At The Lake Estate on Winnisquam in New Hampshire, a beautiful new resort makes the most of its greatest amenity: it’s location on the lake.
There are places where you arrive and immediately feel your shoulders relax. That was my first impression of The Lake Estate on Winnisquam, a new luxury resort tucked along the shoreline in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region. I had come to experience the property and its spa, but it was the lake that kept drawing me outside.
Spread across 36 acres the new 114-room independent year-round resort, features a world-class spa, three restaurants, and 3,400 feet of private, natural shoreline along Lake Winnisquam. Yet, the resort feels expansive without feeling overwhelming. Lake Winnisquam, New Hampshire’s fourth-largest lake, is not simply the backdrop here; it is very much part of the experience.
That connection to nature is woven into The Spa at The Lake Estate, a 5,000-square-foot wellness retreat where the lake, mountains and surrounding foliage become part of the design. Large windows and thoughtful views create a sense of continuity between indoors and out, bringing the landscape into the spa experience. “I never thought otherwise than to bring the outside in,” says Martha Zyla, Director of Spa and Wellness.
It is an approach that makes sense the moment you enter. Rather than competing with the scenery, the spa embraces it. The surrounding landscape provides a quiet visual anchor, while treatments incorporate locally inspired minerals and botanicals. Massages, facials, body treatments and seasonal rituals are designed to encourage relaxation and a deeper connection to place.
Zyla’s philosophy extends beyond the physical environment. “It’s an honor to serve our guests when they walk in that door,” she says. That spirit is particularly evident in the spa’s Cancer Comfort Care Program, which offers a thoughtful approach to caring for guests undergoing cancer treatment. “If they honor us by choosing our spa, it’s up to us to give them every bit of comfort and care that we possibly can while they’re here,” Zyla says.
I particularly appreciated that the experience doesn’t end when you leave the treatment room. The spa’s outdoor terrace overlooks the property and features a year-round heated mineral spa, meditation garden and fire pit. Stepping outside in a robe, breathing in the crisp New England air and taking in the surrounding landscape is its own kind of therapy.
When it comes to their culinary offerings, I found the cuisine second to none. The Dining Room showcases contemporary New England cuisine with a focus on seasonal ingredients, locally sourced products and thoughtful, unfussy preparations. The setting is warm and inviting, with natural wood beams, the glow of a rustic candle chandelier and floor-to-ceiling windows that open onto sweeping views of Lake Winnisquam.
And then there is the lake. One of my favorite experiences during my stay was a boat ride courtesy of Winnisquam Marine, which gave me a wonderful perspective of Lake Winnisquam and its surrounding landscape. Back at the resort, I found myself just as happy lingering poolside at the infinity pool and taking in the expansive views of the water. The property also offers private beaches, walking trails, pickleball and tennis, but there is something equally restorative about simply sitting along the shoreline and watching the lake, and the day, unfold
I arrived expecting a spa getaway. I left thinking that the most restorative part of a wellness escape is, sometimes, the place itself.