Spas and Wellness in Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee

The Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee region is one of the quieter corners of New Hampshire, with college towns, village greens and a big, clear lake. It is also a good place to slow down. This guide covers spas and wellness in Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee, from a Dermalogica skin studio near New London's rotary to a small esthetician's studio on the Lyme common and a heated yoga room in Hanover. Whether you live in the Upper Valley or you are visiting for a weekend, here is where to book a facial, a massage or a class.

The region at a glance

The region stretches from Lake Sunapee north through the Connecticut River valley towns.

Lake Sunapee is the fifth-largest lake located entirely in New Hampshire. It is about 8.1 miles long and covers 6.5 square miles, with eleven islands and a shoreline of some 70 miles. The drive around the lake is about 25 miles, with many miles of water views, and the lake has three lighthouses listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

New London is a hilltop town of about 4,400 people along Route 114, north of Route 11 and Interstate 89. It is home to Colby-Sawyer College.

Hanover, population 11,870 in 2020, is home to Dartmouth College. The Appalachian Trail crosses the town.

Lebanon, just south of Hanover near the Connecticut River, is the only city in Grafton County, with 14,282 residents at the 2020 census. It is home to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

Lyme is a small town of 1,745 along the Connecticut River. Its village is known for the Lyme Inn, built in 1809, and a row of 27 horse sheds dating from 1810, described as the longest line of contiguous horse sheds in New England.

New London

Walk In Beauty Spa and Wellness

Walk In Beauty Spa and Wellness is at 219 County Road, Suite 1, in New London. Its website says it is to the right of the Hubert's clothing store entrance, just off the rotary. It features a Dermalogica skin care studio, and its service list covers facials, Dermalogica product sales, massage therapy, MediCupping, craniosacral therapy, acupuncture and foot reflexology. The spa also offers packages and e-gift certificates.

One practical note from its site: Walk In Beauty is by appointment only and does not have a reception desk. The team says it is often hands-on with clients during sessions and invites people to text their questions. Book ahead rather than walking in.

Crescent Moon Wellness and Yoga

A short distance away at 428 Main Street, Crescent Moon Wellness and Yoga runs a weekly drop-in yoga calendar alongside series, workshops and special events. Its offerings include beginner drop-in classes and vinyasa, plus seasonal series that have featured yin, restorative and nidra yoga with sound, and candlelight sound baths. The studio also has a yoga series for men, in person or online, and free and on-demand content on its website.

If you are visiting New London for a weekend, a drop-in class pairs well with a spa appointment. Check the studio's calendar for the current schedule.

Lyme

Lyme's village center is tiny, but it has two wellness businesses within a short walk of each other.

DeLeon Day Spa

DeLeon Day Spa is at 67 Dartmouth College Highway in Lyme. Its website lists a wide menu: facials, massage, waxing, lash and brow tinting, body treatments, Reiki, and manicures and pedicures. The spa highlights its organic products, and it also has a boutique that carries organic children's clothing, which makes it a useful stop for a gift.

Glowen Day Spa

Glowen Day Spa is on the Lyme common at 18 On the Common. Its website describes it as a full-service esthetician's studio offering treatments from eyelash services to microcurrent treatments to tighten the skin. The owner is also a Reiki practitioner and offers Reiki as a gentle-touch energy healing technique to promote relaxation and reduce stress.

The site describes the setting as spacious, sunlit rooms decorated with plants, with ample parking and a quiet atmosphere, and it says guests can help themselves to refreshments such as snacks, coffee and sparkling water. The spa also sells handcrafted jewelry made by a craftswoman and stocks skin care products, most of which it says are vegan. Its neighbors on the common include Stella's, the Lyme Country Store and the Lyme Inn.

Hanover

Mighty Yoga

Mighty Yoga is at 10 Allen Street in downtown Hanover, in the Gilberte Interiors building, which its website says is accessed from the public parking lot behind Town Hall. The studio offers heated power yoga, fitness and restorative classes, and it also has a studio in Ithaca, New York, plus online classes. Its site says most newcomers start with a Discovery Pass, and the studio holds events, workshops and yoga teacher trainings.

If you are new to heated yoga, bring water and a towel, eat lightly beforehand, and arrive early enough to set up and talk to the teacher. A heated class can feel very different from a gentle drop-in session, so start with a beginner-friendly class if the studio offers one.

Lebanon

Vivo Salon and Day Spa

Vivo Salon and Day Spa is at 119 Mechanic Street in Lebanon. Despite the name, the services shown on its website are hair services: cuts, color, highlights and extensions. If you are planning a full day of pampering in Lebanon, it is a good stop for hair, but contact the salon directly about any spa services before you book.

How to plan a wellness day in the region

The towns in this guide are spread out, so it helps to plan around one area.

A New London day: book a facial or massage at Walk In Beauty, then take a class at Crescent Moon. Add a drive around Lake Sunapee if you have time.

A Lyme morning: visit DeLeon for a body treatment or manicure, or Glowen for a facial or Reiki session, then walk the common and see the horse sheds and the Lyme Inn.

A Hanover and Lebanon afternoon: take a heated class at Mighty Yoga, then head south to Lebanon for a haircut at Vivo.

Tips for booking

• Book ahead. Several of these businesses work by appointment, and small studios may not answer the phone during sessions. Use online booking or text where offered.
• Ask about services. Menus change. Confirm that the treatment you want is still offered.
• Share health information. Tell your provider about allergies, skin sensitivities, pregnancy or injuries before treatment.
• Think about gifts. Walk In Beauty offers e-gift certificates, and both Lyme spas sell products and gifts.

FAQ

Where can I get a facial near Lake Sunapee?

Walk In Beauty Spa and Wellness in New London is a Dermalogica skin care studio offering facials, and Glowen Day Spa and DeLeon Day Spa in Lyme also offer facials and esthetic treatments.

Is there hot yoga in Hanover, NH?

Yes. Mighty Yoga on Allen Street in Hanover offers heated power yoga, along with fitness and restorative classes.

Can I walk in without an appointment?

Not at Walk In Beauty, which is by appointment only and has no reception. For other spas, booking ahead is the safest plan. Crescent Moon in New London offers drop-in yoga classes.

Where can I get Reiki in the Upper Valley?

Glowen Day Spa and DeLeon Day Spa, both in Lyme, list Reiki among their services.

Sources

• Lake Sunapee, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Sunapee
• New London, New Hampshire, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_London,_New_Hampshire
• Hanover, New Hampshire, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanover,_New_Hampshire
• Lebanon, New Hampshire, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon,_New_Hampshire
• Lyme, New Hampshire, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme,_New_Hampshire
• Walk In Beauty Spa and Wellness official site: https://www.walkinbeautyspaandwellness.com/
• Crescent Moon Wellness and Yoga official site: https://www.crescentmoonwellnessnh.com/
• DeLeon Day Spa official site: https://www.deleondayspa.com/
• Glowen Day Spa official site: https://www.glowendayspa.com/
• Mighty Yoga official site: https://www.mightyyoganh.com/
• Vivo Salon and Day Spa official site: https://www.vivosalonanddayspa.com/