By Beauty Snob Tina

March 10, 2009

One of the things I will never give up is the luxury of a day at the spa. Its stress reducing benefits are priceless and who doesn’t love to be pampered? I’ve been going to spas since I was a young girl I(in Asia, it’s normal to hang out at the spa daily with your aunties and grandmother!) and no matter where I travel to– I always find out the spa options in the local area! I’m heading to Miami next month and am excited to try out the new Eau Spa at the Ritz Carlton in Palm Beach.

Palm Beach, legendary playground of the rich and famous, will soon offer an exclusive new gathering place for indulgence with the March 2009 opening of Eau Spa. The $30-million retreat offers a distinct setting for adults to engage in a magical spa experience with its variety of sensational beauty treatments and surprising touches throughout. Eau Spa’s debut completes the recent transformations of more than $100 million of the AAA Five Diamond, Mobil Five-Star Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beachresort. (Jump for more details!)

Eau Spa is open daily from 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., with treatments beginning at $40.00. For more information and reservations, please call (561) 540-4960. Check the website here for availability!

Creating the philosophy of “pause, play and perfect,” Eau Spa invites guests to begin their self-discovery journey and take a moment to light and set afloat a candle into the giant gleaming copper Wishing Well, reflecting on a need to fully immerse themselves into the aura of Eau Spa and vowing to trust their senses and embrace “me time” for maintenance, indulgence, beauty or romance.

Next, the Self-Centered Garden invites guests to further lose themselves and abandon the rules of adulthood within the open-air sanctuary where nature twines with manmade imaginings. This lush oasis is punctuated with harmonious sounds of water and wind chimes, while fragrant plants throughout – such as lemon grass, lavender, jasmine and orchids – have been specifically chosen to attract butterflies and evoke blissful aromas while enticing one’s joie de vivre. These fresh herbs are also used in treatments and refreshments.

Guests relax on slowly swaying swing chairs while trailing their feet in a pool of shallow water. As sundials tick to the clock of another world’s time, guests sunbathe while reading a book or relax on waterfall benches as a warm embrace of falling water erases stress and tension from neck and shoulder muscles.

After this gentle preparation, guests visit the Scrub and Polish Bar and casually consult with a resident mixologist and create a personalized blend of aromatic herbs, soothing oils and gritty sea salts.

“We call this interactive product creation ‘scrub couture.’ A professional mixologist works with Eau Spa guests, allowing them to experiment with and discover a perfect combination of skin detox and polishing, resulting in a customized body cocktail they can play with in the bath lounge and later bring home to ensure the Eau Spa experience lingers even longer,” explains Spa Director Amal Elbahnasawy.

Guests are then escorted to a Spa Villa. With modern Baroque-inspired décor, the intimate settings use an array of colors complementing treatments from the exotic and lavish menu. Therapies include precious gems and metals infused facials, such as the platinum and diamond blend with ancient Egyptian roots.

Each of the Eau Spa’s 19 Spa Villas can be customized to the guest’s preferences, reflecting their tastes, desires and purposes for the day. Color therapy through LED lighting defines wall colors with shades outlined by ancient cultures that evoke specific moods. For example, blue tones are used for those looking to relax (pause); red for those interested in energizing (play); and gold for those seeking balance (perfect). Results are further achieved through personal choices of oils, aromatherapies and musical selections. Guests looking to relax might choose lavender aromatherapy and dreamlike music; guests looking to energize will benefit from aromas of tart lime and upbeat lounge music; and guests seeking balance are soothed with rosewood aromatherapy and mellow jazz.

Twelve of the 19 Spa Villas are complete with outdoor gardens, offering a private escape in the peacefulness of the rich, natural surroundings. Three special Couple’s Spa Villas provide an intimate experience far beyond treatments, with lavish garden enclaves, oversized tubs and outdoor rainfall showers for an open-air spa experience to cleanse one’s spirit and quench a thirst for sensuality. Adjoining Spa Villas are also available as ideal accommodations for large groups and wedding parties.

“Our vision for Eau Spa was centered on the guest’s sensory awareness and ability to be present. Eau Spa is about letting yourself have a good time in a completely carefree and open environment, not necessarily a sacred place where you have to whisper,” explains The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach Owner Simon Lewis. “The design is also unique, a striking blend of modern elements and traditional Baroque style. Eau Spa’s focus on water – the French translation of “eau” – will encourage guests to relax and enjoy ancient spa rituals in a spontaneous setting.”

Eau Spa’s bath lounges bring back spa-going as an all-day event, inviting guests to relax in thick terry cloth robes and laze on heated loungers or enjoy a ceiling-to-floor cascading shower complete with fanciful song sheets and color-changing water. Disco balls in the steam rooms create an ideal playful and social atmosphere. Eau Spa’s beautiful full-service salon offers six chairs, including a master chair for special occasions and weddings, as well as manicure and pedicure stations for additional pampering. Eau Fitness offers a complete state-of-the-art workout center for your body (kickboxing, spinning and step) and mind (yoga, Pilates and meditation). Guests can complete their experience with accessories, designer objects and signature Eau Spa potions at the Eau Spa retail shop.