FALL 2008
Return to Index
At Play
Pg 49 - MOVE IT
AIMING FOR THE GREEN
If your taste for adventure runs the gamut, it's likely that a British Columbia holiday in the province's lush Okanagan Valley is just the ticket. Thanks to a region that boasts the warmest fall and driest winter seasons in Canada, guests at Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort & Spa can pull on the woolies and tackle the slopes at nearby Mt. Baldy one day, before swapping their boots for cleats to swing through nine holes at the Sonora Dunes Golf Course the next. After touring nearby NK'Mip Cellars for a tipple-tasting, hit the desert-inspired Sonora Desert Spa for a signature Lavender Hand Treatment ($59 for 60 minutes) with rich soy and nourishing butters to exfoliate and pamper those hard-working hands. www.spiritridge.ca
PARK CITY: BIG ADVENTURE
After a day of hot air ballooning, rodeo, and river rafting, nothing makes more sense than a trip to Park City's newest and most innovative spa, the Amatsu Spa at Sky Lodge Ranch. While Old Town Park City is well-known amongst winter sports enthusiasts, the best time of year to trek there is right now. From local farmer's markets and the Utah Symphony to the skateboard park and historic home tours, Park City is a playful mecca for all ages and fitness levels. If muscles are screaming after a fun-filled day at the floating tubing park, book the Amatsu Bamboo Massage ($165 for 80 minutes), where deep pressure will be applied using warmed thick sticks. Or try one of the exfoliating body scrubs ($110 for 50 minutes) such as the reviving Indian Jasmine or the invigorating Italian Blood Orange. Call toll-free 888-876-2525, or log onto www.theskylodge.com.
An Irish castle offers a challenge
Before you try the world-class fly fishing, sport clay shooting, or the famed local bird watching, you better learn how to meander these twisty roads in your rental car. Even the most experienced American drivers grow befuddled on the roads of the British Isles when they suddenly find themselves sitting on the right side of the car (or is it the wrong side?)...and then steering on the left side of the road. But Ashford Castle, located in Ireland's magnificent west country has launched a plan for making the adjustment easier: The new "How to Drive on the Left" program pairs driving instructors with visiting tourists for both theory and practice before they hit the road. The two-hour class reviews concentration tips, remote road signs written in Gaelic, and includes a personalized information pack with safety tips and rules for the road. Organized by Gill's Driving School, How to Drive on the Left costs about $270 (U.S.) per couple. Overnight rates at the Castle start at about $233 per night, including deluxe accommodations, a full Irish breakfast, and elaborate five-course dinner. To book the " How to Drive on the Left" package, visit www.ashford.ie.
Big Luxury, Small Price
Offering the look and feel of a sophisticated boutique property at a fraction of the cost, Victoria Golf & Beach Resort in Playa Dorada debuts a new 12,400-square-foot spa featuring distinctive therapies that incorporate natural medicinal minerals and tropical plant extracts indigenous to the area (Royal Bee Jelly, honey, and sea water). After an afternoon of snorkeling, body surfing, golf, and tennis (the courts are fab), try the Clean and Serene ($90 for 75 minutes), an aromatherapy massage preceded by a marine-based body polish that stimulates circulation. Another spa steal is Heads Up, Calm Down ($30 for 25 minutes). Guests can drift away during the soothing neck and scalp massage with balancing essential oils. Rates start at $110 per night. For info, call (809) 320-1200 or visit www.vhhr.com.
LA'S newest urban oasis
After a day of hiking the Santa Monica Mountains or attending surf school in Malibu, try the brand-new Spa at Pacific Palms in Industry Hills, California. After a $60 million renovation, the 11,000 square foot spa opens with seven private treatment rooms, separate relaxation rooms for men and women (featuring whirlpools and steam rooms), a full-service salon, and spa boutique. Cascading fountains and antique sculptures dance about the interior and tall bamboo shoots accent the setting. Located near the studios to target busy industry insiders, stand-outs include the Detox Facial and the signature hydrating White Tea Body Kur. Visit www.pacificpalmsresort.com.
HEALING WATERS...IN VEGAS?
There's just no reason to leave Vegas a loser. If the dice or card tables weren't kind this time around, stop in at the Aqua Sulis Spa at the J.W. Marriott on your way out of Dodge, and dive into these new Vichy shower treatments to promote wellness and rejuvenation. Vichy showers provide a warm, tropical rain to boost circulation, hydrate the skin, and soothe stress. All 45-minute showers include a body wash, scrub, wrap, moisturizer application, and mini facial.
Berry Fusion: A decadent blend of blueberries, cranberries, and raspberries top-loads the skin with antioxidants and Vitamin C. ($150 for 45-minutes).
Wine Scrub: An organic sugar scrub exfoliation with Italian red wine reduction, crushed grape seeds, and grape seed oil, followed by an almond biscotti body butter application. ($80 for 25 minutes). For an appointment, call the spa at (702) 869-7807, or visit www.jwlasvegasresort.com.
Leading a genteel life
When you can finally tear yourself away from the world-class snorkeling and croquet lawn, The Nisbet Plantation Beach Club on Nevis is located surfside in the Caribbean. This historic sugar plantation is also the ancestral home of Fanny Nisbet, the ever-loving wife of Britain's most famous naval hero, Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson. The plantation's restored Great House (circa 1778), and 36 charming cottages are set on 30 acres of tropical foliage. The resort recently completed a multi-million dollar renovation, including a new spa focused on "pure relaxation," says Spa Director Erin Hurd. The Nisbet Plantation Signature Massage ($100 for 60 minutes, $140 for 90 minutes) begins with a full-body dry brush to gently exfoliate, followed by a massage with signature "Island Breezes" body butter and a warm coconut oil scalp massage. In the spirit of giving back, Nisbet Plantation asks guests to donate gently used children's books to the island to help equip the local school library. Visit www.NisbetPlantation.com.
OCEAN-THEMED SPA MAKES A SPLASH
Flowing water walls, chandeliers dripping silver, and huge seaside photographs grace the entryway of SiSPa, the new 8,500-square- foot spot at the Starwood Resort at Singer Island in South Florida. After sailing, traipsing local galleries, and salsa dancing in South Beach, guests may luxuriate in one of eight spa suites named after exotic seas around the world. The VIP Couple's Suite features a whirlpool for two and a specially designed shower made from river rocks and wall mosaics. Two heated marble reclining Cleopatra chairs from Italy offer a sleek way to relax in between steam and sauna visits. Try the Caribbean Wake-Up Call ritual ($210 for 80 minutes) which features a tropical exfoliation using pink grapefruit, juniper, rosemary, and crushed olive stones. A massage and stretch follow, then a revitalizing scalp massage stimulates the senses. To complete the experience, legs are refreshed with aromatic ice towels. Visit www.starwoodspacollection.com/singerisland to learn more.
Spa In The Heart Of Hollywood
Last month, the opening party of the private, state-of-the-art luxury spa at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel attracted paparazzi galore. Featuring celebrity-inspired pampering, signature accents like glass mosaics and stone vanity sinks, the 6,400-square-foot spa has created signature treatments to inspire harmony and inner balance. The Japanese Ritual ($180 for 80 minutes), for instance, layers therapeutic properties of flower oils and fruit essences with rich minerals from the earth and sea. You will be purified with yuzu mimosa sea algae, scrubbed with ginger grass, polished with nutrient rich rice bran, and hydrated with rose, camellia, and plum. The treatment closes with a shiatsu massage using wild lime silk oil to re-energize the whole body. There are manicure and pedicure stations, waxing services, an outdoor pool under the "Hollywood" sign and a well-equipped fitness center, too. The Renaissance Hollywood Hotel & Spa is also home to the Academy Awards ceremonies. Log onto www.renaissancehollywood.com.
BAREFOOT AND PREGNANT
Parents-to-be are flocking to little Palm Island Resort & Spa in the lower Florida Keys to celebrate impending parenthood with the "Baby Makes Three" escape. Designed to provide the ultimate in opulence and pampering, the exclusive package allows couples to enjoy one last romantic getaway before the crying bundle arrives. The getaway includes:
- Five nights in a suite
- Airport Transfers
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Spa Terre gift basket upon arrival
- Lighten up Foot Treatment and Smoothie Body Treatment for Mom
- Gentleman's Indulgence Facial and Spa Pedicure for Dad
- 80-minute couples massage
Nicole Dorsey-Straff, M.S., a Boulder, Colorado-based exercise physiologist and wellness expert, is Organic Spa's contributing editor of play and adventure.