Spa Discoveries

 

The Ritz-Carlton Spa

With nine treatment rooms and three relaxation lounges, The Ritz-Carlton Spa is the first fullservice spa in downtown Los Angeles

There are spas and then there are spas, and some of the latter are garnering attention in fine hotels around the world. Here are a few new or upcoming spas that caught our eye.

In downtown New York City, the new Trump SoHo Hotel has been the talk of the town. The hotel’s spa will be opening just as this issue goes to press, and it seems sure to generate plenty of buzz as well: We hear it will have the city’s only authentic luxury men’s and women’s hammams. Cool celebrity touch: The design (courtesy of DiGuiseppe Architects) was overseen by Ivanka Trump, inspired by her travels in Istanbul and the Middle East.

Signature treatments at the nine-room spa will include Gemstone Spa Treatments that match a precious gem-infused massage oil to a therapy: diamonds restore balance; emeralds purify; rubies revitalize; and sapphires calm and heal. Several Middle Eastern-themed treatments will be exclusive to the New York spa, such as threading, henna and Ayurvedic massage.

Frequent Trump guests will be familiar with the highly personalized services of a Spa Attaché, who assists guests in selecting one of five Trump Personal Intentions, and tailors the entire spa experience to fit.

Travel agents can contact Spa Director Leigh Smith at [email protected].

At the hotel itself, we hear the best rooms to book are currently the One-Bedroom Deluxe Suites. (The hotel will open penthouse suites later this year.) Agents can contact vice president of sales and marketing Sharon Telesca at [email protected].

In London, the Wyndham Grand Hotel at Chelsea Harbour will get a Blue Harbour Spa in late September. The spa will have six treatment rooms, a sauna, steam room and a swimming pool, complete with swan-neck waterfalls and swim jets.

Two of the six treatment rooms at the spa are for couples, and there will be special treatments for expectant mothers and for men. Pregnant guests will appreciate the Yummy Tummy—a skin-care treatment for the baby bump—and the Mellow Mama, a full body massage which uses pre-natal techniques to target the lower back muscles. (Mama Mio designed the pre-natal program.) For men, Monu’s Vitru range offers treatments such as Skin Fitness, a deep cleanse and detox for the skin, and the Power Back & Neck, a deep-tissue massage with hot and cold stones to target ingrained tension. 

Trump SoHo Hotel

Trump SoHo Hotel’s spa has been inspired by designs from Istanbul and the Middle East

The spa’s signature treatment will be the 75-minute Melt Massage, which involves a melted massage oil candle being dripped all over the body. Other treatments and experiences will incorporate holistic therapies, including reflexology and Ayurvedic massage alongside everything from volcanic stone massages to salt scrubs and seaweed wraps. In addition to Mama Mio and Monu, we hear products and treatments come with the luxury product house labels, Yon-Ka and Aromatherapy Associates.

The opening of the Blue Harbour Spa is part of a hotel-wide refurbishment that has already seen the launch of a new penthouse floor, and the redesign of the interior and a number of outdoor spaces. Good touch: Spa visitors will also be able to use the hotel’s health and fitness club.

Contact Spa Manager Mark Bryant at 011-44-20-7823-3000 for more information or reservations.

We hear the hotel’s best suites are the “River Suites,” followed by the Marina and then the Chelsea Suites. Agents can reach out to Director Sales and Marketing Astrid Heitz at [email protected].

Downtown Los Angeles got its first full-service spa recently when The Ritz-Carlton Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE opened. The spa has nine treatment rooms and three relaxation lounges. (Nice touch: Each treatment table has an iPod docking station, so guests can listen to their favorite music while they unwind.) The spa has two oversized aromatherapy steam rooms, each with its own cold plunge shower.

Signature treatments at the spa include the Champagne and Shimmer Ultimate Manicure/Pedicure, which uses expert hand-and-foot touch therapy and paraffin wax (and includes a glass of champagne!); and the Glowing Gold Facial, a nonsurgical, lifting treatment that oxygenates skin while removing impurities.

The spa will use products from such premium lines as Éminence, Carita and Skinceuticals. Complimentary makeup application will feature the complete line from La Bella Donna.

Agents can reach out to Spa Director Kate Morrison at 213-743-8800.

We hear that the most popular rooms at the new hotel are the Junior Suites. Contact Karina Sahatjian at 213-765-8627.

From the big cities we go to the small town. In Vermont, the town of Woodstock will have its first-ever spa at the Woodstock Inn & Resort. With plenty of fresh air, greenery and rolling hills around it, the spa puts guests right on the lap of Mother Nature: The building is LEED-certified, and we hear the 10-room spa will use organic skin care products from Éminence Organic Skin Care, Naturopathica and SpaRitual.

Best touch: The spa’s Natural Gatherings Suite gives groups a private suite of rooms. The suite has a custom-designed 250-gallon Japanese cedar soaking tub, deluxe treatment tables, wood-burning fireplace, and en-suite bathroom with shower facilities.

The spa will have a unique 100-minute treatment each season, which will begin with a gentle exfoliation followed by a body masque using one of the seasonal botanicals. (In fall, Pumpkin Spice will be featured; in winter, Deep Forest; in spring, Vanilla Maple; and in summer, Berry Bliss.) Guests then get a scalp massage with wild lime oil, and a relaxing foot massage. The treatment ends with an application of hydrating body lotion and a full body massage.

To book treatments at the spa, contact Michelle Adams at 802-457-6698.

The Resort’s most popular accommodations are the Tavern Suites, with one-and-a-half bathrooms. Agents should contact Courtney Lowe, director of sales and marketing ([email protected], 802-457-6670).