Travel Agent spoke Monday to Stephane Zaharia, vice president and general manager of the CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa in Anguilla, and learned that the hotel's recently-revamped spa remains one of the hotel's biggest draws, despite the addition of a Greg Norman-designed golf course.
Roughly four years ago, the property formerly known as CuisinArt Resort & Spa acquired the neighboring Temenos resort, giving the longtime luxury hotel something it was missing for years – a signature golf course.
So, the popular resort in Anguilla changed its name to CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa to call attention to its newly acquired and refurbished Greg Norman-designed 18-hole golf course, but although the golf addition has received much fanfare since it opened, the resort’s spa, coupled with the hotel’s robust culinary offerings, continues to be one its top draws.
"We now have everything we need to be a complete resort experience - a new golf course, an expanded spa and our own hydroponic farm," says Zaharia. "In fact, we recently raised the rates significantly and it hasn't affected our business the least bit. All of our repeat customers keep coming back."
After a $10 million renovation a few years back tripled its size to 27,000 square feet, the Venus Spa & Fitness Center now offers clients 16 new treatment rooms, a men’s club room, a VIP suite, an expanded fitness facility, two couples suites, an exclusively designed indoor aqua therapy pool and a full-service salon.
"The spa continues to be one of our best features as most of the treatements are pretty unique," says Zaharia. "Any of our water-related treatements are always very popular among guests."
Venus Spa’s indoor aqua therapy pool, said to be the first of its kind in the Caribbean, has built-in lounges and soothing hydrotherapy jets where clients can soak in warm nutrient enriched saltwater known for its healing properties. The warmth and buoyancy of the mineral saltwater is said to help to eliminate outside stress by promoting detoxification and relieving tension and muscle aches.
Venus Spa offers a number of signature Healing Waters treatments, including aqua massage therapy and aqua reflexology. These treatments incorporate a variety of techniques, such as massage, pressure point, passive range of motion and stretching – all translated into the medium of water.
The 300 square-foot Men’s Club Room was designed to pamper and provide privacy for male guests of Venus Spa. A variety of treatments catering to men are offered here, including hot stone massage, tandem four-handed massage, gentleman’s facials, pedicures and the traditional hot towel shave. The Men’s Club Room also features a relaxation lounge within the men’s locker room where cool complimentary beverages are served.
The full-service Venus Salon offers a range of beauty treatments such as manicures, pedicures, hair styling services, makeup application and more.
The resort’s fitness facility has state-of-the-art TechnoGym equipment and Kinesis System weight training. Personal training sessions and private yoga instruction are offered for an additional charge.
In a June 7, 2011, public auction, the resort’s owner, billionaire entrepreneur Leandro P. Rizzuto, placed the highest bid on Temenos after the property had fallen into receivership. Located next to CuisinArt Resort on a four-mile stretch of Anguillan beach, the luxury development project comprised beachfront estate homes, luxury villas, a $50 million Greg Norman-designed 18-hole golf course and a hotel.
Later that summer Rizzuto signed an agreement to purchase Temenos, and CuisinArt assumed ownership of the entire project in late August 2011. The resort reopened in October 15 of that year under its new name, CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa.
CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa’s 93 luxurious guest rooms and suites are composed of nine luxury rooms, 60 junior suites, 10 luxury junior suites and 10 one-bedroom suites that can be combined into two-bedroom accommodations. The resort also has six private three- and five-bedroom beachfront and garden view villas.
The Best Spa Treatements
The spa's most popular treatments are the Hydroponic Cucumber & Aloe Wrap and the Caribbean Sea Salt Glo, while the best treatement for couples is the Couples Rendezvous and The Art of Couples Massage journey. Here's what to expect from all four:
Hydroponic Cucumber & Aloe Wrap: Hydroponic cucumbers are combined with fresh aloe to provide instant relief from sunburn and help restore moisture to dry, dehydrated skin. A soothing seaweed cream application completes the treatment.
Caribbean Sea Salt Glo: A blend of Italian olive oil and marine salts infused with essential flower oils and fresh seaweed deeply cleanse, invigorate, and reveal younger looking skin. A luxurious moisturizer application is included with the 50-minute service.
Two spacious couples suites have outdoor terraces equipped with either a couples outdoor shower or a couples Jacuzzi tub. Venus Spa can offer nearly every treatment (excluding aqua therapy) in either of these suites, in addition to its two signature couples journeys:
Couples Rendezvous: This four-part couples journey includes an Anguillian coconut pineapple scrub, couples Swiss duet rain shower, couples massage, and floral bath soak. Strawberries and champagne complete the romantic experience.
The Art of Couples Massage: Massage therapists demonstrate and teach couples the basic massage techniques that increase circulation, relax tired muscles and soothe the spirit. It is meant to be an opportunity for couples to grow closer while acquiring a skill that will enhance any relationship.
Visit www.cuisinartresort.com and follow Travel Agent's Joe Pike on Twitter @TravelPike.