International Spa Report

SPA THE

REPORT

Hu d s o n M O D Ge t s Se r i o u s A b o u t Re l a x i ng

BY MARCO MEDRANO

W

elcome to a whirlwind of wellness. Let’s spa!

Aside from just feeling great, spa services are a place for getting centered in the depths of your soul. It’s about shutting the world out; about making what ails you emotionally or

pains you physically, less present. Not to mention the circulation and medicinal healing a great treatment can impart. Not only are you doing something kind for yourself, but those around you benefit from your newfound calm, too. We all want to feel great and look younger (or at least look and feel better than we do today).

THE PLUNGE Cornelia Spa at the Surrey Hotel in Manhattan; (opposite) Corinthia Hotel Budapest, home to the renowned Royal Spa.

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help eliminating the crow’s-feet area around your eyes. A quick in-person consult prior to your procedure could change what you thought you needed and garner an enhanced experience and a more lifted you.

This listing is by no means intended as an end-all recommendation of must-attend spas; rather, it’s an informed categorization of some superlative choices I’ve personally encountered. By anyone’s standards, it’s a pretty darn good list.

INTERNATIONAL

B DUTY FREE (top) The Spa at Regent Palms in Turks and Caicos; the iconic suite at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok.

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efore we embark on this luxurious and detoxifying journey of ohm, chakra massage, zen-ergy lifts and orange-zest-infused collagen transfusions, let’s agree on one thing: Everyone—whether a man or a woman—should commit to at least one treatment each spa season. Get outside of your comfort zone. Peruse spa menus and ask questions. Treat your spa adventure as just that: an adventure to behold. If a mani/pedi is your idea of a “spa day,” it’s time to let your inner explorer out to play.

Once you decide to color outside the lines, it’s time to ask questions about the actual services, because the majority of treatments are geared to time allotments. Ask about add-ins and service customization; many massages, for example, offer special detox extracts. Or you may want to concentrate on being skeletally aligned, not necessarily karate-chopped into submission.

Also, if you ask, many spas offer facial microdermabrasion treatments prior to a basic cleansing facial for

We start this spa journey outside the US, where it all began, with the mother of all pampered, wellness, healing and beauty for the ultrarich that emerged nearly a century and a half ago: the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok. This legendary spa was built on the banks of the famed Chao Phraya River (River of Kings) in the era when privileged aristocrats and wealthy industrialist families traveled to Thailand with their personal valets, laundresses and nannies in tow—in adjoining suites.

Of course, the concept of “spa” is older than Cleopatra, but none before the Mandarin Oriental have harnessed the act into a showcase of members-only glitz, refined design and organized transformation—a treatment destination spa-shrine, where people went with the intention of being rejuvenated, literally—for upwards of a month at a time.

Today, the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, is still setting the bar quite high. Their credo, “your temple of well-being,” rings remarkably true. No matter how much the spa experience advances scientifically, ancient traditions of Thailand base their “overall health and beauty through meditation, massage and herbal remedies.” (Tip: Visit nearby Chao Krom Pho Ancient

Apothecary for a real sense of potent, healing herbs). One of my favorite ways to clear the mind chatter is with a service that’s becoming harder to find called Shirodhara, a calming nervoussystem healer triggered by a constant flow of warm therapeutic oil poured over the forehead for at least 20 minutes. Until you’ve experienced this treatment, you really haven’t lived a luxurious life. And similar to reflexology, Keraleeya Abhyangam is performed on your whole body, limb by limb, to produce flowing, soothing movements that charge your body’s systems to loosen toxins (ama) from your cells.

Of course, the Mandarin Oriental’s spa menu is large, and the traditionally amazing massages and potent facial infusions are also available. But so are your own wellness ambassadors, customized full-day protocols and deluxe spa suites. To the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, we humbly bow.

Similarly, Hungary, and specifically Budapest, is blessed with the world’s fifth-largest supply of thermal waters and has cultivated its own version of antiaging wellness via their ancient, readily available, healing, warm mineral springs: sophisticated massage; and lymphatic drainage. What I love about Hungarian cures is that they were in fact enjoyed and promoted to the masses, not just nobility, long before Romans perfected their 118 naturally occurring thermal springs. The Austro-Hungarian Empire honored its lands’ Islamic roots (Ottoman rites) by building public baths—where “taking the waters” is still a national pastime. Fast-forward to today’s Budapest, dubbed the City of Healing Waters, as we check into another world of sumptuous grandeur, Corinthia Hotel Budapest, home to the renowned Royal Spa. A history lesson in itself, let’s just say the hotel and spa have been majestically

restored—an advanced, gilded beauty hospital, of sorts. Simply stunning.

Phytomer is the spa’s marine-based vitamin and mineral brand of choice, imparting healing and detoxification to the maximum potential, while Germaine de Capuccini products are offered in their advanced antiaging facials. The spa menu is immense and also includes Ayurvedic and Thai practices, but you can just soak in the centuries-old mineral baths and walk away feeling reborn.

TIP: If you want to experience the true healing power of Hungarian thermal waters, I highly recommend Omorovicza products available at omorovicza.com and Neiman Marcus.

Let’s go to where therapeutic healing started: the Dead Sea. This region in the Middle East is blessed with intense, mineral-rich water and celebrated sea mud, as well as ozone- and oxygenrich air. Within the confines of the fivestar Kempenski Hotel Ishtar in Jordan rests the Anantara Spa, directly on the Dead Sea, where the focus is your royal wellness and heightened luxury.

DIM LIGHTS, BIG CITY The Madarin Spa in New York City is a showstopper

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With their enormous seawater spa program that can be had from private spa suites, the Ishtar Royal Villas and Beach Chalets have been the preferred destination for some of the world’s most powerful people, whose livelihoods require bouncing back, completely rejuvenated by an expertly trained staff who’ve known the powers of this sea since childhood. The Royal Hammam Treatment, a heated, headto-toe soul cleanse and polish, is an absolute must. Talk about luxe.

OK, so if your wellness getaway requires exquisite sapphire surf, white sand and infused umbrella cocktails, then The Spa at Regent Palms, Turks and Caicos, is where you’ll want to melt away. Here, you can book amazing therapies directly, or your private fitness consultant can shape your food fare, exercise regimen and spa treatments to match your goals of inner wellness and external beauty, including detoxifying massages and Sothys or Zents body wraps and fullon age-reverse facial treatments. The Regent collection has been at the top of the luxury-brand market since its inception, and this Caribbean jewel is a prime example.

NEW YORK CITY

THE VIEW (top) The Guerlain Spa at the WaldorfAstoria harvests its own honey and herbs; Sothy’s, Paris reception and treatment room in NYC.

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Do we really have to go home? Since New York City is unquestionably the center of the universe, it naturally ranks very high as the luxury-spa standard.

With so many choices, we’re sharing a few we’ve experienced as enviable.

With one of the most amazing views of Central Park, The Mandarin Oriental on Columbus Circle is a no-brainer starting point. It is nothing less than breathtaking. From the moment you walk through the sleek ground floor to the multistory 35th-floor reception atrium (truly Zeus-worthy), you almost have to ask the angels in your head

to keep it down. A beige mausoleumlike palace to some, the Holy Trinity of luxe to others, you cannot go wrong anywhere at the Mandarin. Your spa experience begins at reception, with a hand/foot energy cleanse, after which you don slippers. My healer, Nejla, was completely in tune with me that day and performed a signature therapeutic treatment massage, derived from traditional Chinese medicine. Wow—the massage was a true recipe for aromatic, spiritual, physical and emotional well-being.

The spa’s 75-foot lap pool (more views!), Amethyst-crystal steam room and oxygen-infused vitality pool make for one extraordinary ending to a perfect spa experience.

Front facing and as center stage to Central Park as you can get rests the home of La Prairie at The RitzCarlton Spa. Long an extravagant insurance policy for excellence, La Prairie’s trained staff and impressive, results-oriented skincare line and head-to-toe pampering are the height of indulgence. Rose executed one of the most thorough face clearings I’ve experienced during my decadent Skin Caviar Lifting Facial with NuFACE Technology (microcurrent), also referred to as the “high and tight.”

Along with this new service, some of my fave products tried to recapture my youth with Skin Caviar Liquid Lift, Essence of Skin Caviar Eye Complex and Luxe Soufflé Body Cream. Nice touch: They make the products available in the changing rooms, along with champagne refills. And they offer text-alert options for rescheduling. A quick 90 minutes of bliss followed by a steam spell caviar-infused dreams.

From the Relais & Châteaux collection resides The Surrey Hotel’s playfully extravagant Cornelia Spa, where one might get an idea of how a

Rockefeller once came home to bathe after a museum-mile stroll. With its own art collection amidst beaux-arts architecture and au courant flair, the spa menu is what you’d expect. With a short list of express services as well as a men’s menu, the Caviar & Oxygen Reparative Quench will also have you red-carpet ready or just completely, deeply satisfied. Deluxe and delicious.

A few swanky steps away is Sothys, Paris, a potent skincare and bodyhealing brand that has forged a few scientific breakthroughs of their own— since the term jet-setter was coined— retaining a dedicated spa following ever since. Honestly, their spa is set up like a gorgeous haute-couture runway show, while the front of house staff is highly trained for each retail products’ intention and category purpose (love that). Sothys is a trusted source when it comes to more assertive age-reverse facial regimens. I’ve experienced their Resurfacing Treatment with Vitamin C (awesome), customized with a spot treat (moisture infusion) to the more delicate areas, hindering the free radicals I picked up over the summer.

We’re dying to try Sothys’ Energizing Treatment line with Siberian ginseng, launching this month.

Located within the legendary Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue is the equally iconic Guerlain Spa, a celebrated mecca of luxury skincare remedies, cosmetics and parfums since 1828. (Guerlain’s men’s fragrance, Vetiver, remains one of my favorite scents). Palatial-chic, the Guerlain Spa is sophistication at its finest. And with the launch of their Orchidée Impériale line, this collection of serious antiaging products now has the Cure Treatment available on site (new menu available this month; see page 66). This treatment is designed to rewind and transform even the most

underwhelming skin. Another service registering on the societal barometer this month is their Abeille Royale Youth Facial Treatment, using Guerlain’s rare, proprietary extract of Royal Jelly Concentrate. Want more? Don’t forget to take advantage of the Milk, Haute Honey and Rooftop Herbs mani/pedi, using the Waldorf Rooftop Honey and herb-garden harvests. To put a bow on Guerlain’s terrific customer service, everyone receives a complimentary shoeshine, garment steaming and makeup refresh performed in-suite.

Guerlain Spa is where science, taste, class, style and service converge.

Now, if you find yourself downtown, then Trump SoHo Spa is where you should be setting your chi compass.

Aside from its contemporary extravagance and true full-service menu, the spa is also the only luxury hammam in New York City. That’s reason enough to run, not walk.

What are some of our faves from their global wellness rituals? The Moroccan Hammam, Shirodhara and the Purifying Emeralds Massage (from their signature gemstone treatments) are musts. Aside from featuring Kate Somerville results-driven facials, anyone that uses Germaine de Capuccini products as a primary skincare regimen has my vote. The added bonus: Antonio Prieto Salon services are adjacent, as are wellappointed indoor/outdoor relaxation lounges. The Trumps did this spa right.

If you prefer to fly under the radar without sacrificing an unforgettable Manhattan spa experience, fear not.

The Chatwal Hotel offers true fivestar boutique luxury and that’s why they chose to partner with Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door Spa. Tried and true—I had a serious and terrific dermabrasion-rewind facial there.

They’ve also launched Red Door Spa

MANHATTAN MAINTENANCE (top) The unique Townhouse Spa on Fifth Avenue, Trump Soho Spa boasts Germaine de Capuccini products, La Prairie at the Ritz-Carlton Spa faces New York City’s Central Park.

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JERSEY PROUD (top) Depasquale Spa in Morris Plains is nothing short of spectacular; Hilton Short Hills Hotel’s Eforea Spa is the perfect staycation spot.

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Professional, a lineup of take-home specialty skincare products. Nearly in a class of its own is The Peninsula Hotel Spa, featuring Biologique Recherche as their anchor brand, enhancing their out-of-this-world treatments. Although Soho House New York is a members-only club, their legendary Cowshed Spa welcomes you with open arms and will certainly shower you with “the treatment.” Another place that many celebrities call their secret-weapon home is the Mzia Shiman Spa, a lovely jewel box that provides uplifting treatments, youthful firmness and oxygen, with more scientific devices than I’ve ever seen outside of NASA headquarters. Ellza Bellezza has been performing a “Biotic Wave” series on me with a proprietary device that measures how much microcurrent your face needs. Nice. Very, very nice.

Aside from great hair, Lovella Salon, with Upper East Side and Upper West Side locations performs facial miracles for those on the go! One of our favorite brands, Repechage, is Lovella’s skincare of choice, utilizing ‘Express Facial’ techniques at their open-air Facial Bar. I had a layered Biolight skin brightening treatment and was on my way in 30 minutes— they’ve got it down!

Townhouse Spa is not only quite sophisticated, it has a luxury Fifth Avenue mansion feel in the heart of midtown. Built from the ground up to host glamorous events, at its core Townhouse Spa offers refined beauty and men’s grooming services with multiple floor lounges, steam facilities and a separate men’s floor.

Their facial and body treatments are top-notch. Vibra-Derm 30 Day Bootcamp, anyone?

Hate the word meditate? Bored with the typical yoga and gym routine?

Want to stay two steps ahead of the anti-aging curve? How often have we heard “relax”, “chill” or “take a breath”? Visit Will Torres’ willSPACE and there you will simply learn a better way to flex (willSTRIKE or STEALTH) or you can just BREATHE, with Dr. Belisa Vranich, a clinical psychologist, author and wellness coach that had me oxygenating body parts I didn’t know I could—and teaches how to manifest that practice beyond our golden years. Elements of breathing—internal wellness that’s not hot air. It was a genuinely life changing experience and I highly recommend it.

“Breathing correctly is the most important change you can make for your mental and emotional health—at a cellular level all physical and emotional suffering is related to lack of oxygen— the fastest most efficient way to feel better is to breathe,” says Dr. Vranich.

NEW JERSEY Now, if all this pampering sounds great, but being in the city isn’t relaxing for you, then we have some options that will match your ohso-high expectations in northern New Jersey. A first choice for many is DePasquale The Spa in Morris Plains. A high-caliber salon/spa that provides more than full service, with one of the most extensive menus and varied beauty artists and the largest retail therapy rooms I’ve ever seen. With amazing massage packages and one of the few spas to incorporate bamboo into their on-target facial treatments (very hot right now), DePasquale has you covered. Sipping champagne in their mani/pedi suite is most certainly on the civilized person’s to-do list.

If “checking out” requires a more serious check-in without venturing

far from home, consider Hilton Short Hills Hotel’s Eforea Spa. Standing adjacent to the famed The Mall at Short Hills and boasting a AAA Four Diamond ratings, the whole property is simply top-notch. Their beloved “The Dining Room,” with celebrity chef Richard Kennedy’s delicious farm-to-table menu, has reignited the area’s culinary curiosity.

At the spa, the Kerstin Florian and ’I’TYA (Australian holistics) and VitaMan (who uses White Tea instead of water) skincare brands, being the foundation for Hilton’s transformative “Spa Journeys” and advanced facial treatments, are remarkable. Secondly, they’ve given men’s services equal priority, with a customized collection of head-to-toe remedies and select add-in options.

From the beautiful suites, curved wall designs, aromatherapy systems, Vichy showers, LED light therapy and state-of-the-art advancements, Hilton Eforea has never looked so good— and neither will you. Nicely done.

With three advanced locations including one in Miami Beach, Panico Spa Salon not only provides great services and exclusive retail (Oribe, Davines), they boast the onsite services of Dr. Joseph Pober (holder of many “best of” lists) at their Ridgewood location, Pober MD, Medi Spa. And if you both decide that plastic surgery is a better option, visit the Park Avenue, New York City office.

from the Pacific Ocean and is nestled in a canyon preserve—the West Coast at its finest. Book your tickets now.

If you require a little more heat, but Miami Beach is too…well, too…consider the resurgent hot spot that is Palm Beach’s Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa. This hip indulgence will be the buzz from the black-card, Ibiza-boomer globetrotting jet set. This might be my first choice for trying a whole new concept of spa-ing, with strategically placed dipping pools, their couture “Scrub Bar” and relaxation lounge with hanging pendant chairs. As the Eau Spa treatment mantra goes, “pause, play and perfect.” This 42,000-squarefoot aqua, adult playground is just bursting with inventive fun at every turn—so selflessly slip into their SelfCentered Garden which serves up music, cocktails and cupcakes. Or get momentarily serious with resultsdriven beauty treatments. This may forever change how all of us perceive future “spa days.”

DESTINATION LUXURY (top) The Grand Del Mar in California boasts a five-star spa; Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa is luxury at its best.

US BEACHES It’s getting colder and colder outside, sd if you’ve just had it with the concrete jungle and need to break dawn before the first Nor’easter, we have solutions. Rated California’s No.1 resort, The Grand Del Mar hosts one of only 38 five-star spas in the US and has a world-class golf course, is minutes

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