Luxury Spa Finder - May/June 2008 - (Page 15)

[ Ask Susie] ANSWERS TO YOUR SPA QUESTIONS I' ve been searching for years to ﬁnd someone who might help minimize the 20- and 30-year-old acne scars on my face. At nearly 50, I ﬁnd them more troublesome than the lines. Can you help? Q SUSIE ELLIS, president of Spa Finder, Inc., has spent more than 25 years in the spa industry, including many years at the Golden Door. An MBA (from UCLA), she has been the director of the Greenhouse Spa at Mara-Lago and has served on the California Governor' s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports. Read her blog at blog.spaﬁnder.com. Mauro Romita, M.D., who owns the Ajune medical spa in New York City, explains that acne scars look worse over time. When your skin is young and tight, the pits aren' t as noticeable, but as the skin loses elasticity, they become more pronouncedÐ like a sheet that appears to have more wrinkles when it' s not pulled taut. He says the most effective solution is a face-lift to pull up your skin and then dermabrasion or laser treatments (which tend to be more successful with lighter skin). Here' s the upside: Plastic surgery will help reduce both your scars and your lines. A tennis, for US$230 per person per day, a 40 percent savings. Also, check spas' own websites for group specials; for instance, the Lodge at Woodloch in Pennsylvania was giving 20 percent discounts to groups of eight or more. Finally, remember that virtually all properties will welcome a good-size group and might offer incentives to get your business. If the spa you like isn' t advertising group specials, call and ask for a deal. My sister and I are looking for a spa like the BodyHoliday in St. Lucia, which offers a sunny climate, spa treatments, beaches, and so on. What do you suggest? WHERE I' VE BEEN LATELY CENTER PARCS, LONGLEAT FOREST VILLAGE, WILTSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM WHAT I LOVED Every room in the thermal area was working and in tip-top condition. WHAT' S UNIQUE The wide array (13!) of ª spa experiencesº to enjoy pre- or post-treatment: Finnish sauna, Greek herbal bath, ice room, Japanese salt bath and Zen garden, laconium, meditation room, multisensory showers, reﬂexology footbaths, Tyrolean sauna, Turkish hammam, water beds, and spa pool. The relaxation room has ﬂoor-to-ceiling windows with a beautiful view of the forest. WHAT I DIDN' T LOVE The lack of instruction on how to best use these spa experiences. I was fortunate to have been with Don Camilleri, the director of development and engineering, who designed and built this extensive spa. Otherwise, I' d have been like the other guests, dashing here and there rather than constructing a therapeutic spa journey. MAKE SURE YOU Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the experiencesÐ and give yourself time to nap when your body says, ª Enough!º Q Every year ten of us get together for a fun spa weekend. We like to visit, relax, eat, and have massagesÐ preferably for an all-inclusive fee. Any ideas? Q A How great to travel with so many friends! Start by checking the Group Specials section on SpaFinder.com. At press time, for example, Silverado Resort in California was offering a package that included accommodations, a wine tasting, spa treatment, breakfast, and Not only does the BodyHoliday offer sun, sand, and surf, but it' s also a destination spa, meaning all guests come for the spa experience and the price is all-inclusive, with only a few exceptions. It' s difﬁcult to replicate the BodyHoliday' s character, since there are very few destination spas on the beach. The place that comes closest in my mind is Chiva-Som in Thailand. If your budget allows, you might also consider Pure Kauai or Pure Maui in Hawaii. Both companies create custom spa vacations including accommodations in a private home, a personal chef, spa treatments, and ﬁtness programs with outdoor activities like surﬁng and hiking. A E-MAIL your questions to asksusie@spaﬁnder.com or mail them to Ask Susie, Luxury SpaFinder Magazine, 257 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010. Questions can' t be answered individually and may be edited. +44-(0)8-870-067-3022 www.centerparcs.co.uk visit spafinder.com may· june 2008 15 http://blog.spafinder.com http://www.centerparcs.co.uk http://spafinder.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Luxury Spa Finder - May/June 2008

Luxury Spa Finder - May/June 2008 Contents Editor's Note Ask Susie Pulse Points Spa Road Trip Beauty & Brains Pound Wise Private Label Real Estate New Tuscan Trio The Real Bora Bora The Spa Collection The Insider's Guide: Ireland Spa Rx From the Sparchives

Luxury Spa Finder - May/June 2008

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