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The best spas are a place of restoration. Spending time in the spa will rejuvenate you, relieve your stress, soothe your sore body and simply make you blissfully happy. Our TravelingMoms love pampering themselves at the spa on vacation; read about their favorite spas for ultimate pampering on vacation, as well as tips for choosing and enjoying these great spas around the world.
Why Make Time for Pampering on Vacation?
1. Soothe all the Senses
Spa Pampering on a Disney Cruise
On my first cruise, I knew there were two things I looked forward to the most: eating all the yummy food options and visiting the Senses Spa and Salon. Finding out there were massage cabanas on the beach was the icing on the cake! Listening to the ocean waves with the salty sea smell of the beach made this experience close to heaven! Worth every penny to have a massage on Castaway Cay! – Candid TravelingMom Patty Holliday
2. Indulge in All the Spa Offerings
Beyond the treatments, most spas have additional amenities that allow you to decompress. On my Spa Atlantis visit, I began my pampering on vacation in the herbal steam room. (My first experience and within a minute the sweat was rolling off of me!)
After toweling off with a moist chilled towel, I stepped into the cedarwood sauna and felt my muscle tension ease. Other relaxation areas like the Laconium Relaxation Lounge and Aqua Spa Lounge really got me into the spa mood.
Prior to your spa day, request a tour of the spa facilities so you can roughly plan out your visit and know what offerings and treatments you’d like to indulge in.
Spa at Sea Island Resort, Georgia
TMOM Sue Rodman had this to say about Spa at Sea Island:
From the moment you step into the Spa at Sea Island you can just feel your shoulders lower, and your breath slowly leave you. When you walk in, you are treated to a garden environment with trees and greenery. Bring a book and relax while listening to the gentle water falls. Of course the treatments are divine, but what makes this spa special are the other areas. Meditate in the labyrinth, soak in the mineral pool or the hydrotherapy pool with a waterfall. There are two couples suites that have private balconies. The one I peeked into had a fireplace, private bath, and tub. – Teen TravelingMom Sue Rodman
TMOM Spa Tip: Discuss your conditions with a technician at the spa. Find out which offerings would be most beneficial to you and which you should avoid. (For instance, people with heart conditions and pregnant women should not use cold plunge pools.)
3. Stay in a Serene Mood at Ocean Blue & Sand
I loved the garden in the Despacio The Spa at Ocean Blue and Sand in Punta Cana, DR. – National Parks TravelingMom Catherine Parker
4. A Complete Wellness Getaway
New Life Plan at Spa Eastman
Located in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, just north of Vermont, the Spa Eastman is unpretentious, with fabulous Nordic baths and dairy- and gluten-free cuisine that tastes like it shouldn’t be good for you! – Optimism TravelingMom Cathy Bennett Kopf
TMOM Spa Tip: Even if the spa itself doesn’t offer meals, consider choosing healthier options when you dine to truly maximize your spa visit. Instead of a heavy meal, I opted for the salad bar at Purple Parrot restaurant inside Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. Here I could choose my own healthy greens, quinoa salads, fresh fruit and vegetable minestrone soup for dinner.
5. Make it a Ritual
Some spa offerings are best done in a process or ritual. Many spa therapists suggest that guests try certain spa treatments in orderly steps to maximize the experience.
Try out New Rituals
TMOM Karyn Locke had this to say about the Omni Bedford Springs Resort Spa:
Mr. Locke and I enjoyed a trip to the resort’s onsite luxury spot to get pampered, Springs Eternal Spa, on the last day of our visit. When talking to guests and staff of the resort about how we were looking forward to it, they all said the same thing: we had to try the Bedford Bath Ritual. We arrived an hour ahead of our Couple’s Massage (a story in itself!) appointment to dive right into why the ritual is so well-known. The multi-step ritual takes place inside the changing rooms (men and women each have their own) and can easily last 45 minutes if you follow each step. It has a series of hot and cold water treatments, steam therapy, and dips into cool and warm tubs. The process is meant to relax and heal using the water from the property’s springs. Although I’m not a complete health nut, I was totally sold on the process! – Road Trip TravelingMom Karyn Locke
TMOM Spa Tip: Even if you think you won’t like a certain step in the ritual, go into the experience with an open mind. You might find the overall process to be positive, despite one step you aren’t fond of (ice water bath, anyone? Brrrr!!)
6. Make it a Date
On my visit to the Spa Atlantis I was alone during my spa day. I’ll admit to seeing women there alongside their husbands or girlfriends and wished that I had someone to enjoy the afternoon with. While some rooms are silent, other areas like the Aqua Lounge and Tea Lounge are more fun with a friend.
The Broadmoor Pampering on Vacation
TMOM Diana Rowe took a spa vacation at Broadmoor in Colorado Springs with her husband to enjoy the down time prior to the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
Nothing gives you that “loving feeling” more than a couples’ spa getaway at the historic Broadmoor Hotel & Spa in Colorado Springs. Surrounded by the mountains and framed by Cheyenne Lake, the historic Broadmoor is less than 90 minutes south of Denver. From warming our hands in front of the Hotel Bar’s outdoor fireplace to a couple’s massage followed by a pedicure and a glass of wine, we quite literally pampered ourselves. No real schedule, other than the requisite appointments and time together. – Traveling Grandmom Diana Rowe
Relax with Your Partner at The Omni Grove Park Inn Spa
The spa experience can be heightened when you’re able to relax alongside a favorite friend or partner. TMOM Teronya Holmes and her husband enjoyed the treatments together on their spa vacation at The Omni Grove Park Inn Spa.
Only an hour away from home, my husband and I love to book a relaxing couples’ massage and then spend the entire day enjoying all of the amenities. When you book a treatment, these amenities are included for the entire day at The Omni Grove Park Inn Spa in Asheville, North Carolina. Some of the amenities in this subterranean spa with rock walls, caverns, and arches include therapeutic waterfall pools, contrast and mineral pools, inhalation rooms, saunas and eucalyptus-infused steam rooms, indoor and outdoor fireplaces and whirlpools, and beautiful views overlooking the award-winning golf course and Blue Ridge Mountains. – Storytelling TravelingMom Teronya Holmes
TMOM Spa Tip: If you are traveling with a partner or friend, contact the spa ahead of time to see which lounge areas are co-ed and which are exclusively same-sex.
Check out this video that TMOM Sue Rodman recorded of the couples’ room at the Spa at Sea Island.
7. Enjoy the Alone Time
Take on the World
The Citrus Ritual is a truly zen experience that forces you to slow down. At first, I thought, there is no way I am going to be able to chill out for 20 minutes in between the exfoliation and the moisturizing sessions. Boy, was I wrong! Laying on the chaise lounge in front of the roaring fire underneath an abundant orange tree, I was blissed out! The other remarkable thing was the total privacy and tranquility. I was at total peace, which as a mom of two busy kids hardly EVER happens! – Melodious TravelingMom Sherry Boswell
Traditional Fun on a Toboggan Run at Pokagon State Park
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