ISLANDS OF THE SUN
By Bernard Burt
Escaping winter blahs on a Caribbean island may be just what the doctor ordered. The health benefits of sea air blend with island herbs and flowers in aromatherapy treatments on the beach. And you have a wide choice of fun or fitness at resorts featured in my book, 100 Best Spas of the World (Globe-Pequot, 2003).
MAYAN MAGIC
Healing rituals of the Maya feature indigenous herbs, natural clay, and crystals at Mexico’s JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa. Try the Sihi Na Queen bodywrap with self-heating clay, or the jade crystal body sculpture. Explore archaeological sites and Caribbean beaches, then chill out at the three-level spa, complete with an indoor swimming pool and juice bar. Set in the heart of beachfront action on Cancun’s hot hotel strip, the JW Marriott hotel captures the essence of the Mayan Riviera. You can take scuba lessons in a dive pool, laze by a freshwater lagoon, and play tennis on lighted courts. With a choice of five restaurants, from Cafe Salsa to Italian Beach Grill, this spacious resort caters to both families and adults. Budget Tip: Stay next-door at less-pricey Marriott Casa Magna Cancun Resort and enjoy full use of the JW Marriott spa. For more information call (800) 223-6388; or visit www.marriott.com.
EAST MEETS WEST
Exotic tropical gardens surround eight Mandara Spa suites at the Ocean Club on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. Cocooned in comfort, no sounds other than the ocean can be heard in your private pavilion. Relax on an open-air Balinese daybed as your Bahamian therapist offers herbal tea and a welcoming foot-cleansing ritual. Inside, massage tables sit side-by-side in air conditioned comfort. Start with a Caribbean coffee body scrub, followed by the Elemis Japanese silk facial masque which delivers nourishment deep into your winter-weary skin. The Ocean Club, linked to Nassau by bridges, provides shuttle bus to its golf course and the Atlantis resort casino. Budget Tip: Stay at Atlantis’s family-oriented theme hotel and request a day spa package at the Ocean Club or Mandara’s seawater spa in the hotel. Technically it’s in the Atlantic ocean, but the experience is pure Pacific. For more information call (800) 321-3000 or visit www.oceanclub.com.
JAMAICAN THALASSOTHERAPY
After a sea salt scrub and massage in the grotto at Sans Souci Resort slip into the ocean for a unique thalassotherapy experience. As you swim in the shallow bay, cool mineral water from hillside springs flows beneath warm salt water. Totally refreshing and invigorating, it’s a free bonus at Charlie’s Spa on a lovely private beach near Ocho Rios, Jamaica’s reggae hot spot. Look for spa mascot Charlie, a giant sea turtle, in his rocky pool amid lush gardens and the aerobics pavilion. A bar offers smoothies (or something stronger) on the house. Spa treatments as well as meals and lodging are included in your daily package. Choices include massages, body scrubs, reflexology treatments, facials, and nailcare. You’ll receive six treatments when you stay four nights, from $500 per couple, per day. Located amongst the gardens that surround wooden spa buildings, guest lodges charmingly recreate old Jamaican plantations with modern amenities. Budget Tip: Airport transfers are free. For more information call (876) 994-1353 or visit www.sanssoucijamaica.com.
SPANISH TROPICAL GOLDEN DOOR
Fall under the spell of the Golden Door’s only Caribbean outpost. Spanish style mixes with California concepts of beauty and wellness in a romantic setting at the Wyndham El Conquistador Resort’s Las Casitas Village in Puerto Rico. Secluded in a tropical golf resort, the spa is housed in a three-story casita. Zen-like interiors reflect earth, water, and air. Ascend the stairway to the Vitality level for a workout in the Cybex cardiovascular and strength-training studios. Scheduled throughout the day are spinning, yoga, stretching, and aerobics. Retreat to the top floor for tranquility treatments: waterfalls and baths set the scene for massage and skincare. The herbs and mud used to cleanse your skin come from nearby El Yunque, the only national park in a rain forest. Staying at Las Casitas Village allows you to be away from the crowd, yet you have full access to El Conquistador’s casino, marina, and private island beach. The newly expanded cluster of hillside casitas offer special perks to residents, such as a complimentary tropical breakfast buffet and a butler service, as well as the amenities of a townhouse set amid palm-shaded and Spanish-tiled courtyards. Order meals from the Golden Door spa menu or dine at intimate Le Bistro for traditional Mediterranean cuisine. This is the best of both worlds. For more information call (787) 863-1000 or visit www.wyndham.com.
TAKE A BODY HOLIDAY AT LeSPORT
While the islands are full of all-inclusive resorts, the unique, spa-oriented BodyHoliday at LeSPORT on St. Lucia provides comprehensive benefits. Recipient of numerous honors, this SunSwept Resort features the Caribbean’s first holiday to combine the pleasure of personalized rejuvenation with opportunities to acquire skills and insights that will enhance the rest of your life. Set on a hilltop overlooking the sea, The Oasis is a retreat for body and soul. Complimentary massage and sea water therapies come with your daily regimen. For more sophisticated facials and massage, there’s a Clarins salon offering French products and skincare. Stroll along the beach from your plantation-style lodge to join aerobics classes in the air conditioned gym, or work with a personal trainer. Other offerings include such challenging activities as archery, tennis, and golf, hikes in jungle terrain, and water sports galore. Visit the sulfurous hot springs, built when the island was under French rule, for a mineral water soak. With a variety of dining venues, from buffet to deli, and candle-lit French dinners with wine, LeSPORT raises pampering to a new level. Budget Tip: Clarins treatments are the best bargain on the island. For more information call (800) 544-2883 or visit www.thebodyholiday.com.
BRITISH COLONIAL MEETS NEW AGE
Greeted at the Barbados airport by a Bentley, you are ushered into a world of privilege and pricey services at the new Sandy Lane Hotel. From the airy coral stone and Italian marble lobby to your window-walled suite, luxury is the operative word. The spa’s main attraction is skincare and bodywork by E’SPA, the British-based design group that created the award-winning spas at Mandarin Oriental hotels and Ireland’s new Samas Spa. Specialties include a sports massage for golfers and after-sun therapy. As you descend a grand staircase, the spa’s adult-only swimming pool sets the mood. The hydropool features bubbling underwater lounges. Garden suites are available if you crave privacy, and there is an agate crystal steam chamber, said to produce healing effects. For teenagers and young children, the spa offers treatments in a separate playroom and restaurant. For more information call (246) 444-2000 or visit www.sandylane.com.
January/February 2004
