Aji Spa at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass (new favorite!)

May 2013 visit....coming soon
http://www.wildhorsepassresort.com/chandler-spa.html

Bellmore Inn and Spa at Rehoboth Beach

October 2013 visit....coming soon

Avenue Apothecary and Spa at Rehoboth Beach

I visited during Reach the Beach Greyhound weekend (October 2013), which I’ve done for the last 3 years.

Last year I was very pleased to find the Avenue Apothecary Spa and have a super couples massage with my boyfriend there. It was one of the best massages I’ve ever had. So this year I was greatly looking forward to having another. I arrived and was nicely welcomed, led to the back lounge room, offered tea and chocolate, magazines. Had a really nice time getting relaxed, sitting on the couch.

Then, another great massage. Really super. I could barely move afterwards and was led back to the lounge area where I relaxed again for a while and then made my way up front to head out. I browsed the whole shop and bought quite a few of the lovely items. I chatted with the friendly cashier at the desk and decided to book a facial for the next day.

I explain all of this because my visit the next day was nothing like this!

The next day, I arrived early, planning on relaxing in the lounge again, but instead was led straight into my appointment, which was ok. But I missed the relaxation time.  XX asked me a few questions about my skin and discussed a few things and I lay back and let her go to work. I mentioned that I’d be interested in hearing about the products she was using and she said sure. But then never told me anything about what she was doing or any of the products. She was tending to press hard on my forehead and temples as she did the facial and, since I’d been suffering from a slight sinus headache, I asked her to be gentle, not press so hard since it hurt. She agreed but continued to focus a lot of massage and pressure on the areas, so it was unpleasant and I tried to pull away from her fingers as she did it so it didn’t hurt. I still wasn’t told anything about what she was doing or what she was using but I just let it go and didn’t bother to ask again. At the end, I thanked her and she led me straight out to the shop (skipping the empty relaxation room), took me to the shelves that had the products she used, selected a kit from them and told me that these were the products she used. I said thanks again, and she walked off.

I had a headache at this point so was keen on getting out of there and after this unrelaxing experience, was in no mood to shop again. A different person, a gentleman was at the cashier desk, so I paid and said goodbye and got out of there, wondering how the two days could have been such opposite experiences. I still don’t understand it.

So….I’m writing this review to let the owners know, there are some basics that really count and that will generate a lot more income for you, if you ensure they happen. The aesthetician should have backed off pressing on my face, she should have explained the products (I’d have bought them), she should have done a basic check-in (how’s this feeling for you?), and I should have been taken to the relaxation room. I would have spent a bunch more money on my second visit, if I had been given the same experience as on my first visit. I would have told all my friends about this fantastic spa in Rehoboth. Now I’ll recommend it as a “hit or miss” – you might have a great time or you might not.

Maybe this is a Rehoboth Beach problem? You'll see why I ask this if you read my next blog on the spa at the Bellmoor Inn.......

 

 

 

Local Spas - 2010 Sugar House

Local spas! 2010
Sugar House Day Spa on N. Alfred in Old Town Alexandria.
Has moved up to first place. The staff are great. Pedicures are great, massages have been good although the therapist named Kim has left (and she was the best), facials are good too. The only bad thing is it's a bit impersonal and not quite a relaxing atmosphere, but I'd chalk that up to being in the DC area. Clients tend to be the drop-in, get it done quick type.
I haven't found one spa in the DC area that is REALLY relaxing!

Review of Gaylord National's Relache Spa - Washington DC

Gaylord National's Relache Spa

I'd been to look around the resort before and overall it's nice. A bit impersonal and always seems to have a strange mix of people at it.....I guess mostly conference goers.

Check in at the spa went fine. I was shown around to all the areas and it looks decent. Nothing exactly special or "oh" provoking. I'm not a fan of tvs in spas, and their "lounge" had one, but at least it was set on the Food Network.

The Good

Great robes! you know if you read this blog how much I complain about bad robes at spas. Relache's are great. Super soft, nice big pockets (so I could carry my glasses and hair band) and long ties to keep them closed.

The Rest
The sauna, steam and jacuzzi rooms were nice enough.....clean and nicely lit. But nothing special.
The lounge offered ice water (in a pitcher), tea, nut/raisin mix, and apples. My usual complaint.....what about if you don't like apples? and are allergic to nuts? More variety of snacks needed. Maybe some sliced lemon or lime in the water might have enticed me, or even just to have the water pitcher with a cover on it. Being the slight germ-aphobe that I am, I'm not inclined to drink out of an open pitcher near a bathroom.

I had the Relache Allure Facial given by a lady named Kim. She consulted me about concerns and did a good job, didn't talk too much, gave a great neck/shoulder massage along with the facial, and was very pleasant. I had added an "enhancement" to my facial which was called the Sooth Your Soles.

The online menu/PDF didn't really describe it but I assumed from the name that it was a foot massage. Kim also did a nice job on that BUT, the facial was for 50 minutes and the "enhancement probably took 10-15 minutes of that and was included WITHIN that time period so I felt a little cheated. Maybe if I was told the enhancement would use some of the facial time, I wouldn't have minded. At check out, my bill seemed too high. I had been charge $75 for the Sooth Your Soles! The online menu had said it was $35. When I picked up a pamphlet from the counter, they had taped a new price over the old for the Sooth Your Soles so the check out lady agreed to revise the charge. So my major complaint really would have been that they'd charged me $75 for a foot massage? Ok, it did include an foot exfoliation....but $75? and that took away some time from my facial? which cost $135? You readers know that I am definitely NOT one to complain about price. I know what spas cost so I budget accordingly. This is the first time I truly have felt overcharged.

Anyway, last item. Before the facial I had taken a shower (their showers are pretty good and there was a nice variety of soaps, shampoos etc. available for use). I had seen hair dryers earlier so when done, I went back to the locker area and got ready to dry my hair. But, saw no combs or brushes. I hunted around. Looked for the locker room area assistant. Waited around a few minutes. Ended up going out front to the reception desk and asking if I could get a comb or brush from them. One attendant came back and said there should be some, but she had to go get them from the supply room. She gave me a comb, which was ok (out of desperation) but you know how I LOVE to dry and try and style my long hair with a comb. This never works. And it's just not that hard for a spa to set up one of those hair salon jars with a variety of combs and brushes in it with the disinfecting solution. At least, if you're going to force me to try and use a comb, please provide a curling iron or styling tool so that I can look reasonably good when I leave the spa. You want your customers to look good upon leaving, So passers-by can see you've done a good job? and want to come in?

And although this is the picture they show on the site, this is the special couples' room. The rest of the spa does not have a view, it's all interior rooms, and you don't get to see this view.

hmmmm......not thrilled with Relache.

Spa Review -The Encore - Las Vegas

The Hotel
One of the best I've ever been to!
Gorgeous decor throughout and within the rooms. Floor to ceiling windows with stunning views. The most basic room is huge (about 750 sf) and feels like a suite. Has a desk and two chairs, lounge chair/sofa in the living room and then a partially walled area for the bedroom. There is a gigantic 4ft flat screen siting on the half wall between the two rooms, the placement is a little strange but is probably the only choice. This way you could watch tv in bed or turn it to the living room. If you turn the tv to the side you can still see the view out the windows so it mostly works.

Everything in this hotel has "texture." The walls, floors, ceilings, chairs - all different and really nicely coordinated. A very sophisticated modern look.
View from the room:
The Spa at the Encore
This is one of the most beautifully decorated spas I've been to. The prints hanging in the restrooms, crystal and marble everywhere, the two level skylights in the jacuzzi area, all really lovely.

Let me start by saying, I was really excited to go there and really DID want to write a great review......and am disappointed that I found so many basic flaws so I cannot.

The spa lobby:
The path to the treatment rooms

Good things:
A friend and I went together and we had NOT made reservations. Luckily this was no problem and we were able to set massage appointments for an hour from when we got there.
The aromatherapy massages were nice, not fantastic but right on target and the therapists very nice and communicative.

My tour of the facilities was good. The rain showers, sauna, and steam rooms great. The two huge jacuzzi pools are in a beautiful room with a skylight that brings in great natural light. There are 5 heated lounge chairs which were a treat. The ladies lounge area had a great amount of good magazines, from Glamour to Conde Nast.

The lounge/waiting areas were equipped with silver and glass drink dispensers filled with tea and lemon water but the lemon water was empty. I asked an attendant and she quickly led me to another room and served me from another dispenser.

Needs work:
Robes have no pockets! This forces you to either carry something around with you in your hands or go back and forth to your locker. Not good! You're in Las Vegas...what happens to your skin and lips. It gets dry. A few hours in a spa and I need to have Chapstick with me at all times :-) but I had to carry it to the jacuzzi (where I left it behind once) and to the massage room (far away). If you wear glasses and need to duck in the shower or the pool, you have to leave them sitting on the floor. Pockets in the robes - get some! The robes themselves could be a bit more luxurious too. The robes in our hotel room were nicer.

There were only 5 heated lounge chairs in the quite large jacuzzi area (which has two enormous pools). I know they're expensive so I'm not complaining about the number of those, but there were no other chairs in the place. There were about 10 women when I was there, so the 5 of us who did not have anywhere to sit either stood or sat on the edge of the pools. Couldn't really relax that way. There were a couple of tables placed between the lounge chairs. Again, the rest of us had to place our belongings on the floor around the pools.

There was plenty of bottled water and tea (although bottled Fiji was more what I was expecting instead of just the little bottles of Encore water) but that seemed to be it. I overheard an attendant who was giving another lady a tour say something about juices but I wasn't told this and never saw any.

The only food was bananas, oranges, and apples! Seriously? Luxury spa? No chocolate, no trail mix, no pastries......luckily I had a granola bar with me.

No facial moisturizer. Again, you're in Las Vegas. My skin gets dry the minute the plane hits the tarmac. This is a spa and the spa store contains lots of high end cosmetics and beauty products. Don't you want to advertise any by placing them in the women's spa area?

The razors were VERY cheap. I tried one with trepidation, resulting in a small stinging scrape, and decided to forgo shaving my legs at the spa. Finished my rain shower and went back up to my room to shave my legs and returned to meet my friend.

My last major complaint - No brushes! and the tiny men's combs that were pointed out to me by an attendant for my use, were not in a dis-infecting solution, just in a basket. There were plenty of hair dryers, curling irons, and flat irons but what woman can use a tiny barbershop comb? and ewww....a dirty comb at that.

Like I said before, sorry this is so negative and I really hope that they can work on getting it right cause the Encore Hotel and Casino ARE outstanding and I'd like it to be the whole package of greatness!!

Hotel Hershey and the Chocolate Spa Review

So.... my first trip to the Hotel Hershey and Chocolate Spa.
September 2008The Hotel (http://www.thehotelhershey.com/)
Not bad, lovely garden and fountain area, good yoga class outside by Raymond, super staff and pretty comfortable bed, bath and room. The valet who greeted me, relayed my name along the way to other staff (love that), who all introduced themselves and offered further service personally if it was needed. Bellman Frank gave lots of advice, directions and help as he led me to my room on the 4th floor. At check in, I opted for the "dark" Hershey's Chocolate Bar as my choice of welcome gift and I munched on this before heading to the spa for the afternoon.

The Chocolate Spa:

The Good:
Check in was good except the girl who was going to show me around forgot to come back, but she did better later on and the next 2 days. The check in desk quickly found her when I asked.
The three lounge areas are quite nice, and the little porch that overlooks the fountains is nice. They have one to suit your tastes - the quiet room with a fireplace, coffee, pastries, view and comfy chairs; one with aromatherapy; one that earns a total BRAVO from me......the Silent Room!! Thank you thank you thank you. I frequently (if you read this blog, you know) find myself wishing for one of these since there are many spa visitors who feel it's ok to talk about your latest frustrations with their blackberries, bosses, or kids.....it's NOT ok and it's NOT ok to talk at full volume. So finally a spa has provided this. Thank you! This lovely room has signs around it asking people to refrain from speaking while inside. It has lovely comfortable furniture and a beautiful cross window and regular window that let light in and give a good view.

Hershey's Kisses (both dark and milk) are available throughout the spa.

First day, I had the Noche Azul water soak - lovely soak in a great Sanijet tub with blue lights. The Noche Azul Scrub - great, gentle scrub. Usually scrubs are so rough that I end up feeling all scraped up afterwards but this was a really nice gentle one, and 3 days after it, my skin is still feeling nice and soft.

The WOW!
The Noche Azul Massage - by Vixen. I don't think she deserves that name at all....not a trouble maker, not wild and crazy. THE softest, most calming touch I have ever felt and you know I've felt quite a few. I'm almost comatose after 50 minutes with her, although I really don't want to be since I'm sitting on the spa porch overlooking the promenade and fountain area. But really, she has tied with Michael at Skana for the best massage I've ever had award. Tied because it was a different type of massage than his. Vixen's was unique in that every time she started to lay her hands on me, it was done really softly and slowly and when her hands were leaving, it was also super slow and gentle.....that painting by Michaelangelo....the hand of God just leaving the tip of Jesus' finger? that's how it felt. And I had no idea it could make such a difference. But it does. I think I've never realized how the start and the end of a touch can make such a difference. Even when you know where the therapists hands are going to go, it can be a little jarring sometimes. But even if it's not jarring, there was something about Vixen's technique that made it really different. Totally relaxing, slowed down, fabulous, well done!!

Good things:
- Silent Room!!!!
- Chocolate muffins
- Staff - the decorum, quietness, professionalism (when they call you to your service, answering questions, getting you what you need)

Needs work:
(I'm going to be extremely nit picky on a couple of things, because it's good.)
- a little more attention to cleaning in the corners
- coffee, a little weak for my taste
- more/better magazines
- facial cleanser and moisturizer needed in the locker room
- foot rests are needed in the Silent Room

Dining
The Circular Restaurant
I had high hopes, ordering 4 appetizers as a sort of "tasting menu" for my meal but sorry to say, not the best. The chef had white chocolate scallops on the menu so I excitedly ordered those (remembering the to-die-for plate I'd had at Wildflowers at Turning Stone) but was disappointed. The scallops were cooked absolutely perfectly but the white chocolate sauce....I think it needed more white chocolate? some other flavorings? not sure but it wasn't that great.
The kobe beef with leeks was nice and the squash soup was good but a bit too much of it since it was so rich. Better to serve people a cup instead of a large bowl. I couldn't eat dessert that night.

Oh and the BEST - the chocolate cherry bread! Fantastic!