Tag Archives: Shangri-La

Spa Blog Results in Matrimony

wedding rings 772622 Spa Blog Results in MatrimonySpa Blog Results in Matrimony
by Susie Ellis

This put a smile on my face. I received a happy email a few weeks ago from Anthony Lawrence who is the group director of marketing for Jumeirah. He credited my blog for having introduced him to his future wife. I was puzzled but went back through all the blogs I wrote while in Dubai and found the one I’ve cut and pasted below.

All I can say is…smart man….for quickly following up after I mentioned “stunning” “gorgeous” “Swedish” and “blonde.” Although I wasn’t in town when Anthony came by our Spa Finder offices to say thanks, I was thrilled to know that my blog might have had a bit to do with the two of them getting together.

And to think that I had left off an additional adjective describing Cecelia….she is also very sweet.

My best to you both!

From May 2006:

Dubai SPAspitality:
Over to Emirates Towers and a peek at their brand new H²0 Spa – the first all-male spa in Dubai. I’m curious to see how this concept works – a very large hotel with a spa only for men? After meeting with Anthony Lawrence, the group director of marketing (and a very busy man with the telephone), I head down to the all-male spa for a tour. Cecelia Larson, the stunningly gorgeous Swedish, blond spa manager, greets me (I know instantly at least one reason why this spa would be popular with men!) She shows me around – lovely ambiance, minimalist décor, blacks and woods, very small (just a few treatment rooms). The hotel is comprised of 80% male business travelers. Females are relegated to the day spa in the attached shopping center. This hotel does, however, offer the “Chopard Floor,” which has guest rooms for women only, with an all-female staff. The women don’t get a spa – but they do get a floor.

Three Spa treatments, Three Skilled Therapists

I am 3 for 3. Three scheduled spa services and three great services! And even more amazing, my husband, Peter, was 3 for 3 as well. After taking in all of the optics – setting, views, decor, materials used, etc. – the core part of the spa experience is when the therapist puts their hands on my body and does their magic.

therapist 783308 Three Spa treatments, Three Skilled Therapists
Here at Parrot Cay in the Caribbean, where I am training Virtuoso Travel Agents who want to specialize in selling spa vacations, we all experienced a variety of treatments to help us better understand their spa program. Mine included their:
1. Signature Treatment – Como Shambhala Massage
2. Indian Head Massage
3. Thai Massage

And lest you think they gave me all the good therapists; I compared notes with our entire group (10 of us) and every single person raved about every single one of their treatments.

It is not an easy feat to accomplish – having an outstanding menu of spa services as well as outstanding therapists for each. Only a handful of spas in the world get to this level. Tomorrow I will talk a bit about why I think they have reached this summit.

Hint, hint…two words are involved. Christina Ong.

Checking out the Spa at Parrot Cay

parrotCay 747039 Checking out the Spa at Parrot CayFlew directly from New York to Turks and Caicos on Friday – 3 1/2 hours. Nice to have this direct flight. Since I have lived most of my adult life on the West Coast, where we vacation in Hawaii, the Caribbean is still somewhat new to me. The chance to experience Parrot Cay while training eight Virtuoso Travel Specialists who want to become experts in selling spa vacations was a welcome opportunity.

I talked Peter into coming along, and we went a day early to experience Parrot Cay as a couple. I can see why so many honeymooners come here. I learned from my massage therapist yesterday that lots of babymooners come here as well, usually in their second trimester.

Yesterday we had some thalassotherapy in the ocean (no charge when you just soak and swim in the turquoise blue water on your own) and then enjoyed a Como Shambhala Massage in the late afternoon. Excellent therapist, nice setting, relaxing. More and more I see places offering a 75 or 90 minute massage as their “standard.” Good idea….the best way to relax quickly and totally.

More Spa Bathing Adventures in Wiesbaden

pool3 754020 More Spa Bathing Adventures in WiesbadenWe spent our morning at the special Kaiser-Friedrich-Therme here in Wiesbaden. It is a marvelous, refurbished ancient bathing establishment. This one has an outstanding circuit of water and heat treatments. I think the Germans are probably the best in the world in understanding the physiology of contrast therapy (hot and cold) and its health benefits. The circuit begins with a shower and then a session in the first sauna, which is moderately hot. After that, guests proceed from one heat experience to another. In all, there are 13 baths and rooms of various temperatures.

By the way, in Germany they would laugh at you if you wore a swimsuit into the sauna. Everyone is totally naked, and, yes, it is mixed company, which means all men and women are going through the saunas, steams, and pools with no clothes on. It takes a few minutes to get used to, but soon it feels quite natural. (I was glad, however, that we didn’t run into anyone we knew.)

From a sauna to a cold shower, then a hotter sauna, followed by a cold pool, on to inhalation rooms, resting areas, steams, more saunas, more rest…You get the idea. The average amount of time a person spends here is four hours. We only spent three but felt great after.

To view all the different rooms in Kaiser-Friedrich-Therme’s circuit, click “Sauna Landscape” on the property’s website. You will see authentic names such as frigidarium, lumenarium, Russian steam, tepidarium, etc. It’s a good lesson in spa history.

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