Luxury Travel Advisor - March 2009 - (Page 26)

SPAS SIN CITY SPAS Las Vegas dishes out bliss at three new spas. BY MARK ROGERS No one will ever accuse Las Vegas of being a laidback city. Its carnal delights, more often than not, put visitors in need of some serious downtime at a first-rate spa. Sin City is off to a fine start in 2009 with three new spa debuts. Steve Wynn has a reputation for doing things in a big way and his new resort, Encore (www.en corelasvegas.com) is no exception. As more and more spas tend toward a Zen-like experience, using natural materials, flowing water and minimal lighting, the Encore Spa & Salon at Encore chooses to go over-the-top. The entrance, or Spa Court, is an open, vaulted, glass-enclosed courtyard with hallways leading off to the men’s and women’s sections of the spa. What we loved: Tall feathery potted palms and beds of orchids compete with champagnecolored Venetian glass chandeliers and mirrored bronze walls. Then there are the Asian touches, such as water urns, an oversized gold Buddha and hand-painted wall coverings. The spa has 51 treatment rooms, including 14 doubleoccupancy Garden Suites, for massage, body treatments, facials and hydrotherapy. The Garden Suites are perfect for those who want to combine more than one therapy in a single session—they have a massage room that leads into a shower area and then to a treatment space at the back of the suite. The signature treatment is the Good Luck Ritual Massage, which is based upon the five elements of Feng Shui—health, wealth, prosperity, happiness and harmony. This 80-minute massage combines heated Thai herbs, a lemon verbena and peppermint foot treatment, a moisturizing hand therapy and a wild lime botanical scalp treatment. We hear the most popular treatment, though, is the Lavender Stone Ritual. A close second is the Sandalwood Stone Ritual. Both incorporate two of the spa’s most popular combos—a thorough exfoliation and a warm stone massage. If your clients’ idea of blissing out includes exercising, the spa’s fitness center has two movement studios offering spinning, yoga, Pilates, conditioning and meditation classes. Luxury Travel Advisor took pleasure in a cup of herbal tea in the low-key Study Room. It can be enjoyed pre- or post-treatment. Insider Tip: Arrive an hour early or schedule a free hour on the back end, to work out the kinks in the spa’s ultra-luxe steam room, dry-heat sauna and hot and cold plunge pools. Ryan Crabbe (ryan.crabbe@ wynnlasvegas; 702-770-4454) is the director of spa operations. Encore encourages luxury travel advisors to book up to 90 days in advance through the hotel’s concierge. Last month saw the opening of ultra-glam ElevenSpa Vegas THE ENCORE SPA’s entrance (top) has an Asian aesthetic, defined by the Buddha at the hall’s end. 26 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | March 2009 http://www.encorelasvegas.com http://www.encorelasvegas.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Luxury Travel Advisor - March 2009

Luxury Travel Advisor - March 2009 Contents Publisher’s Letter Editor’s Letter Chiang Mai Curtain Bluff Destination Weddings Las Vegas Cruising Japan Tierra Del Volcan Riviera Maya Gordon Campbell Gray The Pulse Sightings Source List

Luxury Travel Advisor - March 2009

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