Most Expensive Spa in the World Opening Soon! Six Senses Spa to Introduce its Destination Spa and 7th Sense Spa Experience
by Susie Ellis

Had a sneak peek at the soon-to-be-launched new Six Senses Destination Spa here in Thailand. It was a 30 minute boat ride from the Six Senses Hideaway Yao Noi where I am currently staying. During a tour of the property which is nearing completion (although it looks to me will need more time than they think to be ready for opening), I kept saying, "wow," "wow," "wow" with every corner I turned.

The opening of this Destination Spa is going to be big news, - both inside the spa industry and outside of the spa industry. My guess is that these will be the big media stories:

1. You can eat the landscaping around your villa and pretty much eat everything else growing on the property.

2. This isn't one spa - it is literally four spas in one: an Indian spa, an Indonesian Spa, a Chinese Spa, and a Thai Spa. And I don't mean "area" but "spa"! There is also a salon called the hair spa as well as color therapy spaces, colonics, Watsu area, Pilates, kenisis, a feng shui'd gym (finally!), and a host of other offerings too numerous for me to remember. It would be easier to try and list what they don't offer.

3. Although not a medical spa per se, there will be master practitioners and medical doctors and an emphasis on both Eastern and Western wellness options - no aesthetic medicine.

4. It will no doubt be lauded for its ecologically embedded practices.

5. The food will likely get rave reviews because of the garden-fresh ingredients, their raw food restaurant option, and the status of their spa-celebrity chefs.

6. The 7th Sense will be introduced which will trump the Sixth.

7. It will be the most expensive spa in the world.

There are very few true destination spas left. In Asia there are just a handful - Chiva Som in Thailand (the most well known), Como Shambala in Bali (very small but exquisite), and the Farm at San Benito in the Philippines (unfortunately, a well kept secret).

North America has Canyon Ranch, Miraval, Rancho La Puerta, Golden Door, Greenhouse, Cal a Vie, and about 10 others. All destination spas are gems in my opinion. Very expensive to create and operate yet offer the greatest chance to pursue wellness and transformation. Bottom line for me is that I always feel my best (and am told I look my best) after a stay at a destination spa.

In fact that reminds me of how I recently heard someone describe the difference between a resort spa and a destination spa: When you return home from a resort spa you tell others how great it looked. When you return home from a destination spa others tell you how great you look!

Stay tuned....and fasten your seat belts.

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At the conference here in the Philippines I kept coming across Tony de Leede and his infectious enthusiasm for the new Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, which he opened a mere six months ago. I met him in New York shortly before the opening of the retreat when he stopped in to meet our team at the Spa Finder office.

Tony is a salesman, and he made sure in a scant 20 minutes that I was aware of the Gwinganna concept. Other than having trouble pronouncing the name, I did "get" the concept and was anxious to see how it would develop. It sounded a bit like the California Golden Door or Cal-a-Vie destination spas (right down to the small number of rooms - 40) in the Australian bush with an organic and eco-friendly focus. Since I have some experience with this, I volunteered that he would probably have to be patient in terms of building occupancy.

Well, catching up with him here at this spa conference I find out that they are going gangbusters. Not only have they already had some sold-out weeks - but Hugh Jackman has apparently become a raving fan. He has already been there several times and wants to buy property in the area so he can visit more regularly.

Hmmm...I am a Hugh Jackman fan. My new suspicion? As soon as Hugh starts talking Gwinganna (hopefully he can pronounce it), that organic lifestyle retreat might be really hard to get into.

In case you missed it, here is the piece that Good Morning America did entitled "Top American Spa Escapes". In the number-one slot was the new Mayflower Inn and Spa in Washington, CT. We here at Spa Finder also gave this spa kudos. The ABC footage of the Mayflower Spa gives a nice glimpse of the facility that very few people will probably ever see – it is so private and exclusive. I'm delighted that the piece stressed the outdoor adventure aspect of Mayflower's program in addition to its spiritual bent. Too bad ABC didn’t mention the unlimited spa treatments, which is one of the spa's strongest unique selling points and explains the steep rates.

But the rest of the top ten collection? Well, let’s just say that I am quite surprised at some of the ones on the list and some of the ones who are not on the list. Makes me wonder who decided on this list, and whether they were just trying to cover the entire country.

1. Mayflower Inn and Spa, CT
2. Miraval, Life in Balance, AZ
3. Sundara, WI
4. Lake Austin Spa Resort, TX
5. Spa at Four Seasons, NY
6. Ritz Carlton Orlando, FL
7. Cal-a-Vie, CA
8. Green Valley Resort & Spa, Utah
9. Inn at Palmetto, SC
10. Hotel Valley Ho, Scottsdale, AZ

Let me know your thoughts....

Most people know Peter Greenberg from NBC, where he has been the Today Show’s travel editor for many years. He is also a best selling author – Travel Detective is one of my favorites. I was introduced to Peter several years ago by my friend Kim Marshall, who is involved in the spa PR world and is also a friend of Peter’s. I must say, I believe we got off to a bad start and it was really my fault. We met at an industry trade show, and after Kim introduced us we spoke briefly about travel and spa. Noting that Peter was somewhat overweight, I couldn’t help but suggest that a full-week stay at a weight loss spa such as the Golden Door or Cal-a-Vie might be a good idea. Well, that turned out to be a big blunder, as the look on his face--and the fact that our conversation came to an abrupt halt--told me that I had hit a nerve. There went any hope of his mentioning Spa Finder on the Today Show!

Well, I am happy to report that I ran into Peter again--this time at the Virtuoso Travel event in Cambodia--with much better results. I almost didn't recognize him as he has lost a great deal of weight and looked very fit! He enthusiastically shared with me that he has lost 35 lbs (while still traveling extensively) and is coming out with a new book in May called The Traveler’s Diet. What a great idea for a book! I can't wait to see what weight loss tips he has for travelers. I wonder if they will include forgiving rude people who bring up someone's need to lose weight? :)