Tourism

VIP treatment(s) For Arizona’s top resort spas, relaxation is all in a day’s work (and big business)

By ALISON BAILIN BATZ

According to Statista, the global market size of the spa and spa serves industry

is expected to grow to more than $133 billion by 2027. Arizona, declared by Forbes as one of the nationwide leaders in the spa and wellness space, continues to innovate and push the industry to new levels each day. Here are how local spa industry leaders are massaging the bottom line and thriving in one of the most competitive markets in the world:

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

Proving that one is good but two is twice as nice, the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess now has two spa destinations on the resort grounds. The first: Well & Being Spa, a 44,000-square-foot palace to pampering that offers everything from aerial hammock yoga and float fit yoga to an aromatherapy blending bar and desert-inspired massage and body treatments. Setting itself apart for its amenities as much as its treatment offerings, the spa features a scenic rooftop pool complete with food and drink offerings as well as unique co-ed indoor/outdoor soothing heated spas that are connected to each other almost like a grotto. And then there are the indoor, single sex areas, offering indoor cold plunge and whirlpool areas, as well as steam, sauna and ample mediation space.

In addition to that, in mid-2021 Fairmont Scottsdale announced the opening of Sisley-Paris Spa at Well & Being Spa. Founded in 1976 by Hubert d’Ornano, Sisley is a French, family-owned company specializing in innovative and exceptional, high-quality cosmetic products. The international luxury beauty brand is the benchmark in phyto-cosmetology, sourcing the best natural plant extracts to obtain the most effective skincare results. The spa-within-a-spa concept at Well & Being is its own private six-room treatment facility complete with an experience attaché and other high touchpoints. As the newest, and largest addition to the global Sisley Spa portfolio, the Sisley Spa Paris at Well & Being offers a retreat inspired by the beauty and serenity of Havasupai Falls and the surrounding blooming Sonoran Desert. LEARN MORE: scottsdaleprincess.com

The Phoenician

When the iconic Phoenician completed the biggest renovation and refresh in the storied resort’s 30-year history in recent years, among the most sweeping of changes was The Phoenician Spa, which is an eyepopping and built-from-the-ground-up, three-story building of its own, complete with what feels like miles of personal space — including luxurious spaces to sleep — sauna, steam room, a rooftop pool, 24 treatment rooms, nail lounge, Drybar and

even a lifestyle shop.

To ensure ample time to completely indulge, and improve the benefits of your treatment, the spa invites guests to arrive about an hour before any service to take part in a wellness ritual. A hot-and-cold contrast hydrotherapy, the ritual starts with a five-minute sauna as its dry heat allows for muscle recovery and pain relief. It is followed by at least a five-minute steam so the wet heat can flush toxins from the body and improve breathing. Next comes a 30-second cold shower to stimulate circulation and a five-minute rest period before retreating to the Vitality Hot Tub, which boosts the immune system and promotes overall relaxation, and one last 30-second cool (not cold this time) shower to regulate the body. Guests may then retire to the relaxation lounge until treatment time. And the treatments? They continue to be cutting edge. In addition to standard and seasonal offerings, The Phoenician Spa offers everything from massages for the expectant mother, to a first-of-its-kind, three-step Keravive treatment for healthier, fuller hair. LEARN MORE: thephoenician.com

LAP OF LUXURY: The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess has two spa destinations on the resort grounds — Well & Being Spa and Sisley-Paris Spa at Well & Being Spa. (Photo courtesy of Fairmont Scottsdale Princess)

Hotel Valley Ho

VH Spa for Vitality + Health, a bright, 8,000-square-foot urban spa complete with relaxation deck and 24hour high-tech fitness center located at the midcentury modern boutique hotel, differentiates itself through transformational services. For example, to welcome spring in right, the spa features a Coffee + Cream seasonal menu through the close of April. Treatments include an energizing Café Au Lait Facial and nervous system-reactivating Coffee CBD Scrub + Massage from which to choose.

Beyond that, there is a service line of treatments meant to feel like a journey for all of the senses on the regular spa menu, including an Istanbul-inspired Hammam Experience that cleanses, exfoliates, mists and massages with savory aromatics such as coffee, lemon blossom, quince, tangerine and fig from the exotic East; and the Round-The-World Ticket, two hours of nonstop bliss using hot stones, dry brushing, Hypervolt percussion massage, cupping, a hair masque, Quenched Hands and Feet, and a CBD-infused massage that concludes with a special CBD beverage or snack. LEARN MORE: hotelvalleyho.com

CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa

CIVANA’s sole mission is to wrap guests in a warm cocoon of mindfulness, movement, relaxation, spiritual journeys and good, old fashioned massages and facials. Let’s start with the actual spa. The two-story, 22,000 square-foot space centers around the theme of “healing through water” and features 23 treatment areas including one Watsu® therapy pool, two couples treatment rooms, three wet treatment rooms including a Vichy shower, five facial rooms, and 14 massage rooms. There is also a communal area of hydrotherapy immersions – the Aqua Vitality Circuit – that includes a European-designed Kneipp hot/cold wading pool, therapeutic soaking pool, a cold deluge shower, and the five-climate KLAFS SANARIUM. Beyond the actual spa, however, the entire resort is set up as a wellness center and restorative escape, often one that can be enjoyed together. There is a full menu of daily programming throughout the resort that draws upon varied disciplines and techniques and includes fitness, culinary, and personal and spiritual growth with everything from spirit animal workshops to aerial yoga classes.

But wait, there is more. In recent months, the resort also launched “A Path to Connection,” a package that encourages travelers to find deeper connection with loved ones. Focusing on being with vulnerability, the package elements combine CIVANA’s commitment to “happiness first, healthiness always,” while offering new curated wellness experiences that create a safe container to explore vulnerability. Guests who embark on these experiences will be provided space and given tools to better understand, empathize, forgive themselves and others as well as explore acceptance, love and belonging. What does this mean? Think programming featuring conscious breathwork, intention burning ceremonies, intimacy workshops and even full shamanic journeys. LEARN MORE: civanacarefree.com