Guests needn’t feel guilty for picking a day of relaxation over an adventure-packed itinerary—especially when the spa treatments use local ingredients and rich regional traditions. From Florida to Hawaii to Asia, Waldorf Astoria spas feature indigenous products that leave guests feeling relaxed, restored and connected to the healing culture of their destination.
ORANGES, ORANGES, ORANGES
Every morning, Executive Pastry Chef Jordi Panisello whips up a custom citrus sorbet blended from locally sourced, freshly squeezed oranges. His sweet concoction—inspired by citrus that was first brought to Florida in the mid-1500s—isn’t for dessert at Boca Raton Resort & Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort.
Instead, he will deliver it to the resort’s Forbes Four Star Waldorf Astoria Spa for the Ritual Bath, one of the spa’s most popular treatments.
Named “No. 1 Spa in the World” in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, Waldorf Astoria Spa at Boca Raton Resort & Club may be best known for its exceptional architecture, designed to reflect the opulence of Spain’s Alhambra palace.
It’s only fitting that several of the spa’s treatments showcase the orange, native to southern Spain and southern Florida.
“Oranges are anti-inflammatory and they’re a deeply hydrating antioxidant,” says Vanessa Carter, spa director. “They also naturally boost collagen in the skin, making it a quintessential and vital molecule for skin health.”
In the spa garden’s courtyard, two waterfall whirlpools and a private spa pool with underwater music set a palatial stage for other orange-inspired treatments, such as a Citrus Essence Facial, in which vitamin C renews the skin’s fullness in addition to stimulating collagen.
The Citrus Surrender Body Ritual exfoliates using Sweet Mandarin Walnut Body Polish before practitioners wrap the skin and massage it with Orange Blossom After Bath Lotion. “This experience is the ultimate way to relax and unwind while basking in the scents and benefits of Florida’s favorite fruit,” Carter says.
Between treatments, guests may choose from an assortment of orange-flavored brewed teas, each incorporating orange peels and orange-infused water, made daily with the juiciest South Florida oranges.
For those who want to take a slice of the spa home, many of the products used in the treatments—as well as the cilantro orange diffuser and candle—are available for purchase in the spa store.
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A day of relaxation awaits at Boca Raton Resort & Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort
GINGER, BLACK PEPPER, BAMBOO
For more than 2,500 years, traditional Chinese medicine has embraced the healing power of herbal treatments and massage. Today, these time-honored practices are respected and replicated around the world.
From the heart of China’s capital city, guests at Waldorf Astoria Beijing’s spa have the rare opportunity to experience the results of layering ancient philosophies with innovative, modern techniques.
Upon arrival, guests relax while sipping ginger lemongrass tea and enjoying artwork that showcases Beijing’s cultural and modern identity.
The spa’s most popular Escape treatment starts with an aromatic full-body scrub.
“Natural olive grains leave your skin silky smooth and well-prepared for a specialized massage, which uses hot stones set on key energy points, opening up meridians,” says Ann Li, spa director. “Meanwhile, the essential oils of ginger and black pepper stimulate blood circulation, and bamboo stalks are used on stiff areas to fully melt away stress. In traditional Chinese, bamboo is a symbol of youth, spring of life, longevity and happiness.”
Receiving a treatment at this tranquil spa makes these ideals feel well within reach.
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Serenity awaits at Waldorf Astoria Beijing
PASSION FRUIT, MANGO, COCONUT
The spa staff at Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, begins each day with a traditional Hawaiian chant asking for wisdom, strength and positivity. Through this ceremonial blessing and cleansing ritual of Piwai, a trained practitioner uses elements of fresh water, sea salt and la’I to create a sacred space for healing.
In the Hawaiian tradition of la’au lapa’au, medicines derived from plants rejuvenate the body, mind and spirit. Spa Grande treatments incorporate locally sourced ingredients, such as Maui sugar, Hawaiian honey, sea salt, passion fruit, mango, ginger, Hawaiian turmeric, aloe vera and volcanic pumice.
The Ho’omalie signature treatment blends rhythmic lomilomi and a warm stone massage to foster deep relaxation and release tension. Then a rich cocoa butter infused with vitamin E, turmeric and island essences is melted into the skin, leaving it soft and nourished. Finally, a purifying volcanic pumice foot scrub and hydrating coconut scalp massage allow guests to enjoy the ultimate Ali’i, or royal, treatment.
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A royal treatment awaits at Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort.
