Nicholas and I decided to try one of the more authentic Chinese spa experiences, so we went to the recommended China Rits CEO Club. It is a 24-hour club where apparently anyone can come in and enjoy the facilities, which include a restaurant and bar, jacuzzi, steam room and lots of rooms for foot massage
Did some touring – with a car and English speaking guide (Michael) that was surprisingly reasonable and turned out to be a good investment. Not only were we able to have a quick experience of some of the famous Shanghai sites like People’s Square, French Quarter, a silk factory, and gardens, but our guide was
One silly memory – but because it is one of my pet peeves – I am sure I won’t forget it. Of the many spa treatments I’ve had, I can count on one hand the number of therapists who have washed their hands in front of me before starting the treatment. Here at the Chi
Well, my trip to Canada is coming to a close. Flying back to New York this morning. Got so busy with the Leading Spas of Canada Conference that I wasn’t able to carve out blogging time. I wanted to share a few more things about our trip, including our stay at Ste. Anne’s Spa, which
It’s Saturday evening in St. Petersburg. Tonight the Virtuoso group was invited by Sir Rocco Forte to a cocktail reception and dinner at his Hotel Astoria. Sir Rocco Forte is the man behind a collection of ten (soon to be 12) luxury hotels, including Brown’s Hotel in London and the Balmoral in Edinburgh. He is
I check in. Grand Hotel Europe is an Orient-Express Hotel and one of the grand dames in the field. I feel instantly at home. A quick call to reception lets me know that, yes, there’s a spa. I call and book a manicure/pedicure and massage. Naturally I want to see what these will be like
Arrived in St. Petersburg from London along with several participants in the Virtuoso Winter Symposium. On a bus to the Grand Hotel Europe – a member of Leading Hotels of the World – I was able to get a glimpse of the new St. Petersburg. It was really moving. I haven’t been to St. Petersburg
One last Monaco experience I wanted to share. I had a two-hour signature ritual at the new ESPA at the Metropole in Monte-Carlo. For those of you who don’t know ESPA, it is a world-renowned brand out of the UK that encompasses a product line, a consultancy firm, and spa development/management initiatives. Susan Harmsworth, the
What a great name. I called Refresh today to talk with Karen, its PR person, and get more details on how the spa is doing. I expect to hear from her tomorrow, but in the meantime I thought I would share what I have found out so far. The spa is 4,500 square feet in
Just arrived in Palm Desert, California, where my husband and I will spend Christmas and New Year’s. On the long flight I had a chance to get into the book my sister recommended recently, John Naisbitt‘s Mind Set!: Reset Your Thinking and See the Future. What a great way to start a vacation for someone
It was a late night, so apologies for not getting the results to you sooner. It turned out to be a really special event – and even somewhat emotional – as the spa owners and operators from the “best of the best” spas all over the world got together. We announced the awards at the
This is an exciting day for me. Tonight we get to announce the winners of Spa Finder’s 2006 Readers’ Choice Awards. The champagne reception is at the Cornelia Day Resort here in New York later today, and winners have flown in from all over the world to pick up their Crystal Globe Awards. It’s the