Luxury spas are slowly transforming – and elevating – the meaning of the term “Spa Suite.” Once considered treatment rooms reserved for a few hours for a specific type of pampering, they are now destinations for day-long experiences; oases of spa amenities customized for private, extended relaxation.
Now, spa suites are both physical and spiritual destinations, where Zen enters the body for the entire length of one’s experience. Lying on ultra high thread count bed linens, one is surrounded by spa bathrobes and slippers; dream masks, yoga mats, sound machines and exotic oils and lotions. Each level of pampering; each degree of pleasure is just a few steps away. Need to be kneaded? There’s a masseuse with a warm massage table ready to accommodate you.
The array of services, design and décor found in today’s spa suite are vast and innovative. Each is unique and echoes the surrounding spa’s mantra. One element is constant: All provide an atmosphere conducive to a state of bliss.
We’ve gathered a few of our favorite luxury spa suites – and hotel rooms that feel like spa suites:
The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead Spa Suites
Tucked away on the 9th floor of The Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead Spa in Atlanta, is a portal to ultimate rejuvenation and relaxation; a heavenly refuge of southern hospitality. There’s an added element of bliss: knowing that while one is being spoiled to mythic levels, luxury shopping awaits within strolling distance.
Guests of The Ritz-Carlton spa suites are treated to a personal consultation with the spa concierge and customized relaxation treatments. Afterwards, they can be escorted personally by the concierge to the main spa if they choose. Leaving the suite behind may be hard, since it contains Kerstin Florian bath amenities, a sound machine, yoga mat, Turkish towels, Tempur-Pedic bedding, exclusive exercise and meditation elements, plush bathrobes and slippers. And at The Ritz-Carlton, slippers aren’t just slippers: They are exclusive, locally made, 100 percent recyclable Okabashi, with massaging soles.
You can wear them as you travel a few steps to one of several signature services such as a “Sweet Tea Body Buff” and a “Magnolia Pedicure.” The Ritz-Carlton experience can last for days: Awaken each day to a spa breakfast; shop in the spa boutique – all within the realm of your spa suite.
Sense, A Rosewood Spa at Mayakoba Island
The elite of Hollywood have known it for nearly 100 years: There’s a special kind of rejuvenation found south of the border; tropical escapes where one unwinds to the music of the ocean waves – personally attended and perpetually pampered. Sense spa on its own small island at Rosewood Mayakoba in Riviera Maya, Mexico, features two-story suites that include two full bathrooms, a private shower, a plunge pool and a private spa treatment cabin. One never has to leave one’s own personal spa island for the entire stay.
The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort
Another private island paradise is The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort on St. Simons Island, GA. There, one may reserve The Royal Treatment Cottage, a study in privacy. When personal treatment time arrives, one steps off the ocean view porch of a private cottage and strolls to the spa area as if wandering through paradise. The entire experience feels like the healing solace of one’s oldest, dearest friend. Both the spa and your cottage suite are moments away from the ocean and the main hotel. Exploring the island reveals a peaceful atmosphere that complements the relaxing spa life.
Sandpearl Resort Spa
Everyone must experience the breathtaking view from The Gulf Side Suite at Sandpearl Resort in Clearwater, FL. After meditating on the blue horizon, a visit to the spa is a must. Both the suite and the spa incorporate tranquil settings and ocean-inspired rituals to melt away the most hardened anxieties. These experiences are designed to bring the body, mind and spirit into balance, “tuning” the soul.
For those whose tranquility is centered around the environment, take heart: The Sandpearl Resort is the only Silver Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) resort in Florida and one of only 13 in the nation. Activities are offered as a diversion for the entire family – including pampering and luxury activities for children – while parents enjoy a private spa treatment.
The Ritz-Carlton, New York Central Park
The hotel rooms of The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park combine the ambiance of a private Manhattan residence with the indulgence of a spa suite. This noted provider of luxury amenities manages to intensify an already extravagant experience through custom suites. There, bathrooms aren’t simply luxurious, they are immense sanctuaries where one may escape and become calm, forgetting the din of the streets below. Hailing a taxi is the farthest thought from one’s mine while relaxing in a marble soaking tub; enjoying its spa book and tub reading station, Etro bath items, bath mitt and decanter of bath salts. No worries here, just quiet, warm-water ease from urban stress. The hotel also houses The La Prairie Spa just a floor below.
The W Hotel New York
Bliss is sure to come and stay when you recline in a Spa Studio Suite at The W Hotel New York City. This spacious sanctuary has a meditative vibe that exudes the spa life. Endearing touches are throughout, including a serene décor with textures and colors inspired by nature. The wooden floor and cork tables enhance the mood as one indulges in a customized in-room Bliss Spa treatment. Truly a sanctum of rejuvenation, the “W” has all the little touches that make such experiences memorable, right down to the cedar bath mat that welcomes you to a Jacuzzi tub and your own spa suite paradise.
Indulge in refreshing pleasures and unique experiences when spending the night in a spa suite!
