Ahhh……A day at the spa

Upscale resorts in the Caribbean know what their stressed-out guests want most. That's why some of the finest spa facilities in the world are in the islands.

Tiny hummingbirds and twittering sugarbirds feast on blossoms and hanging trays as I lounge on the private terrace of the Strawberry Hill Spa, high up in Jamaica’s Blue Mountains. I’m completely mellowed out after a “Signature Sauna Ritual” (combining heat, a cold plunge and a nurturing blanket wrap).

This serene encounter with nature isn’t exactly what I get at my neighborhood day spa in the mall. This is the Caribbean!

A quest for relief from stress and tension leads many vacationers to the tranquil Caribbean, and resorts have risen to the challenge with some of the most up-to-date facilities found anywhere. But as in accommodations, spas come in all sizes and shapes. To get the most out of your visit, it’s important to make the right choice.

One size doesn’t fit all

“Spa” is an abbreviation of the Latin solus per aqua, meaning health by water. In its impressive three-story structure at Cuisinart Resort in Anguilla, Venus Spa puts a head-to-toe twist on this aspect in a specialty treatment. Guests soak luxuriously in a bath combining four healing minerals, followed by a soothing scalp massage and foot reflexology. This age-old practice of staying healthy by "taking the waters" has brought to the marketplace everything from palaces of pure pampering to the more fitness-oriented wellness centers . . . and all are represented in the Caribbean.

However, not every spa offers your favorite treatments, and some using the term have no water equipment at all. After a lengthy restoration of the entire resort, Sandy Lane in Barbados can now boast a full-menu spa in a separate Romanesque building with cascading waterfalls. Each of the 14 treatment suites has its own shower and changing room, and nine suites feature private landscaped gardens . . . guaranteed to enhance that apres spa glow.

Ideally, spa representatives at Caribbean resorts gladly discuss with you just what you hope to achieve during your visit and then make suggestions. Are you interested in a spa package that gives you daily access to a well-rounded menu, including Hydro baths and Vichy showers? Or do you just want an occasional relaxing head and shoulders massage? If the former, be sure to ask in advance if such equipment is available at the resort you select.

Keep in mind that as a hotel guest, you are usually entitled to access the sauna, steam room and whirlpool, whether or not you schedule treatments.

Health and wellness

Several Caribbean resorts are now setting aside dedicated "wellness weeks," and bringing in experts on diet and nutrition, Tai Chi, yoga and other programs. Anguilla’s Cap Juluca has experimented with this concept by holding “Mind, Body & Spirit” wellness sessions. The Body Holiday at Le Sport in St. Lucia, one of the Caribbean’s top spas, honed the idea into a full-time offering. In Jamaica, The Spa at Round Hill hosts Yoga and Pilates retreats by Inward Bound six times a year.

“This adds another dimension to our resort, emphasizing the holistic nature of services so guests can restore balance to their lives through healing therapies,” says Round Hill’s managing director Josef Forstmayr.

There is nothing sterile or medicinal about these sessions. They deal primarily with lifestyle changes, encouraging participants to continue at home with the personal regimen visiting experts have introduced.

Check it out

Speaking of therapies, be sure to discuss with the spa director the state of your health and any medications you’re taking. Not all treatments are harmless. For example, seaweed wraps can adversely affect some asthma or allergy sufferers. Pregnant women at certain levels should not have massages, nor should those who have had recent surgery. People of color may encounter problems with waxing and chemical peels. And that’s just a partial list.

At Tierra del Sol Resort’s recently opened Body & Soul Spa in Aruba, manager Jurney Roga invites guests to sample a tray of decorative aromatherapy vials to determine if the scents are agreeable to anyone with allergies. (My favorite is raspberry mint.)

“Nobody should go into the treatment rooms without a preliminary consultation,” she advised us amid a soothing atmosphere of marble and glowing candles. “Our guests fill out a health form, followed by a talk with our therapist before any treatments are administered.”

Size doesn’t always determine a spa’s effectiveness. Spa at Tara fits snugly into the elegant new Tara Suites wing at Aruba’s Bucuti Beach Resort, but treatments cover everything from reflexology to a deep tissue Vichy Shower, a cryogenic mask or a couples chocolate massage on the beach.

Treatment Tryouts

Once you’ve had a particular spa treatment and experienced that blissful state, you may not want to try anything else. Don’t be so timid. The more exotic the ingredients, the more daring you feel . . . and Caribbean spas have no lack of exotic ingredients.

Did you know that coffee grounds can minimize the appearance of cellulite, and grapeseed oil detoxifies the skin? At Splash, the new Kura Hulanda spa in Curacao, freshly grated coconuts are used to desensitize sunburned skin. The surprising state-of-the-art spa at Chaa Creek Resort in the remote mountains of Belize rejuvenates with a sea salt and pineapple scrub under the Vichy shower. Euphoria continues as you sip herbal tea on the deck while gazing at the scenery.

To illustrate their “Cleanse, Renew and Balance” philosophy, the luxurious spa at Hotel St.-Barth Isle de France does a Bliss scrub, using fresh white sand collected each morning from the local beach.

A Jamaican Bush Bath at sophisticated Half Moon Club’s expansive spa uses native herbs, roots, leaves and fruits grown right on premises. Down the coast, Sunset Beach Resort does a Milk and Honey body wrap to remove impurities, and gives a superb hot stone massage that would revitalize a mummy.

But my favorite in the wake-up department is the Swiss Needle Shower I had at The Body Holiday’s Oasis Spa. Jets come at you from everywhere. It’s like going through a car wash without the car. You may have to do some serious grooming immediately afterward, but you certainly are rejuvenated and tingling.

And isn’t that the ultimate spa goal?

Spa Tips

- Begin a mild exercise routine a few weeks before a wellness center vacation.
- Plan what you want to accomplish and reserve a corresponding package.
- Massages are best appreciated in late afternoon, but book early as those slots fill up fast.
- Drink plenty of water and liquids during the active part of your tropical days.
- Always shower prior to a treatment, either in your room or at the spa.
- After treatments, take advantage of the spa’s indoor or outdoor lounges. Sip a cooling juice, relax and let the therapy complete its magic!

Contribution By Eleanor Wilson. See more in the Caribbean Escapes Luxury Travel Coffee Table Publication