Archive for the 'Spa' Category
Yalapa, Mexico: Stand-up paddle surf workshop in paradise
November 23, 2009 4:57pm
Stand-up paddle surfing. The first time you saw it at the beach you probably exclaimed, “What is THAT?” Or you rushed right out, rented a board and tried it yourself. Stand-up paddle surfers (or boarders) have been in the Los Angeles Times’ Outposts blog in recent years for coming close to humpback whales in Australia and for stand-up fishing in Baja. Now there’s a chance to build a quick Mexican getaway around the activity. Verana, the award-winning luxe resort in Yelapa (fly into Puerto Vallarta) that you need to get to by boat, has some openings left for their Stand-Up Paddle Surf Workshop Dec. 6-13.
Verana Stand-Up Paddle Surf Workshop: $825 per person based on double occupancy includes three nights’ accommodations at Verana, two days of paddle surfing at the Stand-Up Paddle Surf workshop with breakfast and lunch, optional yoga class, one optional spa treatment per day, full use of spa, steam room, pools and bath, and a three-course evening dinner. Day passes are also available ($160 per person) and include the two-hour class, practice in the ocean and one-hour spa treatment costs.
When I checked with Verana today, the following guest houses were still available. Visitors can book any three nights/two days, if available, from Dec. 6th to Dec. 13th. :
Dec. 6 - 13, 2009: Stone House, Studio, Mayan, Jungle Suite
Dec. 6 - 10, 2009: Palapa
Dec. 7 - 10, 2009: Bungalow, Tea House
December 8 - 13, 2009: Casa Amor
Contact: Verana, (866) 687-9358
— Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal blogger
[Photo: Verana guests paddling in Banderas Bay, Mexico. Credit: Pacific Paddle Surf ]
Las Vegas’ CityCenter on track for December opening
November 11, 2009 10:07am
CityCenter, the new playground on the Vegas Strip, is racing the clock to finish in time for the rolling opening next month of three of its hotels and its glam retail space. This behemoth marks a turning point in Vegas projects. More than the end of the “Disney for adults” era, it perhaps signals the beginning of the Adult Urban Resort concept.
Numerous big-time architects and designers — Daniel Libeskind, Adam Tihany, Pelli Clarke Pelli, David Rockwell and on and on — plus top restaurants (Jean-Georges Steakhouse, Twist by Pierre Gagnaire, Shawn McClain’s Sage Restaurant) lend gravitas — and I mean that in the nicest way — to the project.
It’s hard to fathom the scope of CityCenter without delving into its numbers, so here are some I gleaned last week from a hard-hat tour. As you’re trying to picture how big this project is, consider that the average U.S. home is said to be 2,350 square feet or that the playing field of Dodger Stadium is said to be 100,000 square feet.
Vermont: Tame that tension with $999 in spa treatments at Equinox Resort
November 8, 2009 9:00am
If you believe there’s no such thing as too much time in a spa, then this New England special might be just your cup of chamomile tea. Equinox Resort in Manchester Village, Vermont, is offering a “Cloud 999” package that will have you steeping in relaxation at its full-service spa.
But, as with all deals out there, don’t forget to calculate closely to make sure you see the offer for what it really is.
Deal or no deal? Valid for three-night stays, the $999 package, pretax, includes your accommodations (in a king or two-queen “superior” room) and $999 worth of spa treatments.
At face value, that sounds like a free room, right? But that’s not really the case, because you can get a comparable room under another resort special (an advance-purchase offer), without the spa credit, for as low as $139 per night, or $417 for the three nights. So what the deal amounts to, essentially, is $417 in spa savings. Read the rest of this entry »
Central Calif.: $100 credit or fourth night free at Dolphin Bay Resort
September 6, 2009 5:58am
The Central California coast, between Los Angeles and San Francisco, offers a wonderful array of rugged beaches, laid-back towns and eyefuls of beauty, whether you’re on the road, the trail or the waves.
If you’re looking for spacious, upscale and well-equipped accommodations, then Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa, just a couple miles up the coast from Pismo Beach, is the place to find them, according to many happy TripAdvisor travelers. And the resort is offering a couple of appealing deals this fall.
Deals: The oceanfront resort, off of Highway 1 in Shell Beach, is —among its various promotions—offering guests these options: $100 resort credit per night for certain rooms, or a fourth night free for any room type. You can’t do both in one go, unfortunately.
The resort credit is applicable for bookings of ocean-view or oceanfront rooms. You can use your credit at Lido Restaurant or at La Bonne Vie Spa, both on-site.
But if you’re staying at least four nights, you don’t need an ocean-view unit and you aren’t likely to partake of the aforementioned spa and restaurant every day, you’ll save more by taking advantage of the “Fourth Night Free” special. Read the rest of this entry »
Fitness is just a phone call away at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
September 4, 2009 5:55am
Road warriors who want to stay in shape while they travel won’t have to worry about packing their sneakers and sweats anymore.
The new Fairmont Fit program, sponsored by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, has more than 5,000 pairs of Adidas sneakers, thousands of T-shirts and shorts and complimentary MP3 players loaded with hundreds of brassy exercise tunes. The program is available to members of the chain’s loyalty program, the Fairmont President’s Club.
The President’s Club, which has free membership, keeps members’ workout gear sizes on file, or participants can list their sizes when calling for a hotel reservation. The fee is $10 per stay, or is complimentary for those who stay five times or 10 nights per year.
In addition to having clothing available, the program issues yoga mats and stretch bands for those who prefer exercising in their rooms to a visit to hotel fitness centers. Clothing and footwear are delivered to the room upon a guest’s arrival. Workout gear is available for the duration of the stay and can be replenished at any time.
St. Regis hotel opens in Mexico City
August 18, 2009 2:54pm
Mexico City has a new addition to its skyline, with the opening this month of the St. Regis Mexico City, a striking high-rise on Paseo de la Reforma that offers sweeping city views from floor-to-ceiling windows.
The hotel, which overlooks the iconic Plaza of Diana, is the second St. Regis to open in Mexico in the past year. It is part of a Latin American expansion plan that includes hotels in Buenos Aires and the Riviera Maya in Yucatan, both of which are expected to open within two years.
Last fall, St. Regis Punta Mita Resort opened north of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, featuring tile-roofed Mexican-style casitas along the Pacific Coast. Both new St. Regis hotels have opening specials.
In Mexico City, a weekend rate of $235 per night is available; during the week, rates start at $399 per night, including breakfast. St. Regis Punta Mita offers a Taste of Luxury package, with rates starting at $499 per night and a fourth night free. (Rates do not include taxes and fees.) Info: (800) 598-1863.
— Rosemary McClure, Special to the Los Angeles Times
Photo: Exterior of St. Regis Hotel in Mexico City. Credit: Courtesy of St. Regis
Indulge in food, or spa, at the Parker Palm Springs
August 11, 2009 9:19am
Palm Springs in August? Absolutely. The Parker Palm Springs, a well-reputed resort with personality, is offering deals that are simply painful to refuse, and, in this very uncrowded low season for tourism, you’ve got your pick of dates.
Besides, we’re not going to let you melt in the desert: all of the package inclusions, besides being stress-reducing, are set in air-conditioned quarters.
Deal: For a stay on any night but Saturday, you can get an estate room for $199 per night (before taxes and fees) with $200 credit toward spa treatments or $200 credit toward on-site food. But you do have to choose one or the other.
If you go the “spa junkie” route, you can use your credit toward any 60-minute spa services, excluding nail and salon services, at the Palm Springs Yacht Club. The “Glutton’s Delight” deal can be used toward food (but not toward beverages, tax or tip) at the Parker’s restaurants and on room-service orders. Read the rest of this entry »
Calling all sun seekers - a luxe summer spa getaway at Borrego Ranch Resort
June 16, 2009 10:02am
It’s not ridiculous to mention a luxe spa getaway in the middle of the desert and in the dead of summer because there are extreme sun seekers out there. I know a few of them who love the high temperatures. Raise your hands, you know who you are. And if your hand is up, you won’t want to miss this gem of a deal to pamper yourself in the Anza-Borrego desert. The Borrego Ranch Resort, which completed a $50 million renovation last November, is offering a two-day spa deal through September that is perfect for those who want to see the transformation from the historic La Casa del Zorro Desert Resort.
Deal: The Summer Spa Serenity Package includes two nights’ accommodations, two 50-minute spa treatments, a bottle of sparking wine and $100 resort credit starting at $520, pre-tax. A similar package is listed at $590 pre-tax during March when tourists come out to see the wildflowers.
That’s not the only deal available. Check out the specials page for its golf package and the $179 room rate good any time this summer through September.
L.A. Marathon-worn? Spa getaways for body and mind
May 25, 2009 9:45am
If you’re one of the 20,000 or so brave folks tackling the Los Angeles Marathon today, or even one of the million alongside the course watching, you may well be in need of some serious spa time soon. Check out the following relaxation-inducing hotel specials available in and just out of town this week:
Elan Hotel, Los Angeles
The “All About Me” package at this hotel near the Beverly Center features the following, for $299 per night (pretax): a stay in a king room, a one-hour, full-body massage for one person at a local day spa, a tote bag with shopping coupons and a $25 gift card.
The rate also includes continental breakfast and complimentary Wi-Fi. After taxes, the total is $341, and I’m seeing availability online as early as tonight. This hotel is highly rated on TripAdvisor, with reviewers describing it as a hidden gem. Read the rest of this entry »
Top 10 ways to celebrate Mother’s Day in downtown L.A.
May 1, 2009 3:30pm
Are you all set to treat your mom to a well-deserved great day on Sunday, May 10? For those of you still racking your brain for ideas, the Downtown Center Business Improvement District (DCBID) has stepped up to help.
On its website, you can find a number of to-dos and deals for Mom’s enjoyment in downtown Los Angeles. For full details on the specials, see the DCBID’s dedicated page, but here’s a handful of the highlights:
1) Dining: Deals include a $20 gift card for Mom thrown in with the three-course brunch at Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion. At Ciudad, dine early (at 10 a.m.) with a party of five or more and Mom gets her meal for free.
2) Afternoon tea: Chado Tea Room at the Japanese American National Museum has more than 200 varieties of tea, and you get a potful of your choice, plus sandwiches, with an Afternoon Tea Tier. The Millennium Biltmore is hosting a special afternoon tea event in its flower garden. Read the rest of this entry »
