Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Phoenix has been named one of the 100 Best Luxury hotels in the world according to the 2009 Travelers’ Choice by TripAdvisor. With 117 custom-appointed guest rooms, swimming pool, an award-winning restaurant and intimate courtyards hidden within lush, 100 percent green gardens and grounds, the Royal Palms is the definition of a sumptuous environment of great comfort and ease. 

To help guests get comfortable, the Royal Palms offers luxurious and private in-suite spa experiences in the Alvadora Spa Terraces. These accommodations, designed by world-renowned spa designer Sylvia Sepielli, feature some of the resort’s most stunning views of Camelback Mountain rising above tiered gardens, trickling fountains, crackling fire pits and a reflecting pool. Inside, guests will find mosaic tiles, leather furnishings and four-poster daybed with built-in therapy bed and draped in white linen, two plasma televisions, a Bose stereo, a European soaking tub and a fireplace. Spanish guitar serenades herald the setting sun.

We focused on creating a spa lifestyle rather than a hotel room,” Sepielli said.

Guests selecting the Alvadora Spa Terraces receive a personalized tour of the suite, 10 percent of retail purchases in the spa and daily greetings including a daily intention card, a stone of the day and a suggested yoga pose to help balance the energy in one of the body’s seven chakras. Upon arrival, these pampered guests are met with a surprise welcome smoothie. Five special indulgences are offered (for additional fees) only to Alvadora Spa Terrace guests including: Hair Ritual (hydrating and rejuvenating hair), the Journey Manicure (an intensive chakra-based treatment), the Journey Pedicure (an aromatherapeutic foot ritual), Thai Massage (a relaxing yet energetic therapeutic massage) and the Savasana (an treatment that energizes the solar plexus, sacral heart, root and crown chakras).

Of course, comfort is only one aspect of the luxury equation. Ease is the other. Unfortunately, romance can make some people very uncomfortable, especially around Valentine’s Day or weddings. Fortunately, the Royal Palms has a Director of Romance making it easy for guests to get the romance right.

My role as Director of Romance goes way beyond ordering flowers and making dinner reservations; it’s more that of a personal romance coach, especially for the ‘romantically challenged.’ It’s designing the complete, personalized, over-the-top experience that I look forward to, and I have the perfect stage for doing so at Royal Palms,” said Robert H. Vickrey upon being named Director of Romance in September 2008. Vickrey had spent more than a year as the Maitre D’ at the Royal Palms’ ultra-romantic restaurant, T. Cook’s before becoming Director of Romance.

The Royal Palms Resort lends itself to romance, from single nights away from home to destination weddings. Guests can take romantic strolls along the stone-paved walkways through 100 percent organic gardens filled with poppies, calendula, snapdragons, purple cornflowers, black-eyed Susans and none of the gravel found in most landscaping around the Valley. Regal Spanish colonial architecture incorporating state of the art materials and unique details from the namesake row of palm trees, 250-year-old fountain and laja negra dating back to 1692 at the entry to the ceramic tile “Lady of Spain” mural from the Delos Cooke’s original home, offer the ideal romantic setting for photos, meals and weddings.

The resort and landscaping are so enchanting, we don’t have to embellish the property at all and are able to focus on fulfilling the couple’s special requests,” explained Jocelyn Kraus, director of catering.

The culinary program and signature T. Cook’s restaurant, under the direction of Executive Chef Lee Hillson has earned praise from just about everyone from America’s Top Restaurants to Zagats. In January 2009, T. Cook’s four-course Inauguration menu offers guests the opportunity get the taste of John McCain’s defeat out of their mouths with dishes inspired by, and in some cases served at, past Presidential Inauguration Dinners. The Inaugural Dinner menu is offered nightly throughout the month of January 2009 for $50 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Incidentally, guests who can correctly match the Presidents to their favorite dishes during January qualify for a one-night stay in the Royal Palms’ Presidential Suite. The winner will be drawn by Chef Hillson on February 2, 2009.

The Royal Palms Resort and Spa is a AAA four Diamond resort and one of 32 independent, upscale, luxury hotels, resorts and golf clubs managed by Destination Hotels & Resorts in the United States. A member of the Historic Hotels of America, the Royal Palms was built in 1929 as the winter home of New York industrialist and financier Delos William Cooke and his wife, Florence. After serving as the private residence of several of the Valley’s most prominent citizens, the property opened its doors to guests as the Royal Palms Inn in 1948. The property underwent a multi-million dollar renovation lasting 12 months in 1997. The Royal Palms Resort and Spa is located at 5200 E. Camelback Road in Phoenix.

Arizona Spas, Golf Spas, Green Spa, Luxury Spas, Resort Spa, Spa Resort

 

This article is brought to you by Spavelous.com.

 http://www.spavelous.com

Why Play Golf?

Golf is one of the most widespread, popular sports in the world. Easy to begin, yet always challenging, it has a lot to offer everyone of any age, degree of fitness and level of skill. If you have never tried the game and wonder why it attracts so many others, consider some of the benefits it offers you and your community.

A drive through most colonized regions of the developed world will testify to the popularity of the sport of golf. Vast tracts of prime parkland in urban, suburban and rural communities are dedicated and meticulously maintained as fairways, greens and clubhouses. Devotees to the links will work their careers, domestic responsibilities and social life around their tee times. Weather will not daunt them and they will take advantage of every hour of daylight to fit in another round.

If you’ve never tried golf, this obsession may seem a bit baffling. Not everyone sees the attraction. Mark Twain, for one, defined golf as “a good walk spoiled.” Another has quipped: “Golf can best be defined as an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle.” So what is it about golf that continues to entice players? The many facets of the game of golf combine to offer you a wide range of physical, mental, emotional and social benefits.
Physical Fitness
The average walking circuit for a round of golf is about four miles, or six kilometres, which is an ideal distance done weekly to maintain relatively good physical fitness. If you walk briskly, you will increase your cardio-vascular and lung capacity. Normally, a person’s heart rate while playing golf does not elevate above 120 beats per minute, so the exercise does not qualify as a “cardio” or aerobic workout, but it is perfect for steadily burning fat.
If you pull your clubs or carry them, you’ll burn even more calories each round. A round of golf burns about 300 calories in a 150 pound individual who plays for 1 hour while carrying clubs. If you choose to ride in a cart, the same round of golf will burn 230 calories. The driving range burns about 200 calories per hour. Furthermore, swinging the club conditions your upper body and back while bending down to handle the ball helps keep all your joints and muscles supple.
The fact that golf involves hours outside is another benefit. Found in UVA rays, Vitamin D is essential for strong bones, regulating the amount of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. It also helps regulate the growth of skin cells. While you can eat some foods that are high in Vitamin D, your body can actually produce its own Vitamin D through exposure to sunlight. What more enjoyable way to do that than an afternoon on the course? Don’t forget to use sunscreen with the right UV protection.

Mental Acuity
Golf offers a challenge to your mind. You are always thinking when you play golf, whether it’s counting shots, working out your score or calculating yardages and club selection. Strategy, decision making, visualization and intense concentration are natural aspects of the play and the cerebral exercise will benefit your mental performance even off the course.
Skill Development
Golf develops our complex motor skills and dexterity. Since the game is based on finesse rather than brute force, it hones our control, muscle memory, balance and hand-eye coordination.

Stress Relief
There’s a fine line here. Scenes of golfers throwing or breaking their clubs after a flubbed shot are standard comedy fare. Obsessed competitors can send their blood pressure soaring in the quest for perfection on the course. Like any sport, golf can be an excellent stress reliever or it can become a nemesis to peace of mind; it all depends on your reason for playing.
By nature, though, golf is suited for stress relief. A quiet stroll in the open air with friends, unhurried play, mild exercise and the reward of a shot well placed goes a long way to dissipate the irritations of the work-a-day world at the office. Studies have shown that golf can trigger the release of powerful, natural, mood enhancing endorphins and hormones such as serotonin into the bloodstream. Their calming euphoric effect lasts for hours after the game.

Social Interaction
Golf is a social game; a chance to get to know your golf partners better. The etiquette and rules of golf encourage care and respect of others and the course. A round of golf can take up to four hours where individual differences disappear as playing the game becomes the common focus. Most often golf is played in pairs or foursomes, and even if you have come to the course alone, it is common to be invited to join others you have never met before.
One reason golfing creates a sense of social harmony is that it is a great equalizer; the handicapping system of golf is designed to enable the beginner to play competitively against the highly skilled. There are not many sports where you can compete fairly against the superstar.
Interaction on the course is usually marked by the telling of jokes, sharing stories, conducting business and simply getting to know one another. All of this is conducted in a non-threatening environment of friendly competition.

Appreciation of Nature
One of the best things about playing golf is you have the opportunity to walk on some beautiful courses, enjoying the scenery and fresh air. Manicured grass, lush trees, water features, birds and even small animals contribute to the pastoral atmosphere. In many urban settings, the only green space found for miles are the golf courses and they are often paired with parkland and recreational trails, so even those who do not venture onto to course still benefit from the grounds.
Community Service
Increasingly, golf is making a wider contribution to the community. Golf and country clubs host many tournaments in support of charities. This not only raises thousands of dollars to meet community needs but is also raises awareness of important issues and worthy causes. No matter what your age, degree of fitness or skill level, it is hard to beat golf as an excellent way to spend leisure time. If you have never tried it, you owe it to yourself to give it a go.

Top Ten Spa & Golf Resorts

Spa and Golf Resort Locations listed by State:

 

- Top Arizona Golf Spa Resorts
- Top California Golf Spa Resorts
- Top Colorado Golf Spa Resorts
- Top Florida Golf Spa Resorts
- Top Georgia Golf Spa Resorts
- Top Hawaii Golf Spa Resorts
- Top Idaho Golf Spa Resorts
- Top Illinois Golf Spa Resorts
- Top Michigan Golf Spa Resorts
- Top Nevada Golf Spa Resorts
- Top New York Golf Spa Resorts
- Top North Carolina Golf Spa Resorts
- Top Oregon Golf Spa Resorts
- Top Pennsylvania Golf Spa Resorts
- Top South Carolina Golf Spa Resorts
- Top Texas Golf Spa Resorts
- Top Virginia Golf Spa Resorts
- Top Vermont Golf Spa Resorts
- Top Wisconsin Golf Spa Resorts
- Top West Virginia Golf Spa Resorts

Arizona Spas, Florida Resort Spas, Golf Spa Resorts, Golf Spas

Florida: Spa getaways close to home

BELLA VITA RETREAT
Bella Boot Camp participants hit the beach at the Ocean Sands Resort & Spa Bella Villa Retreat in Pompano.

Looking for the ideal Florida spa getaway? Here are a few ideas to get your search started.
Note that many Miami-Dade spas are offering $99 treatments this month as part of Miami Spa Month.

A similar program in Broward County, Lauderdale Spa Chic, will be offered in September,

• Mayfair Hotel & Spa
Pet-friendly boutique hotel with 179 rooms and suites in heart of Coconut Grove, with rooftop infinity pool, sundeck and skybar to be completed this year; Jurlique Spa uses holistic and whole body elements.

• Delano Hotel 

Services at the center of chic’s rooftop Agua Spa, which has 360-degree views, include Lavender Basil Bamboo scrub, White Cloud Algae body mask treatment with Italian white mud body wrap, rub with essential oils.

• Red Door Lifestyle Spa, Hyatt Regency Bonaventure Conference Center & Spa, Weston.
Serene, Asian-inspired spa offers summer values. Through Sept. 30, the Girlfriends’ Getaway costs $187 per person, double occupancy and includes a 50-minute massage or facial, manicure and pedicure, make-up lesson, two days of fitness classes and two days of spa faciliaties. 954-349-5500;

 

• Bella Vita Retreat, Ocean Sands Resort & Spa, 

Offers the Bella Boot Camp fitness program. One week (six nights) including hotel room, three meals a day, fitness classes, nutrition analysis, body composition and $200 spa credit, is $2,495 single occupancy, $1,895 double; three-night camps are $1,595 single, $995 double.

• Naples Grande Beach Resort

Golden Door Spa has private gulf-front couple’s spa villa with private whirlpools, soaking tub, sundeck, patio. Services include Mommy-To-Be pregnancy massage or Mommy-&-Me mother and baby massage.

• Don CeSar Beach Resort

The majestic pink resort recently opened a new 11,000-square-foot Spa Oceana with skin care treatments, body wraps, salon services and barber; plus spa services including reflexology, Thai massage, Mommy-To-Be massage, Reiki massage, plus aromatherapy and aromastone massages.

• Sandpearl Resort
Clearwater Beach’s newest resort has 253 gulf- or bay-view rooms and suites. Yoga massage, Thai and stone massages are among the spa services offered.

• Sawgrass Golf Resort & Spa

Spa at Sawgrass is a 25,000-square-foot Zen sanctuary with body treatments and wraps, hydrotherapy baths, massage, including Thai (yoga) massages, facials and salon services. There’s also yoga, Pilates and spinning classes.

• Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island

Ritz-Carlton Spa services include body wraps, scrubs, and polishes, massages for moms-to-be, Hadashi massage where therapists balance from bars while using their feet to relieve muscle tension, energizing facials and Slumber Therapy reflexology treatment, plus full-service salon and fitness center.

• Casa Marina Resort & Beach Club

Ocean Breeze massage on the beach; body scrubs, masks and more.

• Pier House Resort and Caribbean Spa

 Spa specials include a Mango Mud Wrap, Chocolate Kiss wrap and caviar facial with ”micronized” caviar and pearl extract.

• Canyon Ranch Spa Club at Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center

Polished surroundings, well-trained staff, silk robes lined in plush terry, hot moist towels and fruits in the tea lounge create a harmonious setting. Treatments include various massages, energy therapies including reiki, body wraps, ayurvedic oil treatments, facials and full salon services.

• Ritz-Carlton Orlando,

From spacious and elegantly appointed lounges to the private spa pool and cafe, the 40,000-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Spa is, simply, one of the most beautiful in Florida. Treatments include herbal friction massages, Thai massage, a Tuscan Citrus skin cure, Emerald Green Body Masque, plus cellulite treatments, facials, baths, body polishes and salon services.

• Sanibel Harbor Resort & Spa

Named one of the ”Top 10 Spa Resorts in the U.S.” by Conde Nast Traveler. The spa has a full range of massage, facial, salon services, plus BETAR (Bio Energetic Transduction Aided Resonance) bed session ($75), one of only 16 worldwide, where sound waves bathe the entire body, promoting relaxation.

• Pink Shell Beach Resort & Spa

Aquagene Spa offers a range of services, including poolside massages, teen manicures and pedicures.

Canyon Ranch, Florida Resort Spas, Florida Spas, Girlfriend Spa Getaway, Golf Spas, Spa Getaways, Spa Resort, Spas

This article is brought to you by Spavelous.com. http://www.spavelous.com

 

SPA GETAWAYS IN-DEPTH

Prepare to be pampered Celeb sightings, as well

 

Miami and Miami Beach probably have the highest concentration of luxury resort spas in the world, and the grand and glamorous openings are gaining momentum.

 

Independent boutique hotels and major hotel chains such as Fairmont, Mandarin Oriental and Ritz-Carlton have created sublime, serene spa getaways to pamper the seemingly endless stream of snowbirds and celebrities who flock to South Florida Spas. Speilberg, Scorsese and Seinfeld all party here, and more than 11 million other fun-lovers come every year for the sun and sand, fabulous food, avant-garde fashion and hot nightclubs.

 

However, all that brilliant sunshine and frenetic nightlife take a toll. Dozens of spas, new and established, are waiting to dish out wellness. If there is one common thread linking spas in and around Miami, it is luxury. Prepare to be pampered royally.

 

A pioneer in the spa industry, the Doral Golf Resort & Spa, a Marriott Resort, opened the first major wellness centre in Florida more than 20 years ago. The 265-hectare resort, which has been host to celebs such as Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake, is marking its 45th anniversary and recently completed a $100-million renovation.

 

The Spa at Doral is a separate, 48-room retreat in the style of an Italian villa, with more than 100 creative treatments, fitness facilities, indoor track, and heated indoor, outdoor and lap pools. The award-winning wellness program includes one-on-one nutrition consultations, a gourmet spa dining room, cooking demonstrations and recipes, and almost 50 unusual exercise classes, ranging from yoga for golf to Latin dance.

 

Doral also is world-renowned for its five championship golf courses, including the notorious Blue Monster, site of a PGA tournament for the past 40 years.

 

Doral Golf Resort & Spa, a Marriott Resort with nearly 700 guest rooms, is located west of Miami International Airport. The Spa at Doral is a comprehensive wellness centre, with 48 guest rooms and 52 spa treatment rooms. Details: www.doralresort.com, 800-713-6725.

 

The Mandarin Oriental, in downtown Miami, is a serene escape in a busy city, serving the business elite and international VIPs. The Mandarin’s cool quotient is sky-high, attracting such celebrity clients as Mick Jagger, Penelope Cruz and the Dalai Lama. It’s posh enough to have a personal shopping escort and private elevators to its exclusive suites. The hotel’s Azul Restaurant’s Latin-French-Asian cuisine has earned Florida’s only five-star Mobil award.

 

The three-level spa is enclosed by panoramic glass walls overlooking Miami Bay. The Asian-influenced decor uses bamboo, rice paper and linen. Special spa treatments include Thai massage or couple’s massage. The hotel recently opened the Oasis Beach Club for swimming and outdoor treatments next to the ocean. The Gentlemen’s Retreat works on flexibility and strength with a deep-tissue massage, a purifying facial and a foot treatment. The Mandarin also has day service with limousine pickup for travellers with long layovers at Miami Airport.

 

Mandarin Oriental, in Miami’s business district, near South Beach, is a five-star hotel with 327 deluxe rooms and suites and 17 spa treatment rooms. Details: www.mandarinoriental.com, 305-913-8288.

 

High-profile hotel-spas with 2007 or 2008 opening dates include Canyon Ranch Living – Miami Beach , a branch of North American’s best-known spa in Arizona; Gansevoort South , the first branch of the hip landmark hotel in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District; Mondrian South Beach , owned by Morgans Hotel Group, which owns Morgans and The Royalton in Manhattan; and Nicky O South Beach  by Nicky Hilton.

 

The reopening of the vintage oceanfront Eden Roc Renaissance Resort & Spa will be a landmark step in the revitalization of Miami Beach’s iconic hotel strip, Ocean Drive. Be assured of princely luxury. This section of Ocean Drive also is known as Millionaires’ Row and encompasses another iconic hotel and spa, The Fountainbleau.

Full Article

Spas In Florida

Find A Spa or Search the right Florida spa just for you

Florida Medical Spas • Florida Resort Spas • Florida Spas

Destination Spa, Florida Salon, Florida Spas, Golf Spas, Resort Spa, Spa, Spa Experience, Spa Resort

This article is brought to you by Spavelous.com. http://www.spavelous.com

Eight Great Getaways For Dad

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.

Full Article

Adventure Spa, Father's Day Spa Gift, Father's Day Spa Special, Golf Spas, Men Spa, Men Spas, Men's Shave

This article is brought to you by Spavelous.com.

http://www.spavelous.com

World’s Best Golf Spas in the USA

Tiger Woods will begin his attempt to win golf’s calendar-year grand slam during the Masters tournament at Augusta National in Georgia this weekend. Nick Mastroianni might suggest starting the tournament with a massage.

It’s easy to see why. Along with getting his shoes shined and his clubs repaired on-site, Mastroianni, a 44-year-old real estate developer and member of the Ritz Carlton Golf Club & Spa in Jupiter, Fla., frequently uses the club’s spa, which offers customized massages that target golfer-specific sore spots, such as the upper shoulder, back and core.

Although he had never stepped into a spa before entering the one at the Ritz, Mastroianni said it was easy to get over any discomfort. After realizing how much the treatment benefited his game, he made his massage a weekly ritual.

“The massages have loosened up my swing considerably,” he says. “It makes a big difference in completing the full shoulder turn.”

The Ritz is one of many worldwide resorts catering to golfers looking to indulge in a spa treatment before or after a round.

This trend coincides with an uptick in men spas, and an uptick in women on the links. corporate planners are looking to golf/spa combinations when organizing off-site meetings.

These large groups are part of the reason why Jill Eisenhut, spa director at the Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz., began adding golf-specific treatments to the menu in 2003.

“We have groups that get together once a year,” she says. “They play the golf courses and then follow up with a massage and a facial afterwards.”

They also help the bottom line. Eisenhut says that since introducing them, the number of golf-specific treatments performed on clients has steadily risen. Those treatments now make up 15% of the spa’s revenue.

Golfers: Would you get a pre- or post-round treatment? Weigh in. Add your thoughts in the Reader Comments section below.

“More people are aware of the spa because we offer treatments for golfers,” says Eisenhut. “If a group of guys check in and one of them is interested in getting a massage, five of them will end up doing it.”

Treatments at Willow Stream include a golf performance massage–which was developed in part by golfers David Leadbetter and Charles Howell III and incorporates stretching and acupressure–as well as the Up-to-Par experience, which consists of a hair and scalp massage combined with a body massage.

The latest offering–Fit to a Tee–is a vigorous, hour-long exercise-and-stretching regimen that aims to improve one’s game. Before and after these treatments, guests spend time on one of many local courses, which is arranged by the hotel’s golf-specific concierge service.

Places like Willow Stream may have pioneered the experience, but golf-specific spa treatments aren’t just popular in the U.S. Renowned Scottish golf resort Gleneagles opened its $16 million, 20,500-square-foot, full-service spa last month. Many of the featured treatments are for the golfer, including a reflexology massage that is said to help the body naturally restore and maintain its own healthy balance.

Today, no matter what course you’re on, it’s a safe bet that you’ll be soaking your feet in essential oils, rather than Epson salts, after the game.

• Full Article

The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
Sonoma, Calif.

In Sonoma, your golf game is almost as important as your tasting palate. The spa at the Mission Inn offers a fitness program–Pilates for Golf–that promises to help improve a golfer’s posture and core strength, both vital components of a successful swing. Trainers meet with guests for 20- to 60-minute sessions on a Pilates mat that work your core muscles, from plank to tabletop positions. Post-workout, guests tee off at the Sonoma Golf Club, a 177-acre, PGA course that looks out onto the Sonoma mountain range.

Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
Scottsdale, Ariz.

The Scottsdale Princess began offering golf-centric spa treatments five years ago, and its proprietors consider themselves pioneers in the category. Along with a golf performance massage–which was developed in part by golfers David Leadbetter and Charles Howell III and incorporates stretching and acupressure–treatments include the Up-to-Par experience, which is a hair and scalp massage combined with a body massage. Before and after these treatments, guests spend time on one of many local courses, which is arranged by the hotel’s golf-specific concierge service.

Doral Golf Resort & Spa
Doral, Fla.

With five PGA-approved courses, this resort offers golf fanatics plenty of challenging holes. Before heading out to the greens, guests are encouraged to schedule a Golfer’s One-on-One workout, which focuses on body alignment, static/dynamic balance and body flexibility. For a post-golf indulgence, the spa’s new Sensory Journeys, which range from a 90-minute oil massage to a two-and-half-hour Ayurvedic body scrub and massage, aim to revive sore muscles.

Kohler Waters Spa at the American Club
Kohler, Wis.

Kohler offers two golf clubs, Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits, that have both hosted major PGA tournaments and include a total of four courses. The nearby Kohler Waters Spa caters to players in a glass-enclosed rooftop deck with whirlpool, fireplace and lounge. The Golfer’s Foot Renewal is a post-game treatment that includes a pedicure as well as a self-heating mud mask, meant to re-energize your soles. That’s followed up by a soothing foot massage.

The Lodge at Pebble Beach
Pebble Beach, Calif.

Pebble Beach was ranked the No. 1 golf resort in America by Golf Digest in 2007, and it’s difficult to find a dedicated player who isn’t a fan of these links. Whether it’s on the course at Spanish Bay or Spyglass Hill, a round is sure to challenge the most advanced golfers.

The Golfer’s Hole-in-One package includes an 80-minute Sports Bodywork massage–a deep-tissue massage to stretch muscles and work out knots–and a 25-minute Golfer’s Foot Renewal, which includes a foot soak and massage.

Ritz Carlton Golf Club & Spa
Jupiter, Fla.

Members of the 18-hole, Audubon-certified Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course at the Ritz enjoy access to the 68,000-square-foot golf course, a concierge service, and shoe shine and golf club maintenance services. But the golfer-specific massage at the spa tops the list of amenities. Your assigned aesthetician will design a massage that targets specific sore spots, loosening up your golf swing in return.

Arizona Spas, California Spas, Florida Spas, Golf Spas, Spa Getaways, Spa Resort, Spa Treatments, Spas, Wisconsin Spas