Spas: Something Old, Something New
Lapis Spa (Photos: Ronit Copeland)
There are so many different types of spas these days: hotel service spas, medical or anti-aging spas, wellness spas and many more… When we visit a spa we really want to leave feeling better than when we arrived. A real spa (and not just the back of a villa which has 2 “spa rooms”) encourages us to better lifestyle habits, elevates our spirit and overall total wellness, or just offers a little pampering…
What I like best about visiting a spa is finding out places which blend traditional philosophies, in their treatments or design, with modern technologies or design… Sometimes these old traditions come through deep research of treatments, originating in Asian cultures, based on ritual, spiritual or religious ways of life. These customs can manifest themselves by use of local ingredients for treatments and/or by the food served in the spa.
The modern element of this mix is usually evident in the use of modern equipment in fitness or cosmetic rooms, or in water elements such as pools. Modern technologies can be reflected also by state of the art flat screen TVs and electronic locker card keys.
I recently visited an iconic Spa in Miami Beach – Fontainbleau Hotel & Spa, which went through a huge renovation a few years ago. In the spa I experienced incredible water treatments in the form of a modern “rain room” with jets from the ceiling massaging the body, and also visited ancient inspired Hammams (Middle Eastern bathhouse) in the form of heated benches. The “Lapis Spa” (the Fontainbleau’s spa brand) offers both European classic treatments such as Swedish massage, and old tradition treatments like bamboo ritual massage. I love the blend between the old and the new – it gives tremendous depth and variety to the spa, and offers so many different unique experiences!
Below is a list of some examples from around the world to check out, of places that offer such combination. In such I include of Course Shizen Concept at the Daniel Hotel Complex in Herzelia, which incorporates east and west philosophies, where I was privileged to take part in the process of creation and branding.
Enjoy!
"Rain Room" at the Lapis
http://www.spafinder.com/Spa/1045-Mii-amo-a-destination-spa-at-Enchantment?
http://www.standardhotels.com/miami/spa-wellbeing/
http://www.spafinder.com/spaguide/brands/hyatt.jsp
http://spa.anantara.com/istanbul/default.aspx
Ronit Copeland: Travel – Hotels – Lifestyle 
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