THE SPA AT FOUR SEASONS DENVER
DENVER, COLORADO
Four Seasons Denver has “good energy,” which is actually quite infectious, and much of this has to do with the service. It’s obvious, the staff is happy to work here, which helps create a wonderful ambience and a truly memorable stay. The Spa at Four Seasons Denver is an integral part of this experience. This sanctuary pulls inspiration from an abundance of the surrounding Colorado nature, as well as holistic philosophies. Before my spa journey, I spent time chilling out at the outdoor pool oasis, and it would be wrong not to point out Four Seasons Denver has one of the best hotel gyms in America. The 24-hour, 2,354-squarefoot fitness center is large for a city hotel, and it went through a major remodel with brand-new equipment and Queenax Functional Training Room (think Crossfit equipment like punching bags and battle ropes). A true highlight is the addition of Doug Graham as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. Dough has trained the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Vikings, so you know you’ll have a legit one-on-one session. But back to the amazing urban retreat. There are ten treatment rooms, salon, nail services, and separate relaxation lounges and facilities for men and women, decked out in wood and stone, which brings an element of nature indoors. The men’s area (maintained by a male spa attendant) was equipped with the works, including an aromatherapy steam room, a hot tub, and a relaxation area. One of the spa’s most popular treatments is the Silky Multi-Exfoliation scrub (50mins/$170). It begins with a body scrub made from black sand, pumice, and papaya enzymes. Afterwards, you’re treated to a full-body rubdown with oleo crème body milk, sure to keep your skin hydrated and refreshed. I also indulged in a deep-tissue massage (50 min/$160). I say “indulge” specifically because it was a euphoric moment, the pressure from the therapist so deep that I was fully knackered afterward, with all the tense areas totally fixed. The spa was so next-level (and effortlessly full of “good energy”) that I made time to visit every day. www.fourseasons.com/denver
—Jimmy Im
Photo: Krakenimages.com
SPA BOTANICO AT DORADO BEACH
A RITZ-CARLTON RESERVE
DORADO BEACH, PUERTO RICO
Plenty of spas call themselves “sanctuaries,” but this one, located at the Ritz- Carlton’s Reserve resort, truly lives up to the word. When I passed the 85-yearold ficus tree fronting Spa Botanico at Dorado Beach and entered what looked like a small stucco building, I hadn’t expected a five-acre ode to ohmm. Not only is there a foliage-draped grotto area with several plunge pools, including a cool water bucket drenching feature, but the inside relaxation area is sure to lull you to sleep pre- or post-treatment. The true design wonder is the spa’s treehouses, where several treatments are administered. I opted for the unusual Hammock Massage (60 min/$200), where one is placed cocoon-style in a parachute fabric-like hammock. A therapist then lies underneath you and proceeds to massage various pressure points in your back, hands, and feet using their fingers and toes, all the while swaying you back and forth. To compare it to being swung like a baby isn’t an exaggeration. The gentle sway plus the sounds of the ocean puts you out like a light, no matter how much you fight it. As for other options, a facial is always in order in Puerto Rico because for some reason, locals look immaculate, so adding on the 30-minute Age Defying Lip & Eye Treatment seemed in order. With the multi-purpose promise of face lifting, eye-wrinkle smoothing, lip plumping, and more, this therapy gave Botox-like results without chemicals. The bonus eyebrow shaping plus brow and lash tint made me ready for a night out on the town. And this being Puerto Rico, evening fun is nearly mandatory, so I was relaxed and ready. www.ritzcarlton. com/en/hotels/puerto-rico/dorado-beach
—Chanize Thorpe
SIX SENSES SPA AT ALPINA GSTAAD
GSTAAD, SWITZERLAND
Gstaad has long been a respite of luxury and outdoor sport, dating back to the early 20th-century construction of the Montreux Oberland Bahn (MOB) railway network (now called the GoldenPass Line). While skiing, snowboarding, and other alpine adventures are a significant draw, Gstaad’s impeccable fivestar hotels attract winter revelers to the region’s world-renowned slopes. Each is unique in its design aesthetic and offerings, but for those seeking modern flair and an award-winning spa should look no further than the stunning Alpina Gstaad. Designed by P49 Bangkok, Six Senses Spa is an idyllic retreat to sooth sore muscles after a day in the brisk elements. With more than 21,000 square feet and featuring 12 treatments rooms, Six Senses indulges in every luxury, including a floatation room, Turkish-style hammam, color therapy room, and salt room. Guests can also discover an indoor pool, yoga studio, two Jacuzzis, and a garden pool open all year round, kept at a muscle-relaxing temperature and with mountain views in every direction. It is the expertise of Spa Director Petula Elzenaar and her trained therapists that turn this oasis into a true healing center for mind and body. Standout treatments include the deep tissue massage (60 min/$249), an intense oil-based massage that relies on cupping to improve blood flow; the men’s rejuvenation facial (60 min/$270), is a purifying and restorative treatment that uses ila skincare products with Amazonian plant extracts to refresh and rejuvenate. Beyond the Six Senses Spa, guests should allow ample time to explore the hotel’s jaw-dropping art collection, which includes metal sculptures by Ann Carrington, Alpine découpage landscapes by Anne Rosat, and soothing mixed media installations by Berlin-based artist Santiago Taccetti. www.thealpinagstaad.com
—Matthew Wexler
Six Senses Spa at The Alpina Gstaad
AUPAKA SPA & WELLNESS
AT FOUR SEASONS OAHU
KAPOLEI, OAHU, HAWAII
In a destination as lovely as Hawaii, the Naupaka Spa pleasantly incorporates ancient local wisdom into its array of treatments, along with relaxing natural serenity. Located a short drive from Honolulu inside the gorgeous Four Seasons Oahu, the spacious spa spans 35,000 square feet over five stories, and includes a beauty salon/barbershop, and the Jim Courier Tennis Centre. Treatments include Hawaiian healing therapies like the Hanohano Lomilomi (50 min/$195), a glorious massage of long, flowing strokes meant to evoke graceful hula movements. The No Ka Oi (160 min/$585) is literally called “The Best” because it incorporates all of Naupaka’s best elements for an invigorating sugar and coconut-oil scrub, hydrating coconut-milk-and-aloe wrap, tropical hair/scalp treatment, and lemongrass ginger lomilomi massage that should park you perfectly in the mindset of Oahu’s breezy tranquility. Better still, you can book any massage in one of the beachside cabanas, each within earshot of the soothing Pacific waves. Inside Naupaka, enjoy the hot tub and cold plunge, but don’t miss the Himalayan salt chambers, where inhaling in a little halotherapy (salt therapy) can help alleviate allergies and congestion, and refresh your lungs to breathe in more of the flowerfresh Hawaiian air. www.fourseasons.com/oahu/spa
—Kelsy Chauvin
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. 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 Lokahi Garden Massage (50 min/$180) which treats you to a massage in your own personal garden and the Pineapple Papaya Hydration (50 min/$185) which 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
THE SPA AT CORINTHIA HOTEL LISBON
LISBON, PORTUGAL
After savoring the aerie view of the Aguas Livres Aqueduct traversing the valley and beyond that the 25th of April Bridge spanning the Rio Tejo, I head down from the executive lounge at the Corinthia Hotel Lisbon to the spa to ease the kinks in my back from the nine-hour drive from Granada to Lisbon. After a dozen leisurely laps in the indoor pool, I spend 30 minutes before my treatment to relax in the extensive spa facilities. The spa offers numerous diversions: a dry sauna, steam bath infused with eucalyptus vapors, a spacious hydrotherapy pool with various jet stations, and, my favorite, the overhead streams of water that give my sore back muscles a powerful thrumming. Other options include a cool Pebble Walk, a shallow pathway of underwater stones that stimulates the pressure points in your feet. For those who like it cold as I do, you can rub snow from the ice fountain over your face and body. Highlights in the spa include their Aqua Therapy Circuit (60min/$35) which allows singles and couples to embark on an aquatic journey through a sensory shower, jacuzzi, steam bath, ice fountain, hydrotherapy pool, and more. It’s perfect for a mix of invigoration and relaxation. Another popular treatment is the Portuguese Journey (80min/$170), which is a full-body massage that features exfoliating Portuguese salts and nourishing Portuguese oils. www.corinthia.com/hotels/lisbon
—Bill Strubbe
