Tag Archives: Red Mountain Spa

No Spa, No Massage, No Facials but a Cool New Year’s Eve!

No Spa, No Massage, No Facial but a Cool New Year’s Eve!

Report Card: Dinner and Nightclubbing in Las Vegas
by Susie Ellis

On the plus side:
My sunless tan lasted and looked pretty darn good
I made it all the way until 5:30 a.m. with only a short nap on the flight back.
Got a taste of the late night “party scene” at Tryst Wynn, Las Vegas.
Enjoyed seeing the young 20 and 30 year old girls in their cute dresses (short, short and shorter.)
Learned that pole-dancing isn’t just for fitness classes
Enjoyed the company we were with – the McCarters and the Turnbull’s (Tracey and Cassandra to the right.)

On the negative side:
I think that Peter and I might have been older than any of the other 500 + people there!
When you wear something that was “hot” 10 years ago, it is still dated (that would be me) When you wear something that is “hot” now, it is hot (that would be Peter – to the right.)
There is no possibility of talking at a nightclub due to the volume of music
Time drags on very sloooowly when all there is to do for 5 hours is drink, dance and people-watch (and you don’t have the same agenda as the singles.)

Bottom line is….I would rather party and hip hop with the youngsters than shuffle around the cha cha floor with the oldsters. However, something in between might be the best of all.

Now, please point me to the nearest spa.

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An Affordable Spa with the Biggest Loser Appeal

An Affordable Spa with the Biggest Loser Appeal
by Susie Ellis

Before leaving Utah, I wanted to take a quick look at Fitness Ridge which was the spa featured in the USA Today article in which we were also quoted (In particular they listed our top 10 Readers’ Choice winners for Most Affordable Spas.”) The story was titled “Fit & Frugal – Affordable spa resorts promise to lighten the load, not the wallet” and was in the September 21 issue.

I knew that Fitness Ridge used to be called the Body Shop Spa but recently they moved and also changed their name. Both seem to have been good decisions.

I have to say I really liked the place…and the idea that people can go and have a true fitness and spa experience for as low as $1,295 per week, including all of the activities, food, and accommodations. It is sort of a Biggest Loser setting with the trainers being a tad nicer. They also have the one-week required program I am so fond of. You arrive on Sunday and leave the next Sunday. Temptation is removed and they do call if you miss a hike or class.

It reminded me of the program at the Golden Door when I began there in 1975. Low calorie, lots of exercise, and real bonding between the guests. A couple of novel elements…..all guests are in all of the same hikes and classes together and they accommodate the various levels. And some evenings they show movies in the gym and everyone walks on a treadmill for the entire time.

I emailed my “recognizance” to our Spa Finder office before arriving back in New York. Two members of our staff are ready to sign up. I think Biggest Loser fever is catching on.

Creativity on the Spa Menu! The Ultimate Las Vegas Day Spa – Qua Baths & Spa at Caesar’s Palace

Qua Baths & Spa: a Las Vegas Day Spa or Stay Spa at Caeser’s Palace Featuring Unique Spa Treatments
by Susie Ellis

From the Qua Baths & Spa menu at Caesar’s Palace: Bath Liqueur, Sleep Health, Hypnosis for Wellness, Raindrop Therapy (registered), Morning Dew, Banana Leaf Body Wrap (with incense), Dilo Wrap (oil from Fiji), Volcanic Clay Body Mask, Chai Tea Mud Mask, Ten-Second Tan, Dancing Waters, Niagara Falls, Sand & Foam, Poker Face (an anti aging facial), Arabian Knights Facial (with Arabian coffee), Couples Lunaception (fertility-heightening experience), Red Carpet Facial, Vino Veritas (with Chardonnay Grapes), and the Seven Sacred Pools Bath.

Jennifer Lynn, the very impressive spa director, has created a very unique and interesting menu and experience!

It’s my last day at the Virtuoso meeting at the Bellagio in Vegas and I decided to email Jennifer at the new Qua Baths & Spa at Caesar’s to see if Sallie and I might be able to come over for a tour that evening. Jennifer gave us a “hard hat” tour last year and we were anxious to see the results.

In typical Jennifer fashion, I hear back from someone within an hour. Alyssa has made all the arrangements and even booked us in to experience some of their new treatments – a Sleep Health Aromatherapy Massage with Hypnosis for me, and a Chakra Balancing treatment for Sallie. We were happy to accept!

The spa’s interior design is very pleasing and successful in taking the Caesar’s Palace over-the-top Roman theme into the spa with an understated and contemporary interpretation of Roman bathing. Photos show it better than I can describe so click through for a tour. The concept for the spa was equally effective as Jennifer pulled together a nice blend of sophistication, intimacy, pampering, wellness, uniqueness and a bit of “Vegas-ness” for a spa menu that is interesting to read. .

In addition to the interesting menu of treatments, she incorporated words and concepts such as:
Artisans (rather than spa therapists)
Robe Sauna (your robe stays warm while you are in the baths)
Tepidarium (rather than warm Jacuzzi)
Caldarium (rather than hot Jacuzzi)
Frigidarium (rather than cold plunge)
Laconium (rather than warm Sauna)
Artic Ice Rooms (falling snow, heated floors and benches)
Tea Program (Tea Sommelier in the relaxation lounges)
Crystal Body Art (Swarovski crystal art applied to the body)
Dream coach (interpretation Journey)

The best value? Book a 50 minute Swedish Massage and stay for several hours. They waive the $45 facility fee which entitles you to the fitness area (where the cardio bikes are in a circle to encourage their “social spa-ing concept), all the baths and thermal rooms, and a generous supply of amenities. Total price $140 which isn’t bad considering you can lose that at the blackjack table much more quickly and you surely won’t feel as buffed and polished when you leave.

*By the way, if you want to search for spas in other areas which might have some of these interesting spa facilities and services, use the Spa Search on SpaFinder.com which allows you to click a variety of treatments and ammenities that you might want.

Six Senses Spas Promote Balance

cropped 718266 Six Senses Spas Promote Balance Six Senses Spas has one of my favorite spa brand names and logos. I remember when I first saw one of their ads (they are well known for gorgeous photography) with the name Six Senses. It was instantly memorable because it made me wonder, “Hmmm, don’t we have five senses? What would the sixth be?”

And then I learned what it all meant. It represents their philosophy.
logosixsenses 736444 Six Senses Spas Promote Balance
The company logo is a pyramid with three spheres at the base, two in the middle, and one at the top. The foundation spheres represent the three primary senses of sight, sound, and touch. The second level rests upon this foundation and represents the more acute senses of taste and smell. The apex sphere represents the unique experience that is only achieved after all five senses are balanced.

Brilliant! Those of us in the spa industry know that there is a unique sense of euphoria that comes about when we are truly in balance.

In the next post, we’ll talk about the Mandarin Oriental Fan.

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If you wish to be put on a list that automatically sends my blog posts to your email, just let dulcy.gregory@spafinder.com know and she will add you to that list. Thanks so much!

Fun with Spa Brands

I have been spending the past few days doing something I absolutely love – restructuring the brand overviews on Spafinder.com. I know that others think I am a bit crazy for getting so much enjoyment out of this project, but figuring out the best way to represent spa brands is something I find genuinely exciting. It might be because I spent so much time with the Golden Door brand, The Greenhouse brand, and now with the Spa Finder brand that I understand how important the history of a brand is, including who birthed it, how the name came about, what the logo means, what the brand stands for, what makes the brand different from all the others, where the company is going, etc. This just makes my toes tap!
logo guerlain 100x85 705265 Fun with Spa Brands
So here are some of the logos of the companies I am working on currently. In some upcoming blogs I will share with you what these logos mean and how they came about.