The Sexiest Spas in the World
Spa Magazine
While sexy is certainly in the eye of the beholder, there is an exemplary handful of new and classic spas that all possess an undeniable charisma, one that drenches the mind, body and spirit with an awareness of our earthly presence. Steeped in sense-arousing colors, textures, scents and spa treatments, these ten hot spots are all something to talk about.
VERANA, MEXICO
The Setting
The unorthodox journey via boat and then steep trek on foot and mule primes you for the wild possibilities of Verana. Carved out of a cinematic swathe of raw jungle south of Puerto Vallarta in Yelapa, the jaw-dropping bay view and jungle backdrop are dramatized by an aesthetic that is as original as it is chic and handmade. Each guest house is unique from the next and almost all force their occupants to engage with nature. The Mayan house, for example, has only two walls. The jaunt to the infinity-edge pool is a walking meditation peppered with itinerant butterflies and Technicolor green banana palms.
The Spa
Casually made up of two palapas and another semi-outdoor room with glass and metal screens, the spa is laced with the scent of lemongrass and plumeria that grows all around. The menu's lush masks, massages and facials use mostly handmade potions whipped up from fresh, locally grown ingredients like avocado, coffee and papaya. By daylight, a live soundtrack of parrots accompanies the treatments, but at night, a chorus of cicadas and courting frogs replaces them--an ideal match for relaxing by candlelight in one of the Japanese-style soaking tubs steeped in a special blend of essential oils, salts, and herbs.
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Verana's quiet is breathtaking and the lure of the jungle sets a primordial tone, but for me, the new Watsu pool, elegantly built into the hillside, was its own form of bliss. Sliding into gentle reverie, afloat in the arms of my therapist, I can still imagine swirling slowly through the water, completely willing to dissolve into a womblike trance. Even so, the sense of place pervades, and though my eyes were closed, I never lost sight of being within kissing distance of nature.
SANCTUARY ON CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA
The Setting
There's something about desert air. It's more vibrant, as if compensating for the stark landscape with a richness that is palpable--the gentle breezes are nearly a caress. The mingled scents of sage, creosote and deep-red earth high up on Camelback Mountain add another layer of gratification. Under the calm gaze of the Praying Monk, a natural rock formation with easily distinguishable features, Sanctuary's bungalows ensure privacy, sprawled along the hillside and connected by meandering sandstone paths. At night, the twinkling lights of Paradise Valley carpet the desert floor that stretches out beneath the dark silhouette of the mountains.
The Spa
From the Spa Casitas (the sleek modern rooms built closest to the spa), it's a short walk to the rock and smooth-stucco spa complex, set downhill from an infinity pool that reflects the impossibly blue desert sky. Passing beneath the arched bamboo doorway, I blinked in the transition from bright sunlight to the cool embracing darkness of the anteroom, the only light spilling in from a four-foot-high slit in the opposite wall. The experience gently evolves in the deeper recesses of the spa, such as the sun-filled Meditation Room, where the sound of trickling water and the smell of desert brush wafts in from the courtyard garden. Throughout, spare lines and earth tones calmly eliminate points of reference, heightening the sense of submission.
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Sanctum is the ultimate outdoor suite where stone slab walls spiral inward to a private arena for one or two. After playing in the vitality pool and rain shower, the fire pit ablaze, I surrendered myself to the two-hour, Thai-inspired Luk Pra Kope. Dressed in traditional sabai wear (a loose fitting, thin cotton top and pants), my limbs were stretched and kneaded in the liberating dance of Thai massage. Finally, warm damp compresses smelling of ginger, myrtle grass and camphor were pressed into my skin, easily penetrating the fabric and my senses, leaving me redolent of exotic spice.