ARIZONA: SPA AVANIA - HYATT REGENCY SCOTTSDALE RESORT & SPA AT GAINY RANCH
by Anne Dimon
The Spa: Spa Avania at the Hyatt Regency Gainy Ranch Scottsdale Resort & Spa.
The Environment: A 21,000 square foot spa facility, located just steps from the hotel's main entrance, Spa Avania encompasses indoor/outdoor treatment rooms, gardens, pools, lounges and meditative spaces.
The Distinction: To the best of our knowledge Spa Avania is the first spa anywhere where EVERYTHING is based on the science of time and the body’s natural biorhythms. Brocken into time zones of Morning (awakening and revitalization), Midday (restoration and balance) and Evening (relaxation and repair), the entire spa facility - everything from treatments to music and design - has been artfully and meticulously choreographed to correspond to the body's changing rhythms and requirements. There are 14 different music zones all programmed to change with the three different times of day. Even the adjoining gym has chilled towels infused with different scents selected to complement the various times of day. They wouldn't, for instance, use lavendar - which has a relaxing effect on the system - with morning treatments.
The Experience: It's 8 a.m. when I arrive at Spa Avania for a class led by Yoga Away. The music being played in the reception area has a temp reflective of the tempo a guest might be experiencing when arriving at the spa. As I descends the dramatic curved staircase of earth slate and black granite, the music subtly slows down and consequently has a corresponding effect on the body and mind. The most calming music is at the centre of Avania - the mineral pool and coed relaxation area. Following an excellent yoga class by Yoga Away, I'm booked for a mid-morning Crushed Pearl Facial made with real crushed pearl powder from Parma, Italy. Later, a massage includes the use of bergamont and mint essential oils for their energizing effect. By then it's time for lunch served in the spa's beautiful lounge area complete with fireplace and stunning mineral pool. The meals here are called "Flights" and this Midday Flight offers a choice between papaya, quinoa, salmon and miso; pineapple jasmin tea-smoked chicken, yams and cardomon; or mango, tenderloin of beef, barley and cardomon. Food is delicious, so is the wide variety of specialty teas. In between treatments a swim in the mineral pool is a treat any time of day.
Accommodations: The resort offers a full complement of guest rooms just steps from the self-contained spa.
Where to Eat: The spa lounge is set up for serving meals Morning Flights, Midday Flights and Sunset Flights) and yes, these, too, are tailored to time of day. Food here is healthy and tasty and ranks among some to the best served-in-spa cuisine served anywhere.
The Extras: The spa's centerpiece and signature space is the dramatic outdoor central court with its French Celtic mineral pool,wood-burning fireplaces, bougainvillea-covered trellis, lotus pond and black granite waterwall. Spa Avania also offers a handsome Gentleman's Suite with a built-in plasma screen, a beer fridge and salty nuts. There's also a full, state-of-the-art gym and a spacious yoga studio with regular classes conducted by Yoga Away.
The Cost: The menu is made up of a-la-carte treatments, plus packaged Experiences, Passages and Journeys that range from two to four hours
and are priced from $243 to $459 U.S. Editor's Note: Prices reflect the time of our visit please check with the spa before you go.t
Beyond the Spa: The resort's partnership with YogaAway offers guests On-Command in-room videos. The gym offers GPS units to guests who want to leave the property to run.
What I liked best: There is lots to love in this beautiful spa, but the tea service is among the best I’ve had anywhere. While most every spa offers herbal tea,
Avania takes the service to a ceremony usually reserved for fine wines or champagnes. The tea menu includes exclusive, first-flush high antioxidant teas from the Himalayas, China, Japan, Italy and Egypt. The mineral pool is also a lovely treat, before, between or after treatments.
Words to the Wise: To have a quick treatment on the run is not a good use of this spa. Take the time to relax, use the facilities and spend the better part of the day.
For more information: www.spaavania.com