Down time is a rare and elusive treat.

Whatever your average week entails, you’re probably not spilling over with free time. And even when a spare hour appears, we feel compelled to jam it full of chores and tasks and minor home repairs. (Right now, I really need to catch up on work and vacuum up all those almonds I dumped on the floor of my car three weeks ago. I suspect you have a similar and endless list of things you need to get done.)

And while it’s true that work does need to get done, it’s also true that we deserve a darn break now and then and some time to chill the heck out.

Meadowmere Resort in Ogunquit has a number of ways you can do just that.

The Roman spa at Meadowmere Resort in Ogunquit. Shannon Bryan photo

The resort is open year-round and is decidedly quieter in the winter than it is in the summer, when out-of-towners fill the pools and patio chairs. But during the off season, it’s a fine place for locals to go to relax in the indoor Roman spa and outdoor hot tub, sweat in the heat of the steam room or sauna, or to float around the indoor pool.

There are overnight packages available (like the Girlfriend Spa Getaway, which includes a Swedish massage and reflexology, the Craft Beer Hygge, which includes a four-course craft beer dinner at Cornerstone Restaurant), or the Eat Drink & Be Merry Mid-Week, where you can chill out and eat well in the middle of the week.

So cozy inside the Roman spa. Shannon Bryan photo

But if you just want to pop in for a couple of hours, you can also get a day pass that includes access to the fitness center, steam room, sauna, and Roman spa for $8. That’s right, $8. Amazing. For an extra $5, you can use the indoor pool, too. (The indoor pool has limitations on hours, so call ahead to be sure. The weekend I was here, the pool was closed to day pass users on account of it being February vacation week and the pool being busy with overnighters.)

If you stay overnight for an extended getaway, you can also use the outdoor hot tub!

Roman spa
The Roman spa is a modern-day riff off ancient Roman baths, which were places of relaxation back in the day, often including exercise rooms, open-air swimming pools, massage, and superheated dry and wet sweating rooms.

Meadowmere’s saltwater spa is cozy, with plenty of jets and space and big windows looking out into the snow. During our visit, there were people lounging on the deck chairs simply enjoying the warm air.

Happiness is relaxing in a Roman spa. Shannon Bryan photo

Indoor pool
Pay an extra $5 for day access to the indoor pool.

The indoor pool at Meadowmere Resort in Ogunquit. Shannon Bryan photo

Steam room, sauna, fitness center
Both the men’s and women’s locker rooms have a small sauna and a steam room. There’s also a well-equipped fitness center with weight and machines.

Steam room, sauna, and fitness center. Shannon Bryan photos

Outdoor hot tub
There’s also an outdoor hot tub at Meadowmere, which is only available to guests who stay overnight (sorry day passers!). You can soak for a while surrounded by the most-recent snowfall and watch the steam rise up from the water.

Outdoor hot tub at Meadowmere Resort in Ogunquit, Shannon Bryan photo

Sunshine, snow, and a hot hot tub. The walk from inside to the hot tub is brisk but short. Shannon Bryan photos.

Whether you have a couple of hours to spare or decide to make a weekend of it, there’s plenty of options to unwind here. And you deserve to enjoy them all.

Roman spa at Meadowmere Resort

74 Main St, Ogunquit
$8 for day use of Roman spa as well as fitness center, sauna, and steam rooms.
$5 for day use of indoor pool
(Call ahead to confirm availability: 207-646-9661)
FMI: www.meadowmere.com

Check out their overnight packages, too: www.meadowmere.com/specials

This post was originally published February 18, 2018