Spa-ing in the Sunshine State
by Michael Quinlan



Over the past few years, finding a spa in Florida has become a lot easier. Travelers heading to the Sunshine State for a touch of luxury and relaxation can find first-class facilities in virtually every major city. From the Ponte Vedra Beach Resort in northeast Florida to the Pier House Resort and Caribbean Spa in the Florida Keys, resorts and hotels statewide are offering services that cater to the spa lifestyle. And the list is growing. Says Sherry Sciro, President of Spa Finders Media, "One of the big trends in Florida is that most five-star resorts are opening their own spas. And these are real spas, as opposed to amenity spas where you have a few rooms down the hall where you can get a massage, or there's just a little gym."

First-time visitors should be forewarned, though, that indulging in a spa is indeed a luxury -- one that can often come with a lavish price tag. Still, if you're looking for ways to economize while you revitalize, bargains are available. For starters, buy a package. Paying for services a la carte can end up being quite expensive. Also, most spas offer bargains if you go off-season, so if you don't mind the heat of Florida during the summer, you're sure to find an attractive deal.

THE SPA AT THE DORAL
Miami

The 650-acre Doral Golf Resort and Spa is the prototypical South Florida retreat. The palm tree-lined paradise includes a 148,000-square-foot spa complex, tennis courts, four swimming pools, five golf courses, a 694-room hotel and a separate spa hotel with 48 suites (each with its own Jacuzzi). For a pretty penny, guests can try their luck on the famed Blue Monster golf course, where the Doral Ryder Open is held each year. Fitness buffs can choose from 25 different daily exercise classes or work out in the newly redesigned fitness room overlooking the first tee of the Blue Monster. For guests bent on relaxation, the spa itself shines. Get lost in one of its 45 treatment rooms where you can receive any number of wraps, facials, body scrubs and massages. Amid all the fun, don't forget the food. The Atrium at the Spa restaurant offers creative spa cuisine, but for a little extra money, you can dine at the lavish Windows on the Green, with a beautiful view of the 18th hole of the Blue Monster.

As if it weren't a ready perfect, the Doral recently completed a $30 million renovation and expansion, which included adding two new golf courses, a new pool (called the Blue Lagoon) which opens Memorial Day weekend, and the refurbishing of all 48 spa suites.

"Spa Experience Package" double-occupancy during the spring season (per person, per night): $190 for weekdays; $210 for weekends.

The Spa at the Doral
4400 Northwest 87th Avenue
Miami, FL
305-592-2000

SPA INTERNAZIONALE AT FISHER ISLAND
Fisher Island

It's just a ten-minute ferry ride away from Miami Beach, but it's practically in another world. Fisher Island, the home of the Spa Internazionale at Fisher Island, is a private oasis where guests can slip into pure spa bliss at world-class prices. Built on the site of a former Vanderbilt winter home, Fisher Island caters to such jet-setting luminaries as Hillary Clinton and Pete Sampras, who no doubt enjoy the spa's hydradermie facials (which help smoothe away signs of aging and fatigue) and the 18 tennis courts (grass, clay and hard courts are all available).

Overnight guests can stay in the somewhat small guest cottages, or in the Mediterranean-style villas, or in the more spacious suites. (If you choose a suite, ask for an ocean view room, or reserve the VIP Private Suite, which boasts its own massage table and aerobics studio in-room). The spa itself is a 22,000-square-foot giant that offers an equally immense number of treatments, ranging from the simple (herbal wraps and salt rubs) to the ornate (collagen facials and Cryotonic leg therapies). Exercise classes and personal trainers are available, and workout rooms thankfully aren't too cramped with equipment -- a real plus. As for spa cuisine, it's there for the taking, but you would be wise to partake of the spa's full-fat menu. After all, if you're going to indulge, why not go all the way?

Three-night spa package, double occupancy during peak season (per person): $1,700.

The Spa Internazionale
Fisher Island Club
1 Fisher Island Dr.
Fisher Island, FL 33109
800-537-3708

EDEN ROC RESORT & SPA
Miami Beach

For a glimpse into the idyllic gilded age of South Florida, there's no better spot than the Eden Roc Resort & Spa. The 349-room art-deco inspired Eden Roc hotel houses its guests in rooms of turquoise and lime, with unparalleled views of North Miami Beach and the poolside cabanas where movie stars such as Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor and Ann Margaret used to sun themselves. Currently, the property is renovating all of its guest rooms and public areas at a cost of $25 million, with completion expected later this year. The Eden Roc spa won't be expanded, but even in its present form it offers subdued luxury in a clubby but relaxed atmosphere. Day packages are attractively priced, and include the familiar litany of treatments: European facials; herbal body wraps; aromatherapy massages, shiatsu and more.

A beautiful and fit South Beach crowd helps to populate the spa on the weekends, making it somewhat bustling, but there is peace, quiet and lots of sunshine to be found on the outside upper pool deck, which unlike the lower pool deck isn't located in the shadow of the neighboring Fountainbleu hotel. As for the massages, the treatment rooms are small and a bit dark, so do ask to have your massage done outside with a view of the ocean.

"Day of Eden" spa day package during peak season, lodging not included (per person): $215

Eden Roc Resort & Spa
4525 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33140
800-327-8337

THE SPA AT THE BREAKERS
Palm Beach

The newest entrant to the ultra-luxury spa scene is the Spa at the Breakers, a 20,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor facility that opened in January. At a cost of $25 million, the Mediterranean-style complex features 17 private treatment rooms, a four-lane lap pool, a 1,400-square-foot fitness center, and daily beachside activities such as Yoga and Tai Chi. The spa was designed to be an extension of the neighboring 572-room Breakers Hotel, right down to the crown molding and lighting fixtures, but it's much more than an extension. The facility is a destination unto itself, with beautifully landscaped lawns and numerous, spectacular views of the ocean. Packages are available for the spa itself, or in combination with the Breakers' two golf courses. One of the most popular packages is the signature Spa Suite Combination Treatment. The package offers your choice of three amenities to be performed on you for two uninterrupted hours, for under $200.

Keep in mind that demand for the brand new spa is running high, so reservations are recommended well in advance. But with 65 full-time employees and four spa consultants on hand, you're sure to get the personal attention you deserve.

Four-day "Indulgence by the Sea" package, spring & fall season, double occupancy (per person): $1,990

The Spa at the Breakers
1 South County Rd.
Palm Beach, FL 33480
888-273-2537

SPA LXVI
Ft. Lauderdale

The 380-room Hyatt Regency Pier 66 in Ft. Lauderdale isn't exactly a world-famous resort. However, the hotel is hoping to make a name for its spa, especially now that it has finished an $8.8 million renovation of all of its guest rooms and its health spa -- Spa LXVI -- pronounced "Spa Sixty Six." Practically everything in the spa is new: The treatment rooms were redecorated; the sandstone beige waiting area was redone in a forest green motif; and the spa's products were upgraded to include Phytomer, Babor, Sothys and Judith Jackson. The 6,800-square-foot facility offers eight treatment rooms, two facial rooms, one hydromassage room, and a wet room for its vichy shower.

The spa also has a newly equipped fitness room, but like most hotel fitness centers, is small and cramped. The hotel's management is considering selling club memberships that would include access to the spa as well as a neighboring golf course. Such a plan would ultimately make the facility more crowded than it should be, which would be unfort nate. As it is now, Spa LXVI is a secluded and affordable facility with a knowledgeable staff that provides the kind of genuine attention that is sometimes lacking at more expensive resorts. In a nutshell, it's well worth a visit.

Four-hour "Ultimate Spa Day" package without lodging or meals (per-person): $185

Spa LXVI
Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty Six
2301 SE 17th Street Causeway
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
(954) 525-6666