The Hyatt Tamaya Resort and Spa hotel, owned by Santa Ana Pueblo, has upgraded its ballroom, spa and bar and has renovated all of its 327 guest rooms. New flat panel televisions are going in as well.

It might seem counterintuitive to invest so much now when the economy has hit hard destination resorts like Tamaya. But Jerry Westenhaver, general manager of the hotel, said the renovations had been budgeted for some time. Also, when business is down, it’s a logical time to do construction.

“The impact on business would be minimal,” he said. “The ballroom is the engine that drives all things, so taking it down would have little impact.”

It’s also cheaper, Westenhaver added.

“With the economy, you can get a lot more work done for less money,” he said. “It’s called leveraging.”

The Pueblo is committed to keeping the product up, he added.

“It’s our second renovation in eight years,” Westenhaver said. “Most hotels don’t go through that. They are committed to doing this and improving the property, regardless of economic conditions.”

The Rio Lounge is where changes are the most obvious. The bar that stood along the windows overlooking the Sandias and the bosque along the Rio Grande has been moved against a wall. It was blocking the best view in the house, Westenhaver said.

A new onyx panel behind the bar is lit from within, lending a pleasant golden light. Large glass doors now open onto a round terrace that has a casual restaurant and fire pits. The lounge also got all new furniture and carpeting.

The Tamaya Mist spa has new slate floors and walls, new carpeting and doors. A common outdoor area will get additional upgrades early next year with a fire pit and a waterfall, as well as kivas with turquoise accents

“We’re probably the only truly cultural resort in the country,” Westenhaver said. “We don’t want to lose that essence, just freshen it up a bit.”

Flick-Mars of Dallas did the renovation design. Andy Lee General Contractor LLC, based in Albuquerque, did renovation work in the suites. Hart Construction of Albuquerque did the Rio Grande Lounge and the spa work.

Westenhaver has a five-member board from the Pueblo he meets with to make sure designs and any promotions the hotel does are in line with the Pueblo’s cultural heritage.

The hotel is offering a promotion this month in honor of Mother’s Day where “mom” and a guest get free breakfast and a two-for-one manicure or pedicure. It’s also continuing a promotion offering guests half off the room rate on their birthday and a free spa treatment and meal in the Corn Maiden (if their guest buys a meal and a spa treatment). That goes through next April, Westenhaver said.

The economy has taken its toll on the resort, he added, as well-heeled travelers watch their 401(k)s drop. Then there’s what he calls the “AIG effect.” Hyatt has had millions in cancellations as corporations pull back from travel and business meetings that might be deemed too luxurious. The Tamaya has felt that too, he said.

Westenhaver said the Tamaya is focusing on regional marketing in nearby states as well as New Mexico. It’s also using technology more aggressively. About 60 percent of its ads will be placed online and in markets like Dallas, Denver and Houston.

Full Article and Credits

New Mexico Spas, Spa, Spas in USA New Mexico Spa Resort, Spa Renovation

In late November, a couple of months after the global financial crisis leaped to the top of news reports, spa lovers browsing  were showing new interest in a concept fit for jittery times. Along with the usual search terms, like “day spas” and “massage,” a newly prominent word was typed into the site’s search engine three times more often than it had been in the summer. That word was “stress.”

Interest hasn’t waned since.   Not only is “stress” still showing up often in the site’s searches, but weekly traffic to “stress management”  has doubled since the summer months.

When the economy was good, taking a spa vacation was largely about pampering yourself. It didn’t matter that the afterglow of that $165 carrot-and-sesame body buff lasted only until your next shower. Now, with the sinking economy on most people’s minds, a trip to the spa has become something else — an investment of sorts, in well-being.

The shift in mood is not lost on spa owners, who have long been savvy marketers, convincing people of the purifying qualities of sweat lodges and persuading them that a nightingale cleansing mask, made from sanitized bird droppings, was truly worth $109.

 

Miraval, the spa resort company based in Tucson, Ariz., is offering a new De-Stress Me package designed for “these trying times,” according to Tracey Anne Latkovic, the vice president of sales and marketing.

 

 

The Eldorado Hotel and Spa in Santa Fe, N.M., is running a Stress Bailout promotion to attract travelers looking “to escape the non-stop coverage of the economy,” according to a press release.

 

 

And under the usual New Agey marketing jargon that flashes across the sleek home page of Canyon Ranch, the destination spa company that was luring guests for body poundings and weight-loss regimens before the modern spa proliferation was a gleam in marketers’ eyes, there is a new message straight from its founders, Enid and Mel Zuckerman. “Has there ever been a time when you could have used an escape to Canyon Ranch more?” it reads, under the caption “The Vacation You Need” and a proverb about health, hope and happiness.

“No?” the pitch continues. “Then book your healthy, revitalizing getaway today and let us help you re-establish your balance. In times like these, nothing — nothing at all — is more important than taking care of yourself and on focusing on what really matters: Health, hope, love and a tranquil mind.”

During past economic downturns, Zuckerman said in an interview, business had been “very strong, because people need to get away to deal with stress, deal with fear, go to behaviorists, do life management, protect their health.” So far, Canyon Ranch’s revenues are “holding up very nicely” this time, too, he said, despite a dip in occupancy of about 10 percent in Tucson and Lenox in 2008. And the company opened a new luxury spa in Miami in December, just when the recession was proving itself entrenched.

Of course, a little financial incentive also helps. To battle the uncertain economy’s dampening effect on leisure spending, spas are marrying their new emphasis on stress relief with a flood of discounts and deals.

Rancho La Puerta, just over the California border in Tecate, Mexico, explains its decision to keep prices at 2008 levels — starting at $2,795 a person for seven nights, double occupancy — this way on its Web site: “We feel that in these tumultuous times a destination spa vacation is more important than ever.” It has also run Bring a Friend promotions that allow a guests to double up and share $1,500 to $2,200 in savings.

Miraval’s Authentic Remedy package, which starts at $399 a person a night — more than 40 percent off regular rates — includes extras like organic wine tastings and cooking classes. Mii amo, at Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Ariz., is holding rates at 2008 levels and offering other discounts.

Not to be outdone, the Golden Door in Escondido has rolled back weekly rates to 2007 levels of $7,750 a person through May 24, down from $8,275 originally planned for this year, and is offering $500 savings if you bring a friend.

Even Canyon Ranch, which has never lowered its published rates — “I could never compromise our standards or cut our programs because we no longer could be who we are,” Zuckerman said — is tinkering with pricing.

Canyon Ranch in Tucson is offering credits of up to $350 for stays of at least four nights (which start at $3,770 a person, based on double occupancy) to out-of-towners, to help offset airfares. Its sister property in Lenox, Mass., has a fifth-night-free deal through April — in effect a discount of as much as $1,000 depending on accommodations and time of week — and is also offering 15 percent in savings when two guests who have never stayed at a Canyon Ranch resort share accommodations.

Last year, at the second-annual Global Spa Summit in New York, Ian Schrager, the trendsetting hotelier who is designing a new spa brand for Marriott, suggested another way spas could improve business — add spaces where spagoers can hang out. “These are places where people can meet and socialize before or after spa treatments,” he said in a keynote address. “People feel good when they come out of the spa and spas can take advantage of that.”

Spa owners have no more insight than anyone else into how long tough economic times will last. “I have no idea whether we got another year or two or three years ahead of us,” Zuckerman said. But recently, Canyon Ranch bookings have been picking up ever so slightly, he said, which he takes as “the message that people still want and need what we have to offer.”

For the nail-biting stress victim who still has enough money left to relax at a spa at all, this may not be entirely the worst of times.

Full Article and Credits

Top Stress Relief Spas and Spa Deals

Spas …The Best Stress Less Step 

Affordable Spa, Arizona Spas, California Spa, Destination Spa, Miraval, New Mexico Spas, Stress Management Spas Canyon Ranch, Destination Spas, ElDorado Hotel, Golden Door, Miraval, Spa, Spa Discounts, Spa Stress Packages, Stress, Stress Management

As the relaxation capital of the United States, Santa Fe provides a myriad of new and upgraded spas in 2009, as well as an online complimentary healing resource.

The Hotel Santa Fe Spa is newly constructed, and offers a comprehensive selection of massages, Ayurvedic and spa treatments, body and skin care, and nail services.

Other new spas in the area include the Nidah Spa at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa, The Spa at Encantado, and the historic Inn of the Five Graces.

The new Tranquillity Flotation, Massage and Healing Center features the only flotation tanks in the city, as well as an infrared sauna.

The Spa at Loretto was one of the properties under new management, which underwent significant upgrades in the past year.

Similarly, one of the favourites RockResorts Spa at La Posada has had its entry rearranged, new furniture added to the relaxation area, the addition of a 24 hour fitness room and a shower for the couple’s treatment room.

One of the oldest spas in the region, Ten Thousand Waves, has continued to refine its services whilst maintaining its Japanese traditions.

Spas in Sante Fe NM

Spas in New Mexico

New Mexico Spas, Spas in NM

 

This article is brought to you by Spavelous.com.

 http://www.spavelous.com

The Grand Opening of Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort & Spa at Buffalo Thunder Echoes across the Desert
The Ultimate Destination for Pleasure Seekers, This Unique Property Combines Resort Luxury with the Spectacular Scenery of New Mexico

 Hilton Hotels Corporation today announced the grand opening of the Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort & Spa at Buffalo Thunder, a stunning desert rose nestled at the foot of the beautiful Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Northern New Mexico. Encompassing 587 acres of pristine land, it is the largest fully inclusive destination resort in the state. This newly built property features 395 spectacularly decorated rooms and suites featuring authentic Pueblo architecture and design elements. The resort also offers a variety of recreation and entertainment options, including a golf course and driving range, pools, tennis courts, and a 16,000 ft spa. It is only minutes from the eclectic cultural center of Santa Fe, a city rich in heritage and the arts, as well as the neighboring cities of Taos and Los Alamos.

Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort & Spa at Buffalo Thunder is operated by the Puganini Towa Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pueblo of Pojoaque under a franchise license agreement with HLT Existing Franchise Holding LLC, and managed by Hilton Management LLC, both subsidiaries of Hilton Hotels Corporation.

“This is a truly one-of-a-kind resort that will offer a unique experience to the visitors to New Mexico,” said Jeff Diskin, senior vice president, Hilton Brand Management, Hilton Hotels & Resorts. “The integration of Native American architecture and culture with the first-rate Hilton hospitality, amenities and service will stimulate the senses and ensure an inspirational stay.”

Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort & Spa at Buffalo Thunder offers an all-inclusive destination with services and activities catering to every taste. The hotel’s 36-hole Towa Golf Course was designed by Hale Irwin and Bill Phillips, and New Mexico’s stunning landscape offers a magical setting for world-class golf. Whether taking a break from the golf course, or just seeking some rejuvenation, visitors can relax by the hotel’s two outdoor pools; work out in the health club featuring Hilton Fitness by Precor equipment; and get pampered with hair, skin and beauty treatments that borrow heavily from the ancient Native American therapy elements at the Wo’ P’in Spa. Those wishing to further immerse themselves in the region’s art and culture can browse the onsite Santa Fe Indian Market Gallery, the only Southwest Association of Indian Arts-endorsed retail outlet in the United States, or take a walking tour ofthe resort’shundreds of unique pieces of Pueblo art andarchitectural elements.

The resort is a conference organizer’s dream with 66,000 ft of meeting and convention space, including a Hilton Meetings room; a 24 hour business center; an Executive level and lounge; onsite audio/visual support; and available video conferencing.

Boasting six restaurants, including celebrity chef Mark Miller’s signature Red Sage restaurant serving up fresh southwest cuisine with native influences, the resort is a food-lovers fantasy. Gastronomes can also enjoy the offerings at the traditional, full-service restaurant Mica Room, the Turquoise Trail Bar and Grille, the Painted Parrot Buffet, the outdoor Pool Grille, and the Starbucks Coffee onsite location.

Each beautifully appointed guestroom, themed in Native American dA(C)cor, is furnished with the Hilton Serenity Collection(R) of amenities, which includes the Hilton Serenity Bed with the Serta(R) Suite Dreams(R) mattress and box springs, Pacific Coast(R) down duvet, Super Topper mattress pads and top-quality linens and pillows. Standard amenities will also include the Hilton Serenity Bath Collection, featuring the exclusive Crabtree and Evelyn line of La Source(R) bath products; a Cuisinart(R) dual-cup, single brew coffeemaker and Lavazza(R) coffee; the easy-to-set Hilton Family alarm clock with MP3 player connectivity; high-speed Internet with wireless access; and a 37-inch LCD flat screen television. Select rooms feature traditional latilla wooden ceiling treatments, oversized windows and fireplaces.

The Hilton Santa Fe Resort and Spa at Buffalo Thunder is conveniently located at 20 Buffalo Thunder Trail,Santa Fe, New Mexico 87506, 15 miles from the Santa Fe County Municipal Airport and 67 miles from the Albuquerque International Airport.

Full Article & Credits

Related Articles

Finding your “purpose in life”

Native American Folk Lore … Herbs & Botanicals

Cleansing and Clearing

Smudging Ceremony For Cleansing The Energy

Spirit Connection

Healing Power of the Circle

Sweat Lodges

The Beat Goes On … Prayer, Chants, and Music

Therapeutic Touch & Energy Work

Hopi Ear Candles

Native American Inspired Spa Treatments

Try Tribal Treatments

Golf Spas, New Mexico Spas, Resort Spa, Spa Resorts

 

Travel Q & A: New Mexico spas

 

I’m considering going to have a high-end New Mexico spa weekend. Any ideas?

 

- Kristin Carlson, Morgan Hill In my dream world, the nation’s philanthropic foundations rise up in horror at the plight of the Fourth Estate, realize how inexorably linked our downsizing is to the future health of the democracy and put this watchdog industry back on sound financial footing. Then, maybe then, I could be paid to perform such public services as reviewing high-end spas in the Southwest desert. (Oh, sure, we could beef up the investigative reporting team, too. I’m a reasonable woman.)

 

Until then, we’ll have to rely on unbiased reports from those who do go to spas as regular ol’ paying customers. But wait, she says, pulling tongue out of cheek. Who does that these days? Many spa magazines and spa web sites are closely aligned with the spa industry itself. They may have terrific spa experts on staff, but I suggest you weigh their reports with the proverbial grain of salt (from the pink sands of paradise, to be used in your $150 salt scrub).

 

SpaFinder, for example, lists only three spas in New Mexico: Hyatt Regency Tamaya, RockResorts at La Posada and Spa Sumadhi at Sunrise Springs. There is no mention of the dozen other New Mexico  getaway spas in the state.

Spavelous Featured

- Top New Mexico Resort Spas

- Top New Mexico Romantic Spas

Find A Spa or Search the New Mexico spa just for you

 

Spa magazine’s Web site offers blurbs on six New Mexico spas, with each write-up more adjective-filled than the one before it.

 

We remembered that Allure magazine sends out “undercover reporters” to check out spas and salons. Alas, it appears they haven’t been to New Mexico yet.

 

But plenty of travelers who contribute opinions to Zagat surveys have, and they regularly give high marks to Ten Thousand Waves spa in Santa Fe.

 

As do most spa devotees we know. Longtime travel writer Anne Chalfant calls Ten Thousand Waves, which is popular with both women and men, “one of the best low-key spas anywhere.”

“There are options for private hot tubs set under the piñon pines, or community hot tubs,” she says. “Don’t look for a facial or to get your nails done – it’s not that kind of spa. Instead, it’s a lovely, quieting place, like a Japanese onsen.”

 

Kyle Wagner of the Denver Post raves about Ojo Caliente.

“An hour southwest of Taos sits an oasis of sanity, and a true rarity: a reasonably priced spa, complete with four geothermal springs and a mud pool,” Wagner says. “It has wonderful American Indian spiritual undertones, and leans more toward the basics, but the full-service treatments are top-notch.”

 

Full Article

Inn and Spa at Loretto

 

TOP SPA TRIPADVISOR

 

Spa Reference Quick Links

 

Spa Search In Each States

Day Spa, New Mexico Spas, Romantic Spas