For a Day or for a Week, Spa Getaways Can Help You Relax During Break Up
The process of going through of a divorce, and then having to return to work, raise your kids as a newly single parent, and/or being forced to move into a new home, can all create a tremendous level of added stress in your life. But, you’ve probably already figured that out.
While there are no quick and easy solutions for making life easier, and it will probably take months (or longer) for your life to regain some level of normalcy after a divorce, one way to temporarily relieve some of your built-up tension is to visit a day spa or destination spa and allow yourself to relax and be pampered.
A day spa is a full-service spa you visit for a few hours at a time, for a massage, facial or body treatment, for example. A destination spa, however, is a resort where you stay on-property for several consecutive days and enjoy an all-encompassing relaxation experience that combines spa treatments, with classes, workouts, and specially prepared meals.
People who are under stress can derive a lot of benefit from a visit to a spa because it allows valuable ‘me time’ and a chance to be nurtured and restored. A spa is the one place where you can be as active or as inactive as you wish to be. The treatments and activities are designed to deliver an answer to your individual needs. Stress can be caused by many things and affects us differently. It can lead to many modern day ailments. “A visit to a spa will help you find tranquility of the mind and body,” explained Jennifer Paling, director of spa and leisure at the Farnham Estate Health Spa is Cavan, Ireland.
VISIT A SPA AT HOME
If you’re on a tight budget and don’t have time to travel, chances are you’ll find a luxurious day spa in a city near where you live. Even an afternoon of being utterly pampered could do wonders for your overall wellbeing and ability to cope with everyday life.
A basic shiatsu or deep tissue massage, or a facial, for example, followed by an hour or two enjoying the spa’s steam room, sauna, and other facilities, will cost typically between $50 and $150, depending on the spa.
For a bit more of a financial investment, take a weekend or week-long trip to a destination spa or popular vacation hotspot where many world-class spas can be found, and spend the majority of your time experiencing a variety of spa services and treatments.In cities like New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando, and Chicago, to name just a few, you’ll find dozens of luxurious day spas at your disposal. Many well-known resorts and luxury hotels in the U.S. contain in-house days spas that are well worth visiting, even if you’re not a guest.
For example, there’s The Spa at the historic Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs, Colo., which is a short flight from Los Angeles (www.broadmore.com). In Lenox, Massachusetts, you’ll find the legendary Canyon Ranch Spa, an all-inclusive destination spa that’s located about a three-hour drive from New York City. In Washington, D.C., the I Spa at the Willard Intercontinental hotel offers a superior (albeit smaller) day spa for people in or near the nation’s capital.
Of course, you can add even more extravagance to your spa getaway by visiting one or more spas in Europe, the Caribbean, or another overseas destination. The Farnham Estate Health Spa in Cavan, Ireland, for example, is the country’s largest and perhaps most luxurious spa. It’s housed within the five-star Radisson SAS Resort, about 90 minutes from Dublin. You’ll also find luxurious spas aboard many popular cruise ships. By combining exotic travel to your spa vacation, you can enjoy the excitement of experiencing new places and cultures, yet also focus on rest and relaxation.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
So, once you decide that a visit to a spa is exactly what you need to relax and unwind, the trick is to find the most luxurious spa you can afford. First, decide what exactly you’re looking for during your visit. Would a therapeutic Swedish or deep tissue massage, full body treatment, body wrap, body scrub and/or facial be of interest?
If you’ve never experienced one, a traditional Swedish massage, when performed by a licensed therapist, is designed to relax your muscles and improve circulation through the use of massage oils combined with long and gentle strokes, kneads and tapping. For muscles that are truly sore, a deep tissue massage that focuses on specific muscle groups might be more suitable. Your massage therapist will be able to help you decide on a treatment that best meets your needs.
Full body treatments, body wraps, and body scrubs are a bit more extravagant. Many combine massage techniques with a variety of different ways to pamper your body from head to toe. Every spa offers a menu of services, often available online, that describe its offerings.
Many world-class spas also offer nicely equipped fitness centers. Here, yoga, palates and meditation classes or private fitness instruction are typically offered. You might also want to incorporate a visit to the spa’s salon to add a day of beauty to your getaway. In addition to full beauty salon services, most world-class spas offer manicures and pedicures.
People should choose spa treatments according to what they feel they might be comfortable with and the type of issues they are experiencing with their bodies. Sometimes people simply go for what matches with their personality. “Our clients are always welcome to consult with one of our I Spa technicians if they don’t know what suits them the best,” stated Annie Gaye, Spa Manager of The I SPA at the Willard in Washington, D.C.
After you decide what types of treatments you’re interested in, choose a spa that prides itself on providing superior service, as well as a clean, quiet and spacious environment, and the amenities you’d enjoy experiencing. No true spa visit is complete without being able to enjoy a dip in a whirlpool or spending time relaxing in a sauna or steam room before and/or after your treatment(s). Julie Oliff, Spa Sales Manager at The Spa at the Broadmoor, added, “When you set foot in the Spa at the Broadmoor, and you trade your everyday clothes for a warmed robe and slippers, and you leave the rest of the world at the door. We offer utter relaxation paired with exceptional and gracious service. Whether you have been to a spa before or not, our aim is that you leave much more relaxed and refreshed than when you entered.”
A UNIQUE SPA EXPERIENCE
In order to differentiate themselves, day spas and destination spas alike try to offer a unique menu of services and amenities. Some incorporate custom-created skin care products and massage oils into their massages, full body treatments, body scrubs, body wraps and facials. These are typically referred to as the spa’s signature treatments or services. As you investigate potential spas to visit, ask about their signature treatments and what special services are offered.
Another way spas differentiate themselves is by offering a wide range of amenities. In addition to clean and comfortable locker rooms, choose a spa that offers a heated swimming pool, sauna, whirlpool, steam room, relaxation rooms, and a cafe, for example. All of this will add to your overall experience and help you mentally escape from the everyday hassles and stresses of life.
For all of this pampering to work, however, you should take full advantage of the spa’s facilities, which are almost always included for the day in the price of your treatment(s). Gaye explained that the I Spa offers more than 25 different treatments. However, its signature treatment, which is not offered anywhere else in the world, is called the Olavie Le Vin Chardonnay Body Therapy.
This treatment uses the finest Chardonnay Grape Seed Extract imported from Burgundy, France in formulation with natural sugars specially blended with the finest oils. Guests will experience a white grape seed sugar scrub followed by the fragrant wine Body Butter. The guest is then enveloped in a warm moist towel drenched in The Willard’s Chardonnay and covered in a warm blanket soaking in the softening antioxidant of the wine therapy. The dead skin cells are then rinsed away with a Swiss Therapy 12 jet shower and treatment is completed with the application of Olavie Antioxidant Body Moisturizer.
The Farnham Estate Health Spa’s signature treatment offers two hours of utter bliss. It’s an all-encompassing treatment, called ‘The Farnham Cure.’ The treatment incorporates a body wrap with moor mud, a hydrotherapy bath, a mini facial, having myrrh oil applied to your nails, and a full-body massage with special oils and creams to finish. “It has been specially devised for us and is therefore not available elsewhere,” said Paling.
PERSONALIZE YOUR EXPERIENCE
As you make your spa appointments (which should be done as far in advance as possible to insure you’ll be able to receive the treatments and services you desire during the exact days and times you want them), keep in mind that you can fully customize your experience.
In addition to choosing between a male or female therapist, you can typically add extras to your treatments. For example, you might add aromatherapy to your 60-minute deep tissue massage, or combine a 90-minute Swedish massage with a 60-minute facial. Most individual spa treatments last 30, 60 or 90 minutes.
Gaye added, “When you plan your spa visit, don’t be in a rush. Pick a day when you have nothing else to do but relax. Also, don’t be self-conscious about our body. Therapists are healers, they do not judge.”
Unless you’re spending a full day or more at the spa, plan on arriving at least 30 minutes prior to your actual appointment. This will give you ample time to check-in and perhaps enjoy a quick sauna or visit to the steam room before your treatment.
Upon check-in, you’ll be provided with a locker, robe, slippers and towels for use during your stay. Depending on the treatment, you’ll probably want to disrobe completely, however, this is totally optional. Understand that you will always remain partially covered by towels or sheets during your treatments.
A question we are often asked is whether or not guests should remove all clothing for their massage. If you are not comfortable removing all your clothes, feel free not to. “We are here to make your experience at the spa a relaxing one. You should definitely let the therapist know right away if something makes you uncomfortable,” explained Oliff.
Prior to your treatment, remove all of your jewelry and either store it in your locker, or carry it with you into the private treatment room. Your cell phone should be turned off and left at home or in your car, not brought into the spa.
When you meet your therapist, feel free to ask questions about the treatment(s), however, once the treatment actually begins, close your eyes, relax and enjoy it! After your treatment, spend time at the spa enjoying its facilities, and be sure to drink plenty of water during the remainder of the day or evening.
SPAS FOR MEN
If you thought spas were just for women, think again! Most of the best spas in the world offer an assortment of treatments designed specifically for men “ ranging from massages to facials and other types of treatments.
“All of our treatments at The Spa at the Broadmoor can be enjoyed by both men and women. We tailor the treatments to the individual,” added Oliff. Other spas, however, cater specifically to the unique desires and needs of its male clientele by offering treatments like a gentlemen’s facial, or an executive manicure for him.”
A visit to a truly world-class spa won’t be cheap, so from an emotional and physical standpoint, try to make the most of it. Select treatments that will help you deal with particular issues you’re facing, such as chronic back or shoulder pain caused by stress. In addition to offering temporary physical relief, a good spa treatment will focus on relaxing your mind as well.
As you make your spa plans and reservations, Paling recommends that you don’t try to cram too much into a short period of time. Don’t be temped to rush from one treatment to the next in order to fit a lot into a few hours. If you take this approach, you are just perpetuating the hectic lifestyle that you are trying to get a break from. Think about the reasons that made you think a spa visit would be a good idea. Focus on what your objective is for being there. If you are not the sort of person who can sit still and do nothing for too long, take a gentle exercise class, swim, or use the heat experiences at the spa. These are all great ways to gently unwind. However, if you are not an active sort, then a spa is an ideal place to rest. “There are always lots of relaxation areas and relaxation classes you can experience in between actual treatments,” added Paling.
The therapists who are hired by the best spas are usually state licensed (based on local requirements) and always highly trained in a variety of massage and relaxation techniques, so be open to learning exercises and techniques you can later use at home, especially if recurring weekly visits to a spa aren’t in your budget.
For a listing of day spas and destination spas, searchable by city, visit www.spafinder.com or www.directoryspa.com. You can also check out the latest issues of Spa (www.spamagazine.com). This magazine is available at newsstands nationwide.
As a newly single person who is potentially under tremendous emotional and physical stress, consider using a spa visit as a temporary escape, allowing you to cater to your own unique needs.
