Spa Hopper: Join spa journalist, L. Brooks Baldwin, as she journeys from one spa to another throughout the city and the world beyond…!
What happens when you take three world-weary, overcommitted, and yet entirely devoted girlfriends and simply plop them into a local spa for a leisurely morning of spa treatments, reconnection, and relaxation? Total and utter divinity is the best answer to this question.
Relaxation Room at Penterra Spa
As with me, my girlfriends Michelle and Dianne, are single moms, steadfast career gals, and overly dedicated souls when it comes to community and family commitments; all sadly allowing little time these days for good old girlfriend bonding . Add to that geographical challenges – the three of us live in neighborhoods strewn about Seattle and the Eastside – leaving us frequently feeling stranded from one another.
Our last get-together was on December 15, Michelle’s birthday – when we reunited at the Heathman Hotel for the Girl Power Hour Holiday event. During that event we ventured into the Penterra Spa for a look-see and to enjoy a couple of featured mini-spa treatments offered to event attendees. We were so taken with the beautiful facility and its welcoming staff that we instantly decided to schedule an upcoming girlfriend getaway…
Spa Hopper: Join spa journalist, L. Brooks Baldwin, as she journeys from one spa to another throughout the city and the world beyond…!
With the holiday season rapidly converging upon us, it’s time to check your look in the mirror and step it up with your cosmetics choices. Here in Seattle there’s a tendency to downplay drama in the makeup department, when in reality the holidays offer the perfect opportunity to sport your sass and sparkle!
Rae, a hypoallergenic non-comedogenic (doesn’t clog pores) mineral-based cosmetics line designed specifically for women with active lifestyles, offers a fresh and exciting array of colors and products that promises to glam up your holiday style. (www.raecosmetics.com)
With direction provided by Rae Cosmetics’ CEO & creator, Rochelle Rae, a premier makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur, my fall cosmetics lineup included what she termed, “the hottest looks for fall…” including:
Looking for some hip haps in the local spa scene to indulge in?
Paint it Pink at The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Seattle
First things first, tonight’s the night to don pink and support a great cause – National Breast Cancer Awareness Month – at the Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle. Joining the campaign to “paint” Puget Sound pink to discover a cure for breast cancer, the Spa is hosting a special “Paint it Pink” event on Monday, September 26, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
Last year while attending this event in the easygoing company of friends of mine, I came to fully appreciate just how easy the Paint it Pink event made it to mix self-indulgence with supporting a meaningful cause.
This year’s event is no different. With 20% of every $50 ticket sold donated directly to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Puget Sound, event participants play a vital role in the generation of public awareness and revenue for this worthy endeavor. So bring your girlfriends along to participate in a fun and relaxing evening with Seattle’s top therapists. With choices of treatments including mini- massages and ULTRA eye enhancements paired with pink beverages and tempting appetizers, there’s no shortage of pink pleasure to go around.
RSVP to confirm your attendance, but please contact the Spa directly at (206) 749-7077 to pre-select your treatment for the Paint it Pink event. Treatments are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Space is limited for this event, so be sure to reserve in advance.
http://www.fourseasons.com/seattle/spa/
Mint Mojito Pedicures at Hotel 1000’s “Spaahh”
Thanks to its discreet location, tucked away in the lower level of Seattle’s chic Hotel 1000, most folks wrongfully believe that Spaahh is reserved exclusively as a luxe amenity to hotel guests. Allow me to set the record straight… Spaahh is a dedicated day spa open to the public as well as hotel guests. So, c’mon over and get spoiled!
A fan of adventurous colors on toes, I’m still enjoying the glimmering green sparkly beauty of my latest pedicure with OPI’s “Simply Smashing” – conducted at none other than Spaahh by (shhhh…. don’t tell anyone!) my favorite nail tech and skin care guru, ‘Nita.
And while I so enjoy coming away from the pedicure throne with brilliant new feet, my latest Spaahh Pedi experience was enhanced supremely by the exciting arrival of a thist-quenching and refreshing Mint Mojito cocktail to sip upon whilst in the throes of soaking toes!
Imagine how blessedly relaxing and productive Happy Hour can really become when you and a couple of girlfriends head to your private Spaahh Happy Hour respite to chat, sip, soak, and sparkle!
MINT MOJITO PEDICURE
· 60 Minutes
· $65.00
· Chill out… with the cool scent-sations of sugar, lime, and mint! Kick back and enjoy an ice cold Mojito and let this refreshing pedicure energize your feet and lift your spirits!
http://hotel1000seattle.com/spa.php
Join spa journalist, L. Brooks Baldwin, on the monthly blog feature Spa Hopper, as she journeys from one spa to another throughout the city and the world beyond…!
Salish Lodge & Spa
Ladies, are you seeking a mini-getaway to reward yourself, celebrate with girlfriends, or get romantic with your significant other? Well, your glorious escape from reality awaits just over the Cascade foothills and through the woods.
The Spa at Salish Lodge (www.salishlodge.com) isn’t just for the weekend crowd, particularly when you consider that it’s less than an hour’s drive from Seattle, and about 30 minutes from most eastside locales.
Join spa journalist, L. Brooks Baldwin, on the monthly blog feature Spa Hopper, as she journeys from one spa to another throughout the city and the world beyond…!
Hey Ladies, spring is just around the corner and its time to freshen up your look and style! And what better venue to accomplish this in than a SPA?
In Seattle, you’ve got a multitude of fabulous spa options, ranging in size, atmosphere, treatment options, locations, and price ranges – there is truly something for everyone here!
And guess what? You’ve got fab timing because the ultimate pre- “spring-fling” crowd-pleasing’ Glam Jam is mere days away – and it happening at, yep, you guessed it – a SPA!! Come join the GPH crew and guests on Thursday, March 10, from 6 – 8:30pm, at the hip and sophisticated flagship Downtown Gene Juarez Salon & Spa (607 Pine St.), for an evening of beauty makeovers, special skincare shopping deals, chic hair styling and color consultations, skincare and nail mini-treatments, cocktails and delectable bites, all wrapped up in one awesome networking opportunity!
And what better locale to witness the amazing and dramatic “Glam 101 Makeovers” of the two lucky GPH Makeover Contest winners than a SPA? Get ready to witness the stunning transformations of Vonnie White, and Heather Van Bred, as they emerge sporting the latest styles in hair, makeup, and skincare a la Gene Juarez Salons & Spas!
Celebrating its 40th year of business and never looking better, Gene Juarez, with its bevy of renown hair designers, color and skincare consultants, and makeup and nail artists on hand, will be offering complimentary mini-treatments and consultations which just might inspire you to burn the midnight oil rocking downtown hotspots with your own new look.
During the event, be sure to request a tour of the capacious 5.500 square foot spa, complete with 16 treatment rooms, separate men’s and women’s spa facilities, signature aromatic foot soak, 14-jet Vichy shower, Swiss shower, and steam cabinet. The spa also features a private dining area, private pedicure suites, and soothing waterfalls. Ooh la la!
You’re going to love this SPA event so much that you just might want to host a party of your own there – not difficult given that Gene Juarez Salons & Spas are all about fashioning parties with an array of tempting activities, services, or packages for every kind of occasion including:
Can’t wait to see you Thursday night at this season’s most GLAMOROUS event! And don’t forget – this event will be laden with networking, photo opps, swag bags, door prizes, Girly Girl Wines, Trophy Cupcakes, hors d’eourves and more!
Join spa journalist, L. Brooks Baldwin, on the monthly blog feature Spa Hopper, as she journeys from one spa to another throughout the city and the world beyond…!
With the holidays behind us, we Seattleites know there’s plenty of gray sky ahead. Call the space between January 1 and April 1 (or even beyond that for some of you seriously Seasonal Affect Disorder types) the Dead Zone because let’s face it – it is when it comes to the weather…
Looking to brighten up that glum forecast? Begin with the premise that Girlfriends Don’t Let Girlfriends Suffer Through the Winter Blahs. What this suggests is sisterhood support in the form of the ever-popular Girlfriend Getaway – this one to sunny climes for spa, fitness and fun!
"Girlfriends Don’t Let Girlfriends Suffer Through the Winter Blahs"
I decided to give this notion a whirl last month in that mini-lull week directly following Thanksgiving right before Christmas festivities amp up. Hopping onboard a red-eye to Miami, I doffed my wool jacket and jeans in favor of a pair of yoga pants and a comfie hoodie. In my carry-on were packed a heap of workout gear; a smattering of summer duds, a bikini & wrap; a couple cocktail dresses & stilettos; and a pair of flip-flops – not much else.
Destination – the famed Canyon Ranch Spa (www.canyonranch.com)! The cool twist was that this Canyon Ranch Spa was situated on prime oceanfront Miami Beach real estate and is within strolling distance of a number of famed South Beach watering holes, celeb hotspots, and shopping venues.
Canyon Ranch Oceanview
Purpose – Meet up with 5 far-flung girlfriends for 5 days & 4 nights of fun + fitness in the surf, sun, and spa! We all yearned for a getaway that featured a multitude of opportunities to spend time together as a group as well as in pairs or trios.
We agreed our Must Haves would include:
Desired Options included:
After much pleasurable research and consideration of options, we all happily agreed on the Miami Beach Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa (www.canyonranch.com), which to our amazement and delight met every single one of our must-haves and 2 out of 3 desired options (CR has no golf facility though we had nearby options).
No sooner had I checked in, received my handy “electronic key lanyard” (which conveniently opened not only my guestroom
Aquavana Thermal Suite at Canyon Ranch
door and served as an elevator security key, but was also programmed to be my spa locker key as well), and gleefully explored my sleek oceanview condo suite, than I was rushing to the immense (70,000 square feet/54 treatment rooms) and fabulously appointed spa and fitness center to meet up with my girlfriends for a long-overdue reunion.
We’d agreed to meet at Aquavana,the spa’s outrageous array of hydrotherapy & thermal amenities including hydrotubs of varying temperatures, crystal steam room, a cooling Igloo, experiential rainshower suites, Finnish Sauna, heated loungers, and an herbal lanconium. And what an awesome reunion it was as we splashed about in the tub, languidly lounged, and steamed and baked ourselves into an utter bouillabaisse of camaraderie.
Later that evening, we dined at the oceanfront Canyon Ranch Grill, partaking of tantalizing and succulent cuisine, created in signature Canyon Ranch style by phenomenal chefs and nutritionists focused intently on the ultimate in culinary and nutritional standards. And the cocktails (http://www.canyonranch.com/miamibeach/i/downloads/Miami_Cocktail_Menu.pdf) !– my favorite was the sublime “Purple Pillow,” a supremely popular lavender-infused vodka cocktail thanks to the flower’s stress-relieving reputation. Who knew that healthy dining could be so phenomenally delicious and sybaritic?
Each morning, I awoke the sounds of the rolling surf just outside my open slider. Typically our group would gather over mugs of coffee before heading off to our various “commitments,” be they spa treatments (150+ to choose from), fitness classes (my all-time favorite was Kickboxing), morning fitness walk on the beach, or a leisurely breakfast followed by sitting in on a guest speaker addressing any number of fascinating topics.
Miami Beach "DECOBIKE"
Sometimes we opted for adventure, like the afternoon we helped ourselves to Miami Beach’s latest green initiative – DECOBIKE (www.decobike.com) – with its public bike-sharing/rental program. We had a blast wheeling around South Beach gawking at sleek Art Deco architecture, locals and tourists, and stunning beaches. Along the way, we hopped off the bikes to roam around intriguing shops and made a pit stop at the hip, celeb-magnet Lime Fresh Mexican Grill (www.limefreshmexicangrill.com) for yummy tacos and fresh-squeezed lime margaritas.
One day we opted for a rental car and explored life beyond Miami Beach proper. In search of a golf fix, we hightailed it over to the legendary Biltmore Hotel & Spa
THE BILTMORE HOTEL & SPA
(www.BiltmoreHotel.com) in Coral Gables to hit the links on their exciting Donald Ross 6,800-yard, 18-hole, par-71, championship golf course. The iconic hotel’s 7th floor spa is a haven of calm, and features a tempting “Girlfriend Spa Party” package, though we didn’t have time to squeeze it in since we’d booked an afternoon “Healthy Cooking Class” at the Biltmore Culinary Academy, the only hotel recreational cooking school operating in North America. What a blast we had learning about the preparation of and nutritional aspects of (and eating from) a menu consisting of White Gazpacho with Cucumbers, Grapes, Almonds & Mint; Wheat Germ Crusted Tuna Loin with Hearts of Palm and Thai Coconut Noodles; and Dried Fruit Strudel with Key Lime and Yogurt Panna Cotta and Raspberry Coulis.
“Healthy Cooking Class” at the Biltmore Culinary Academy
We capped off the day with a visit to the highly recommended green and organic Uhma Spa (www.uhmaspa.com) in Miami Beach for one of THE most phenomenal body treatments out there….
“Sabai Herbal Thai Massage”
The “Sabai Herbal Thai Massage,” is an energy balancing treatment utilizing warm moist Thai herbal balls, warm oils, and soothing strokes, causing me to ascend into some seriously altered state of divine bliss – and at $170/90 minutes, the treatment was an unworldly bargain compared to the much pricier spa services at Canyon Ranch…
On the final morning of our getaway, after a sentimental beach stroll together, a few of us with later departures, grabbed a cab for a blitz through downtown Miami. When we’d ogled and shopped ourselves out, we stopped by mySpa (http://www.myspamiami.com) at the Miami InterContinental Hotel for the ultimate Miami souvenir – the “Get Your Miami Glow” treatment; an incredibly natural-looking spray tan “treatment” complete with scalp & foot massage and body buff, leaving me feeling like I’d been properly kissed by the glorious Florida sun.
The memories of renewed friendships, the soothing calm state of mind and body, my firmer trimmer figure, and of course, my new Miami Glow tan, ultimately turned out to be the most glorious gifts I could offer myself during what traditionally is an overwhelmingly crazy season for me…
Do you have any great tips, ideas, or stories about Girlfriend Getaways or pre-holiday stress relief tips? Please share…
Spa Hopper: Join spa journalist, L. Brooks Baldwin, as she journeys from one spa to another throughout the city and the world beyond…!
Shellac Me…
One of the key “gateway” sevices into the world of spas is via nail treatments; you know, “manis” & “pedis.” The least expensive and the most expeditious of spa treatments, nail services are hot these days.
Typically, I treat myself to monthly pedicures, since even in the summer when my toes are exposed daily, the nail color holds up for about that long despite the obvious growout. Manicures on the other hand are something I do without, despite my desire to have lovely well-shaped and groomed nails sporting shades ranging from a subtle French manicure to rich vibrant color.
Why am I so down on manicures? Simple – chipping, smudging, and lengthy dry time all contribute to my disenchantment. It seems that no sooner has the polish been applied then noticeable imperfections and chipping show up. And I don’t know about you, but once a chip happens, I start picking and peeling the nail color – I just can’t help myself…
So, when my friend Karen, the spa director at Seattle’s Spa Nordstrom (http://i.nordstromimage.com/images/default/shop/image/boutique/spa-nordstrom/2010/1025/DowntownSeattle.pdf), told me about a revolutionary new nail treatment that would not chip, smudge, or fade – and required almost no dry time, I was equal parts hopeful and skeptical.
Shellac Nail Services (offered at Spa Nordstrom)
Karen invited me to experience Spa Nordstrom’s new Shellac Manicure ($47), and with a knowing smile promised I’d become a convert. Hmmm…
The Shellac Manicure experience began not unlike a typical manicure; first I selected my nail color (12 colors to choose from, more soon to come), and then sat down for hand-soaking, cuticle care, trimming, filing, massage, and nail color application. This is where the similarities end. Between each coat, my hands were placed under a UV-light machine to “cure” for about a minute at a time. At the conclusion of the manicure both my hands were placed under the UV-light and “cured” for two minutes. That’s it; I was free to go! The nails were completely dry – no smearing, no smudging! In fact, I could reach right into my pocketbook immediately without fear of undoing my beautiful nails!
My nails immediately following the Shellac Manicure application
Fast-forward 3 weeks + 1 day; I was still sporting my original Shellac manicure – the only difference between Day 1 and Day 22 was that my nails were longer, thus there were “growout moons” at the nail beds.
3+ weeks following the Shellac Manicure
The nail polish removal ($20 for professional removal, though it can be done at home) involved a bit more time since the nails need to be soaked in the remover for about 8 to 10 minutes each. Even afterwards, some of the nail polish clung to my nails requiring a gentle filing before my nails got a good final buffing. In the 3+ weeks of my Shellac manicure, my previously peeling nails had grown considerably. Only problem was that minus the strong shellac coating, my denuded nails began to peel and break again… leading me to personally conclude just how necessary it is to be “Shellac’ed” on an ongoing basis!
Refresh Me…
I’m always interested in helping out the environment when I can, and InSpa’s (www.inspa.com) makes it easy with their launch of the Re>Fresh Pedicure ($39), a relaxing, eco-friendly pedicure designed to conserve water by using steamed towels (instead of a tub of water) to soften and soothe your weary tootsies.
This being my first pedicure sans foot soak, I was skeptical, but in reality, having my feet enveloped in steamy warm towels was equally divine. No more lifting feet in and out of a tub, no more contrasting hot & cold between dips, just one long session of moist warm heat on my feet! In fact, the towel concept exceeded my expectations; while my feet remained snugly wrapped, my toes could be exposed and worked on simultaneously, making the process not only more expeditious, but also a more relaxing one during the vexing nail grooming activities.
The pedicure includes nail trim and shaping, callous & cuticle care, a catnap-inducing foot and lower leg massage, and concludes with a resplendent application of polish.
Eco-Friendly Re>Fresh Pedicure at InSpa
So, when you’re next considering updating your pedicure, consider this environmentally responsible fact attributed to InSpa’s Re>Fresh Pedi: by replacing the tub of water with the incorporation of moist steamy towels, 2000+ gallons of water are saved per day!
Join spa journalist, L. Brooks Baldwin, on the monthly blog feature Spa Hopper, as she journeys from one spa to another throughout the city and the world beyond…!
What makes you THINK PINK?
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and in the SPA world, that is big news! Everyone knows spas are about wellness and health, and the spa industry takes great pride in its agenda to promote healthy choices, self-care, preventative wellness, and an overall holistic approach when it comes to the holy SPA trinity – Body, Mind, Spirit.
This month, spas around the country are stepping up their focus on wellness by raising awareness to their consumers and communities on the topic of Breast Cancer by hosting Pink activities and fundraisers. Pink is the color chosen by Susan G. Komen for the Cure a prominent organization supporting breast cancer research, to symbolize breast cancer awareness.
If you’re wondering how to support the cause locally, reserve your spot NOW for the Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle’s Paint it Pink Event, scheduled for Thursday, October 21, from 6 to 8pm. Make a night of it with your girlfriends and partake of mini head, neck & shoulder massages, mini fruit enzyme facial peels, and mini-manis in pink (of course!) or buff, and skin graph analysis performed by Skinceuticals.
The Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle
In addition to the fabulous spa treatments, you’ll be treated to a plethora of pink palate pleasers including pink champagne and pink cocktails, and are you ready for this…? Pink King Crab, Pink Lady Apples, Pink Shrimp with Rose Tomato Cream, Pink Radish Shooters with Pink Champagne Dressing, Pink Beet Bisque with Caviar Foam, Pink Salmon Cakes with Pink Peppercorn Crust, Poached Spiced Pork Sausage with Pink Mustard Sauce, Pink Scallop Ceviche and Roast Red Pepper. Sweets include assorted Pink Petit Fours and Chocolates and Pink Ribbon Cookies!
The Paint it Pink event is priced at USD 45.00, with 20% of ticket sales going to Susan G. Komen for the Cure Puget Sound. In addition, 10% of sales of the Paint it Pink body treatment and the Paint it Pink manicure or pedicure, booked between October 21 and November 30, will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure Puget Sound.
Please confirm your spot at the Paint it Pink event by RSVP’ing at 206-749-7077.
If you can’t make the event, shop for the cause by visiting these spa product websites for special Pink deals!
Skin Authority (www.skinauthority.com/GO-Gorgeous-Pink-Edition-Kit) is one of my favorite results-oriented skincare lines. This month, if you purchase their fab GO! GORGEOUS PINK EDITION kit of four of their most popular personal-size products, 10% of the proceeds are donated automatically to support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the The Pink Ribbon Girls organization.
For a wider selection of spa products to choose from, visit http://www.spamagazine.com/articles/support-breast-cancer-awareness-month-2010; a percentage of proceeds for each product sold will be donated to support breast cancer research and awareness during the month of October.
Join in the fight for a cure. THINK PINK!!!
Join spa journalist, L. Brooks Baldwin, on the monthly blog feature Spa Hopper, as she journeys from one spa to another throughout the city and the world beyond…!
Times are tight but that doesn’t mean you have to be when it comes to spas. Values and cost-effective choices abound, especially when it comes to Spa Happy Hours! Don’t know where to start?
Last week I availed myself of a full-bore Happy Hour experience at the Northgate Gene Juarez Spa & Salon. There are 9 Gene Juarez Spas in the Puget Sound and during the month of September, a Happy Hour event at each of them – hurry only a couple left!
Here’s the deal… For $40, you buy about 2 hours of food, fun, cocktails and beauty. This is one of those events that absolutely requires you to have somewhere to go afterwards, since at the conclusion of the event, you’ll be stepping out of the salon/spa all dolled up with freshly cleansed, masqued and moisturized skin, customized professional makeup application, a consult at the “Lip, Lash & Brow Bar,” and a concluding twist of the curling or flat iron.
I booked a 4:45 time slot, and joined up with a friendly mother/daughter duo. After slipping into spa robes the three of us were ushered into a private area within the salon where we were plied with cranberry vodka lemonades and provided unmitigated grazing access to platters of fruit, veggies, meats & cheeses, and bite-sized pastries. While sipping and nibbling on our treats, we received an “educational” introduction to Clarisonic skin brushes, skincare products, and infusers.
Gene Juarez Happy Hour
Appetites sated, we were then shuffled off to visit the skincare experts who enthusiastically and expeditiously stripped our faces of impurities and replenished them with the luxurious Arcona skincare line Gene Juarez is currently promoting (my personal favorite line is another of GJ’s offerings, “Skin Authority”). Afterwards we each received a customized mineral make-up application along with a personal consult on enhancing lashes, brows, and lips. The crowning glory was just that – a quick but high impact visit to a GJ hairstylist who offered to curl or straight-iron our manes.
Arcona Skincare
Did I say $40 for all of this? Yep; the only catch would be the gently persistent sales pitch made throughout the event. Every new product introduced became the focal point of retail sales – nothing too high pressure but definitely a sustained effort. All retail products were 15% off, making it a great time to replenish your GJ favorites!
Interested? Call (425) 373-3675, or visit http://mail.tmsmail.us/bin/display_msg?id=A7E9BCC860BE2EB8475CBFE7D8AC7F5C01EFB9F4FEA5380C
Body Bar
Enjoy 15% off all services between 1:00-3:00 pm Tuesday-Friday.
Derby Salon
$15 brow waxes & manicures, and $45 Brazilian waxing
http://derbysalon.com/issue37.pdf
Helle Spa
Monday’s Happy Hour (5 to 7pm), and Friday’s Healing Hour (3 to 6pm) with an eclectic array of tantalizing options
http://www.helleseattle.com/events.php
Milagros SalonSpa
Daily Specials ranging from thermal masks to free cuts with color
http://www.milagrossalonspa.com/specialsclick.asp
Spa Hopper at Work...
Join spa journalist, L. Brooks Baldwin, on the monthly blog feature Spa Hopper, as she journeys from one spa to another throughout the city and the world beyond…!
Let’s face it; until this weekend’s stellar forecast showed up it’d been a rough summer climate-wise for us Seattlelites, right? Too much gray and drizzle, with just a dab or two of sunshine, during the only two months of the year in which we all feel justifiably entitled to loads of sunshine and warmth. My chilly bones were just about to insist upon an official summer weather boycott…
Alas, all this talk of sunshine and warmth has conjured memories of a recent and divine spa trip to Los Cabos, Mexico…
Los Cabos is a quick flight from Seattle where it draws a loyal crowd, me included, of pasty-white Northwesterners due to its crazy-awesome guarantee of at least 350 days of pure golden sunshine! And yet I traveled there not so much for the sun (though believe me, it was definitely high on the list!), rather for the wide array of compelling and luxurious spas that abound in this arid paradise.
My first stop was at one of my all-time favorite Cabo resort spas, Las Ventanas al Paraiso.
It’s difficult to determine exactly when one arrives at Las Ventanas al Paraiso, located just a 20-minute drive from the airport along the resort corridor spanning the rugged 20-mile coastal stretch between the historically charming village of San Jose del Cabo and the ultimate party mecca of Cabo San Lucas. It’s a legitimate question since upon clearing customs and approaching the uniformed man holding a placard bearing my name, I was on the blessed receiving end the of extraordinary service and style synonymous to the Las Ventanas experience…
As the air-conditioned black SUV pulled away from the curb, I received a small satchel laden with authentic Mexican candies, a chilled water bottle, and a cellophane pouch within which I discovered a cool moist Eucalyptus-infused washcloth. I leaned back in my leather seat, washcloth draped over my face, inhaling the heady fragrance, sipping occasionally from my bottle of H2O. Upon my arrival, a handsome young bellman opened my door, with the charming greeting, “Welcome Home…”
And so the tone was set for my Los Cabos spa-hopping extravaganza…
Los Cabos has no shortage of outstanding spas to select from; whether it’s world-class resort spas like Las Ventanas, Esperanza and One & Only Palmilla, or a luxe one-room skin clinic like Ultrafemme’s “Skin Lounge” tucked away in the Luxury Avenue Boutique Mall, there are dozens to choose from.
Holistic Twilight Ceremony in the Spa Solarium at Las Ventanas al Paraiso
Las Ventanas al Paraiso is the quintessential paradigm of understated Cabo luxury featuring a bright, white and airy complex of Baja-Mediterranean style oceanside suites and villas which cluster amiably around a central infinity pool and restaurant terrace.
The Spa is tucked away in a private upper corridor and offers a unique array of globally inspired holistic healing treatments and rituals. A highlight at this spa is the Crystal Tones Sonic Meditation, which takes place in the garden relaxation area. Lucky guests are treated to a symphony of harmonic tones emanating from crystal bowls “played” by staff to encourage each guest’s thoughtful meditation and spiritual empowerment. At twilight, this fascinating Baja “limpia” ritual is enhanced by candlelight, sage burning and shaman prayers.
If it’s the jet-setting high-luxe atmosphere you’re seeking, One & Only Palmilla and its lush garden-ensconced spa is there to serve. Dramatically perched cliffside over the restless Sea of Cortez, this sprawling 172-accommodation resort is legendary for its celeb guests, haute couture fashion, and exquisite dining.
Watsu Pool at the Spa at the One & Only Palmilla
The 13-treatment villa spa compound wanders through a labyrinth of paths under a canopy of jungle-like botanicals; delightful features including private relaxation areas, a watsu pool, and burbling fountains reveal themselves at every bend…. Replete with ESPA skincare treatments, some of the most popular are those incorporated into the spa’s several-day wellness and fitness journeys designed to address a variety of conditions like stress, body detox and contouring, and pregnancy.
Closer in to town and at the far end of a chandelier-lit private tunnel blasted through the rocky divide between downtown Cabo San Lucas and the restless Pacific Ocean to the west, awaits the Auriga Spa at the new and fabulously understated Capella Pedregal Resort.
Art of Sound Therapy at Auriga Spa
The Auriga Spa is a signature branded-spa to the posh, intensely detail and service-oriented Capella Hotels and Resort chain. Like the growing handful of other newly-opened Capella resorts, Pedregal is an intimate boutique collection of 66 spacious oceanfront guest rooms, replete with private plunge pools and expansive terraces. The tunnel and the sea serve as the only access points to the 24-acre Capella Resort and Residences, ensuring extreme privacy despite its minutes-away proximity from downtown.
The oceanfront Auriga Spa is located at the very heart of Capella and features 10 rounded treatment suites, each accessing the private outdoor spa pool meandering about the facility. Auriga’s eclectic array of holistic treatments includes several based on unique lunar cycles, others based on authentic local folk healing traditions, and one completely exclusive offering, the “Art of Sound Therapy,” combining petantonic chimes and acupressure to align chakras and promote harmony throughout the body. It’ll send you humming on your way!
What are your favorite “sunny” spas and have you any funky new treatments to report? Do share!
