As if things weren’t indulgent enough in Florida—sunshine, palm trees, warm sands and a near-constant feeling that good times are on deck. But the list gets even longer with the addition of pampering spas; in fact, they might top the wish list of many southbound attendees hoping to squeeze in a few moments of Zen during a busy convention schedule.
“It feels so good to be pampered. Everyone is more productive when they are refreshed and recharged,” says Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB. “[Our] spas are the perfect addition to any itinerary to de-stress, chill out and enjoy some well-deserved pampering at a highly affordable price.”
“Affordable” is the operative word at certain times of the year when Fort Lauderdale and Miami—together boasting some of the state’s most sumptuous and innovative resort-based and day spas—showcase an array of premier facilities at deep discounts. Held in July and August, Miami Spa Month encompasses hotels and resorts throughout the city, including South Beach and downtown Miami, while resort and day spas in Fort Lauderdale offer savings during Lauderdale Spa Chic in September.
“Our top spas participate in Miami Spa Month and offer their treatments at a discount of more than 50 percent,” notes Paulina Naranjo, vice president of media relations for the Greater Miami CVB. “Miami is one of the top spa destinations, given its international influences. The Wellness Garden and Spa at the Betsy Hotel, for example, offers an Inca-inspired cacao-based treatment.”
Miami Sets the Mood
Other spas that transport visitors to other lands and frames of mind include Lapis at Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau Resort, where treatment rooms are modeled after the hammams of Marrakech; and downtown Miami’s Mandarin Oriental, featuring spa therapies developed in consultation with specialists in traditional Chinese medicine. Both properties, ranked among Miami’s top convention hotels, also participate in Miami Spa Month.
But even if your event falls outside the discounted spa months, plenty of local facilities offer special group packages and treatments, and will bend over backward (all that yoga!) to accommodate convention and meeting schedules.
“I can take care of 30 people in two hours,” says Marizza Contreras, director of the Wellness Garden and Spa at the Betsy, which not only boasts internationally inspired treatments but touts itself as the area’s only outdoor spa—it’s part of a rooftop oasis that includes retractable sails and private cabanas, all overlooking South Beach. “Whatever the group needs, I can make it happen.”
Not to be outdone, the spa at Miami’s Biltmore Hotel focuses on business and convention travelers with a communal area where groups can gather, along with treatments that include the new Executive Therapy Massage, which was developed to combat ailments that tend to plague hard-charging professionals, including jet lag, insomnia and stress.
“It all contributes to a disturbed sleeping pattern and affects your mental clarity as well,” says Charlotte Prescott, spa director at the property. “We just launched a new spa menu in November and Executive Therapy is the most popular massage we have now.”
If time doesn’t permit individual spa visits, the Spa at Biltmore will bring the relaxation to you, offering wellness breaks for those gathering within the hotel’s 75,000 square feet of meeting space.
“We do things like stretch sessions and breathing, and we bring in a yoga expert to offer tips that people can incorporate into their daily lives,” Prescott says. “People understand that you go to a spa for restoration and wellness. For a business traveler or meeting attendee, it’s time you invest in yourself to recharge on the road.” PageBreak
Fort Lauderdale Fulfillment
Resort spas in Fort Lauderdale understand the need for wellness during a busy meeting or convention and work with planners to tailor programs according to individual needs.
“We customize all group packages to be as simple or complex as you like,” says Mollie Albright, manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale Spa, which recently launched a new menu that includes such signature treatments as a Champagne Mimosa massage and body polishing, part of the spa’s effort to “keep things fresh and stay current with the trends,” Albright says.
That mission also includes such seasonal treats as yam and pumpkin facial treatments in the fall.
Providing a spa experience for groups is another priority at the property.
“The planner might say, ‘I need 40 massages between 10 and 1.’ Or they might allow attendees to plan their own spa visits,” Albright says. “We also offer an on-the-go combo, sort of a spa sampler that fits into a tight schedule, as well as facials on the go.”
At the Westin Beach Resort & Spa, Fort Lauderdale, regular hotel rooms have been pressed into service as spa treatment rooms to supplement the facilities at the property’s Heavenly Spa, says Johanna Zambrano, director of the spa.
“We do whatever it takes,” she says, including extending spa hours and offering condensed group programs and morning yoga before sessions begin.
Heavenly Spa also aims to keep attendees grounded in the experience, Zambrano notes. “We try to make the services more mindful. We want you to be in the moment when you come here,” she says. “A massage can only go so far. If you’re thinking of a hundred things you have to do, you aren’t going to get the full benefit.”
To that end, lockers at Heavenly Spa feature “burden baskets” that encourage guests to figuratively leave their cares behind before treatments begin.
“We explain, don’t just leave your jewelry in the locker. Lock your burdens up, too,” Zambrano says.
That goes for men as well as women, many spa directors point out, noting that more and more men are seeking out male-centric spa and wellness treatments.
“We have specific facials and body treatments for men, as well as extreme sports massages and wax hair removal,” says Joanie Bowden, director of Bliss, a boutique spa located in Fort Lauderdale’s W hotel. “We are seeing a lot of gentlemen. I see it all the time. If it’s an incentive group and they have an opportunity to go fishing or golfing, you’d be amazed at how many guys will go for a nice deep-tissue massage.”
Not to mention Bliss’ famed brownie bar.
Eduardo Cuevas, spa director at Fort Lauderdale’s Lago Mar Resort and Club, is also seeing an uptick in the number of male clients.
“Men are more interested in taking care of themselves,” he says. “We’re seeing more requests for things like eyebrow waxing. Men are getting more comfortable with it. They want to look nice and trim.”
Guys may also appreciate the signature beer treatments offered at the Atlantic Hotel & Spa on Fort Lauderdale Beach, or the special facials for men at Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six’s Spa 66, including scalp massage and razor-bump treatments. Spa 66 also pampers men with “Masculine Buff” manicures and pedicures. In addition, deep-cleansing facials for men are a feature at the newest Heavenly Spa in town, located at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa, which also boasts a 24-hour fitness studio, a spa cafe and a halotherapy salt steam room.
