops and funky haunts.
Coastal retreats
With spectacular views of the Olympic Mountains and Hood Canal, Alderbrook Resort & Spa offers a full-service spa, heated indoor pool (with a Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna), restaurant, and luxurious rooms with deep soaking tubs and DVD players.
"We offer great services for expecting couples, including maternal massage, couples massage and instructional massage - to help the expectant father keep the new mom happy," says director of sales Marty McCormack.
The resort also offers proximity to great hiking in the Olympics, tennis, golf, swimming, fishing, crabbing, boating and kayaking.
Located on 9 private acres near the Olympic Peninsula, Lost Mountain Lodge approaches babymoons as a full-pampering experience. Owners Dwight and Lisa Hostvedt started offering the packages in 2005. "We know that the time before the baby arrives is a really special time for a couple," says Lisa Hostvedt. "We do really special things for them."
A babymoon package includes two nights in a romantic fireplace suite, a tension-reducing "Play Footsies" foot and leg massage, a gift certificate toward dinner at a local romantic restaurant and a memento for the baby. Other touches: a tray of herbal teas served with the lodge's signature lemon ginger cookies and homemade evening treats, like heart-shaped shortbread cookies or apple dumplings.
Hostvedt also plays concierge for local excursions to Olympic National Park and other areas of the Olympic Peninsula, providing trail and hiking maps and recommendations for local restaurants.
The lodge has you covered after the baby is born, with a suite complete with a full-size crib, high chair, bistro kitchenette and dishwasher, all located in a separate, private building so the baby won't disturb other guests.
Jodi Sternoff Cohen is a Seattle-based writer and marketing consultant. She loves to travel with daughter Carly, age 4, and son Max, age 2.
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Salish Lodge
http://www.salishlodge.com/
800-272-5474
Willows Lodge
http://www.willowslodge.com/
877-424-3930
Rosario Resort on Orcas Island
http://www.rosarioresort.com/
360-376-2222
The Inn at Langley on Whidbey Island
http://www.innatlangley.com/
360-221-3033
Alderbrook Resort on Hood Canal
http://www.alderbrookresort.com/
360-898-2200
800-622-9370
Lost Mountain Lodge
http://www.lostmountainlodge.com/
888-683-2431
Jodi Sternoff Cohen is a Seattle-based writer and marketing consultant. She loves to travel with daughter Carly, age 4, and son Max, age 2.
