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2012 Top Ten Organic Spa Awards

by Organic Spa Magazine

We are thrilled to honor 10 spas around the globe that lead the way by focusing on pure organic ingredients in their treatment and culinary menus, along with a stellar commitment to sustainability. As they elevate us all to a new level of health, wellness and sustainability, we celebrate our Top 10 winners for their passion, commitment and leadership.

—The Editors


Kamalaya

Koh Samui, Thailand

Kamalaya’s philosophy is “nurturing into health” and it does so using the freshest ingredients in its kitchen and wellness spa including locally harvested Thai classics like lemongrass. The spa is renowned for its detox program, which offers nutritional and herbal support, and daily massage. Holistic treatments combined with healing relaxation therapies, unite to create restorative synergy in a tropical sanctuary. kamalaya.com


Rancho La Puerta

Tecate, Mexico

Rancho La Puerta does not rest on its laurels as the pioneer destination health spa in North America. This lush floral oasis has continued to emphasize expertly prepared cuisine and spa treatments that use aromatic and healing plants from its gardens. The organic ingredients make treatments as therapeutic as they are relaxing. Morning mountain hikes and organic cooking classes at the ranch’s famed La Cocina Que Canta school are just some of the features that round out a blissful stay. rancholapuerta.com


Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat

Queensland, Australia

Situated near Australia’s Gold Coast, Gwinganna is a luxury boot camp in the bush. The produce used in its cuisine is sourced from three organic gardens on-property. On arrival, guests visit the Wellness Therapies Cottage for a health assessment and private consultation with a naturopath. Guests rise with the sun to join a guided walk where they are likely to spot kangaroos. The gorgeous Asian-inspired spa offers nurturing treatments, including Rockupuncture, a healing blend of acupuncture and hot stone therapy. gwinganna.com


St. Julien Hotel & Spa

Boulder, CO

The glass walls of this luxury hotel in downtown Boulder provide a grand view of the gardens and a dramatic panorama of jagged mountains. “Boulder Rocks” is St. Julien’s version of hot stone massage, drawing its components and inspiration from the vast stone quarries and canyons that encircle Boulder. The Mountain Mojito scrub, which features fresh mint from the hotel’s garden, is followed by a massage using mint essential oil that leaves your skin feeling like velvet. stjulien.com


Ten Thousand Waves

Santa Fe, NM

A Southwest version of a Japanese hot springs resort, tucked high in the hills near Santa Fe, this spa blends outdoor baths, massage, and Zen gardens to create a serene oasis. Yasuragi Head & Neck treatment, a detoxifying herbal wrap and pressure-point massage with warm camellia oil, or the Ashi Anma foot massage, are among those that transport body and soul to an unforgettable state. Ten Thousand Waves is a day spa that now also offers lodging for those who seek to linger. tenthousandwaves.com


The Chateau

Bentong, Pahang, Malaysia

Just over one year old, The Chateau is designed as an organic destination wellness spa. While it is nestled in a 150-year-old tropical rainforest in the Berjaya Hills, the resort was actually modeled on an 18th century castle in France’s Alsace region. Spa rituals evoke the European tradition, with an herbal-infused sauna and a salt grotto, for example, and the spa uses organic products in its treatments. A tropical paradise, only 45 minutes from Kuala Lumpur. thechateau.com.my


Tabacon Grand Spa & Thermal Resort

La Fortuna, Costa Rica

The healing power of water is the theme of this luxurious resort, located at the bottom of the Arenal Volcano. The property features a natural thermal river, 12 hot spring pools and lagoons surrounded by lush gardens and rainforest. Winding trails, with an abundance of orchids and ferns, are a perfect way to explore the resort grounds. Don’t miss the therapeutic waterfall massage. For detoxing, try the sweat lodge or volcano mud wraps. tabacon.com


Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa

Corona, CA

This gem beneath the Santa Ana mountains is lined with bougainvillea, lavender and palm trees. You can take the mineral-rich waters or revel in a mud-bath detox. Glen Ivy offers Southern California’s only red clay mineral bath, to draw out impurities through your pores. The Grotto is a cavern where an attendant paints your skin with a warm mixture of aloe vera, shea butter and coconut oil. glenivy.com


The Spa at Dromoland Castle

County Clare, Ireland

It’s only eight miles from Ireland’s Shannon Airport, yet you’ll feel centuries away. The expansive grounds are a five-star haven in a countryside that’s as vivid a shade of green as you’ve ever seen. The luxury spa features the 100 percent organic Voya line in treatments like the Organic Bladderwrack Body Buff and Seaweed Oil Massage. And the cuisine is as luxurious as you’d expect at this royal retreat. dromoland.ie/spa.html


Echo Valley Ranch

British Columbia, Canada

The Echo Valley Ranch & Spa in western Canada features trail rides and hikes on piney mountain trails. But this remote escape near the Marble Mountains also combines western traditions with eastern wisdom. The resort has a Thai spa as well as the western-style Cariboo Spa. The signature digital detox package includes an herbal oil massage, a horseback ride and hike, and an app that disables your smart phone so you can just stop and smell the sagebrush. evranch.com

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