The lowdown: Willow Stream Spa — which boasts a Mobil four-star spa award — is clearly designed to be grand. A domed skylight floods the 25,000-square-foot, tri-level facility with natural light, and a bubbling fountain anchors the space, providing a subtle, soothing background sound that’s audible everywhere except the treatment rooms, where guests select their own soundtrack.
Guests make many choices at Willow Stream, where the motto is ”find your energy.” Grounded in the concept of self-directed wellness, spagoers might be asked to select the scent for their massage or a tarot card that might provide a clue to the body’s subconscious needs. But don’t worry — it’s not all up to you. The toughest task is choosing from a broad range of treatments that include seasonal, international, sports-inspired and water-based experiences, most of which can be customized. Once that selection has been made, the staff makes every effort to provide an effortless experience.
The ‘hood: Just minutes from busy Biscayne Boulevard and the Aventura Mall, the 300-acre Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club is a quiet, meticulously landscaped oasis that feels removed from the city. Valet parking is complimentary for spa guests.
The vibe: If walls could talk, these would ask how they could serve you. From the attentiveness of the always-nearby staff to the thoughtful design of the treatment rooms and common areas (where everything from bath products to snacks is copiously and continuously replenished), the entire spa reflects a commitment to enhance the experience and pamper the guests.
The highlights: With packages like the Up To Par Body Experience for golfers (60 minutes, $159) and the Jet Lag Recovery (90 minutes, $209), Willow Stream has a treatment for everyone. Bound to be a hit with just about anyone, however, is the Royal Javanese Lulur (120 minutes, $299). Traditionally performed on brides-to-be from royal families in Indonesia, the ritual begins with an aromatic petal bath, transitions to a yogurt scrub that exfoliates and cleanses the body, and ends with a Balinese massage.
Though less exotic, the customized anti-aging (90 minutes, $239) and deep cleansing (60 minutes, $129) facials provide precise, targeted results. Willow Stream also offers a slew of companion treatments and salon services.
The sweet deal: Book any signature treatment (60 minutes or more, excluding salon) and then select a free express manicure, pedicure, facial or massage. Valid through May 22.
Appalachian Trail Adventures is excited to announce their new economic Hiking Spa Vacation Program.
Appalachian Trail Adventures Hiking Spa Vermont’s premier hiking spa destination resort (ATA) is excited to announce their new economic Hiking Spa Vacation Program. After receiving a high demand, ATA developed a program for those hiking spa vacationer. They provide the guided hikes, transportation, breakfast, lunch and the accommodations starting at the spectacular low rate of $130.00. In addition a variety of a la carte option exists. Such as massage, yoga, cooking classes, tennis lessons, water aerobics, canoeing and kayaking.
ATA Hiking Spa hand picked their hikes out of the 1,000 miles of trails in the Green Mountains of Vermont with the best scenic mountain vistas, waterfalls, historical features and lakes for hikers of all abilities. In addition they hike along the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail, the oldest long distance hiking trail in the country. Even the novice hikes will take you along beautiful country trails and roads in the Green Mountain National Forest. In the fall some of the most spectacular foliage hiking in New England is offered.
New arrivals at the spa may find themselves standing with their jaws open as they take in the red mountains reaching into blue sky.
Some of the surrounding terrain may look familiar. Many a Western movie was filmed in these parts – the spa is adjacent to Snow Canyon State Park, where they shot the final scenes of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”
Given the scenery, it is not surprising that Red Mountain, as a destination spa, is known foremost for its comprehensive hiking program, which includes daily hikes at three experience levels – from beginner to advanced – to explore the red limestone rocks and spires, lava flows, caves and desert flora of Snow Canyon.
There are also excursions to hike or mountain bike to see the amazing towering cliffs of Zion National Park and the stunning sandstone pinnacles of Bryce Canyon National Park – both parks are located within an hour’s drive of the spa.
In fact, Red Mountain began in 1983 as a few rustic huts designed for hikers who wanted to tackle the desert landscape. It expanded in 1999 into a destination spa and more recently in 2006 into a fancier destination spa combining outdoor adventure and luxury pampering – with the addition of a gorgeous facility, Sagestone, located in a striking three-story geodesic dome.
The property adopted the slogan, “Find yourself between a Rock and a Soft Place,” which is just about right. You can hike and bike and do other outdoor adventure activities such as horseback riding in Snow Canyon, kayaking and rock climbing. Or you can choose to spend your time relaxing your mind, body and spirit at the 55-acre resort.
The Native American Card Reading ($150) caught my eye on the extensive menu of daily activities. And so I found myself in a small room outfitted with feathers and other American Indian tokens.
The blonde and brassy reader started our session by lighting pungent Cedarwood and performing a short ceremony where she brushed me with an eagle feather to rid me of bad spirits. She drummed and chanted – she said she learned all this from American Indians.
Once the cards came out she urged me to hush so she could “intuit.” Her reading included my love life, and even if she seemed to offer more talk about my inner spirit than practical advise, the session was at least entertaining.
But I preferred my second American Indian-inspired choice: The Four Directions Body Treatment, delivered again by a tall blonde woman, this time at the Sagestone spa.
The treatment (75 minutes for $160) embraces the four directions of the Medicine Wheel, and began with a “smudging,” again with a feather, to get rid of my negative energy. Then I was rubbed with cornmeal and tobacco for exfoliating, rinsed in a shower, had a full body massage using Cedarwood oil and a sweetgrass herbal wrap “to bring peace and good spirits to the healing.”
I reflected on little of this as I relaxed post treatment, pleasingly empty minded on a chaise lounge, staring at the breathtaking red scenery through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the spa’s relaxation room.
The Sagestone spa’s menu of more than 50 beauty and relaxation treatments also has offerings inspired by Asia and India. Separate men’s and women’s locker facilities are outfitted with steam rooms.
Fitness seekers at Red Mountain Spa will find a menu of more than 50 complimentary classes weekly, including such fun offerings as Blast from the Past, a retro aerobics class modeled on the Jane Fonda era. There are aqua classes including Off the Deep End, an invigorating deep-water workout. And there are strength classes, a variety of yoga classes and Power Pilates.
In Kundalini Yoga, I tried “to find the primordial energy at the base of the spine.” And I learned to breathe and chant “Raa Maa Daa Saa,” which means “Sun, Moon, Earth, Infinity.” It was relaxing if not involving much effort.
The spa also offers a selection of healthy living sessions – for $70, for instance, you can visit with a Motivation Coach to get you started on a fitness path.
In addition to the adventure-oriented outdoor program there are cerebral offerings such as geology and archeology walks, stargazing and Tai Chi on the Rocks, staged at sunset at Snow Canyon and accompanied by American Indian music.
“Successful Meditation” is among the enrichment lectures offered after dinner. For me, Texas Hold’em poker one night (for gifts, not money) was more exciting.
Desert-style Luxury (optional sidebar)
Red Mountain Spa accommodates up to 210 guests in 82 guestrooms and 24 new luxury villas, all done up in earthtones and contemporary furnishings with big bathrooms.
The resort boasts indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness center where the classes and health consultations are held, a training center with Cybex strength equipment, cardio machines and free weights, and the Canyon Breeze Restaurant and Canyon Cafe for meals and culinary classes.
All this is located in a series of small terra cotta-colored buildings connected by paths and lava bed gardens with indigenous plants. You may see a rabbit cross your path. Newbies will need a map to get around.
Food at Red Mountain Spa is simply fantastic. Chef Chad Luethje, who was raised by vegetarian parents and has cooked twice at the James Beard House in New York, has developed Adventure Cuisine menus that include herbs from the resort’s organic gardens and wild game. It is healthy food with a Southwest slant, though you would never know it. The dishes range from hearty offerings like beef tenderloin with sweet potato pancake to Green Cuisine like roasted Japanese eggplant filled with squash and garbanzo beans. Breakfast and lunch are buffet style and include hot and cold selections. Dinner is sit-down with a full menu and accompanying salad bar.
Single travelers can sit at a communal table in the dining room. Couples, of which there are many at this spa, will have no problem finding a table for two.
No roughing it at this spa.
IF YOU GO
The daily rate at Red Mountain Spa is $259 to $709 per person, per night and includes all meals, bike rental, in-room Internet, morning hikes, a full menu of fitness classes and healthy living lectures. Treatments at the spa are all a la carte, as are adventure activities, though some are included in package specials. For reservations, call 877-246-HIKE and mention Spavelous
Attractions and activities abound in nearby Spa City
Hot Springs is Arkadelphia’s next door neighbor. The fun-filled city has a lot to offer to residents and tourist, but for college students, it’s a blessing.
Many agree that if it weren’t for Hot Springs, college life in Arkadelphia wouldn’t be as entertaining.
“I like to go up there and get away from the school work every once in a while,” sophomore mass media major Cameron Soils said.
“I work at Wendy’s and at the on-campus radio station on top of going to school, so I do it big when I can in the Springs.”
According to HotSprings.org, Hot Springs is America’s first resort and one of the south’s most popular family vacation and convention destination spots.
It has attractions for all ages and interest.
Hot Springs has everything – from an alligator farm and petting zoo for the little ones to luxurious day spas and salons for older tourists.
“I like to go and get a message every so often because it’s very relaxing,” senior early childhood education major Brittany Stuart said.
Ablution Day Spa and Salon is one of the many spas in Hot Springs. They offer four levels of comfort and sit on 4,500 square feet.
The first level consists of things such as facials and cellulite reduction.
The second level offers body messages and body wraps.
The third and fourth levels include a full grooming of hair and nails.
Not only is Hot Springs a place to relax, but is also a place to learn.
The Belle of Hot Springs Riverboat is a 300-passenger riverboat where tourist can pay to float through beautiful Lake Hamilton as they listen to the captain talk about the “spa city.”
The tour includes a historical outlook of the city, along with colorful anecdotes and views of natural islands, the Ouachita Mountains, million-dollar mansions.
“You get a good view of the mountains going to Hot Springs from Arkadelphia,” junior physical education major Dionte Davis said.
There’s also a theme park for families to go to and have a fun- filled day.
Magic Springs Theme Park is also a water park, so when fun-seeking families do go to the park, it’s twice the thrills and twice the fun.
The good thing about that is you pay for one ticket to have access to both parks.
Shopping plays a big role in Hot Spring’s reputation.
There is Hot Springs Mall, where you and the family can shop till you drop at a variety of major retailers.
Other shopping stores, such as Beverly’s Casual Shop, Arlington Hotel Mall, Memorabilia-N-More and many other stores are located throughout Hot Springs.
The hardest thing about shopping and attractions in Hot Springs is trying not to spend all your money on the great things Hot Springs has to offer. It can be a hard task, but it would be a task well worth it.
Wine collecting dads this year might unwrap a coveted bottle of 2003 Silver Oak cabernet sauvignon this Father’s Day.
A lucky few will visit the Silver Oak vineyard. Book him a special package at the Napa Valley wine estate Meadowood, and its resident master sommelier, Gilles de Chambure, will accompany Dad on appointments to this and other exclusive local wineries. He’ll enjoy personal tours and tastings as well as a picnic lunch in one of the vineyards. In the evening, he’ll sit down for a four-course dinner with wine pairings at the estate’s Michelin-rated restaurant. Prices range from $2,420 to $3,070 for a one-night stay.
This is one of a handful of weekend trips suitable for adventure-loving dads.
Depending on his interests, other gift ideas might include whitewater rafting down the Colorado River, fly fishing in the remote wilderness or a weekend at an 18-hole resort and spa.
These trips can also include friends and family. The PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach, Fla., for example, offers the “family fun fore all” and “guys buddy trip” promotions. With the family package, two children and two adults stay for $99 a night and enjoy unlimited golf on three courses, discounted meals and spa services and access to golf clinics. The “guys buddy trip” promotion is $445 per person through October and includes 18 holes of golf each day and cart and caddie fees.
James M. Gelfand, the resort’s vice president of sales, marketing and revenue development, says that while most book family packages for Father’s Day weekend, buddy trips are also popular. The bottom line, he says, is that, “Dad gets to come and play golf and he doesn’t have any guilt.”
What People Buy
This year, consumers are expected to spend $95 each on Father’s Day gifts, according to the National Retail Federation, a trade association. Common presents include clothing, books, CDs, computer accessories, gift certificates and greeting cards.
There are also gifts that might exceed Dad’s wildest expectations. The Scotch whisky distiller Chivas Regal is offering a $117,650 package that includes a five-day stay at a private mansion in Scotland, a round of golf at St. Andrew’s Links, dinner with the Duke of Argyll at his castle, helicopter transportation and a bespoke kilt and family crest consultation.
For $49,000, you can transform him into a Vegas high roller. The “ultimate mancation” package offered by the JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa includes the keys to a Ferrari 360 Spider, one day of racecar driving, golfing at TPC Las Vegas and cigars to end every dinner.
Father’s Day: Consumer holiday or the real deal? Weigh in. Post your thoughts in the Readers Comments section below.
Even without the promise of a lifestyle makeover, Las Vegas is still a popular destination for Father’s Day weekend. Lauren Volchef, director of marketing for the Web site lastminutetravel.com, says that Las Vegas bookings usually spike that weekend. This year, they account for 23% of the site’s bookings; they usually comprise 8% to 10%. Volchef also says that golf meccas like Palm Springs and Myrtle Beach are common destinations.
What To Do
Gambling and golf, however, are not your only choices. Jennifer Gaines, contributing editor for lastminute.com, says that families spend more time in the outdoors during the holiday weekend. She recommends locations like Monterey, Calif., for the beach setting; Boise, Idaho, for the mountain backdrop; and, Charleston, S.C., for history buffs interested in the Civil War.
Brandon Lake, vice president of the guided tour company Western River Expeditions, says that hiking, rafting and camping excursions are a perfect fit for active dads. His company, which is based in Salt Lake City but conducts tours of the southwest, offers multi-day packages of whitewater rafting, off-road safaris in bio-diesel fueled Hummers and backcountry camping. A four-day “sampler” trip includes accommodations at $575 for each adult and $475 for children between 5 and 15.
Fishing is another excellent outdoors activity. Though guided fishing trips are often difficult to schedule at the last minute, they are worth the effort. Gail McCoy, owner of the Montana fishing lodge Spotted Bear Ranch, sells out for the holiday weekend months in advance because families enjoy the isolation.
“They can be fishing all day and not see another person,” says McCoy. “There’s a quiet comfort … and a silent camaraderie that’s absolutely a bonding experience.
Girlfriends’ getaways – where women travel with other women and leave the menfolk home – are booming. And the phenomenon is not just about bachelorette parties or 20-somethings on spring break.
Women are taking knitting trips, adventure trips and spa trips.
The Fine Living Network is launching a series on April 24 called “All-Girl Getaways,” hosted by Stephanie Oswald, editor-in-chief of travelgirl magazine. And Marybeth Bond, the author of “50 Best Girlfriends Getaways in North America,” has just written a sequel – “50 Best Girlfriends Getaways Worldwide.”
Bond, who has been tracking data since 1993, said there has been a 230-per-cent increase in the number of women-only travel companies in the past seven years. And many women who are taking girlfriends’ getaways are married but leaving their husbands at home.
Oswald said some women feel guilty about taking a vacation without their mates. But Bond said men often encourage their significant others to travel with other women to enjoy activities that husbands and boyfriends may not be interested in, whether it’s shopping, cooking classes or visiting a botanical garden or museum.
April Merenda, co-founder of Gutsy Women Travel, sees more time-pressed career women in their 30s and 40s taking girlfriends’ getaways. But not everybody goes with friends.
About 60 per cent of her business is from women booking a solo trip. She said that her business is up 25 per cent from last year.
There is also more multigenerational travel – Baby Boomers travelling with their daughters or even their mothers.
Marcia Walker, 57, of Taylorsville, S.C., went on a 10-day tour to China earlier this year with her daughter and noticed other groups where women were shopping while their spouses waiting outside for them to finish.
“You don’t have that burden,” she said, adding that her ex-husband never wanted to travel unless he could drive there.
“I didn’t have anybody breathing down my neck.”
The phenomenon of girlfriends’ getaways and women travelling alone represents a cultural shift.
Thirty years ago, women didn’t vacation without their families, said Susan Eckert, founder and president of AdventureWomen, a travel company for women ages 30 and over. A woman who did travel without her husband was asked whether there was something wrong in the marriage, she said.
Traditionally, women planned family vacations where they were the ones “making sure everyone is happy, everyone is safe, everyone is entertained,” said Oswald.
Meanwhile, men went camping, fishing or golfing with the guys, and teenagers started travelling too, with school and youth groups -while their parents footed the bill.
Now women are saying, “‘It’s my turn,’” said Bond.
Because so many women work these days, they can afford to travel. At the same time, they’ve moved away from childhood friends and college roommates and they see travel as a way to reconnect.
Going away with other women is an opportunity for them to really “recharge their batteries,” said Oswald.
“They have never been more independent than they are now,” said Allison O’Sullivan, managing director of The Women’s Travel Club, which offers 60 destinations. The club’s founder was a married woman who wanted to travel to other parts of the world that her husband wasn’t interested in.
The travel industry has responded to the demand. Abercrombie & Kent announced new women’s only trips to places like India, China, the Bordeaux region of France, and Argentina. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, along with several other hotel chains, are catering to women with amenities and special vacation packages.
“The industry has rolled out the red carpet,” said Oswald. “Everyone is coming up with girlfriend getaway programs. I think that’s a great sign that this is a phenomenon and not a trend. It’s here to stay.”
Here are some of the types of trips women are taking.
Special interest
Some women’s travel companies offer niche trips focusing on wine-tasting, running or even knitting.
Sally Black, founder of StitchAwayTours, has been organizing knitting trips for several years to places like Scotland and London. Knitters visit sheep farms, yarn shops and yarn factories.
“Knitting has such a great history to it,” said Black. “There’s so many different techniques that come to us from all over the world.”
Learning trips
All of Gutsy Women Travel’s trips include something instructional, said Merenda, such as learning to prepare authentic Moroccan cuisine, creating an individual fragrance in Provence or painting handicrafts with local artisans in Costa Rica.
Pampering
One of the most popular types of travel among women is a pampering escape, said Oswald, whether it’s a spa resort or a cruise.
“Spas certainly provide that amazing atmosphere that lends itself to girls being able to share stories, spend time together and get pampered along the way,” she said.
Adventure
The average age of women on trips with AdventureWomen, which has been in business for 27 years, is between 50 and 55.
“We scuba dive, we snorkel,” said Eckert. “We do a horseback trip in Yellowstone. We’re bringing back our cattle ranch trip.”
Softer adventure excursions include sightseeing tours to places like India, China and Greece.
Big cities
Big cities, such as New York, Las Vegas, Boston and San Francisco, are popular girlfriends’ getaway destinations, said Oswald.
The cities are accessible and there’s lots to do – shopping, museums, nightlife.
Eco-Travel
Go Eco Traveler offers “green” trips to destinations like Aspen, Colo., and Montauk, N.Y.
The itineraries avoid mega-hotel chains, opting instead for historic inns, solar-panelled farmhouses and smaller, independent hotels.
Trip itineraries include activities like yoga, hiking, surfing and cross-country skiing.
“We carry our own water bottles and try to eat only the healthiest foods,” said Tricia Defossey, founder of Go Eco Traveler.
“We often purchase fresh food from the local farmers and fisheries to give back to the local community.”
This spa article is brought to you by Spavelous.com.
Finding Inspiration Red Mountain Spa, St. George, UT
There are those lucky few, who know their passion from the day they are born. It seems to be almost hard-wired; they are drawn to betterment throughout their life. However, it seems that most of us meander through life searching for something to light the fire within us, to lead us to our successes and happiness in life. Many find that gift, while at Red Mountain Spa.
Red Mountain Spa’s hiking program ignites such inspiration for many people as they embark on their day’s adventures. The connection to the earth, and the power of the towering red rocks, leaves a person who has lived their life surrounded by skyscrapers, mesmerized. Taking the challenge to hike up a steep hill and climb over a rock formation allows one to realize the capabilities of a healthy body. Suddenly a person is inspired to be healthier and seek new adventures. Rewarding the body afterward, with healthy cuisine, reminds us of how important it is to give the body the nourishment it deserves. Taking time out to relax and reflect overlooking the red rock cliffs outside Sage stone Spa and Salon gives one the time to collect their thoughts, and be inspired to experience even more the next day.
Red Mountain Spa hopes that you are inspired to find better health, happiness and many adventures each day of your life.
The off-Strip resort says it offers outdoor adventure, but that isn’t the big focus here. Massage, anyone?
When I first heard that the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa offered an amenity called an “adventure spa,” I knew this was the place for me.
The resort, built by Station Casinos Inc. of Las Vegas, is about 10 miles west from the Strip. But more important, it is only six miles from Red Rock Canyon.
From the outside, it looks like another high-end Vegas property: massive water fountains and palm trees, rust- and adobe-colored walls and that ubiquitous desert-modern architecture. But I had faith. I knew out here appearances could be deceiving.
Inside, it seemed like a mall. There were 10 restaurants, a 72-lane bowling alley (including 12 VIP lanes), a 16-screen movie theater and a child-care center that charged by the hour. All of which centered on a few thousand slot machines, blackjack tables and craps tables.
As far as I could see, I was the only one stomping through the place in scuffed hiking boots and a backpack. I searched for the trail head to the adventure spa but couldn’t find one. I lacked a GPS, but I was able to call out. The receptionists at the massage salon downstairs picked up.
I suppose I was a little disappointed to learn that the same people who book the Thai rubdowns and pedicures also arrange the kayak trips and bike rides. It seems the adventure spa is more of a concept than an actual place.
I checked into my room, which was, simply put, luxurious. I had a 42-inch plasma television, a Bose sound system with iPod connectivity, a terry bathrobe and slippers, a martini bar and another flat-screen TV hanging over the bathtub. Now, this could be a real adventure.
After a typical day and night as an outdoors writer for The Times (you know, rock climbing, mountain biking, indoor sky diving, kayaking and sleeping under the stars), I returned to my room and pampered myself with a 25-minute Swedish massage, a sauna and a steam bath for $102, including tip.
I guess this is the whole idea, and though I shouldn’t be surprised, I did feel slightly cheated. This was no more an adventure than what I might have found back on the Strip.
So I called David Bert, who is in charge of the so-called adventure spa. He’s a kindred spirit, an outdoor enthusiast who hosts a public radio show on back-country travel in Nevada.
The adventure spa, at least for the time being, is mostly a booking agency, a concierge service to the outdoors, putting its guests within reach of about 197,000 acres of desert and canyons in Red Rock Canyon, and Lake Mead and the Colorado River. That sounded promising, but why was I the only one in hiking boots? The spa, Bert told me, is still a work in progress.
According to Bert, the resort hopes the spa will attract at least 10% of the resort guests. He hopes a national marketing campaign this fall will boost those numbers, as would ski and snowboarding trips to nearby Mt. Charleston, if all his plans work out.
Gamble? Get a facial? Climb a canyon wall? I guess it makes sense. In fact, the latest campaign is to persuade guests to book a massage or a facial treatment after their outdoor adventure. “What we are saying is, ‘Let us beat the crap out of you in the outdoors and then let the masseuse make you soft and squishy.’ ”
 
