Recommend February 2014 - (Page 36)

B O A R D caption C O S T A R IC A T O U R IS M C ost a R i c a i s a b l oom i n spa s, spr ou t i ng u p l i ke m u sh r oom s a f t er a rainstorm. It s no surprise to find fine facilities at such resorts as Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo ( f ou r sea sons.c om / c ost a r i c a ) , w h i c h h a s a m pl e a nd l u x u r i ou s f a c i l i t i es a nd t r ea t m ent opt i ons, a s w el l a s sc h ed u l ed c l a sses i n y og a , a er ob i c s a nd ot h er d i sc i pl i nes; or JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa ( j w m a r r i ot t .c om / sj oj w ) , w h i c h h a s a sm a sh i ng , st a t eof - t h e- a r t , 2 2 - t r ea t m ent r oom f a c i l i t y , a s w el l a s ex c el l ent b ea c h es. C om pl em ent i ng t h ose ex per i enc es, ec o- l od g es i n a l l c or ner s of t h e c ou nt r y now of f er spa t r ea t m ent s b or n of r a i nf or est i ng r ed i ent s, a nd w el c om e y og a r et r ea t s f or g r ou ps of t h e l i ke- m i nd ed t o m ed i t a t e on t h e j u ng l e- su r r ou nd ed pl a t f or m s. T w o, a m ong a d oz en ex a m pl es, c om e t o m i nd : Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge ( ni c u esa l od g e. c om ) a nd Hotel Hacienda Sueño Azul Resort ( su enoa z u l r esor t . c om ) i n t h e S a r a pi q u i r eg i on. S er eni t y S p a , w h i c h st a r t ed ou t w i t h a l i t t l e st or ef r ont spa i n J a c o, now oper a t es t h e S er eni t y S p a s a t Villa Caletas ( h ot el v i l l a c a l et a s. c om ) , Hotel Si Como No ( si c om ono.c om ) a nd Hotel Villa Blanca Cloud Forest & Spa ( v i l l a b l a nc a - c ost a r i c a .c om ) . B u t per h a ps no spa i s b et t er know n i n C ost a R i c a t h a n t h e 1 1 4 - r oom Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort (tabacon.com), the first on the block som e 2 0 y ea r s a g o a nd w h ose f a c i l i t i es j u st keep g et t i ng b et t er a nd b et t er . N ow a m em b er of The Leading Spas of the World, t h e T a b a c on r esor t si t s a t t h e f oot of t h e A r ena l V ol c a no i n L a F or t u na d e S a n C a r l os. A m ong t h e r esor t ' s si ng u l a r f ea t u r es a r e 1 2 na t u r a l h ot spr i ng pool s, na t u r a l w a t er f a l l s, l a g oons, a nd t h er m a l r i v er pool s, a l l i n l u sh g a r d en set t i ng s. T h er e a r e 1 1 ou t d oor t r ea t m ent b u ng a l ow s a nd a n ex t ensi v e m enu of i nd i g enou s a nd t h er a peu t i c t r ea t m ent s, a nd t h er a pi es t h a t i nc l u d e a 3 - u ni t t em a z c a l . C om pl em ent i ng t h e spa a nd h ot spr i ng s, f or w el l ness, t h er e' s A y u r v ed i c d i ni ng , a nd f or r om a nc e, i t s si g na t u r e G a l a D i nner i s set i n a pr i v a t e r a i nf or est b u ng a l ow w i t h a pr i v a t e c h ef . O ne of t h e new est u psc a l e, b ea c h f r ont r esor t s i s Pranamar Villas & Yoga Retreat ( pr a na m a r v i l l a s.c om ) , l oc a t ed b y t h e sea i n Santa Teresa on the Pacific coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. It has a b ea u t i f u l open- a i r y og a spa c e, a nd a r a ng e of d a i l y c l a sses i s of f er ed , l ed b y a st ea d y st r ea m of v i si t i ng t ea c h er s; g r ou ps u se t h e spot f or l ong er r et r ea t s. T h e b ea u t i f u l Luna Lodge ( l u na l od g e. (3 ) Ahhhh, the Spa c om ) , ov er l ooki ng P l a y a C a r a t e on t h e C or c ov a d o N a t i ona l P a r k b or d er , h a s a l ov el y spa on si t e w h er e h ol i st i c b a l a nc e i nst r u c t or s g u i d e c l i ent s t o d r a w i ng on t h e pr i m ev a l ener g i es of t h e r a i nf or est ; t h er e i s a spec i a l r et r ea t c ent er of f er i ng a f u l l sc h ed u l e of d ed i c a t ed y og a a nd w el l ness pr og r a m s. T h er e a r e m a ny g ood r ea sons t o st a y i n one of t h e 2 4 el eg a nt , a r t filled villas at Xandari Resort & Spa ( x a nd a r i .c om ) , per c h ed on a h i l l ov er l ooki ng c of f ee pl a nt a t i ons a nd t h e C ent r a l V a l l ey . S y b a r i t es a nd r el a x a t i on- seeker s c a n enj oy a l i t t l e a l l - na t u r a l T L C a t t h e S p a V i lla g e, a c ol l ec t i on of t h a t c h - r oof ed r oom s su r r ou nd ed b y g a r d ens. I t ' s per f ec t f or S a n J ose- b a sed v i si t or s or t h ose j u st a r r i v i ng or d epa r t i ng a t t h e S a n J ose a i r por t . T h i s i s a g ood c h oi c e f or pa m per i ng , w i t h j a c u z z i soa ks i nf u sed w i t h f r esh - c u t h er b s, a nd sc r u b s a nd w r a ps w i t h i ng r ed i ent s l i ke g r ou nd c of f ee f r om b ea ns pr od u c ed on- pr oper t y , r a w su g a r a nd h oney . Tour Talk C h i c a g o- b a sed Costa Rica Experts ( c ost a r i c a ex per t s.c om ) of f er s a f u l l r ost er of spa v a c a t i on pa c ka g es. F or ex a m pl e, t h e 7 - ni g h t P a m p er ed I nd u lg ence pr og r a m spend s t h r ee ni g h t s a t El Silencio Lodge & Spa ( el si l enc i ol od g e.c om ) , set i n a n i sol a t ed a nd b ea u t i f u l c l ou d f or est set t i ng , y et c l ose t o S a n J ose. T h e l od g e' s c h a l et s have private viewing decks and fireplaces, and in addition to the fullser v i c e spa w i t h a f or est - b ou nd y og a pl a t f or m , g u est s h a v e a per sona l ec o- h ost g u i d i ng t h em on one m y st i c h i ki ng t ou r a nd a n A r ena l V ol c a no t ou r . T h e nex t f ou r ni g h t s a r e spent a t Hotel Punta Islita ( h ot el pu nt a i sl i t a .c om ) , per c h ed h i g h on a h i l l ov er l ooki ng t h e nor t h er n Pacific coast. In addition to amenities such as the onsite C a sa S p a , a c t i v i t i es i nc l u d e pool a nd b ea c h sw i m m i ng , a nd opt i ona l h or seb a c k r i d i ng , ka y a ki ng , b i r d w a t c h i ng , c a nopy z i pl i ni ng , su r f sc h ool , r eg i ona l c u l t u r a l t ou r , a nd a 9 - h ol e g ol f c ou r se. T h e c ost of $ 2 , 3 9 5 pp c ov er s d a i l y b r ea kf a st , a l l t r a nsf er s ov er l a nd , a nd l oc a l a i r . This photo: Hotel Punta Islita. Top: Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort. 14 visitcostarica.com 14-15 SpaGetting.indd 14 1/21/14 1:35 PM http://www.fourseasons.com/costarica http://www.jmarriott.com/sjojw http://www.nicuesalodge.com http://www.suenoazulresort.com http://www.hotelvillacaletas.com http://www.sicomono.com http://www.villablanca-costarica.com http://www.tabacon.com http://www.xandarl.com http://www.prenamarvillas.com http://www.costaricaexperts.com http://elsilenciolodge.com http://www.lunalodge.com http://www.hotelpuntaislita.com http://www.visitcostarica.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend February 2014

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Corinthia Hotels
Tour Talk: Convertible Caravans of Europe
Boutique Hotels Beckon
VIP Havens
Crystal Cruises
Costa Rica Travel Planner
Anguilla, Foodie Paradise
Carlisle Bay, Antigua
Culturally Infused Mexico City
New Zealand's Luxury Retreats
Kenya: Where Wildlife and Luxury Coexist
Chic Outlet Shopping

Recommend February 2014