Guests of the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa (Arizona) are being invited to show proof of a luggage charge and will be reimbursed $25 per person, up to $50 per guestroom. This gesture on behalf of the Resort is meant to relieve any stress or economic pressures from the new airline policies and to reassure guests that their business is valued and appreciated.
The L'Auberge Del Mar Resort and Spa in California which will reopen Friday after a $25 million renovation, has opted to replace its French Chateau vibe with the look of a stylish beach home, complete with a sprawling new lobby and remodeled guest rooms.
How often does this happen: A former nudist camp and lodging house for rodeo cowboys is named the top spa in America? The Lake Austin Spa Resort has pulled that off, landing the top rating in Condé Nast Traveler's annual ranking of the best destination spas in the country.
Solís Cambrian Hotel & Spa in Adelboden, Switzerland celebrated its grand opening on 20th February, two months after the property was re-launched following a complete refurbishment that has seen the property emerge as an easy-going but luxurious hotel, with a contemporary design focus.
Wyndham Hotel Group recently introduced The Wyndham Grand Collection, an ensemble of elegant, one-of-a-kind hotels within the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brand aimed at guests looking for unique experiences in distinctive destinations around the world.
The Wyndham Grand Collection locations feature regionalized design reflecting local surroundings, culinary experiences featuring local and international cuisine, expertise in regional events and attractions, well-appointed spa and wellness services and facilities and attentive service.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Miri Marriott Resort & Spa (Boorneo) marked two historic milestones - Malaysia's 50th Independence Day which also coincides with the hotel's 50-year anniversary. To mark the occasion, the hotel feted an event for senior citizens, special children and underprivileged families.
Gregg Pate, managing director for the Vail Cascade Resort & Spa, today announced the property will undergo a $30 million transformation over the next 18 months to enhance the leisure guest experience and position the resort as the preeminent meeting facility in the Vail Valley. Many of the improvements at the Vail Cascade are designed to take advantage of the resort’s private location along one of the Vail Valley’s most distinguishing characteristics – Gore Creek.
Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort's Fertile Turtle Package is enticing hopeful couples to come out of their shells and conceive. Available during Sea Turtle mating season only, the package includes a Couples Massage with fertility-enhancing Aromatherapy, specialty teas and more, plus, Moms and Dads who become expectant parents at the resort will receive a free three-night return stay.
Sunscreen Mist, the first market tested Spray-on Sunscreen Booth, is the newest guest amenity at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. The sunscreen spray booth, distributed in North Florida by TLB Pro Tan, will allow the hundreds of guests who visit the Hilton's pool and white sand beach each day to quickly and conveniently apply sunscreen or tan enhancer in just seconds -- no assistance, bulky cans or messy tubes required.
The most convoluted philosophical thinking outside of academe was taking place recently at the Global Spa Summit at the Waldorf-Astoria, with the purpose of fostering “thought leadership” in the forty-billion-dollar-a-year spa industry. One of the keynote speakers was Steve Case, the co-founder of America Online. He now owns a spa in Arizona called Miraval, whose motto is “Life in Balance.”
The Griffin Gate Marriott Resort & Spa announces the opening of Its new full service spa. After six months of construction the highly anticipated full-service spa at Marriott’s Griffin Gate Resort & Spa in Lexington, Kentucky, officially opened its doors.
The Hilton Vilamoura As Cascatas Resort & Spa is due to open next month, with 154 spacious and modern guest rooms. It is beautifuly located in the heart of Vilamoura’s internationally renowned golf complex in the Algarve, and beside the Atlantic Ocean.
Movies have soundtracks. Now vacations do, too. In a pilot program, Hyatt is throwing out the elevator music and crafting unique compilations for its lobbies, restaurants and spas. It posts the music online so guests can listen, buy and download the sounds of their vacation. Three Hyatt hotels are testing the program: in Scottsdale, Ariz.; Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas; and Hyatt Westlake Plaza in Thousand Oaks, Calif. If it’s successful, the company will create soundtracks for more of its properties.
In the late 1950s, John Q. Hammons and a friend took a Jeep ride up to the top of a mountain overlooking Table Rock Lake near Branson. The budding hotel developer was immediately struck by the location’s beauty and vowed to one day build a grand resort and spa at the site. Read the Story
The green travel movement is sprouting new offshoots. In addition to offsetting carbon emissions from air travel and reducing energy use at hotels, eco-friendly travelers may want to know their spa treatment isn't roughing up the planet.
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.
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.
Harrah's Atlantic City becomes the official home to "Endless Summer" today with the debut of a new 172,000-square-foot glass, dome-enclosed swimming pool complex and Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa.
The Embassy Suites Charlotte-Concord Golf Resort & Spa came to fruition early this year when the $65 million Embassy Suites complex opened alongside Concord's existing Rocky River Golf Club, just a half mile from Lowe's Motor Speedway. Together they comprise North Carolina's newest golf resort.
"We took what was here and added the complete package - luxury hotel, spa, dining and convention center," says Crawford. "No resort in the state has the meeting space that we do."
In fact, Crawford believes this new resort is unparalleled on a national scale.
Ontario's Finest Inns & Spas, an association of the top inns and spas in Ontario, recently held its AGM at The Millcroft. On the agenda was a review of the results of its stringent Quality Assurance Program. Each member property is inspected anonymously at regular intervals and is evaluated on every aspect of its operation: ambiance and character, initial reservation process, guest greeting, cuisine, guest rooms, public areas and overall hospitality.
For 2007, The Millcroft Inn & Spa received a score of 91%, which was the second highest score in the association. Also, this year Ontario's Finest Inns & Spas inspectors created a new award category - the WOW! Awards. These honours are bestowed upon the member properties that, during inspections, demonstrate an exemplary level of quality or innovation.
Benchmark Hospitality International has announced the promotion of Greg Parsons to managing director for Eaglewood Resort & Spa, located in Itasca, Illinois, near Chicago. Bill Upshaw, regional vice president for Benchmark, made the announcement.
“Greg has been a vital part of the Benchmark organization for over a decade,” said Mr. Upshaw. “He has done an outstanding job leading operational teams for multiple properties within the company’s growing portfolio, and has significantly enhanced revenues and profitability at Eaglewood Resort & Spa.
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.
Hotel Bel-Air has announced plans for ar new spa, a 12,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility, secluded amid the hotel’s 12 acres. The extensive project will break ground this September and debut in August 2008.
Located in the north section of the property, the spa will feature 10 private spa suites, a yoga and Pilates studio, an organic juice bar and a 1,000 square foot fitness center. In addition, 3 residential spa suite guestrooms have been added, bringing the total count to 94 rooms, with in-room treatment areas and facilities.
After rejuvenating thousands of visitors at its desert oasis and Golden Door Spa, The Boulders Resort is getting a face lift of its own.
Managing Director Michael Hoffmann said the sprawling 1,300-acre resort essentially will be divided in half for the $30 million makeover over the next coming months. This will allow the resort to maintain operations without disruption to guests or having construction areas dotting the property, Hoffmann said.
Visit the Boulders online
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.
Bargain-minded spa customers may soon book facials and massages the same way they buy airline tickets. Just as airlines discount seats for flights with low demand, hotel spas are beginning to offer discounts or special offers for off-peak bookings.
If Phoenix's myriad hotel renovations are like an arms race, as one consultant put it, the Royal Palms on Camelback Road is pulling out the big guns: Spa rooms.
The cozy boutique resort, where President Bush often stays when he's in town, is emerging from a $12 million renovation. The owners stripped a portion of it down to the frame and reconstructed an enclave of 70 rooms situated around a courtyard with fireplaces and a reflecting pool. The rooms have bigger bathrooms, better soundproofing and better views of Camelback Mountain. Eight of the units are spa suites, a new concept in Phoenix, where guests can order from a special menu of in-room treatments. All aspects of the rooms focus on a "spa lifestyle," right down to the minimalist brown, taupe and sage decor. There are massage tables hidden under daybeds, ballet barres, yoga DVDs, light therapy lamps, European soaking tubs and steam showers.
.
OLAVIE Chardonnay Wine Therapy Spa Treatments Barrel Out of Wine Country and into the Rockies. OLAVIE is proud to announce that beginning April 1st, The Broadmoor Spa will start providing their wine therapy spa treatments and products. While OLAVIE Chardonnay wine therapy spa treatments have been popular in the wine country for quite a while, they recently gained momentum across the nation, receiving press coverage in widely-read magazines such as Lucky and Life & Style. The Broadmoor Spa is one of the the first major spas in the Rockies to recognize the anti-aging benefits of the Chardonnay grape seed and offer OLAVIE treatments and products.
Related Story: Spa Index Media was the first online spa directory to compile of a list of spas offering vinotherapy and wine based treatments and programs. Find a Vinotherapy Spa Online
.
Conde Nast Traveler magazine has awarded Lake Austin Spa Resort with top honors as the #2 Destination Spa in North America in their annual readers' poll in the April 2007 issue. The 2007 readers' poll will have some spas seeing red, as this is the first time that the three top honors have been awarded to properties with fewer than 50 guest rooms. Lake Austin Spa Resort was voted #1 for both location/setting (score of 98.3) and guest rooms (87). In addition, the property tied in the top honor for cuisine (87.5). The popular destination spa is known for creating a casual, upscale feeling in a highly personalized, almost residential spa setting while offering cutting edge programs such as Mother/Daughter Weeks, the Culinary Experience(TM), a Gathering of Wise Women, and the innovative and new Urban Cowgirl retreats.
See Lake Austin Resort and Texas Spa Resorts
.
Highly competitive hoteliers looking for the next new innovative service might consider acupuncture. While the 5,000-year-old practice has been around a long time, it’s certainly far from commonplace, but some hotels are seeing green by sticking it to their guests. The reaction when it was offered recently at the Spencer Hotel in Chautauqua, New York, was all positive, says owner Helen Edginton. She decided to introduce it after her personal experience.
Spas Offering Traditional Chinese Medicine
.
Kids clubs, concierge floors, celebrity chef restaurants, spas, water parks, golf courses – they’re each becoming mainstays of the country’s top resorts and hotels. But for guests and meeting groups looking for an amenity or two out of the ordinary, there are beginning to be a plethora of options. The Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa in Birmingham, Ala., for example, offers Porsche courtesy car transportation for guests staying as part of the Porsche Driving Experience.
.
Zero, no more. The seaside town of Vero Beach, FL opened the doors to its first luxury hotel today. Located on prime oceanfront property on Vero Beach’s famed Ocean Drive, the Vero Beach Hotel & Club is a new four-story condominium hotel featuring 83 one-, two- and three-bedroom, fully furnished designer suites with exquisitely detailed West Indies-style design and décor. Gracious amenities and intuitive service will be hallmarks of the Vero Beach Hotel & Club experience, which will include a signature restaurant, luxury spa, private beach club, poolside cabanas, heated ocean view pool and aquaspa, pool bar and grill, fitness center, executive boardroom, private event room, golf privileges at a local country club and concierge, laundry, valet and business center services.
Related Website: Florida Spas by SpaIndex.com
.
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has opened its first dedicated spa training center, the Shangri-La Spa Academy, in Manila, Philippines. In addition to practical skills, academy trainees learn about chi philosophy, the universal life force that governs well-being and personal vitality, the inspiration of Shangri-La's CHI experience, as well as instruction and knowledge on how to deliver the Shangri-La style of service within a spa environment.
Related WebSite: Asia Spa Resorts on SpaIndex.com
.
Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa in California has announced the completion of its $17 million transformation with the March conclusion of all major construction. The largest luxury hotel in the Southern California mountain community, the property’s dramatic transformation included redesigned guestrooms, meeting and public spaces, a re-imagined restaurant and bar, BIN189, and the new 11,000 square foot, full-service Spa of the Pines.
Browse California Spa Resorts on SpaIndex.com
.
