Couple’s massages, beachside dinners, candlelit accommodations…

In honor of the holiday for those in love, SpaFinder and its panel of experts are sharing some of their top picks for weekend spa getaways that celebrate the one you adore.  As spas increasingly continue to offer treatments and amenities that cater to couples, these properties take Valentine’s Day to heart, with side-by-side services, starlit dinners, and special romance packages.


For more ideas visit SpaFinder’s Readers Choice Award winners for “Best in Romance.”

Banyan Tree Mayakoba
Quintana Roo, Mexico
Open-air spa pavilions set amid a serene lagoon, seaside dining, and “all-pool” private villa accommodations next to white-sand beaches, clear Caribbean waters, and lush mangroves—what could be more romantic? Couples can share the Banyan Tree Spa Mayakoba’s Rainforest Experience, a hydrothermal circuit that includes a rain walk, Rasul chamber, and vitality pool.

CuisinArt Resort & Spa
Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla

Photo courtesy of CuisinArt Resort & Spa Anguilla
Located on Rendezvous Bay, a name befitting romance, the CuisinArt Resort & Spa Anguilla is home to the European-style Venus Spa, where couples can enjoy a dual massage in a setting designed especially for them. The Mediterranean-inspired resort boasts secluded villa accommodations with courtyards and an infinity pool that extends from the main building to the beach bar.

The Dolder Grand
Zurich, Switzerland
Guests have adored the Dolder Grand since its reopening in 2008 for its Michelin star–awarded restaurant and Sylvia Sepielli–designed spa, which has two Spa Suites comprising a fireplace, sauna, whirlpool, shower, and television. Couples are sure to show that same love for the Zurich property’s ‘Be My Grand Valentine’ and ‘Be My Grand Valentine Deluxe’ special offers, which include an overnight stay, four- or seven-course dinner (depending on package), massage or facial, and turndown service.

Half Moon
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Romantics love this beachfront resort, located on Jamaica’s northern coast, for its couples-friendly Fern Tree, the Spa at Half Moon, where rooms reserved for side-by-side massage treatments feature outdoor showers, soaking tubs, and secluded garden patios.  Another irresistible amenity? The resort’s staff of romance professionals that cater to honeymooning couples and wedding parties.

Inn at Perry Cabin
St. Michaels, Maryland
Along with its Lovers Treatment, the romantic spa at the four-star Inn at Perry Cabin, located in historic St. Michaels on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, is offering a spa service tailored for two: On Valentine’s weekend, lovebirds can reconnect with the Art of Couples Massage, an 80-minute session that teaches massage techniques, allowing guests to celebrate February 14 all year round.

Las Ventanas al Paraíso Hotel
Los Cabos, B.C.S., Mexico
With a tandem couple’s massage, all-suite accommodations—some of which feature rooftop terraces with infinity edge-Jacuzzis—and three luxury yachts, ideal for sightseeing by sea, the five-diamond Las Ventanas al Paraíso Hotel in Los Cabos will have your love blossoming into a romance that would rival Romeo and Juliet. (Minimum-stay from Feb. 11-14 required for holiday.)

Little Palm Island Resort & Spa
Little Torch Key, Florida
Photo courtesy of Little Palm Island Resort & Spa
Accessible by boat only, this private island paradise, located offshore of Little Torch Key, Florida, fosters an intimate setting for spa getaways. Guests can get in sync with customized Balinese or Thai-inspired spa services, thatched-roof bungalow accommodations with private outdoor showers, a lagoon-style swimming pool, and starlit dinners on the Sunset Dock, Palapa Point, or a secluded, reserved sliver of Harbor Point Beach. Plus, getaway packages including ‘Romance Begins When…,’ ‘Starry Moonlit Skies and Sensual Evenings,’ and ‘You Had Me at Hello’ will be leaving you both starry eyed.

Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows
Kohala Coast, Hawaii
Photo courtesy of Mauna Lani Resort
There’s nothing grander than a day at the beach with the one you love. Romance reigns at the Mauna Lani, set along the shores of the Big Island’s Kohala Coast, with its oceanfront dinners featuring live music, beachfront bungalows with private plunge pools and whirlpools, and couple’s treatments at the Hawaiian-inspired Mauna Lani Spa.

Richmond Nua Wellness Spa
Adapazari, Turkey
Couples are in for a romantic treatment at Richmond Nua Wellness Spa, located on the shores of Lake Sapanca, with side-by-side spa services such as the signature 135-minute Nua SPIRIT Couple experience, a combination of a Rasul session, foot massages for two, and his-and-her full-body massages and hydrotherapy baths. In addition, there’s a ‘Honeymoon Package’ currently available—where amenities like two-night lodging, the Nua Spirit couple’s treatment, and his-and-her facials are an ideal gift for both you and your Valentine.

Royal Palms Resort and Spa
Phoenix, Arizona
Photo courtesy of Royal Palms Resort and Spa
When a resort hires its own director of romance, you know the property is serious about offering you and your significant other an oh-so-sweet retreat. The Phoenix-based Royal Palms’s Cupid coordinates everything from candlelight dinners under the stars to turned-down beds trimmed with rose petals to will-you-marry-me proposal plans. Nestled at the foot of Camelback Mountain, the resort is minutes from downtown Scottsdale.

By Shari Rosenberg
One spa-goer’s voyage into the world of body wraps.

Before I could attempt to explain the different types of wraps typically offered at a spa, I thought it would be beneficial to have actually experienced a wrap treatment myself!

I made an appointment at the elegant Oasis Spa on Park Avenue in New York City for a 60-minute seaweed wrap.  I had heard this remarkably nourishing treatment would be a perfect remedy for my seriously dry, winter skin.

I found the staff at Oasis wonderfully professional.  Additionally, my therapist Jennifer, was quite knowledgeable about the seaweed wrap treatment and its benefits.

She instructed me to lie down in a tub-like/tray-like apparatus in the center of the warmed treatment room and place one towel across my chest and one across my bottom.  At my request, she explained exactly what she would be doing during the treatment.  First, she used a dry body brush all over my skin, in a circular motion, to remove dead skin cells in order to allow the nutrients in the seaweed to better penetrate.  A thorough scrubbing is how most wraps begin, for this very reason.  After the exfoliation, she ‘painted’ the warm treatment material all over my body.  It was basically seaweed in gel form, along with ocean minerals and essential oils.

Oasis offers two other types of wraps – Rose Clay and Green Clay, good for sensitive skin and oily skin, respectively.  The seaweed wrap, however, is the most popular, Jennifer said, especially during winter months because of the benefits to the dehydrated skin and because it is so revitalizing.

Once the treatment product was gently applied with a paintbrush all over my front side, I then flipped over so she could paint my other side.  Once completely covered, my therapist wrapped me up, like a pig in a blanket, in a Mylar sheet.  This sheet wrap, along with the towels placed on top, kept me warm and cozy while the seaweed permeated my skin for 20 minutes.  I was then given a short scalp massage for the first part of the wait time.  She stepped out for the remainder, but checked in periodically to make sure I was comfortable.

It was very relaxing to lie there quietly, listening to the mellow spa music, while the seaweed did its job.  Once unwrapped, Jennifer used a European Vichy shower – or six-head shower – to wash off the seaweed.  This was, hands down, the best part of the treatment.  Along with the water spray, which was as hot as I’d like a regular shower to be, Jennifer used a scrub glove to wipe off the seaweed which felt wonderful.  I definitely was close to falling asleep.

After my seaweed wrap treatment was done, I sat leisurely in their Relaxation Room sipping on peppermint tea.  My skin felt wonderfully smooth and soft and I felt very peaceful.   I think that a wrap is mostly a treatment for the results seen and felt on the skin – not just to relax and destress.  But, an hour later, as I walked back to my apartment in the cold NYC evening, I definitely felt perkier and invigorated and realized the likely explanation.

Learn More About Different Types of  Body Wraps >

• Algae/Seaweed
• Cellulite
• Slimming
• Herbal
• Mud/Clay

Find Day Spas that offer Body Wraps >

Enter your zip code to find spas in your area.

In a rut and seeking a thrill?  Want to get in touch with your adventurous side?  There’s no better place for it than at Miraval Spa in Tuscon, Arizona!  Now, enter to Win the Ultimate Spa Adventure, a 3-night stay in luxurious, casita-style accommodations including a daily resort credit for spa services, three gourmet meals a day, access to the Miraval Equine Experience, as well as the brand new Desert Sky Zipline, where you can let go of fear and soar from 40 feet above the desert floor!

Healing Arts for Haiti: De-stress While Helping Those in Distress

Spa Community joins together to provide “hands on” support to aid Haitian recovery

The spa & wellness community is coming together to lend a hand to the Haitian earthquake relief.  Healing Arts for Haiti is February 12th at the Grand Hyatt, NYC at Grand Central Station, where attendees can receive services and every dollar raised will be donated to UNICEF, directly helping rescue and relief efforts in Haiti.

Enjoy special spa services – 10 min massages for $10, mini-manicures & makeovers, express acupuncture services, sample sale steals on professional beauty products (up to 75% off retail), as well as yoga & fitness sessions. Live music, entertainment, fabulous raffles.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:

Friday, February 12th, 2010
Noon – 8pm

Grand Hyatt – The Grand Ballroom

109 E. 42nd St
at Grand Central Station

SERVICES & ACTIVITIES AT HEALING ARTS FOR HAITI:

Massage
Reflexology
Mini-manicures
Make-up Makeovers
Acupuncture
Yoga
Pilates
Aerobics
Chiropractics
Tarot Card Readers
Henna Tattoos
Retail Store- unbelievable deals on beauty, gift and wellness products
Raffles for spa services, restaurants, events and more
Silent Auction- destination resorts, Las Vegas, sports memorabilia and more
Music with great artists from the Haitian community
Surprise guest appearances

Come relax, work-out and look beautiful.  No appointments needed.

Admission is free and the event is open to the generic public.  For more info, visit: healingartsforhaiti.org

To make a donation to UNICEF now, click here.

As seen in:
The Examiner, American Spa Magazine, DaySpaMagazine.com & SpaMagazine.com

QUESTION:

I was wondering if you could provide me with a little insight about SpaFinder’s Readers’ Choice Awards. Do only paying members have a chance to win the awards?

J.J.

ANSWER:

Hi J.J.,

Spas do not have to be part of any SpaFinder program to be eligible to win a prestigious Readers’ Choice Award. Any “stay” spa can win – and this year voters can also cast their ballots for day spas in two categories, “Favorite Day Spa” and “Favorite Spa Treatment.” Visit SpaFinder’s Readers’ Choice Awards Awards 2010 site for more information and Vote Now.

Aside from a few restrictions (such as needing to be over 18, having been to the spa you are voting for withing the past 3 years, and not being employed by a spa), anyone can vote for any getaway spa around the world.

With over 13,000 “stay” spas in the world we wouldn’t want to limit readers’ choices. And we truly want to honor the top spas all over different continents, countries, regions and categories.

Check out the 2009 SpaFinder Readers Choice Award Winners.

A Unique Approach to Weight Loss – Limited Offer

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February 14-21 and 21-28

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Save $500 on a February program. Space is limited.

Deals Februay 2010

It’s always a good time to get a deal.  And if you’re planning on giving or getting a SpaFinder gift certificate this Valentine’s Day, a great way to spa and save is to use your gift certificate at one of the spas on our Top 10 Spa Deals for February list.

See all SpaFinder Top 10 Lists.

Find more Spa Deals at SpaFinder.com

What could make your ski vacation more delightful than being able to step right outside your door onto the slope? These ski-in/ski-out resorts boast some of the best ski terrains around the globe, and extensive activities menus offer plenty to do après ski. There are full-service spas to go to, nightcaps in comfy lounges to drink, and cozy fireplaces to curl up beside.

Boyne Mountain 

Boyne Falls, Michigan, United States

With two championship golf courses, an indoor water park, and an 18,000-square-foot spa sanctuary, Boyne Mountain in Northern Michigan is a pleasure playground all year long. Contact the property for select condo accommodations with ski-in/ski-out access.

Capella Telluride

Telluride, Colorado, United States

At Capella Telluride, after a day of snow fun, which can be scheduled and arranged with help of the hotel’s personal assistants, guests can relax at the 3,000-square-foot spa, indulging in Alpine-inspired services such as High Altitude Hydrating Facial, Spirit of the Mountain Massage, and Slope Side Express Mani and Pedi.  

Chalet Royalp Hotel & Spa

Villars, Switzerland

Perfect powder conditions and a host of snow sports—skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating among them—are just some of the features of the Swiss chalet-style Chalet Royalp Hotel & Spa. Sumptuous extras at this resort, set in the Swiss town of Villars-sur-Ollon, include an inviting lobby with a log fireplace, a lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows, a private theater, and authentic Swiss fondue at the hotel’s carnotzet.

The Cliff Lodge & Spa

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Photo courtesy of Snowbird
Cliff Lodge & Spa is the flagship of the four lodging facilities at Snowbird ski resort in Snowbird, Utah, which offers 85 runs for skiing and 2,500 acres. Plus, the spa includes an outdoor rooftop pool, steam rooms, dry saunas, a fitness center, and hot tubs overlooking the ski run and Wasatch mountains—ideal for warming up on a wintry afternoon.

The Fairmont Tremblant

Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada
Photo courtesy of Fairmont
Snow days meant no school when you were a kid. Now that you’re all grown up, it still does! But now you can partake in adult activities while staying at the stylish Fairmont Tremblant, located at the base of Quebec’s Laurentians. Sip aperitifs at the new Nansen Lounge, try your luck in the nearby casino, or take a swim in the indoor and outdoor pools.

Hotel de Charme les Airelles

Courchevel, Rhônes-Alpes, France

At the seasonal Hotel de Charme les Airelles, bordering the Vallées ski slopes in the Jardin Alpin, evenings are as entertaining as an afternoon on the slopes, with après-ski activities like the Spa Valmont Pour les Airelles, which features a sauna, hammam, pool, whirlpools, and a snow cave.

The Little Nell

Aspen, Colorado, United States

Photo courtesy of The Little Nell
The Little Nell in Aspen equals big adventures. Snow-related sports take center stage at this winter wonderland—there’s skiing and cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, dog sledding, and a ski concierge team.

Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside

Whistler, British Columbia, Canada  

Photo courtesy of Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts 
With more than 8,000 acres of ski-able terrain, the Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside, in Whistler Village, at the base of the British Columbia’s Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, will have you thinking you’re Picabo Street. Champion-worthy amenities include an on-site valet, a fitness center equipped with a eucalyptus steam room, outdoor saltwater swimming pools and Jacuzzis, and in-suite spa services. 

Park Hyatt Beaver Creek

Avon, Colorado, United States

Snow bunnies and experienced skiers alike will enjoy schussing down beginner runs or double black diamonds at Beaver Creek, whose slopes total 1,805 acres. The right-there Park Hyatt Beaver Creek offers skier-friendly amenities like a valet. A bonus? The European-style Allegria Spa, a bilevel, 30,000-square-foot complex.

Resort at Squaw Creek

Lake Tahoe, California, United States

Photo courtesy of Resort at Squaw Creek
Fitness enthusiasts can get an adrenaline rush at Lake Tahoe’s Resort at Squaw Creek, which sports an on-property triple chairlift to Squaw Valley’s 4,000 ski-able acres, a cross-country ski center, ice skating rink, Robert Trent Jones Jr-designed golf course, and nature-inspired spa.

Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa in Stowe, Vermont

Stowe, Vermont, United States

Bonus pick: While the slopes are about five minutes away, the Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa in Stowe, Vermont, is worth a trip for its full-service, 50,000-square-foot-spa, which features a salon, fitness center, healthy cuisine, and a 120-treatment menu.

By Milana Knowles

At a recent launch party I attended for Avène’s new body care line my dear friend, Karen Oliver, their public relations director, invited Deepak Chopra, M.D., her close friend and world-renowned authority in the field of mind-body healing, to speak on health and happiness.  I hadn’t met Dr. Chopra before but was of course aware of his books and wellness concepts, and was very much looking forward to hearing him speak on the subject of happiness.

I had always thought that happiness is an elusive state of mind, one that occurs only in glimpses and depends on the things that happen to us. Not so, says Dr. Chopra. In his popular book, The Happiness Prescription: Ten Keys to a Happy and Fulfilling Life, he describes how outside forces actually don’t make much of a difference in our happiness. Some programmed part of our brains determines whether we look at certain events in our lives as problems or as opportunities. He says that, with meditation and cognitive therapy, we can change that mindset and thereby experience long stretches of happiness. Because our happiness (or unhappiness) is reflected in every cell of our body, as Dr. Chopra believes, we can improve our overall health and well-being if we change our attitude.

Taking care of our bodies has long been proven to help maintain a positive outlook and keep ourselves in balance. Conversely, keeping a positive outlook seems to be the key to good health and longevity. Well, in the new year I will try to cultivate my good attitude toward all things that come my way and try to set aside time to take care of myself, physically and emotionally. My resolution is for happiness to permeate every cell in my body, all 70 trillion of them.

Happy New Year and loads of happiness to every single one of you spa buffs.

Do you consider yourself a happy person?

From the stunning Parrot Cay spa on a tranquil private island in Turks and Caicos, we bring you two organic non-dairy recipes from their gourmet-quality spa menu – zucchini & apple torta and raw sweet potato and leek soup.  Parrot Cay features Asian-inspired spa therapies, treatments incorporating Perricone products, a three-mile long private beach and a 5,500 square foot infinity pool. 

Zucchini and Apple Torta (Prep time: 1.5 hours) 

Torta

Ingredients:

4 ea Zucchini

3 ea Apple

1 pkg Rice paper

1 cup Guajillo sauce (recipe below)

1 cup Spinach cream (recipe below)

1 ea Avocado, sliced thin

Sea salt

Guajillo sauce

Ingredients:

6 ea Guajillo chile, soaked overnight

1/4 tsp Cumin

1/8 tsp Coriander

1 ea Lime juice

1 cup Tomato juice

1 tsp Pectin

Salt

Pepper

Procedure:

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until thick. Strain through fine mesh strainer and season to taste.

Spinach cream

Ingredients:

3 cup Baby spinach

1 clove Garlic

1 pc Scallion

1/2 ea Lime juice

1 tb Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Procedure:

Wash and drain spinach well. Remove stems and combine with all other ingredients in blender. Blend well and season to taste.

Assembly procedure:

To assemble torta, arrange all ingredients in separate bowls around one large cutting board. Find a deep pan large enough to hold the diameter of the rice paper and fill it half way with cool water. Place three sheets of rice paper into the water and allow to soak for 2-3 minutes or until the paper is smooth to the touch. Remove sheet and quickly dry on paper towels.

Place rice paper sheet on cutting board and begin the layering process with a very light layer of guajillo sauce followed by a layer of zucchini.

Season.

Remove the next sheet of rice paper, dry, and place on top of the zucchini.

Brush this layer with the spinach sauce and top with apples.

Season.

Remove the next sheet of rice paper, dry, and place on top of the apples.

Spread the thin sliced avocado on this layer and season.

Repeat process once more and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Raw Sweet Potato and Leek Soup

Ingredients:

•             1 lb sweet potato

•             1 lb leek

•             1 avocado

•             1 tbsp Braggs seasoning

•             1 small knob ginger (finely chopped)

•             1/2 white onion

•             1 vine-ripened tomato

•             Celtic sea salt and pepper to taste

•             1 cups charged water

Procedure:

•             Peel, wash, and chop the sweet potato and leeks.

•             Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until the texture is smooth.

•             Adjust seasoning if necessary.