The pleasure of having heavenly massages has been bestowed upon me several times. Among those are beachfront massages in Thailand and Jamaica as well as spa packages in numerous locations throughout the states. All have been nice, but there is one massage that stays foremost in my mind. Tobacon Hot Springs in Costa Rica. I…
Relaxing, Refreshing and Rejuvenating just doesn’t come any easier than this. With only 40 rooms and a caring staff of over 200, y’all be spoiled beyond belief at the award-winning (and deservedly so) Lake Austin Spa Resort. Why? After just 2 days of pampering, I was as unstressed as a newborn filly. I was lovin’…
Osmosis is perhaps the only sustainably managed green spa and Japanese Enzyme Bath Spa in America. It’s one of my favorite escapes and is less than an hour’s drive north of San Francisco in Sonoma County, near the Pacific Coast. Here’s a special offer to beat the pre-holiday rush: From now through December 14th, they’re…
The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park is offering a rural, holistic retreat in the comfort of luxurious surroundings in the heart of London. The 2007 Wellness Weekend is a two-night program that incorporates yoga, tai chi, personal training, nutrition advice and a two-hour Advanced Time Ritual at The Spa At Mandarin Oriental, voted one of the…
We received a first hand review from a couple that recently journeyed east for an upscale stay at the stately Post Hotel & Spa, which borders picturesque Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada, offering a gorgeous ski lodge, pampering spa, award-winning Gourmet Magazine-heralded restaurant, and much more. Originally built in 1942, the Post resonates with the…
The One&Only Palmilla is a posh and peaceful sanctuary on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. Following a $110 million renovation and expansion in 2003, it has been a favorite retreat for Hollywood celebrities since its opening in 1956. Celebrity clientele includes Dustin Hoffman, Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, Oprah Winfrey and John Travolta (who…
For over 80 years, the Huntington Hotel & Nob Hill Spa has been consistently ranked as one of the most distinguished luxury hotels in my home town. It’s also one of the world’s most luxurious places to stay. Situated atop Nob Hill (called “Snob Hill” a century ago because it was the wealthiest San Francisco…
A skier heads down the slopes. Photo by Sue Frause. Ski season is just a flip of the calendar away, and British Columbia’s Whistler has again been touted by Conde Nast Traveler in its November 2006 issue. A trio of Whistler hotels swept the top three spots in the annual readers’ choice awards for the…
Clarins Canada Skin Spa, which opened a little more than a year ago in Toronto, is a sleek red-and-white emporium where treatments given in luxe comfort can painlessly turn back the clock. Forget those excruciating extractions associated with most facials, the face (and body) treatments here are marked simply by a feathery, light, signature massage,…
My friend Elisa just returned from a week at the tré upscale Canyon Ranch Spa in the Santa Catalina Mountains above Tucson. She opted for the all-inclusive package with meals and spa treatments included daily at what they say is “The world’s most renowned wellness lifestyle company.” That’s a whole lot of pampering and she…
We thought we’ve seen some of the hippest spas around in the US or the Middle East. Now, you’ve got to get wet at the Yi Spa and it’s in Berlin. Here, red and brown are the new white for the spa’s interior. Hot pink is in, too. So is just about any color except…
There are dozens of upscale hotels in San Francisco with views of the Bay. But only one has carved a niche as a luxury hotel on the San Francisco Waterfront –– Hotel Vitale. This boutique opened about 16 months ago with a modern interior, unique luxurious touches and soothing natural elements. Call it an urban…