ROMANTIC SPAS

Looking for a romantic spa experience? Spas and romance go together like a glass of fine wine and good cheese. Spas that focus on providing romantic settings is a growing niche for the wellness and hospitality industries. What better way to grab a little quality "us" time than with a romantic spa experience?

Romantic spa getaways can help keep the romance alive in 2007. Here are a few suggestions:

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario;

Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto;

Peninsula Bangkok;

What's Romantic at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts ;

Vancouver Island, B.C.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico ;

Mayan Riviera, Mexico ;

Double Destination Dating, England ;

Miami, Florida ;

Beverly Hillls, California ;

Vintage Valentine, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

This Valentine’s Day, Vintage Hotels offers a variety of ways to celebrate with distinct menus at its trio of award-winning restaurants. Chocolate, champagne, and passionfruit figure prominently, but in innovative combinations. To reserve a table at one of Vintage Hotels’ three award-winning dining rooms please call 1-888-669-5566. On-line reservations can also be made by visiting www.vintage-hotels.com.

The Prince of Wales’ Escabèche offers an $85 tasting menu, courtesy of Executive Chef Andrew Dymond and Executive Sous Chef Ian Field. Courses include: Crisp Skin Squab Breast served with apple and shallot panbread and a white chocolate kaffir lime syrup; Simple Leaf Salad with hazelnut-dusted tellagio, milk bread, soft poached dates, mandarin and chocolate vinaigrette; Passionfruit Sorbet; Pepper Seared Rare Ahi Tuna served with shiitake and cucumber, white crab and celeriac remoulade, carrot and soy caramel; Porchini- and Cocoa-Crusted Australian Lamb Rack with butternut and pearl barley risotto, rosemary beurre noisette; and mille-feuille of strawberry and champagne. Wine pairings will be available at an additional charge.

Chef Dymond has also planned out a $65 five-course tasting menu for Queen’s Landing’s Tiara that includes Malpeque Bay Oyster “Shooter” with Vidal Icewine and pepper mignotte; Crisp Ontario Goat’s Cheese served with passionfruit and shaved white chocolate sauce; Champagne-Soaked Strawberry Sorbet; Charbroiled Alberta Beef Tenderloin with agnolotti of white crab, aged cheddar and parsley sauce; and ending with a trio of chocolate. The menu with wine pairings is available at $115.00 per person plus taxes & gratuity.

Over at Pillar and Post’s Cannery and Carriages, Executive Chef Randy Dupuis’ $60 Valentine’s menu features an appetizer of Mixed Greens served with warm panko-crusted goat’s cheese and passionfruit vinaigrette; a main course of Grilled Beef Tenderloin with smoked tomato and lobster risotto, haricot vert, asparagus, porcini jus; and dessert of molten chocolate lava cake with raspberry coulis.

Vintage Hotels also offers a year-round Romance Package which consists of an overnight stay with breakfast and dinner for two starting from $266CAD. For added romance anytime of the year, treat your Valentine to one dozen roses, chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of sparkling or local wine for an additional $85.00CAD, or choose one dozen roses, a romantic horse drawn carriage tour through picturesque Niagara-on-the-Lake, and a bottle of sparking local wine for $135.00CAD.

Full menus and package details are available at www.vintage-hotels.com;new




Spa for Two, Westin Harbour Castle Toronto

What could be more romantic than a visit to the spa with your loved one! The Westin Spa Escape package offers a rejuvenating getaway that will leave you refreshed and at your best! Starting from $249 per night, the package includes two nights accommodation in a luxurious guestroom and a spa gift that will be delivered to your room. During the stay guests will be given a $50 voucher to be used at Votre Beauty Spa located in the hotel. After a relaxing and revitalizing stay guests will enjoy breakfast for two at The Mizzen restaurant and a leisurely 4 PM checkout. Price is per room, per night, based on double occupancy and availability plus taxes and gratuities. For more information or to book this package please visit www.westin.com/harbourcastle




Precious Time at Peninsula Bangkok

The Peninsula Bangkok is offering an exceptional “Precious Time Together”, a spa package for a romantic getaway that provides a whole new experience and rejuvenates the mind, body and spirit.

Guests looking for an extraordinary romance and privacy can now indulge in the River Private Spa Suite which includes a private changing area, steam shower, double bath, double treatment area and a balcony offering stunning views of the Chao Phraya River.

The “Precious Time Together” package is priced at $500 US per couple. It includes:
•     Tea Ceremony
•     Fresh Ginger Foot Buff treatment
•     Salt and Oil Full-body Exfoliation (30 minutes)
•     Aromatherapy Massage (1 hour 20 minutes)
•     Lunch or dinner beside the pool or in a private Thai pavilion

email: spapbk@peninsula.com, www.peninsula.com



What's Romantic at Fairmont?


A destination known for its affairs of the heart, Montreal’s Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth invites guests to indulge with its new Sweet Dreams are Made of Chocolate package, which includes nightly accommodation, chocolate truffles made by the hotel’s onsite chocolatière and a cacao body scrub and wrap per person at the newly renovated Gibson Salon & Spa. Available year-round, rates start at $549 per night.


Shakespeare’s iconic star-crossed lovers take center stage at The Fairmont Washington, D.C. with the Romeo & Juliet package, in honor of Shakespeare in Washington, a landmark festival of theatre, music, dance, films and art exhibits. The package includes accommodations with a balcony overlooking the hotel’s courtyard garden, a Romeo & Juliet DVD, and a special Love Potion for two. The Romeo & Juliet package is available through June 30, starting from $189 USD per night. Please call 800-257-7544 for reservations.


Lovers looking for a little peace, quiet and pampering should head out to The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise with the resort's Love & Hugs package. Voted as one of the ''World's Top 10 Honeymoon Hot Spots" by the Discovery Channel, the resort is the ideal escape for couples of any age. The package includes one night of room accommodation, full breakfast in either the Poppy Brasserie or the privacy of the guestroom, a delightful ''Silk and Bubbly'' room delivery featuring a huggable stuffed bear, sparkling wine, decadent chocolates and a bath treat, and valet parking. Rates for this package start from $279, based on double occupancy in a Fairmont room. At the nearby Fairmont Jasper park Lodge, the hotel sets hearts a flutter with its St. Valentine's Day Package . Discover the romantic side of Jasper with this package featuring two nights accommodation, a fireside romance delivery of S'Mores making supplies, hot chocolate, Baileys and a skate rental voucher, a fondue dinner for two in Moose's Nook, and one full breakfast for two. Available from February 09 to 11, 2007, rates start from $638 per room, based on double occupancy.


What better time to celebrate love than at the Bermuda International Love Festival, February 16-19 at The Fairmont Southampton, Bermuda? Each couple is assigned a Love Marshal to assist them with arrangements throughout the weekend. The package for two includes three-night accommodations, one $300 resort credit per couple, a champagne welcome reception, brunch, round-trip airport transfers, exclusive access to Love Festival concerts, and a menu of activities such as a couples’ massage class or salsa lessons. The package starts at $1,520 USD per couple for three nights. The resort credit can be applied towards golf, spa or dinner. For reservations, call Bermuda Specialty Travel at 877-8-TRAVEL.


Love is in the air at The Savoy, A Fairmont Hotel with the help of Patrick Wyatt, London jewelry designer, and the romantic Jewelry Bespoke Experience, which features a private consultation with Wyatt for a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry (approximate retail value £1800). The Savoy’s location near Covent Garden with views of the River Thames add to the romantic getaway, which also includes one-night accommodation in a suite, a bottle of champagne, chocolates and fruit, a three-course dinner for two, a rose petal turndown, and buffet breakfast for two. The package is available year-round, with rates starting from £2000 per night. Please call +44 20 7836 4343 for reservations.


Fairmont Tremblant's Romantic Escape sets the mood for amour in Quebec, featuring one-night accommodation, valet parking, champagne for two and a one-hour couples’ massage. Valid year-round, rates start from $499 per night.


The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa’s Engaging Experiences package includes one-night accommodation in a signature Mission Suite, champagne and caviar upon arrival, a couples’ wine and roses spa treatment, and a sparkling wine tasting for two at the Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves. The package is available until December 2007, starting from $949 USD per night.


The Fairmont Newport Beach’s Royal Romance package encourage lovers to enjoy each other with overnight accommodations in a junior suite and private balcony, complimentary valet parking, chocolate strawberries and choice of champagne, wine, or cider upon arrival, two monogrammed bathrobes and signature bath products. In addition, guests are treated to a $100 dinner credit, breakfast for two and a late checkout. The Royal Romance package is available Wednesday through Sunday, until February 19. Rates start from $499 USD per night.


Treat the love of your life to a weekend of romance and adventure with the Couple’s Celebration package at the AAA Five Diamond Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, which includes one-night accommodation, breakfast, a candlelit dinner for two, and choice of a hot-air balloon ride over the Sonoran Desert, round of golf for two or two spa treatments at Willow Stream spa. Valid year-round, rates start from $689 USD per night.


Surrounded by coastal mountains with views of Vancouver’s harbor, The Fairmont Vancouver Waterfront offers the perfect Romance Package. Lovers enjoy nightly accommodations followed by deluxe breakfast for two, chocolate-dipped strawberries, a bottle of Sumac Ridge sparkling wine, and an aromatherapy bath gift of essential oils, bubble bath, bath bomb, massage bar and loofah. The Romance Package also includes valet parking and a gift certificate for 15 percent off on a return stay. The package is available year-round, starting from $329 per night.


The Lover’s Escape at The Fairmont Empress, Victoria is a perfect retreat in B.C. The package includes nightly accommodation, romantic three-course dinner, breakfast-in-bed, chocolate treat from chocolatière Bernard Callebault, and a romance-to-go kit including lavender massage oil, Eucalyptus bath booster and a travel candle. The package for two is available year-round, starting at $259 per night.

For more: www.fairmont.com




Sensual Journey at Bear Mountain Resort, Vancouver Islnad B.C.

The ultra-luxurious Bear Mountain Resort is offering a Sensual Journey guaranteed to make even Saint Valentine jealous!
Set alongside the lush green fairways of the Jack and Steve Nicklaus co-designed Mountain golf course, the resort is offering one night accommodation in a deluxe guestroom or suite featuring Westin's signature Heavenly Beds and Heavenly Baths, strawberries and a bottle of bubbly upon arrival. The Sensual Journey also includes an intimate duet massage in the stunning Santé Spa

Cas Velas, Puerto Vallarta

A three-night package provides couples with a romantic stay in a Grand Class Suite with Bulgari amenities; a secluded, four-course dinner for two on the beach surrounded by tiki torches served by a private waiter; spa treatments and more.

With Casa Velas' Love is in the Air package, guests can indulge themselves at the 6,500 square foot Spa Casa Velas with a daily spa credit of $35 per person to be used toward any massage, facial or body wrap and unlimited use of the Spa's hydrotherapy facility. The package also includes breakfast, lunch and dinner a la carte at the hotel's restaurants; use of the oceanfront Beach Club featuring a pool, Jacuzzi, and private beach; and premium liquors at the Lobby bar and Aqua Bar. Shuttle service to and from airport and taxes and gratuities round out the package. The three-night Love is in the Air package is $1,770 per couple. For reservations or more information,call 1-866-612-1097 in the U.S. and 1-866-442-9205 in Canada or visit www.hotelcasavelas.com.

The hacienda-style Casa Velas, a member of The Leading Small Hotels of the World, is located just five minutes from Puerto Vallarta Airport and only 15 minutes from the popular downtown area, art galleries, and "El Malecon" (the boardwalk). The hotel features 80 suites, some with private pools and Jacuzzis. The perfect vacation for golfers, Casa Velas is nestled on the greens of Marina Vallarta's 18-hole golf course and also offers golf privileges at two other top 18-hole golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf only 20 minutes away. A highlight of the hotel is the Wellness Spa/Medi Holiday program, which offers an in-house nutritionist and cardiologist for a total health assessment. Spa Casa Velas encompasses five treatment rooms, a hydrotherapy area, a fitness gym and a beauty salon. Emiliano a la carte fine dining restaurant is at the hands of one of the area's leading chefs serving Mexican and international cuisine.






Esencia, Mayan Riviera


Esencia Resort, in Mexico's Riviera Maya, has launched a Pampered Partners package. The five-night package includes luxurious accommodations in a Garden Suite or Ocean View Suite scented in Vanilla Essence (an aphrodisiac) at turndown; a couple's how-to-massage instruction with a private therapist; a couple's private yoga session with instructor; the Ritual of Love treatment at the organic Aroma Spa; and a romantic dinner for two at signature restaurant Sal y Fuego. A special lover's treat at turndown and round-trip airport transfers to and from Cancun International Airport. Located in Playa Xpu-Ha, Mexico on a two-mile stretch of fine white sand beach, 46 miles south of Cancun, Esencia is a boutique resort with 29 spacious suites and guestrooms with features ranging from deep-soaking plunge pools to private solariums.

Rates for the five-night package starts at $2,905 U.S. for a Garden Suite from January 1 through March 31, 2007 per couple. Taxes and service charge are additional. www.hotelesencia.com




Double Destination Dating in England



Double Destination Dating: For an urban/rural/hopelessly romantic getaway, the new Lover’s Escape Package from Cotswold House in Chipping Campden, England, and Eleven Cadogan Gardens in the Chelsea district of central London will leave your hearts thumping for more. The two-city getaway includes two nights at “Number Eleven,” two nights at the Cotswold House, dinner at the latter, a “Romantic Road” driving tour through the beautiful Cotswolds, breakfast daily and transportation to/from the hotels. From £2200 (approx. $4,171 U.S.) double, including VAT. Available from February 1 - 28. For info and reservations, www.cotswoldhouse.com or www.number-eleven.co.uk






Villa Hotel, Miami



A VillaHotel Built Pour Deux: Experience the romantic heat of Miami than with a Valentine’s Getaway from Villazzo. Choose three nights in one of Villazzo’s Miami-based Villa Hotels and enjoy the privacy of a villa, with all the services and amenities of a five-star hotel. Valentine’s Day travelers will be spoiled with a bottle of Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne, a couples massage, a personal bath butler on call, a private four-course dinner under the starry sky, a professional photo shoot, an optional over-the-top gift of a solitaire diamond ring and more. All of the above from $14,250, or $20,000 with the diamond option. For more info and reservations: www.villazzo.com





Romanced and Pampered in Beverly Hills, California


My Pampered Valentine: “Romanced” is one thing; “pampered” is another. Experience the difference with the Pampered Valentine Package from Avalon Hotel and Maison 140, two high-style Kor Hotel Group properties set within a whisper of each other in Beverly Hills. Stay at either property and receive a welcome treat of Champagne & chocolate dipped strawberries, a “Red Flower” travel set of luscious skin potions from Sento, his & her robes, a couples candle-lit, in-room manicure and pedicure, dinner with a bottle of wine next to Avalon’s gleaming, hourglass-shaped pool, and a nightcap at stylish Bar Noir at Maison 140. Transportation between hotels is included. From $1,100 per night/double at Avalon and from $855 per night/double at Maison 140. For more information and reservations, www.avalonbeverlyhills.com or www.maison140beverlyhills.com