Ninety minutes north of New York City, in a little town called Milton, NY, there is an exceptionally green sanctuary for stressed out city folk. It’s called Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa. Its environs contain scenes from any other B&B in Ulster County - you might find muffins in a gingham-lined basket, cozy rooms with antique canopy beds, or a pond filled with ducks.

Built in 1680, the 70-acre estate has been completely overhauled with modern comforts like private Jacuzzi tubs or high-speed Internet access (although my connection in the North Cottage didn’t work). In fact, the only thing at Buttermilk that doesn’t look like it’s straight out of an L.L. Bean catalog is the spectacular eco-friendly spa – it puts many a 5-star hotel spa to shame.

Everything surrounding the Inn & Spa is plenty green in colour. Located on the banks of the Hudson River, the “cascading lawns and winding streams” have been carefully groomed for visitors - mostly New Yorkers - to indulge in outdoor adventures, such as hiking in the summer and snowshoeing in the winter.

The spa is also incredibly green in spirit. To be sure, the spa features dozens of healthy treatments for the mind and body. But the spa’s most unique features are designed to be healthy for the environment, too:  the spa relies on solar and geo thermal energy to heat the sauna, steam room and mineral pool.

In winter, electricity attained from solar energy is used to extract heat from below the earth’s surface to heat the building. In the summer, heat is transferred from inside the building back into the ground, and the cool air is cycled back into the building. Solar power creates most of the additional energy needed to operate the building. Floors are radiantly heated.  The building even features energy efficient windows.

The most impressive feature at this eco-friendly spa is its indoor mineral pool. It’s filled with saltwater instead of chlorine, which is better for the body, and of course, better for the environment,. The pool is surrounded by massive floor to ceiling windows, overlooking the Hudson River. A 20-minute nap on a poolside chaise lounge might be just as therapeutic as a treatment.

Later, as you sink into a comfortable club chair in your sitting room, you will be distracted by the scent of fresh baked cookies or a view of the spectacular sunrise over the Hudson. You can find comfortable chairs, cookies, or nice views anywhere, but you certainly won’t find too many eco-friendly spas like the Buttermilk elsewhere.

Buttermilk Inn and Spa
220 North Road
Milton, New York (NY) 12547
Phone: (877) 7INN -SPA  
www.buttermilkspa.com