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Spa Etiquette for First-Timers

A little relaxation time just what the doctor ordered? If you’ve never gone to a spa resort before, here are some spa etiquette suggestions to help you make the most of your visit. Keep in mind these are only suggestions; each spa is unique, and its best to call ahead with any questions.

•   Arrive at least 20 minutes before your spa appointment so you have time to check in, change into your robe and slippers, and relax. Get there even sooner if the spa has a steam room, sauna or hot tub. It will help relax you before your massage. Shower off the hot tub's chlorinated water before your spa treatment. A hot shower can also relax you before your spa treatment and make it more enjoyable.

•   If you’re uncomfortable with anything during your treatment – the pressure, the music, or the temperature - speak up. The therapist will make an adjustment. You can talk during the treatment or stay quiet, as you choose. At the end, when the therapist says, "Take your time getting up," that usually means a few minutes - it's not an invitation to take a nap.

•   Tip just like you would at a restaurant: 15-20%. If you were given a gift certificate, ask if the tip was included.

•   Generally, undress completely for body services, your therapist will keep your body draped in dry services and only expose area to be worked upon; however in wet services such as body scrubs, body wraps and hydrotherapies you will not be draped in order to reap maximum benefits. Swimsuits are generally optional.

•   In the steam room, avoid wearing a bathing suit as the dyes can get into your pores - the wrapped towel covering all private areas is adequate. However, in the Unisex Steam room it is best to adhere to the policy of the spa. To close your pores after a steam room visit, shower with cold water. Drink plenty of purified water while in the steam room; a typical stay should not exceed five to ten minutes. 

•   For resort and hotel spas, it's best to book 1–2 months prior to your visit, as resort spas often fill up fast. Be sure to turn off your cell phone during your time in the spa facilities.

For spa reviews from RTM, click here.
 

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2009 Spa Trends

Are these spa trends enthralling, or over-the-top? You decide.  

1. Casinos: High-end, world-class spa facilities situated within casino hotels cater to a captive, free-spending clientele that both appreciates pampering and sees the value of balancing both high-octane indulgence and recharging, healthy pursuits.

2. Medical Tourism/Dental Spas: The line between spas, medical spas and hospitals is becoming ever more creatively blended. The era of the ‘spa-spital,’ with global consumers traveling to access the services they want, need, and can afford, has arrived. Even dentists are offering spa services.

3. Eco-Embedded Spas: Expanded green initiatives and eco-processes are quietly and meaningfully enmeshed throughout entire spas, so there’s no demanding efforts required by the spa guest, who is, after all, there to relax. Consider a health club like Green Microgym in Oregon where the energy created on cardio-fitness equipment is captured and reused to light the facility or the Six Senses in Thailand, where guests can eat all of the resort landscaping.

4. In-transit: With overbooked flights, tight security and longer delays, there’s no doubt that the stress of modern travel has increased. Thankfully, spa-going while traveling is reaching a whole new cruising altitude: trains with fully equipped gyms and spas, planes with in-flight spa showers and massage treatments, and wellness-oriented cruises.

5. Mind, Body & Spirit: Consumers are looking to spas to recharge not only their body, but their spirit and mind as well. Many spas are increasing self-discovery services like ropes courses, art classes and other learning activities that help consumers to stop, be still and focus on themselves. 

6. Tech-savvy: Cutting-edge new treatments combined with amenities like Wi-Fi, iPod jacks in treatment rooms, and online booking make spas more appealing to technology-obsessed Gen-X and Y.

 

Visit RTM's Spa Reviews Section for more spa-going tips.

 

 

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Three Exotic Spa Resorts You'll Never Want to Leave

St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort (California): This Tuscan-style resort filled with natural light and water fountains is set on an Oceanside bluff between Los Angeles and San Diego. It features Spa Gaucin, which offers brilliant packages such as the Wine Escape package, Mediterranean Meltaway, Couples’ Packages, and Bridal Boot Camp. A la carte treatments range from traditional massages to Kate Somerville facials.

Best for: Brides-to-be, Specific Packages

 

Arion Resort & Spa (Athens, Greece): On the shore of the Aegean Sea, the Arion Resort & Spa is part of a five-star resort enclave located on a private peninsula, 16 miles south of Athens. Treatments like the signature Mediterranean Greek Orange Fruit Deep Hydration Envelopment, and an assortment of massages includes Swedish, Thai, aromatherapy, and reflexology.

Best for: A wide selection of massages, Elegant Greek Experience

 

Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun: Upon arrival, guests are shown to a three-story, palapa-style lobby that exemplifies the hotel's distinctive, exotic design scheme. Lagoon-style infinity pools connected by a waterfall enhance the jungle ambiance. The Miiluma Spa fuses traditional Mexican healing approaches with spa techniques from around the world. Signature treatments like the Coconut Experience, Exotic Chocolate Wrap, and Rain Shower Body Scrub integrate flavorful elements of the surrounding landscape.

Best for: Exotic Atmosphere, Natural Treatments

 

Click here for spa reviews from RTM.