SpaCast

Hilton Hotels And Resorts Rejuvinate Spa Offerings With L'occitane

Hilton Hotels and Resorts announced today a partnership with French luxury cosmetics and toiletries company L'Occitane to redesign the hotel company's full service spas, menu of services and spa product offerings.  Building on the success of flagship spas in Paris, Hong Kong, Taipei, Sao Paulo and Comendatuba (Brazil), the L'Occitane Spa at Hilton will feature all natural products, regionally inspired, hand-performed spa treatments, alongside globally-favored services, and warm Provence-inspired décor selected to infuse spa visitors with a sense of ultimate relaxation and indulgence.

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ResortSuite SPA Selected To Manage Fontainebleau’s Spa Operations

Enablez Inc., developer of ResortSuite SPA, the leader in guest-centric spa management solutions, is pleased to announce that ResortSuite SPA has been selected by Fontainebleau Resorts LLC as its software of choice for both Fontainebleau Miami Beach and Fontainebleau Las Vegas Spa operations.

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Epi Center MedSpa is Going Green

San Francisco’s Epi Center MedSpa, the nation’s original medical spa, will be achieving another first with the opening of its eco-medspa, bringing nature and science together for a more naturally beautiful you – and more beautiful planet. The Epi Center MedSpa will open the doors to its LEED-certified space in April to commemorate both its 10th anniversary and Earth Day. A trendsetter in the skin rejuvination industry since its opening a decade ago, the board certified plastic surgeon led eco-medspa now combines its safe beauty enhancing medical procedures with the most effective organic treatments and healthy environment to create a naturally vibrant and youthful appearance with minimal downtime.

The Epi Center MedSpa worked with leaders in eco-architecture and designed a luxurious medical spa with the highest level LEED certification attainable. Eric Corey Freed, founder of oraganicArchitect and author of Green Building and Remolding for Dummies, ensured the Epi Center MedSpa conforms to the strict standards established by the U.S. Green Building Council.

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Lodging Interactive To Provide Spa Industry with Internet Marketing Services

Lodging Interactive, one of the industry’s leading hospitality Internet marketing agencies, has announced the launch of Spa Interactive to drive online revenue maximization for Spas and Health Clubs. Spa Interactive is designed to offer comprehensive marketing strategies and solutions for those running and maintaining health spas.

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Bikini Waxing for Tweens! Have Spas Gone Too Far?

The simple mother-daughter stress-reducing day at the spa — complete with perfect manicures and pedicures — has morphed into a full-fledged booming beauty business. Some spas now are giving their tween clients resort-type treatments and pint-size pampering. The offerings go beyond the typical painted nails.

Catering to a kid's every possible desire, some spas have stepped up their tween care by offering hair highlights, microdermabrasion and bikini waxes for girls as young as 11 and 12.

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LiveSpa Magazine by ISPA debuts June 2008

In 2008, the International SPA Association will build upon its reputation as the voice of the spa industry by debuting LiveSpa. To be published in June, this inaugural publication will focus on educating the spa consumer.

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Recession? Relax. Spas build sales through corporate clients

The consuming masses may be worried about making ends meet, but the luxury hotel spa industry is finding new ways to attract business. They're reaching out to corporations. 

"Companies are looking for the perfect outing to entertain their best clients or reward their best employees," said Pamela Margolis, co-owner and president of the Hotel Ivy Spa Club in downtown Minneapolis. "You don't have to be good at spa-ing -- there's nothing to practice. It's more flexible than organizing a round of golf ... and it doesn't take six hours out of your day."

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Steiner Leisure Limited Announces Agreement to Operate a Luxury Spa in Bali

Steiner Leisure Limited (NASDAQ:STNR) recently announced that its luxury resort spa division, Mandara Spa, has entered into a ten-year agreement to operate a deluxe spa facility at the Ayodya Resort Bali, Bali, Indonesia. The resort is located in the heart of Nusa Dua, a premier resort community in the South of Bali, with a stunning location overlooking the Indian Ocean.  Steiner Leisure will invest $700,000 to create the new spa, which is anticipated to open by the end of November 2008.

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Rosewood Hotels & Resorts of Dallas is branding its spas

Ultra-luxury hotel owner and operator Rosewood Hotels & Resorts is putting its brand on spas. The Dallas-based company, which began prominently including its name on its hotels only two years ago, has launched Sense, a Rosewood spa.    It's a move that mirrors efforts by other upscale hotels to leverage their spas as a marketing tool and revenue driver.

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Sense Spa Debuts At Rosewood Little Dix Bay On Virgin Gorda

Perched on a stunning seaside cliff within one of the Caribbean’s most celebrated luxury resorts, the Spa at Rosewood Little Dix Bay is a prized amenity.  Now, with the debut of Rosewood’s new spa brand, Sense, A Rosewood Spa™, the experience becomes even more rejuvenating, with the addition of relaxation-fostering opening and closing rituals, longer treatments, and the abundant use of indigenous ingredients such as Virgin Gorda honey, goat milk and Neem leaf; and salt harvested from nearby Salt Island.

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Proscenium’s Waldorf-Astoria Sarasota Hotel to Include Guerlain Spa

Lion’s Gate Development, along with The Waldorf=Astoria Collection™ and Spa Chakra, Inc., are pleased to announce that a Guerlain Spa Boutique will be included as part of the plan for the Proscenium’s luxury Waldorf=Astoria Sarasota hotel. Representing the first project between Guerlain and the luxury hotel brand, The Waldorf=Astoria® in Manhattan opened a Guerlain Spa Boutique in the main lobby in December 2007 and will debut its first Guerlain Spa in September of this year, occupying much of the 19^th floor in the iconic New York landmark. Plans are to include them exclusively in other Waldorf=Astoria Collection Hotels. Spa Chakra, Inc. will develop and manage the spa.

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Hedge Fund Plans a Spa

The UK’s largest private investment syndicate is to construct the UK’s largest residential health spa.

Fifty members of investment group Hotbed have entered into a £23 million deal to construct and operate a 192-room residential spa in Essex, to be completed in late 2009.

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Day Spas to Blossom Across India

Striving to take spa therapy beyond the confines of the elite, well-known beautician and aroma therapist Blossom Kochhar is all set to open 200 spas across India and abroad in two years. “Life is so hectic these days. People are constantly running around for work. At the end of the week they deserve good, rejuvenating spa treatment, which unfortunately can’t be afforded by all. These spas will specifically address that issue,” Kochhar told IANS in an interview.

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Massaging More Profits From The Hotel Spa

It is commonly understood that spas were once an afterthought for operators of hotels and resorts.  Yet as living a healthy and better lifestyle has become one of the population’s top priorities, spas have grown in popularity and are viewed as essential elements to a hotel or resort’s success rather than being just a luxury.

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US Dental Spa Market

The dental spa has become an established part of the dentistry market. Dental spa experts estimate that up to 5% of dental practices in USA currently offer dental spa or spa dentistry services. Strong growth is forecast and numbers are expected to increase with as many as three quarters of US dental practices possibly becoming dental spas. They can boost sales by doing so as dental spas report patients spending about 30% more per visit than in a traditional dentists office.

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Health inspections planned for spas in Canada

Canada's leading spa association will introduce a national inspection program next year to ensure its members comply with quality assurance and safety standards.

"It will help consumers and raise standards in the industry across the board," Leading Spas of Canada representative Kathryn Stolle said in an interview. "Consumers are saying: 'Give us some assurances here' and that's what this will do."

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Coffee Day launches luxury resort The Serai

Asia's largest integrated coffee conglomerate, the Amalgamated Bean Coffee Trading Co. Ltd, (ABCTCL) which operates the coffee chain Coffee Day, has diversified into the hospitality sector with the launch of a luxury resort and spa under the brand name, The Serai.

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Building a Right Sized Spa

In an industry predicated on pampering guests, a satisfying guest experience can require anything from putting expensive high thread count sheets on beds to stocking the lobby with “your wish is my command” concierges. So it’s no surprise that some lodgings have built super-sized spas where guests can relax, rejuvenate and generally retreat from the outside world.

The only problem: Many of these spas -- by the industry’s own estimates -- are fabulously oversized at the same time that they are famously underutilized.

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Spa resorts attracting permanent residents seeking their amenities

"We're always getting massages," Troy Coughlin said, "or my wife is getting her nails done. We're totally pampered by the people at the spa." Coughlin, a professional drag racer from Delaware, Ohio, and his wife, Julie, are among the many who in recent years have bought vacation homes at spa resorts.

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Canada's Brisk Business in Spas

The Canadian Tourism Commission reports that 2,300 destination and day spas across the country welcomed more than 14 million visitors and generated $1 billion in business in 2005. The brisk competition means that wellness centres -- no matter what the size, budget, style or location -- are looking for creative approaches.

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More Than A Dozen Eco-Resorts Set to Join Four Seasons in Costa Rica

Howler monkeys roar in rosewood trees outside $2,000-a-night suites with plunge pools at the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo, where servers shuttle drinks to Rolex-wearing loungers on beaches that a decade ago were cooling-off spots mainly for locals or occasional backpackers.  Guanacaste Province, a remote and once-impoverished region in northwest Costa Rica near the Nicaraguan border, is bidding to be the next luxury hotspot.

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Cussons Buys Sanctuary spa brand for £75m

PZ Cussons, the maker of Imperial Leather and Carex soap, has acquired the Sanctuary spa and beauty products business from British private equity group HgCapital for £75m.   Sanctuary's spa in Covent Garden, Central London, attracts 64,000 guests a year and it has an exclusive deal with Boots to sell its products on the high street.

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LIVESPA debuts June 2008, a new publication to educate the spa consumer

“Images of beautiful ladies with cucumbers over their eyes are passé as savvy consumers are no longer fooled by this representation of the spa-goer,” said International SPA Association President Lynne McNees while talking about the association’s new magazine, LiveSpa. As the voice of the spa industry since 1991, ISPA is debuting LiveSpa in June to debunk myths, enrich lives and show that living a simple yet healthy lifestyle is not an oxymoron.

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Omni Hotels unwraps in-house Mokara spa brand

Omni Hotels is getting more serious about the spa business. The Irving-based hotel owner has brought on a corporate spa director and has launched its own brand – called Mokara – in an effort to drive higher revenues from hotel guests and compete more effectively for group meetings.

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Gleneagles Luxury Hotel launches new destination spa in Scotland

The Gleneagles® Luxury Hotel in Scotland will launch its £8 million destination spa in early March 2008. Renowned skincare brand ESPA has worked in collaboration with award winning interior designer Amanda Rosa, to create the first ESPA branded spa in the UK at Gleneagles.

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Browse Spas in Scotland at SpaIndex.com

Having a Little Work Done (at the Mall)

He snickered when he first saw a medical spa offering Botox and laser hair-removal services on a visit to a Las Vegas mall in 2002. He laughed at the thought of someone — anyone — shopping for the latest fashions, grabbing a bite to eat and then, oh yeah, strolling in for a quick shot of Botox to zap out a nasty wrinkle.

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Home, Home on the Spa

“We’re always getting massages,” Troy Coughlin said, “or my wife is getting her nails done. We’re totally pampered by the people at the spa ”  Mr. Coughlin, a professional drag racer from Delaware and Ohio and his wife, Julie, are among the many who in recent years have bought vacation homes at spa resorts. Spa-centered residential communities are springing up on both coasts and many points in between, giving buyers easy access to spa services and opportunities to have equity in their own houses or condominiums.

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Report: Hotel Spa Profits Rise

A special analysis of hotel spa department operating statements conducted by PKF Hospitality Research (PKF-HR) finds that a 9.7 percent increase in hotel spa revenues resulted in an 11.3 percent gain in spa department profits in 2006. . . . These observations come from the recently released inaugural edition of Trends in the Hotel Spa Industry published by PKF Hospitality Research, an affiliate of PKF Consulting (PKF-C). The report is believed to be the most comprehensive analysis of hotel spa department financial performance in the industry.

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An Organic Spa Greens New York

As the owner of Priti, the only all-organic spa specializing in luxurious manicures and pedicures in New York City, Australian native Kim D’Amato is at the forefront of a natural beauty revolution. While it’s easier than ever to pop in for a quick manicure and pedicure (or facial or eyebrow wax) at one of the thousands of salons lining the streets of the five boroughs, D’Amato is the only one who has taken a close look at the ingredients contained in the average bottle of nail polish and decided to take a different approach.

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Historic Riverboat Hotel in California Seeks Day Spa Tenant

The Delta King Hotel in Sacramento, California, is interested in leasing space on the Delta King Riverboat Hotel to a Day Spa tenant.  Interested applicants who own or operate an existing Day Spa and/or are considering a relocation or additional location, should contact the hotel, below.

Ken A. Millikin
Rooms Division Manager
Delta King Hotel
kmillikin@deltaking.com

Living Well: Spa Resorts Launch Real Estate Communities

They had us at daily hot stone massages. Wellness, the catch-all term for spa pampering and mental and physical care, is big business these days, and well-known luxury spas such as Canyon Ranch, Miraval, and Red Mountain Spa are beginning to target two of consumers’ biggest obsessions: health and real estate.

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Langham Hotels Aquires Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa

Langham Hotels International has secured its first property in the Western United States with the purchase of the luxurious heritage hotel – The Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena, California which will be rebranded as The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa, Pasadena on January 8th, 2008.

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W Hotels Goes to Washington

In its continued demand to select only world class destinations,Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announces plans to open its first W Hotel in Washington, D.C. Scheduled to debut in 2009, W Washington D.C. will open in what is currently the historic Hotel Washington, an Italian Renaissance revival building occupying the corner of the city's world-famous Pennsylvania Avenue and 15th Street.

W Washington D.C. will feature rooftop bar and terrace with unprecedented views of Washington D.C. and the White House, and a world-class signature restaurant and spa.

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Absolute Spa Group moves into River Rock

Entrepreneur Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia has expanded her Metro Vancouver spa empire to the River Rock Casino Resort Hotel, acquiring the Richmond hotel's spa for an undisclosed price.  The acquisition creates the ninth Absolute Spa Group spa now operating in the region -- with others at the Century Plaza Hotel, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Fairmont Vancouver Airport, three at Vancouver.

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Relais & Chateaux Announces New Members for 2008

Relais & Chateaux today announced the addition of 34 new members to the prestigious global association of 470 of the finest hotels and gourmet restaurants in 55 countries. The announcement was made during the association's esteemed annual International Congress that is taking place in Washington, DC, November 25-28.  New Spa Members include the Wedgewood Hotel & Spa in Canada and Bauer Palladio Hotel & Spa in Italy.

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New $700m Spa Resort for Las Vegas in 2009

Developer Anthony Marnell III has unveiled plans for the 80-acre M Resort, Spa and Casino in Las Vegas.
Located at the southeast corner of St. Rose Parkway and Las Vegas Boulevard, about 10 miles south of the Bellagio, the project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2009.  The resort will be developed in multiple phases, with the first phase located on approximately 40 acres consisting of a resort, spa and casino. The development will include an outdoor canyon pool and entertainment venue, a top-of-the-tower ultra lounge and a convention center.

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Single Mothers Announces Massage Franchise Now Open in Costa Rica, Ireland Next

Michele Merhib, occupational therapist registered (OTR) and certified massage therapist (CMT), is the founder of  Elements Therapeutic Massage, an International franchise selling over 50 locations in the U.S. This single mom of two teenagers recently announced the opening of her first therapeutic massage franchise in Costs Rica and selling the master franchise rights in Ireland.

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Killington Unveils $5.3 Million In Improvements, Programs, Environmental Initiatives

Killington Resort (Vermont) enters the 2007-08 ski and snowboard season with more than $5.3 million in resort improvements and new programs to enhance the overall guest experience. In addition, Killington is implementing new environmental initiatives in an effort to reduce the resort's overall carbon footprint.

The Killington Grand Resort Hotel and Spa has recently undergone a $2 million renovation, including newly-renovated guest rooms with new carpet, trim, furnishings and paint. These improvements complement the full-service spa opened during the summer of 2006. The Grand Hotel also features new carpet throughout the lobby, hallways and Grand Ballroom. Guests will also notice a new ski and snowboard check room and newly remodeled locker rooms in the health club.

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New Ritz-Carlton Spa Resort Planned for Sonoran Desert

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC is teaming up with Cottonwood Properties and Greenbrier Southwest Corporation to develop a 250-room golf and spa resort in the high Sonoran desert, northwest of Tucson, Ariz. Located in Marana, The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain will feature a resort/residential community that will include 36 holes of golf along with single-family residences. The $160 million project will be the second Ritz-Carlton in Arizona, joining the Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix.

The resort will offer a range of amenities and features to appeal to travelers as well group meetings and special events. It will contain two ballrooms of 9,000 and 4,800 square feet, three restaurants, a 17,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, 20 miles of hiking trails, and tennis and swim facilities.

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$25 million renovation planned for L’Auberge Del Mar Resort and Spa, California

In June 2008, L’Auberge Del Mar Resort and Spa will be reborn. Respected for its romantic coastal sophistication and uncompromised service, the historic California hotel, managed by Destination Hotels & Resorts, will set a new standard in hospitality as a result of a $25 million comprehensive property renovation including a new restaurant, spa and remodeled guestrooms.

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All Aboard the Canadian Spa Train

VIA Rail Canada is pleased to announce it has partnered with Premier Spas of Ontario to introduce the new Spa Train Route. Passengers can immerse themselves in the relaxing comforts of train travel while  contemplating the peaceful spa treatments that await them at one of the premier spa destinations along the Spa Train Route.

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Steiner Operating New Spa in Maldives

Spa-services provider Steiner Leisure Ltd. said Tuesday its luxury spa division, Mandara Spa, will run a spa at Alila Villas Hadahaa Resort on Hadahaa Island in the Maldives.

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Plans for an Upscale "Green Spa" in New York Concerns Residents

Rosendale, New York.    

Developers are poised to open a celebrity spa and sprawling gated vacation-home community at the Williams Lake Resort, a former family-run hotel and beach club with more than 730 acres that has been on the market since 2004.  The Developers, which may involve Steve Case and his Mirval Spa brand, have met with neighbors, business owners and elected officials of the area to discuss plans for a 100-room hotel and spa, custom vacation homes from $1 million and up, which is being described as "deep green health and wellness-focused resort community.”

Locals are concerned, both for the environmental impact and the likely high-profile residents and guests, including Steve Case and Oprah Winfrey.  Opposition is forming and the town is dotted with signs for their group, www.friendsofwilliamslake.org.

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Spa Statistics

As of July, there were 14,600 spas in the United States representing a 6 percent growth from August 2006 when there were 13,800.  Day spas remain the most prevalent spa type.  The U.S. spa industry generated an estimated $9.4 billion in 2006.

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After losing its 5 star rating, The Greenbrier Refocuses

On Jan. 11, 2000, the editors of Mobil Travel Guide stripped away The Greenbrier's coveted five-star rating, proclaiming the historic hotel no longer stood among the few dozen considered the world's finest.  The Greenbrier     (nyse: GBX) had failed to keep up with the times, lacking radios, telephones in the bathrooms and suitable TV stands. Though still a fine hotel, Mobil decided, it was no longer perfect.  .Work to regain the fifth star began immediately.

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Marriott’s Award-Winning Quan Spas to Expand to 12 New Locations in Asia-Pacific Over Next 24 Months

Twelve new Quan Spas are planned to open by Marriott International (NYSE: MAR) over the next 24 months throughout Asia and the Pacific. Renowned for its locally authentic treatments and “tranquility zones”, the Quan Spa concept was developed by Rhett Pickering, director of spa operations and development for Marriott’s Asia-Pacific Region.

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Westin Debuts New In Room Spa Program

Westin Hotels & Resorts today announced a new in-room spa program that will bring the personalized luxury and comfort of a full-service spa to the privacy of the hotel room. The hotel industry's first global in-room spa program, the experience was developed by the Westin spa team and includes a luxurious yet portable spa bed and a spa basket filled with sensory items to be enjoyed before, during and after the massage.

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Fitness Ridge Resort & Spa Joins Destination Spa Group

Destination Spa Group (DSG) is pleased to announce that Fitness Ridge Resort & Spa (St. George, Utah) has recently been accepted as a new member. The spa joins the prestigious group of Destination Spas from around the world, expanding the organization. With the addition of Fitness Ridge, Destination Spa Group now offers 25 spa vacations to potential spa-goers.

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Miraval Living: Luxury Spa Services in your Condo

When Glenn Becker began hunting for a three-bedroom apartment for his family, he sought the typical luxuries that many developers now sandwich into space-challenged Manhattan condominiums: a gym. A pool.  After all, he was moving from a full-service building with "wonderful amenities," he says, including those perks plus a running track. But that was nothing compared to what Becker found at Miraval Living, a condominium building on the Upper East Side (New York) which is set to open in September. It offers spa-inspired amenities that raise the bar for luxury apartment living to a level normally found at A-list resorts.

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The Dominican Republic to Build World's Biggest Thermal Spa

The Dominican Republic announced that it will cooperate with Spain to build one of the world's biggest thermal spa.

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Spa of Colonial Williamsburg Now Open

On August 9, 2007, the recently opened Spa of Colonial Williamsburg brings the Best of the American Experience to the International Spa Association (ISPA) NYC Media Event. Spa Director and former ISPA Chairman Kate Mearns will present the Spa's philosophy of The Continuum of Wellness, sharing with the media five centuries of colonial, African and American Indian wellness practices blended into the modern spa experience in an inventive, invigorating setting. Consultant and 2006 ISPA Visionary Award-winner Sylvia Sepielli created the Spa philosophy and menu of services based on extensive study in The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's research library, lending historic authenticity to the spa's series of signature treatments.

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Medical Spa Resort to open in Costa Rica

A Scottsdale man is preparing to open a $34.5 million medical spa resort in Costa Rica at the end of next year.  The Ailanto Wellness Resort and Spa ("ailanto" means "sea of heaven" in Italian) is situated on 85 acres of rain forest at the base of a volcano. The resort aims to be a full-service retreat for people who want to get cosmetic surgery and stay awhile to recover.

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Aloe Spa Services Available as Franchise

Aloetrade America LLC, a leading aloe company based in Miami, Florida has launched its new Aloe-Spa Services for worldwide markets, which includes a wide range of services performed basically with aloe premium products, having between 60% to 90% of such ingredient.  The Aloe-Spa franchising was developed both for new spas or for existing spas which may convert their facilities to offer the aloe spa services.

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Phillipine Governor Vows to Block Spa Resort

On her first working day as Batangas governor, Vilma Santos-Recto promised her constituents that she will stand up against the proposed construction of a spa and resort at the crater of Taal Volcano.

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Inhabitants of the world’s smallest active volcano are up in arms against the impending construction of a resort spa on their island by a Korean-owned company, calling the attention of the national government to what they described as “a classic case of land grabbing.”

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Two moderate earthquakes jolted Taal Volcano island on Sunday as the debate over the planned construction of a health spa resort at the volcano’s crater by a Korean company raged on.

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Hilton Hotels Forms Alliance with LVMH for Luxury Spa Brand

Hilton Hotels Corp. has announced a strategic alliance with Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton to "redefine the global luxury hotel spa."   Beverly Hills-based Hilton (NYSE: HLT) will partner with LVMH brands Guerlain and Acqua di Parma and with Spa Chakra to offer exclusive spas and boutique products in luxury and upscale hotels.

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Cozumel gets luxury Mandara Spa

Presidente InterContinental Cozumel Resort & Spa has opened a new Mandara Spa which incorporates local traditions and ingredients, making it the first luxury spa in Cozumel.

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Palace Resorts to Open Moon Palace Casino in 2008 in the Dominican Republic

Majestic World Vacations, a leading  travel specialist for The Palace and Moon Palace Resorts, is pleased to announce the addition of the Moon Palace Casino, Golf & Spa Resort scheduled to open in the Dominican Republic in late 2007 (Phase I) and 2008 (Phase II).  "The Palace Resorts in Cancun, a Five-Star Hotel, continues to maintain their reputation as the most luxurious all-inclusive vacation resort by adding still another spectacular beachfront property in the beautiful resort area of Punta Cana, located in the Dominican Republic" says Annette Uda, president of Majestic World Vacations.

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Dorit Baxter in New York Launches New Style of Pregnancy Massage

Dorit Baxter, after serving a high-end New York clientele for over twenty-five years, especially designed a massage to create a "motherhood mood". This pregnancy massage is for those who want a unique way to diffuse the pressures of becoming pregnant, while creating a serene mental and emotional environment for conception.

Dorit Baxter's spa has become an affiliate of the Center for Human Reproduction (CHR), to increase awareness of the effects massage can have on fertility. The CHR, one of New York's most recognized reproductive endocrinology and infertility centers, has already highlighted the importance of massage to create a relaxed mood for those hoping to become pregnant. By creating the Motherhood Mood massage, Dorit Baxter wants to increase trust and understanding among the population of men and women that struggle with infertility and emotional fatigue.

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UK Based Spa Show Relaunched

London-based Expomedia Group has acquired the UK based Spa Show, a consumer event targeting a high-end audience interested in spa vacations held every November, from Spa Shows Ltd. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

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Cal-A-Vie Launches New Online Presence

Belay Development, the Los Angeles- based interactive consultancy, has redesigned and relaunched the web site of the exclusive Cal-a-Vie Health Spa. The spa was featured on the May 22, 2007  episode of "The Big Weigh In: Best Life Weight Loss Challenge Update" on the Oprah Winfrey Show. The spa's site is listed on the Oprah.com site's page related to that episode.

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Personal Spas: Mimicing Luxury Hotel Bathrooms

“I think what’s happening in the whole residential sector is that people are wanting amenities they have in hotels,” said Sue Firestone, an interior designer in Santa Barbara, Calif. “People are building almost their own resorts rather than their own homes.”

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Fallsview in the Catskills reborn as a Dahn Hak principled resort and spa

It's been a long, slow death for many of the great resort hotels in the Catskills, but a few are finding new roles in today's market. The Fallsview has new owners - and a plan they think will work. 

...

The Fallsview Best 5 will be a fully equipped spa, with additional programs that will make the resort a "relaxation center."  ['W]ithin the next 18 months, the indoor tennis courts will be converted to a 20,000- to 30,000-square-foot fitness center that will include the usual amenities, but the focus will be on Asian-style mind/body/spirit programs and a healthy lifestyle.  The new facility is owned by a group of investors, part of a network of places operating under the principles of Dahn Hak, a program of self-development created by South Korean Ilchi Lee. The hotel's name, Fallsview Best 5, refers to five principles of the program.

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Florida Spa Owner fined $17,000 for operating in the wrong zone

A Warm Mineral Springs (Florida) resident is presenting a conceptual plan to build an 80-unit resort, using the Warm Mineral Springs lake as the main draw to bring tourism to the city.  Mira Matchin has been trying to run a spa and wellness center using residential houses in Warm Mineral Springs. However, Sarasota County Florida has fined her more than $17,700 because she was operating her business in the wrong zone. The zoning Matchin needs does not exist in Warm Mineral Springs.

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New Wine Spa Planned on Czech-Austrian Border

A Czech-Austrian wine spa likely to be built in South Moravia.   The spa should include a wine pavilion that should offer treatment by means of wine and grapes extracts, a wine bath and other services, the daily said.

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Visit Spa Index Media's list of Vinotherapy / Wine Spas

RockResorts goes to Tahoe

May 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) confirmed today the announcement of Lake Tahoe Development Co that RockResorts International, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vail Resorts, has been selected to operate The Chateau at Heavenly Village at the base of Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe, Calif./Nev. Construction of the redevelopment project has commenced and is expected to be completed in early winter 2009.

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Six Leading North American Spas Launch Green Spa Network To Connect Personal and Planetary Wellness

Six prominent North America spas announce the formation of a network dedicated to bringing environmentally sustainable operating practices to the burgeoning spa industry. A much-needed resource for the spa community, the Green Spa Network seeks to help spas and spa professionals reap the financial and social benefits from implementing environmentally friendly business practices. The intention of the organization is to synergise greening efforts among network members as a way to support spas in reducing their ecological impact, while improving energy efficiencies and reducing operational costs.

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Spa Index Members

Branding via Spas

When the Sofitel LA was renovated last year to the tune of $40 million, the hotel was updated to include a new, signature element of Sofitel properties around the world: a spa. Since 2005 the chain has been opening beauty and wellness centers with the LeSpa name—the first was in Sofitel's Marrakech (Morocco) location.

Today, 40 Sofitels around the world, or 20% of the hotel chain's entire global inventory, have a LeSpa. This year the new Beijing and Paris Sofitels will feature LeSpas—part of a growing trend for hotels to offer guests more than a place to rest their weary heads.

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Asia-Pacific Spa & Wellness Council First Anniversary

The Strategic Planning Forum was organised by the Asia-Pacific Spa & Wellness Council (APSWC) to bring together the heads of national associations with the heads of business, including leading operators (from all types of spa), suppliers and consultants. The goal was to create a strategic plan to ensure the continued growth and health of the business for all.

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Day Spas Dominate Taiwan Market

Three hundred seventeen (317) spa facilities are currently open and operating in Taiwan according to the inaugural survey of spa facilities by Intelligent Spas. The research identified the market is dominated by day spas, which  account for 81% of all spas in Taiwan.

The report, entitled Spa Industry Profile Taiwan 2006-2008, features statistics on the Taiwan spa market, plus supporting qualitative trends and observations from spa owners and managers. It is a valuable tool for businesses competing in, or supporting Taiwan’s spa industry, to more accurately develop and plan spa-related products, services, campaigns and initiatives.

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