NEW ESPA at D-Hotel, Maris, Turkey ESPA has opened its newest spa at the beautiful D-Hotel Maris, set on a hillside in the Datca Peninsula nature preserve in Turkey. Famous for having the third highest concentration level of oxygen in the world, the Datca Peninsula is said to have natural healing properties that date back to the 12th Century BC and was once a sacred place of pilgrimage to the legendary Aphrodite of Knidos.

The peaceful enclave is surrounded by pine forests, natural private beaches, small islands, and volcanic mountains with spectacular views of both the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. The hotel’s design combines the exotic elements of the East with the modernity of the West, and this is reflected throughout the ESPA spa at D-Hotel Maris.

An essential part of any trip to Turkey, the opulent world-class Hammam has private individual scrub rooms and a relaxation – a central feature of this ESPA spa. The natural healing properties of the surrounding area, coupled with ESPA Signature Treatments, seven spa rooms, private spa suite, and heat experiences (including a vitality pool, contemporary indoor pool, sauna, steam room and relaxation lounge) put this ESPA spa in a league of its own.

The spa is set in the resort gardens and has been designed to the highest standards. From the moment you enter the spa, nature welcomes you through a variety of different materials that blend in perfect harmony. Natural, uniquely textured warm brown Serpegiante stone, warm woods, and linear designed partitions are interspersed with furnishings in textured, neutral colors. The beautifully marbled Bianco Perlino natural stone features throughout the upper level of the spa. It extends into the pools creating a streamline spacious indoor relaxation space which is light and breezy.

Large floor-to-ceiling windows from poolside to the outdoor relaxation terrace give an indoor/outdoor feeling. Teak, known for its resistance to sea air, can be found throughout the spa and custom-made umbrellas shade the sumptuous outdoor furnishings. The shining bronze natural wall coverings, woven especially for the spa, complete the spirit of the space.

ESPA Hammam rituals include a warming steam prior to the following treatments.

• The Indulgence Hammam Ritual is a total body experience that caresses the skin and revitalizes the body.
• The Softening Body Ritual is an invigorating treatment scrub that cleanses the skin prior to a massage and the Revitalizing Body Scrub, a deep cleansing full body scrub.

The Signature Treatments at ESPA at D-Hotel Maris include the Sea Salt & Oil Scrub with Aegean Sea Shell Massage, the Purva Karma Four Handed Massage, and the Active Hydration Facial.

At the end of every treatment, guests are invited to relax on the huge sun deck offering combined views of crystal clear waters and volcanic mountain ranges and enables guests to breathe in one of the world’s most natural cures, a high concentration of oxygen. With a moisture rate of zero, the weather at the Datca Peninsula is also known to aid rheumatism, poor circulation, cardiac problems, and asthma.

D-Hotel Maris has 200 luxurious and elegantly appointed rooms, all with exceptional mountain or sea views and most Deluxe rooms featuring a bathtub on the balcony. In addition, the Presidential Suite with has a roof sauna and the Exclusive Villa has its own private Hammam. There are four gourmet restaurants and seven cocktail or wine bars from which to choose. Transfers to the hotel are available through the hotel’s chauffer limousines, private helicopter or luxury seaplane.

Rooms start from; €360 per night for the Deluxe sea view room, including breakfast and taxes and non residential guests are able to use the hotels facilities from their yachts.

Spring is here – time to start planning your summer travels! Check Vietnam off your bucket list, with many international air carriers now servicing select U.S. gateways with only one stop, Vietnam is now closer than you think. Check out Anantara’s first property in the country, Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa, located four hours outside of Ho Chi Minh City, for a visit to the rolling sand dunes and quaint fishing villages on the South China Sea coast.

The newly transformed Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa features 89 luxurious rooms, suites, and villas, five restaurants and bars, and fully-equipped fitness facilities. Located 120 miles from Ho Chi Minh City on the Southeast corner of Vietnam on the South China Sea, the resort offers a secluded escape in this coastal fishing village with a tropical landscape. The hotel’s design reflects its time and place in traditional Vietnamese style. Spectacular views of lush gardens, the infinity-edged swimming pool, freshwater lagoon, and the sea make this resort exceptionally peaceful and picturesque.

Known for its experiential approach to hospitality, Anantara offers guests opportunities to delve into the local culture both at the property and on excursions. Vietnamese culture is threaded throughout, from the locally-grown dragon fruit incorporated into spa treatments at the Anantara Spa to guests picking fresh vanilla from a local plantation to use in the resort’s cooking classes. Anantara’s signature private “Dining By Design” concept includes dinner for two prepared by a private chef on a traditional Thung fishing boat. During the day, guests can bask on pristine beaches lined with towering, desert-like sand dunes or venture out for a morning snorkel or sail. Golf lovers can practice their swings at the exclusive nearby Sea Links Golf and Country Club or at the Ocean Dunes Golf Club, named one of the “Best 500 Golf Holes in the World” by Golf Magazine.

The resort’s various dining options offer authentic Vietnamese cuisine as well as international favorites. Highlights include fresh seafood specialties, signature cocktails in locally-crafted Cham pottery mugs, and cool refreshments at the swim-up bar. At night, the bar evolves into a poolside torch-lit terrace complete with live entertainment.  Bespoke opportunities abound in the form of a degustation menu in the chic Wine Room, whose menus expertly pair fine wines with specialty cheeses and charcuteries.

Anantara is offering a special Mui Ne Discovery Package that provides a 20% discount on accommodation in either a Deluxe Room or Pool Villa. Rates begin at $184 for a single and $159 for a double, before taxes and service charges, and include daily buffet breakfast for two, complimentary in-room cable Internet access and public area WiFi, and a half-day tour of Mui Ne. A minimum two-night stay is required (three-night stay in March and April). All rates are subject to 5% service charge and applicable 10% government tax. Offer valid through December 25, 2012.

The Inn at the White Elephant Village will open summer 2012* with 20 units, including 14 deluxe suites and six guest rooms. Located on South Beach Street, the new Inn and existing White Elephant Residences will comprise the newly-created White Elephant Village, a natural extension of the award-winning White Elephant hotel that continues to be rated among the top hotels in the world by Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler magazines.

As part of the expansion, the Village will have its own lobby, including reception area, concierge, fireplace, gift shop, and business center. The lobby will serve morning coffee, pastries, all-day snacks, and late-afternoon port and cheese – creating a natural hub for guests. All guests of the White Elephant Village will continue to enjoy exclusive use of the Village’s heated pool and cabanas, fitness center, and complimentary bicycles.

Celebrated Nantucket interior designer Kathleen Hay will bring a warm, neutral palette to the Inn, providing a sophisticated and comfortable décor. Reflecting the ambiance of its island location, the Inn will feature oversized windows, allowing natural sunlight to illuminate the rooms, and quintessential Nantucket wainscoting detail throughout the lobby and corridors. Each of the suites and deluxe guest rooms will be replete with HD flat-screen TVs and miniature refrigerators as well as linens by Pratesi, plush turkish towels, bathrobes, and cozy slippers. Ideal for families, the 14 suites will offer sofa beds to accommodate couples traveling with children and four of the suites will feature fireplaces.

Managing Director of Nantucket Island Resorts Khaled Hashem sees this expansion as a positive sign that tourism in Nantucket is continuing to grow. “We are excited with the addition of the Inn that will further enable us to host families and groups in the award winning accommodations these travelers expect from the White Elephant.”

*The iconic White Elephant hotel and White Elephant Hotel Residences will open for the season on April 19. Guests can book now for suites and guest rooms this summer at the Inn at the White Elephant Village.

For more information visit www.nantucketislandresorts.com or call 800.475.2637.

About Nantucket Island Resorts

Nantucket Island Resorts is a collection of premier hotels on Nantucket that specialize in bringing the unique Nantucket lifestyle to all guests. From boating to fine dining to a large number of island festivals and events, Nantucket Island Resorts caters to its visitors and offers vacation planning that lets you get the most out of a Nantucket vacation while staying in a fantastic array of accommodations. Properties include The Wauwinet, ideal for romance with access and views of both bay and ocean beaches and home to the award-winning TOPPER’S restaurant, White Elephant, the iconic hotel located right on Nantucket Harbor that offers a lovely arrangements of rooms, suites, cottages, and a stunning loft as well as the Brant Point Grill, the White Elephant Village offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom Residences and the new Inn, Jared Coffin House, a historic and charming inn located in Nantucket Town, The Cottages & Lofts at the Boat Basin, waterfront cottages with full kitchens located on three wharves jutting out into Nantucket Harbor and featuring 12 pet-friendly accommodations, and Nantucket Boat Basin, a 240 slip full-service award winning marina.

April 1 marks the re-opening of St. Tropez’s La Réserve Ramatuelle with expanded Boot Camp offerings. The cliffside hotel has some of the best views of the Mediterranean; the entire sea-facing exterior is made up of floor-to-ceiling windows to maximize exposure and fill rooms with natural light (Goodbye darkness before 5 PM!). The star is the 13-room spa that offers an exclusive La Mer treatment (the renowned beauty company designed a series of treatments for the hotel).

Shed that winter weight with the hotel’s signature Boot Camp – a five-night personalized program encompassing yoga, Nordic walks, invigorating spa treatments, and healthy, low calorie cuisine – perfect for getting in shape for the summer months to come.

Sample itinerary

6:30 AM               One-hour yoga session

7:30 AM               Breakfast

8:30 AM               Departure on a 3-4 hour countryside walk

1:00 PM                Lunch at the hotel

2:30 PM                Balneotherapy session (bathing healing treatment involving minerals)

3:00 PM                Body wrap

3:30 PM                Jet shower

4:00 PM                La Réserve Better Aging body treatment

6:30 PM                Relaxation session

8:00 PM                Dinner

The Boot Camps are offered in *April, May and June with rates starting at 2700 euros per person including accommodations. Minimum four persons per program.

For more information visit www.lareserve-ramatuelle.com. To book, call +33 4 94 44 94 44 or email inforamatuelle@lareserve.ch.

*Dates:

April: 2-7; 9-14; 16-21; 23-28

May: 14-19; 28 – June 2

June: 11-16

The brand new Spa at Gleneagles by ESPA, ESPA Life is the second ESPA Life to open, joining the flagship ESPA Life at Corinthia in London as a leading voice in the next generation of spa.

Set within the hotel’s 850-acre Perthshire estate, the spa offers a new approach to health and wellbeing whose experts seek to address the pressures and stresses of modern lifestyles. The award-winning spa is home to a hand-picked team of alternative health and fitness specialists, offering treatments and personal programs with one simple aim: to help guests feel their best, inside and out.

Spa professionals, acupuncturists, physiotherapists, osteopaths, herbalists, and personal trainers are all on hand. The highly-qualified and experienced team is led by a skilled naturopathic practitioner known as the ‘Gatekeeper’ who meets with each guest for a private consultation. The Gatekeeper recommends programs or treatments tailored to the specific needs of the individual. Personal lifestyle programs can be crafted to help guests meet individual goals or complementary and alternative therapies can be booked à la carte.

Special Launch Offer
From now until March 31, 2012, the spa will be offering ‘Taste of ESPA Life’ to introduce the new wellness concept. The offer includes breakfast and a private consultation with a Gatekeeper for each person. The Gatekeeper will address each client’s lifestyle concerns and create a customized spa experience, including one spa or
fitness treatment, suited to each person’s needs.
Rates: From £315 (approximately $500) based on two people sharing a classic room. Offer valid Sunday to Thursday until March 31.

Image courtesy of http://www.airlinesanddestinations.com.

Sydney, Australia, already voted one of the Top 10 Most Beautiful Cities at Night by TripAdvisor, becomes even more stunning this spring (or shall we say fall?). From May 25-June 11, Sydney Harbor will once again transform for Vivid Sydney, the largest celebration of light, music, and ideas in the Southern Hemisphere. For these 17 days, the Sydney Opera House sails will be illuminated by more than 50 light-art sculptures and large-scale installations and projections.

Catch the best views of the event at the newly redesigned Park Hyatt Sydney in the Rocks District, reopening in February. With its incredible views of the Sydney Harbor, you can have the best seat in the house in your own room!

The festival will also feature contemporary music performances at Vivid LIVE at the Sydney Opera House; international creative-industry conferences; and the new Vivid Ideas Exchange, a hub for creative ideas, discussion, and debate at the Museum of Contemporary Art. For more information on Vivid Sydney, visit www.vividsydney.com

For more information on Park Hyatt Sydney, click here.

The coast of the South China Sea and its glorious beaches, picturesque peaks and rolling dunes is calling! Named after the Mui Ne fishing village, Anantara’s first Vietnamese property, Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa, is set to open this fall.

Only two hours northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Mui Ne is a budding destination, new to the scene since 1995, when thousands flocked to the beaches to watch the solar eclipse.

The resort will evoke the traditional charm of a coastal village and will be comprised of 89 rooms, suites and villas, either set within lush tropical gardens or featuring views of the sea or lagoon.

ESPA Life at Corinthia | Opening June 2011, London

ESPA Life at Corinthia spreads over four floors and boasts 3300 square meters.  ESPA Life, the spa brand’s newest spa concept, will offer fully integrative lifestyle solutions and luxury spa treatments.   Gender-specific heat experiences include relaxation areas with lounges and sleep pods, while the  thermal floor has an amphitheatre sauna and marble heated lounges.

Signature Treatments | The spa offers various treatment menus including ‘Rush Hour’, ‘Day Spa’, specific male and female treatment options, and the ESPA Life wellness menu offers complementary and alternative therapies as well as fitness and rehabilitation.

http://www.corinthia.com/en/London/ESPA-Life-at-Corinthia/

ESPA at The Istanbul EDITION | Opened May 2011

Occupying three floors, this 19,400 sq foot spa offers separate male and female hammam experiences with private scrub rooms, a snow cabin, a lavish mirrored glass tile swimming pool with brown fiberglass walls, as well as ten treatment rooms and a private spa suite.

Signature Treatment | The Turkish Indulgence is an invigorating body ritual that begins in the Hammam with warming steam followed by a stimulating body scrub using a traditional kese mitt and olive soap. A body mask of Oshadi Clay or restorative Marine Mud is then smoothed onto the skin and wrapped in linens, all followed by an aromatherapy massage.

The Ritz-Carlton Spa by ESPA, Hong Kong | Opened March 29, 2011

This 9,247 sq feet spa is the world’s highest spa, located on the 116^th floor of the newly opened Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong.  The spa has floor-to-ceiling windows offering panoramic views of the city and Victoria Harbor from many of the nine treatment rooms, the two couples’ suites, and the eight relaxation lounges, as well as the indoor swimming pool with LED screen ceiling and outdoor whirlpool.

Signature Treatment | The Lava Shell Body Treatment uses heated lava shells to soothe tired feet prior to an indulgent full body massage using warmed aromatic oils and deep therapeutic strokes to melt away muscle stress.

Were you just saying to yourself: ‘If only Anantara had a city hotel in addition to its amazing hidden getaways?’ Of course you were!

Well, your prayers have been answered.

Anantara Bangkok Sathorn, just opened this March, is Anantara’s first urban hotel and the perfect home base from which to explore all the street food, shopping, and nightlife eastern City of Angels has to offer. Located in the heart of the business and entertainment district, it’s convenient for every type of traveler. The two 37-floor towers of 425 chic rooms and suites range from 430 to 1,302-square-feet, with balconies overlooking either the Bangkok cityscape or Chao Phraya River.

Anantara’s new Meetings by Design program offers three flexible, state-of-the-art meeting venues and planning help from the hotel’s conference and events service team. Trying to stimulate those creative juices? Recharge between meetings at the hotel’s tennis court, fully equipped fitness center, or hit some digital balls in the Nintendo Wii game room. Be sure to take a dip in one of Bangkok’s longest hotel pools or enjoy a holistic spa treatment at the Senses spa.

Rates: Anantara Bangkok Sathorn is offering a special promotion of 3 nights for the price of 2 for stays from now till May 31.  Deluxe room rates begin at 2,600THB (approx. $86) before applicable tax and service charge.

Set on the western arm of Low Cay Beach, this new hot spot is named for Jean-François Bizot, the journalist, musical taste-maker, and founder of Paris-based world music radio station, Radio Nova. Bizot was a great friend of Island Outpost owner Chris Blackwell and was a frequent guest at GoldenEye.

In honor of the bar’s namesake, Radio Nova will be broadcasting the party live from noon to 6pm. Live interviews with Jamaican and world music stars (such as Grace Jones) will run throughout the event. But wait, will it be in French or English? The answer is: both. Moderator extraordinaire, Paul Holdengraber, Director of Public Programs at the New York Public Library, will be the bilingual host with the most.

Admission is free to guests of GoldenEye, and for non-guests tickets go for US$100. To stay at GoldenEye or to reserve tickets call 876-622-9007 or email goldeneye@cwjamaica.com

But, if getting down to Jamaica isn’t in the stars for you, simply recreate the party at home…

Step 1: Tune into novaplanet.com for the broadcast

Step 2: Turn up the heat and invite some friends over

Step 3: Make a big batch of rum punch

Step 4 (Optional): Fill your apartment with sand and palm trees