When Joan Wolff was just out of college and working in New York City, her mother, Frieda, kept imagining starting a business in the country, where people could come to relax, recharge and become fit and healthy. Frieda was truly ahead of her time in envisioning a “health retreat.” In 1979, Frieda and her husband found the ideal spot for their new business in the Pocono Mountains, not far from the Delaware Water Gap and Appalachian Trail. The property they found was a twenty-two bedroom Victorian country home on twelve acres along Resica Falls Road in Marshall’s Creek. With Frieda’s business acumen and engaging personality, her business flourished.

Upon Frieda’s death in 1999, her only daughter, Joan, at that time was a CFO of a large company in Manhattan. Frieda made Joan promise not to close the business and to “take care of her guests.” In 1999, Joan “retired” from her job and took over management of what became Deerfield Health Retreat & Spa. Joan honored her mother’s wishes by continuing to operate the property as a health retreat, even during the Covid pandemic, by carefully customizing the home and gyms to follow the health protocols. While most other family-owned destination spas in the United States have failed, Deerfield Health Retreat & Spa kept its doors open to the many loyal guests who came to this “happy place” year after year – for many years.

In 2021, Joan and her extended family made the difficult decision to close the destination spa business, but to transition to what is now a bed and breakfast, Deerfield Poconos Inn. It is important to Joan that past and future guests will still be able to enjoy the peace and comfort that Deerfield Poconos Inn provides.