NORTH AMERICA
ANARA SPA AT GRAND HYATT KAUAI
KAUAI, HAWAII
There’s something especially serene about a spa experience so rooted in nature. Anara Spa, the award-winning retreat at the Grand Hyatt Kauai, offers several treatment rooms plus private lava-rock “shower gardens,” Jacuzzis, and relaxation areas, all in the open air, breezily shaded in a lush setting.
Kauai Hyatt Anara Massage
It’s part of the Hawaiian concept of lokahi, meaning “balance and harmony of body and spirit.” Here that notion harnesses the soothing powers of nature, combined with indulgent treatments for individuals or couples, including facials and other services just for men. Among Anara’s most popular sessions are the Seeds of Gratitude (110 min/$320) body scrub with lilikoi (passion fruit) seeds and Hawaiian sugar, followed by a mango-butter massage and lemongrass-aloe facial. The Pineapple Papaya Hydration (50 min/$185) inspires tropical ecstasy by using Hawaiian fruits with nourishing and hydrating enzymes for restorative dermal infusions.
For maximum body relaxation, the Lomilomi Hawaiian-style massage (50 min/$180) lets you feel “touched by loving hands” with flowing strokes that relieves tension across body, mind, and spirit. For its cosmetic services, Anara renovated its salon areas in 2018 to offer hair styling, waxing, and full nail treatments in deluxe furnishings. The spacious spa also hosts daily fitness classes, from aqua aerobics in its dedicated lap pool, to body sculpting, beach bootcamp, yoga, and sunrise walks. www.anaraspa.com
—Kelsy Chauvin
MOKARA SPA AT OMNI LOUISVILLE
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY
Omni Louisville Mokara Spa Relaxation Area
As Louisville’s newest luxury hotel (opened in March 2018), the Omni Louisville is the go-to place for a variety of upscale experiences, from dining and shopping to accommodations. The Mokara Spa is yet another reason to visit, with its 5,000 square feet and seven treatment rooms providing myriad ways to refresh, just minutes from the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Whiskey Row and other Louisville attractions.
Time-pressed business travelers can save time with focused massages and mini-facials that last less than 30 minutes. But for those with more time, the facility offers uniquely local treatments like the Kentucky Kombucha Facial (50 min/$135), which makes use of Kombucha (a fermented, sweetened black or green tea) to renew the skin with probiotics and enzymes, and you can also sip some of the freshly brewed beverage during the treatment.
Fans of the Kentucky Derby might want to consider the Superfecta Package, which is named after the type of wager that challenges racing fans to pick the first four finishers of a race in correct order. The indulgent, four-hour treatment, priced at $396, includes a winning combination of treatments: the Kentucky Kombucha Facial, a stone massage with warm, polished basalt stones and lavender and blue chamomile oil, and a manicure and pedicure. www.omnihotels.com/hotels/louisville
—Mark Chesnut
