NORTH AMERICA
LA PRAIRIE SPA AT THE WALDORF ASTORIA
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA
After a decade of construction the $200 million Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills is finally open, and it’s an exciting addition to Hollywood’s luxury hotel scene. New York chef Jean-Georges Vongerichte has opened not only Jean-Georges Beverly Hills on the ground floor for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, but also The Rooftop by JG, offering lighter fare from noon to midnight with spectacular views over Westwood and Beverly Hills.
La Prairie
It’s quickly become the new hot spot for drinks and power lunches in LA. The 119 rooms and 51 suites are incredibly hightech with lights, automated curtains, reservations, and in-room dining all controlled by an iPad. There’s even Amazon Echo devices in every room so you can use your voice to check the weather, play your favorite music, and set your wake-up call. The Waldorf turned to one of the most luxurious names in the business to open a beautiful 5,000-square-foot La Prairie Spa.
The spa offers hot stone, Swedish, and reflexology massages starting at $195, but La Prairie is best known for its facials, skincare line, and rigorously trained therapists. The White Caviar Brightening and Firming Facial (90 min/$250) uses Golden Caviar extracts to plump and firm the skin while brightening and evening overall skin tone. The Rejuvenating Platinum Facial (90 min/$550) is their top-of-the-line treatment, and includes their high performance Platinum Collection line (the peptide-infused night serum alone is $1,200/bottle to purchase).
Mon-Thurs from noon to 5 P.M. the spa offers a Happy Hour for $195 that includes a 60-minute massage or facial, complimentary valet, La Prairie sample product, and post-service tea. Just don’t forget to grab a drink on the rooftop—there’s no better place in LA right now to show off your new glow. www.waldorfastoriabeverlyhills.com
—Paul Horne
GOLDEN DOOR
ESCONDIDO, CALIFORNIA
Golden Door stairs
The spa has received every award the industry has, including “#1 World’s Best Destination Spa” by Travel + Leisure and a featured spot in the book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die.
Most weeks are exclusively for women, but thankfully they also have six co-ed weeks and five extremely popular men’s weeks with waiting lists. Everything you need is supplied for you: your workout clothes, robe, water bottle, sandals, and even skincare products. It’s one of the few places where you could literally just bring your toothbrush (although I did find a toothbrush in my room).
The cost for a week at the Door is $8,850, which is expensive, but keep in mind this all-inclusive week includes a private villa, all your farm-to-table meals and snacks, four personal training sessions, daily in-room massages, five facials, two herbal wraps, a manicure and pedicure, daily laundry, daily guided hikes, all fitness and specialty classes, and even roundtrip transportation from Southern California airports.
What’s even more amazing about this world-class property is that after years of languishing under corporate ownership it now has a private owner who has not only restored the place to its former glory, but also donates 100% of the spa’s profits to charity. So a stay at the Door is not just good for your body, it’s good for the world. www.goldendoor.com
—Paul Horne
