New La Prairie Spa at Le Bristol Hotel Paris

The "Russian Room" // Photo by Richard Nahem

Richard Nahem, an ex-New Yorker living in Paris, leads private insider tours showing visitors the Paris most of them never see on their own (www.eyepreferparistours.com), and also writes a popular insider's blog www.eyepreferparis.com.

The Bristol Hotel is Parisian refined luxury at its height. In a quest to compete with a spate of new luxury spas in other hotels in the city, they have teamed up with the prestigious skincare company La Prairie from Switzerland. Designed by Maja Oetker along with French architect Pierre-Yves Rochon, the tri-level spa is all about calm and serenity.

The jewel of the spa is the “Russian Room”, which has a marble heating table with a shower head, the first of its kind in Paris. The pristine white room on the lower level also contains a private Turkish bath. For something a little romantic, there are duo rooms where couples can intimately relax with a whirlpool, private terrace, and a private Turkish bath. Hands and feet are given special treatment with a room dedicated especially to them.

Although the spa is under the name La Prairie, four other brands of European style treatments are offered. London-based The Organic Pharmacy uses only organic ingredients in all its treatment products. From the shores of Brittany is Les Thermes Marins de Saint Malo, a brand of skincare that uses the marine environment as a base for its products. Russie Blanche products are inspired by the traditional Russian Baniya method, which uses birch branches containing essential oils and helps restore the body. Maison de l’Argan specializes in products that use argon oil, which has restorative qualities and softens the skin.

Specialty treatments include an aromatherapy/made to measure massage, which lets you select your own body oil to be used for your massage, the Under Rain massage using the French thalassotherapy method where hot drops of rain release your stress, the Japanese Body Brushing treatment, which uses a dry brush to cleanse the body and improves circulation, and most exotic of all is the Organic green coffee and chili oil body sculpting treatment, which tones and re-sculpts your silhouette and improves blood and lymph circulation and helps eliminate toxins.

In addition to the spa, an inviting rooftop pool awaits you with vistas of Paris surrounded by a handsome teak and glass room inspired by a 19th century yacht.

Le Bristol Paris
112 rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008
Tel. 01 53 43 41 67
Open Monday to Saturday, 10AM to 7PM

Paris Spas

Spas in Paris are just what you would expect: glamorous, sumptuous, and luxurious. Most of the major five-star hotels have spas and with good reason: After a hectic day of sightseeing and shopping, one is usually most ready for a soothing massage, an invigorating facial, or relaxing in a sauna or steam room. Here are three of the top Paris spas for your pleasure.

Anne Fontaine
Anne Fontaine, famous for her iconic white blouses sold in her boutiques all over the world, has expanded her universe. She has opened a world-class spa in the lower level of her flagship shop on the tony rue St. Honore. Together with the well-known French interior designer Andree Putman, they have created a stunning space with an Amazonian rain forest theme to it, complete with spacious treatment rooms with mosaic walls and a two-story waterfall. Some of their more exotic treatments include the Girl from Impanema 12 coconut massage, the four-handed one (two masseuses at the same time), and the La foulee therapy, where someone uses their feet to massage you.

Ann Fontaine Spa
370 rue St. Honore, 1st arr.
Tel. 01 42 61 03 70

Dior Institut at the Plaza Athenee
As far as a luxury spa, it doesn’t get more decadent than the newly opened Dior Institut. In keeping up with Dior haute-couture, the five treatment rooms are lavishly decorated with lavender silk tufted walls and silver and white updated versions of Dior’s emblematic medallion chairs. After their treaments clients can linger in herbal-tea relaxation lounge, fitness space, an authentic hammam, or the centerpiece of the spa, a serene pool.

To celebrate their first anniversary, Dior Institut is introducing their newest treatment, the Dazzling Complexion. Your worn out skin will feel re- oxygenated, rejuvenated, and smooth after the 50 minute refreshing treatment. Other treatments offered are the  75 minute anti-jet lag facial, L’or de Vie revitalizing treatment, and Detox Energy treatment. Dior cosmetics are used exclusively.


Dior Institut at Plaza Athenee Hotel
25 Ave. Montaigne, 8th arr.
Tel. 01 53 67 66 65
http://www.plaza-athenee-paris.com/spa-fitness

Spa Valmont at Le Meurice Hotel
The legendary Swiss spa Valmont has partnered with Le Meurice Hotel to bring you one of the most satisfying spa experiences in Paris. What sets it apart is the is the sun terrace open in spring and summer with parasols, lounge chairs, and light refreshments including detoxing freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, light sandwiches, and  fresh salads. But let’s not forget get about the most important part, the treatments and services. L’Escale is two and half hour body care extravaganza with a sugar body scrub, a Terre d’Ssie body wrap, a one hour essential oil massage, and completed with another body scrub by Thermes Marin de Saint-Malo. Also available are leg toning, bust firming, and hand intensive treatments plus an exclusive Meurice Body massage which is personalized with your massage therapist.


Spa Valmont at Le Meurice Hotel
228 rue de Rivoli, 1st. arr
Tel. 01 44 58 10 10
www.lemeurice.com
 

Visit to the Kohala Spa

True confession time: I’ve never actually been to a spa before, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect for my appointment at the 25,000-square-foot Kohala Spa at the Waikoloa Beach Resort. I’d been encouraged to show up at least a half-hour earlier than my appointed time, so I checked in extra early and was escorted into the private women's locker room with its own steam room, sauna, outdoor garden Jacuzzi and lounge area.

The Kohala Spa

Since I’d spent the entire morning in water, I wasn’t too eager to soak in the outdoor Jacuzzi, although the group members who tried it sang its praises. Instead, I stepped into the steam room, hitting a button on the doorway as I entered. A large stone cauldron in the middle of the room began billowing lightly scented steam, and I leaned back and closed my eyes, breathing in deeply. When I opened my eyes again a few moments later, the entire room had become shrouded in mist. I could barely see a foot in front of my face. It was eerie and soothing at the same time, and the sounds of condensed steam dripping from the ceiling, the warmth, the enveloping mist, and the scent all combined for a wonderfully relaxing experience.

After enjoying the steam room for a while, and enjoying some fresh air by the Jacuzzi, I was taken to a private room by massage therapist Tonia Thomas, a specialist in Lomi Lomi massages, the spa’s most popular treatment. Using constant motion and gentle pressure, Tonia worked out a bunch of this perpetually tense New Yorker’s tight muscles, relaxing me to the point of nearly falling asleep. (I also have to praise her deft avoidance of my sunburn, which couldn’t have been easy.) Tonia has studied numerous massage techniques around the country, and is also an expert in sports massage and the spa's Kohala massage. (Although I promised not to reveal names, Tonia demurely acknowledged that she has treated celebrities and earned very favorable feedback from them.)

Feeling very chill and relaxed after the massage, I went back to the steam room to breathe in some more of that wonderful mist before rinsing off in a five-head shower. Before returning to my room, I chatted with Michele Wilkin, the director of Kohala Spa. The Lomi Lomi massage, she told me, is a Hawaiian tradition taught by elders. Among the spa's more popular offerings are mother/daughter treatments that, she says, encourage bonding and teach the next generation to enjoy the spa experience. The enormous facility has more 23 treatment rooms (three are for couples) and employs a staff of between 50 and 55 among the spa, the cardio room, weight room, yoga room and other areas. Wilkin said that no one therapist was more requested than any of the others, but from my own experience, I highly recommend Tonia Thomas.

Travel Agent Visits Borgata’s New Hotel: The Water Club

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – We're covering the grand opening of The Water Club, a Signature Hotel by Borgata from Thursday to Saturday. The 800-room hotel had a soft opening in mid-June and is hosting us and other media outlets for two nights in celebration of its official opening. The 43-story-building is geared toward corporate and business travelers as well as Atlantic City visitors who aren’t looking to just gamble.

The meeting space, for example, can also be booked for wedding receptions. The property is divided into Club Rooms, or standard rooms, and suites. The suites are divided into four types and are located above the four-floor spa on floors 36 and up. The four categories are the Hideaway Suites, the Social Suites , the Viceroy Suites and three Residences Suites that are slated to be finished by mid-July.

To avoid confusion, we should note they are called Residences Suites because the two-floor, 4,500 square-foot rooms are big enough to live in. They are not, however, privately owned. They will be about $15,000 a night and will be able to sleep about six to eight people per room, we were told. We were unable to see them, of course, since they were not finished but we did get to see room #3668, a Hideaway Suite. This room was similar to the Social Suite we saw shortly after with the only exception being that the Hideaway Suite had a massage table in a separate room where guest can arrange in-room spa services for no extra charge.

The Viceroy Suites are about $4,000 a night, the Social Suites are about $2,500 a night and the Hideaway Suites are about $2,500 a night. Social and Hideaway are one-bedroom suites, whereas the Viceroy is a two-bedroom suite.

We are staying in room #1686, a Club Room. It has one king-size bed, views of Atlantic City, a bathroom and a flat-screen, LCD TV. Internet service is available for $9.95 for 24 hours.

The spa includes 16 “Experience” rooms. Because each spa session is a minimum of 80-minutes, it’s viewed more as an experience rather than a treatment. Hence, the name “experience” rooms. The spa is located on floor 32 and is two stories tall, or the equivalent of four floors.

Some other features we were impressed with was the property’s elevator, which moves about 1,000 feet per second, its five pools and, at least  in the eyes of this Black Jack lover, the fact that is literally next door to The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. However, it should be noted that this is a separate hotel and guests at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa do not have access to the spa or exercise rooms, which is about $35 a day to use, unless they are guests at The Water Club. The Water Club offer a 10 percent commission.

Agents should contact Sales Manager, Bob Franklin at bobfranklin@theborgata.com or by calling 609-317-8888 and asking for Franklin or the sales department in general. Visit www.thewaterclubborgata.com.