Robin and Corey Costanzo didn’t move to Asheville planning to open a spa. They arrived from California in 2008 with backgrounds in Esalen massage therapy, counseling, and mind-body wellness. But after a friend of theirs leased a space, installed a float tank, and encouraged the couple to create something of their own, Still Point Wellness was born.
What started as a single float tank eventually grew into one of Asheville’s best-known wellness destinations.
“For hundreds of years, people have been coming to Asheville for healing,” Corey said. “There was already an awareness around massage and bodywork here.”
The husband-and-wife team brought with them years of experience from the renowned Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, a retreat center known for its influence on massage, mindfulness, and the human potential movement.
“There was so much about the mind-body connection that helped me personally,” Corey said. “I knew I wanted to help others.”
Today, Still Point offers Esalen-inspired massage, float therapy, infrared saunas, facials, workshops, and wellness classes. Yet the goal behind each service remains simple: helping people slow down and “find their still point.”
The spa’s signature saltwater floatation experience remains one of its most intriguing offerings. Guests float effortlessly in 1,500 pounds of dissolved Epsom salt in 12 inches of warm water for 60-90 minutes, free from phones, notifications, and distractions. It’s an incredible sensory deprivation experience, but Robin said many newcomers arrive with the
same concern.
“People often experience apprehension at first,” she said. “But you’re completely in control. You can leave the door open, get out whenever you want, and really use it as a tool in whatever way feels right for you.”
For Corey, the appeal goes beyond relaxation.
“It helps people become aware of the connection between their thoughts and their bodies,” he said.
Massage is also central to the Still Point experience. Drawing from Robin’s decades of work with Esalen massage, treatments emphasize long, flowing strokes and a deep sense of presence. Sessions are tailored to the individual and designed to support both physical relaxation and nervous system regulation.
Still Point also offers CranioSacral Therapy, which is light-touch bodywork to release tension in the soft tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and Somatic Experiencing, which is a body-oriented approach to trauma resolution.
Even the smallest details at the spa are intentional — guests are encouraged to linger after treatments in an integration lounge centered around a six-foot saltwater aquarium, complete with herbal tea, heated neck wraps, and quiet spaces for reflection.
Corey and Robin pride themselves on training their own practitioners, hosting community workshops, partnering with local organizations, and filling Still Point’s shelves with products from Asheville makers whenever possible.
“We’re always seeing where we can be of service in the community,” Robin said.
Fourteen years after opening their doors, that philosophy still guides everything they do. While some guests come seeking relief from chronic stress or pain, others simply need a break from a packed vacation itinerary.
“The world is a stressful, crazy place,” Robin said. “People are looking for experiences where they can step away from all of that.”
At Still Point, that’s exactly what they’ve created.
