The Spa at Bernardus Lodge

Overall, both my husband and I had a relaxing day at the Bernardus Spa. The renovated waiting room was lovely and the co-​ed warming pool was a real treat to relax in. My husband had a nice massage and enjoyed his time there. We had brunch at Lucia in the lobby which was also very yummy.
The only surprises:
— We did not get a couples massage room when I booked a couples massage, perhaps since I requested a maternity massage. I wasn’t sure the reason.
— The maternity massage I had was ok, I wish the massage therapist had done a firmer massage after my request.
— They raised the price without letting me know. After asking for a price adjustment, it was dismissed until after I left. I then received a phone call and they reversed the charges, so I am glad they did the right thing.
— The waiting room is a little small.

What a treat to stay at the newly remodeled and upgraded Bernardus Lodge and Spa in Carmel Valley. There are so many reasons you must book a room at this luxurious hotel when visiting the Monterey/​Carmel region. Here are a few of the high points:
1.The staff is well-​trained, very hospitality oriented, with a desire to make sure that your stay is first class in every way.
2. Our room (#4-​Garden Room) was beautiful. The spacious bathroom features heated marble floors, double sinks, a large Americh bathtub with bath salts, separate shower, toilet room.
3. Gas fireplace and a comfy couch.
4. Refrigerator stocked with beer, waters, and a bottle of wine, all complimentary.
5. Nespresso maker on the bar.
6. Comfortable King size bed.
7. French doors opening to a garden patio with table, chairs, and lounge.
8. A beautiful pool open 24 hours with an adjoining hot tub.
9. Complimentary yoga classes and nature hikes on weekends.
10. Bocce ball and croquet on the lawns.
11. Firepits, fountains, and lovely gardens throughout the property.
12. An excellent restaurant, Lucia.
13. Locating in Carmel Valley boasting warm weather, 22 wineries.
Upon arrival, after being valet parked, we were welcomed with a refreshing glass of Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc. The room was stunning yet comfortable overlooking the gardens and wedding altar. (That was one of the drawbacks. Three weddings transpired about 20 feet from our patio during our stay. We moved from our patio to the indoors as to not impose on the vows.)
The biggest perk of our entire stay was the opportunity to use the Mercedes convertible to enjoy the region. What a joy ride and so thrilling.
The restaurant, Lucia, is excellent and the spa is fabulous with a steam room, sauna, and warm meditation pool. Massage therapist Rita was excellent, shout outs to Yoga instructor, Greg, hiking guide, Tricia, and staff member, Alexandra, and all of the valet staff for their superb service. When you need a break and want to be pampered, check out Bernardus Lodge and Spa.

This review is only for the spa at Bernardus Lodge. We stayed here this past labor day for our babymoon and being 32 weeks pregnant I decided to treat myself to a 50 min Mommy to be massage. Michelle was my massage therapist. While she was all smiles and friendly, the whole experience was very rushed. For $ 240, the experience was not as good I had hoped it to be. The scalp massage lasted about 10 seconds, there was no relieving pressure from fingers or toes or palm/​feet. The foot scrub/​leg oil addon they offered for $ 50 was not worth it. She scrubbed my foot for maybe 3 mins and it was almost as if she was forced to do the massage.
I have had a 30 min massage (both prenatal and non) here in downtown Los Gatos by Audra at Timeless and I have to say although that seems short for a massage, I’ve left feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
I do not recommend the mommy to be massage at this spa.

I’ve been to the spa twice now and love every minute of it. My most recent visit was after their recent re-​model. I like how the warming room is a little brighter and more modern now, and I appreciate the dried and fresh fruit available. The warming pool is nice– not too hot, not too cold. I had a great Mommy-​to-​Be massage from Michael (and my husband had a wonderful massage from him on a previous visit), and my husband enjoyed his Sports Massage with Michelle. I would definitely request Michael again and my husband would request Michelle again. When we arrived, there was a minor mix-​up with our scheduling, and the staff went above-​and-​beyond in correcting it. We weren’t even upset about the mix-​up, but they insisted on correcting it and making it up to us to the point where we almost felt like we were stealing from them! I’d never experienced customer service like that and it’s one of the reasons why we save up money every year to visit Bernardus. My only (minor) complaint is that the robes are a bit warm for the summer. I ended up just lounging in my own clothes outside after my treatment. A lighter robe would be nice.

Was not going to post anything about my visit because of trolling but whatever. I’m moving on maybe you should too. I needed a retreat from all the drama my life became. This place is, by far, the best, EVER. Tranquil, peace, serenity, calm. Need I say more? Room service? Of course. Massage? What kind of resort wouldn’t have that. Customer service? Excellent. The drive up was uneventful. Carmel is beautiful. Took a bath in this huge bathtub and then took 3 more before bed. Shower is amazing. Everything about this place whispers luxury and makes me not want to leave. Awaiting my breakfast but first jumping into the shower and then sitting in the tub one last time. When I feel overwhelmed again, THIS is where I am headed. I love it!

Lovely spa, quiet and super clean and well appointed. Enjoyed a deep tissue massage (Steven!) and an exfoliating facial (Aubrey!) and lunch by the pool. Will definitely return again. Relaxing atmosphere with plenty of spaces to read or tune out. Loved it!

I wish they had half stars! My wife and I came here to start a romantic weekend and really enjoyed our visit. Jaime and Rita both delivered «best ever» massages. I’ve had many a massage due to back issues and Jaime’s arsenal of techniques was truly impressive and effective. We grabbed a rushed lunch before hand and the only half star I would subtract is the food service could have been friendlier. Beautiful surroundings as well.

I love the spa at Bernardus, especially the coed warming pool in the back! It’s great couples so you can share the common areas.
Also, you have access to the larger pool!

The Spa at Bernardus is very nice, and the staff is wonderful. I particularly recommend spending some time in the outdoor warm soaking pool, both before and after a massage. The massages themselves have been consistently good over the years, although not 5-​stars. They do however provide some thoughtful extras, like heated tables and warm washcloths on your feet when they finish up.
I do wish they had a unisex steam room so my wife and I could use it together (instead they have one steam room in each locker room), but that’s a minor complaint.

Very highly recommend Michael, the spa’s lead practitioner. He has 20 years of experience, and is schooled in myofascial release, etc. And, he’s an avid surfer :-)

I will not even mention my unhappy experience at The Spa at Bernardus Lodge. This is purely for unsatisfied experience for manicure service my mother and sister got at Bernardus Lodge.
On my wedding day, my mom and sister decided to have their manicure done at Bernardus Lodge Spa. I don’t get to spend much time with them so this was like our first fun girls day for us and Manicurist at Bernardus completely ruined it. I felt so bad to have even suggested it to my mom and sis.
While my mom and sister are picking color and service, she told us that she can not do innovative design nails… well, Ok fine. at least she is honest about it. But I would expect way more from $ 40+ must pay 20% gratuity service. Manicure only is $ 40!
My mom requested french nails and manicurist told us that she can do that. I went back to my room to check on my bridesmaids after 1 hours passed… my mom has not yet come back from her nail. I went back to check and she was just lying at the pool side looking furious. She showed me her nails and I can not believe it. The whole 10 fingers, the white tip of nail part was raised up and not straight line at all. Her fingers has white nails everywhere. She didn’t even clean my mom’s hands or fingers! I got angry here. I took my mom back to told manicurist to clean and fix it, that I am so not happy about it. She did it… took another 1 hour for my mom to come back. She cleaned her fingers but poor technique to fix was just making everything worse.
I am surprised to see such a poor technique for nails here regarding how much they are charging for it too. Bernardus constantly host weddings, I totally assumed that there are better, well-​trained specialist than just nail salon will be at Spa like Bernardus. Overall, I was sad. 2 hours for nail service at spa including fixing time, after this it was just rush to get ready for wedding.
I am so glad I didn’t’ get nails done at Spa (I couldn’t find time so I went to local nail salon a couple days before my wedding day) I paid $ 45 for Mani+pedi, my nails has line stones in, they even gave me foot and hand massage. Even I cook, clean, wash my hands constantly, my nail didn’t chip at all. I will not go here for Mani, Pedi, hair or makeup service.
— I will change star rating here. After I wrote this review and I wrote the same review on Hotel review paper Bernardus sent us, The Spa Manager, Franzy contacted me and I received sincere appology. I also received whole money back regarding my mother and sister’s nail service + 20% gratuity they paid (which I sent it to my mom), and she game me gratuity back on my trial too. Franzy’s customer service was always top-​notch from the beginnig. This didn’t change the fact that nail service was poor but it’s nice to feel that Bernardus cares about customer satisfaction and review they receive.

I always love coming here! Today I was lucky enough to get my hair and make-​up done for a black-​tie event by Leticia. She did a fabulous job and really listened. Cannot wait o go again!

A lot to like
Things I like:
Beautiful location looking out at mountains, near Carmel by the Sea
Nearby wineries
Rooms overlooking the manicured bocce ball and crouquet courts
Xeriscaped landscaping elsewhere on resort
Plentiful support staff
Staff that can solve your problems at all levels of the organization
Great gym with cardio and free weights
Men’s and women’s locker rooms with everything to pamper yourself, steam rooms, razors, shaving cream, deodorant, mouth wash, cold towels, herbal teas, etc. etc.
Warming pool
Huge swimming pool with huge deck and cabanna
Honor bar in rooms where everything is gratis including 3 bottles of wine, homemade brownies etc.
Housekeeping that turns down your bed, closes the curtains and straightens the room when you’re away at dinner
Huge rooms
Huge bathrroms with huge showers and huge tubs
Comfortable beds
Two nice restaurants on the premises Marinus and Wickets… see my reviews elsewhere
No individual tipping, because it is included on a daily basis on your bill

While on a weekend get-​away at Bernardus, I scheduled my boyfriend and I for a couple’s massage. We were told to arrive early, and I’m glad we did, as it was great to take a dip in the outdoor warming pool (bring your bathing suit!), sip some tea and relax by the awesome fireplace in the provided robes before our treatment started. We also made use of the lounge area after our massage, and it was really nice to sit in silence and allow the relaxation to truly soak in before we left. The bathrooms were equipped with every amenity you could think of, which is always a nice touch. As I was feeling a bit stuffed up from allergies, I appreciated the eucalyptus steam room, as it really helped to clear out my sinuses!
As to the actual massage, I think I’ve learned my lesson with booking us in the same room. I’d been told before by a masseuse, and now I believe her, that massages are better if you’re in your own rooms. While both of us had a good experience, neither of our massages blew us away. The fifty minutes seemed to go by really fast, which was exacerbated by the seemingly rushed style my masseuse had. I did appreciate him checking in with me about pressure, and asking my preference of oil or lotion, but I wish he had slowed down! Also, while I love the electric blanket under the sheet, it was too warm and had he asked about temperature I would have asked to have it turned down.
Overall, a nice experience, but a bit pricey in our opinion. Worth the splurge if you’re in the area and feel like spending money, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here.

This is going to be short and sweet. I had the best massage that I’ve EVER had with Colleen? Connie? Something like that. God I wish I remembered. Just go!

The spa is really relaxing. Great amenities, like cold cucumber towels, teas and trail mix. We had the vineyard romance package and it was great. It probably helped that since we were only one of two couples in the spa, it felt really private and peaceful. The package itself was fun and the outdoor private soaking tub was awesome. The massage itself was very good and professional and fell asleep halfway through. After we completed our bath and massage and we had a grape seed herbal tea waiting for us in the lounge area, just a nice touch. Overall one of our best spa experiences ever.

For our 11^th wedding anniversary my honey booked us a massage and we stayed for a light dinner at Wickets! We went for the afternoon and sat around the fire in our robes and sipped tea and ate almonds. My husband arrived a little later than I did. he arrived with flowers and a nice card… since we have twin four year olds. this was an awesome afternoon for me… just the few hours of quiet and not to mention the massage was perfect. perhaps the best that I have had and it was much needed. it was the perfect mini-​vacation and we plan to do it more often! The only thing that could have been better was the weather. but I am not complaining.

It was my boyfriend’s birthday and after being together for nearly 5 years, gift ideas start to run dry. Just when I thought I was SOL on the perfect gift, we decided to hoof it to Carmel for the weekend. We got a room at Bernardus Lodge while I made reservations at Marinus and at the Bernardus Spa as a surprise.
I booked a couple’s massage for us and a «Gentleman’s Facial» for him to follow. The massage was (insert adjective for good/​awesome/​great). My massuse conferred with me beforehand about the type of pressure I wanted (I chose medium to firm, though really, a massage isn’t a massage unless you’re wincing in pain) and to my relief, he kept his word for the rest of the hour. Nothing is more annoying than a massage that feels like a child’s fingers kneading PlayDoh. Bleh. If at all a caveat, the background music was definitely creeping into Kenny G. territory. I would’ve asked for something different, but: a) I didn’t want to be a difficult biatch, b) I’m there to get a massage, not to make babies.
The price of the facial ran a bit higher than I would have liked ($ 135 seems to be the standard for most of their facial services), but the bf came out happy as a clam with clear pores to boot. Is there a price on clear pores? No, no there isn’t. He admitted being wary when the facialist pulled out her extraction tools, but he took it like a champ and really enjoyed the whole thing. Be warned that they (both the facialist and the attendant at the register) did try to push the products used during the facial.
All hotel guests are invited to use the spa facilities, free of charge. That said, take FULL advantage of the eucalyptus steam room. Is this what it feels like to be inside a koala bear, all warm and menthol-​y? I’m not sure, but I can confirm that you enter a sore, haggared being and emerge as a brand new (wo)man. Get there in the earlier AM hours (10AM-​noon, the place was empty) and bask in the glory of your own nudity.
Fruit infused water, a selection of hot teas, fresh fruit (I ate about 5 tangerines), and a mix of almonds and berries are yours for the noshing at the spa’s waiting area. And if you brought your swimthings, go outside and soak yourself in the warming pool. The facilities are clean– towels are constantly replenished, counters wiped clean, not a thing out of place. No eyesores, nothing sketchy.
If money still ain’t a thang in a year, I’ll be back.

I booked in for facial at Bernardus Spa for the eco facial.
Facilities are small, intimate and very beautiful — lovely candles, furnishings and fireplace in the common areas deliver a relaxed, casual but elegant ambiance. Stepping out to the pool area and looking up to the beautiful mountains of Carmel Valley took my breath away!
Staff is very friendly and attentive, and my facialist Julia was knowledgeable and skilled.
Only gripe is that I felt like she was agressively pushing the skincare line they were using (even though I had told her I was using a new line of skincare and was happy with it).
When I went to the reception area to pay, I was surprised to be handed a bag of the products that I could purchase — which made for an awkward moment given that I had shown no interest in purchasing any of the products… I just wanted a facial!
So, I left there with a bad taste in my mouth since my intent in visiting the Spa was to be treated to a facial, not to be hawked the line of skincare products.

My wife and I really enjoyed our time at the spa. We both had aromatherapy massages by Michelle. The massage lasted fifty minutes. Michelle did a great job. I recommend combining scented oils to create a custom massage. We both combined mint and orange. We both felt refreshed after the rub.
The facility is nice, quiet and very cozy. The back warming pool was just the right temperature. The locker room was clean and had excellent steam and sauna facilities.
The exercise room is small. You need to get in by 730 to get a machine when the lodge is busy.
We are looking forward to our next visit.