Sherman's Travel

In need of a relaxing break from this dreary winter? Wellness Week (March 19-25), presented by SpaFinder.com, gives stressed out individuals the opportunity to unwind with hearty spa discounts at destination and resort spas throughout North America.

Several spas will offer half-priced or $50 deals to promote healthy living. Numerous instructive online resources will also be available, like recipes, exercise videos, and stress reduction techniques. While SpaFinder’s blog offers such content year-round, special articles (like healthy tips and recipes from chef David Burke) will be available during Wellness Week. Read more

I’ve always loved perfumes because they have the ability to transport you to another place without actually having to go there. It’s known that scents can sometimes remain in your memory even longer than images or sounds. You associate scents with people, for example, and before you can even see them round the corner, you know they are around because their perfume or cologne acts a step-ahead calling card. Naturally, certain scents or perfumes can also evoke memories of a physical place, or help you determine what a place’s characteristics are. Several artisan perfumists know all about that, and have created scents that are inspired by their travels and meant to help you experience them, too. The best part? They are travel-sized for some scent on the go! Here with a selection of our faves:

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When traveling leaves you fatigued, don’t let your face give it away. Perhaps easier said than done, but a few products out there can help mask the culprits of long days of sightseeing and fun-filled nights on the town (namely dark under-eye circles, grime, dead skin, and large pores). Read on for a selection of four products that I don’t leave home without, thanks to their ability to transform tired-looking skin. The best part is that they can all be easily packed and stowed away in a carry-on bag. Read more

Valentine’s Day is a popular time for hotels to offer packages with champagne and romance concierges (you know, to help your hopeless partner plan a romantic evening out), but it’s not as easy to find packages that include spa treatments and massages. Luckily, we’ve done the searching for you, and we’ve found some great budget options as well as some luxurious extravagances. For both a romantic and relaxing February 14 (or thereabouts), try out these hotels and spas, from East Coast to West.

The Budget Picks:

The Westin Beach Resort & Spa, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Sunsets on the beach are already dreamy, but the Westin Beach Resort & Spa is taking the swoon factor a few steps further with its “Rekindle Romance” package. It starts at only $319/night and is available for stays from February 10-15. What do you get? The package includes breakfast in bed, a visit to Shula’s on the Beach (for dinner, the Chef’s Tasting Menu, and wine!), champagne and strawberry turndown, and the Heavenly Healing couple’s spa treatment at the Heavenly Spa.

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If enjoying a glass of Merlot after a long massage or deep, pore cleansing facial sounds like a great way to end a day, try combining the two. View of a vineyard nearby? Icing on the cake.

According to wellness magazine Healing Lifestyles & Spas, vinotherapy is quickly becoming one of the most popular spa categories in the United States. That’s because wine grapes are rich in antioxidants, stimulate circulation and also help heal damaged skin when applied topically.

While the concept originated in France and is especially popular in European spas, there are several great spas in the U.S. that specialize in wine-based treatments. You can take a bath in wine, exfoliate with wine, and even moisturize with wine! Some are located on properties with vineyards, while others are not. Some are day spas and some are destination spas (meaning you can sleep on the property, too). We always like a reason to travel, so here are four destination spas for oenophiles worth checking out:

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You’re headed overseas, but not before getting through that dreaded 5-hour layover. There you are, stuck in the terminal, with nowhere to go, nothing to do. And, boy, you could really use a massage. Happily, it’s hardly a far-fetched idea these days. Over the past few years, spas have been popping up in airports worldwide, capitalizing on weary travelers’ need for TLC and on-the-go treatments. Airport spa treatments typically range from 15 to 90 minutes and offer just the relaxation you need to get you through the next leg of your journey.

Some airport spas require appointments, while others don’t. If you know you’ll be in a particular airport, check it out beforehand. Here, we’ve rounded up a list of where you can find a few of the best spas in airports around the globe: Read more

Los Angeles offers more than glitz, glamour, and celebrity spotting. With its 75-mile-long coastline, temperate climes, and scenic canyons, spa-goers can also experience top-notch spa pampering with a view, with price tags ranging from the affordable to the astronomical.

Read on for our three top picks:

Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach and Marina Hotel
Body ETC European Day Spa within the Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach and Marina Hotel is an intimate eight-treatment room facility featuring a couples’ suite, locker room, and dry sauna. Its location on the hotel’s second floor is adjacent to the pool deck and Jacuzzi where the splendid views span the marina and the Pacific Ocean. Redondo Beach is only 8 miles from LAX and is known for its popular pier and numerous activities, which include kayaking, scuba diving, surfing, biking, fishing, and whale watching. Their spa package starts at $238/night and includes ocean-view accommodations, two desserts, 2-for-1 breakfast, and a European facial along with a body massage (or, a couples’ massage for two). www.cpredondobeachhotel.com Read more

When you book a trip to the recently opened Paradisus Resort in Playa del Carmen, be sure to visit the YHI Spa and Health Club, a 20,000-square-foot luxury oasis. The spa boasts  14 massage cabins, two outside cabins, and a Whirlpool bath for water treatments.

As you enter the YHI Spa, you are greeted by a warm staff of spa professionals and personal trainers. Enjoy a luxurious treatment, then relax in the complimentary Whirlpools, dry and wet saunas, and steam rooms. You can also purchase massage oils, makeup, incense, and other essentials at the Spa Boutique.

The YHI Spa offers both couple and individual massages and personal outdoor showers. My favorite features at YHI were the array of burning incense that created a different ambiance in every room. The spa also offers a great full-service salon for hair, makeup, manicures, and pedicures, which is perfect for guests who are getting married at the resort or simply want to look special for an evening out.

For general trip-planning information, see our Playa del Carmen Travel Guide.

Traveling can be both a blessing and a curse. Sure, seeing new places and experiencing new things can invigorate your soul, bring out your adventurous spirit, and nourish your wanderlust. But tight schedules and discomfort traveling on planes, trains, and buses can also drain your energy and knock the wind right out of you.

Luckily, there are a few affordable and all-natural solutions for days when travel’s tribulations get the best of you: Bring the spa with you! Keep these TSA-friendly essential oil combos on hand for on-the-spot aromatherapy treatments that will calm your nerves on the go. Read more

December is a particularly joyful time to visit The Lodge at Woodloch, a destination spa resort situated in the rural Pocono Mountains region of eastern Pennsylvania. Spa Weekend readers can retreat here to work out, curl up by the fire, read in the library, or to hike or snowshoe. What’s more, epicureans will delight in a dining room that doles out healthy, hearty, and decidedly delicious fare, while the on-site bar is a lure, especially for its wine sommelier-led tastings.

The resort complex is anchored by the main grand lodge: Constructed of natural woods and regional stones, it boasts floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lodge’s 75 acres of woodsy wonderland. It serves as the central core for the resort offerings, with a lobby, library, bar, restaurant, and spa boutique separating accommodations in the guestroom wing from the facilities in the spa wing. Read more