Spa Ojai at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, Ojai

The historic Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, located on 220 tree-shaded acres on the edge of the lovely village of Ojai, 35 miles south of Santa Barbara, has attracted travelers since 1923.
    A masterpiece of Andalusia-style architecture and design, the Ojai Valley Inn’s 31,000-square foot spa offers 28 treatment areas featuring decorative tile and hand-stenciled walls painted in warm shades, and several massage rooms with corner fireplaces.  For special pampering, the Spa features a 3,500 square-foot penthouse with four private guest rooms, two living areas, large balconies, a meditation loft, a private treatment room, a sauna, and two terraces with outdoors whirlpools—the Sunrise and the Sunset Terraces.
    Among their offerings, the Kuyam—(koo-yahm), named after the Chumash word meaning “a place to rest together”—is the Spa’s signature mud treatment. Taking its inspiration from traditional healing methods of many cultures, the Kuyam combines mud therapy, wet and dry heat therapy, inhalation therapy and a guided meditation for groups of up to eight men or women. The Elderberry & Ginger Detoxification Wrap draws its inspiration from the Chumash tradition of using elderberries to hydrate the skin. Petals, a signature body treatment, uses rose powder to exfoliate and sensuous rose oil to nourish the skin and is based on a Chumash practice of using the dried petals of wild roses to smooth on their babies.
    A number of Spa Ojai’s treatments use the bounty of Ojai’s farms, orchards and ranches. Pure organic honey from local orange blossoms is used in the Ojai Honey Body Masque and the Ojai Orange Scrub. Other seasonal body treatments contain organic ingredients from local farms: Pixie Tangerine Body Scrub in the spring, Avocado Oat Body Mask in the summer, Pumpkin Melon Body Scrub in the fall and Peppermint Nutmeg Leg & Foot Scrub in the winter.

Spa Ojai at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa
905 Country Club Road, Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 646-5511
fax: (805) 646-7969
(888) SPA-OJAI
www.ojairesort.com – This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Experience the Spaah
(888) 808-3036
www.experiencethespaah.com  

The Humble Abode Spa at Le Meridien, Beverly Hills
465 South La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 246-5656
fax: (310) 246-5650
www.thehumbleabode.com/hotel

The Spa at Bacara, Santa Barbara
Between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez mountains in beautiful northern Santa Barbara County, Bacara Resort and Spa rests strategically on the 78 pristine beachfront acres like a small Mediterranean village.  The spa alone covers 42,000 square feet and offers 36 treatment rooms, private sunbathing with breathtaking ocean views, a zero-edge pool, a beauty salon, Swiss showers and the all-organic Spa Café.   It’s a wonderful place to relax and tone up to have a radiant glow on your wedding day.
    Bacara’s treatments include several exfoliation specials–the Citrus Avocado Body Polish, the Herbal Brown Sugar Body Polish, the Bamboo Lemongrass Body Scrub and the Red Clay Transformation among others–water therapies designed to let the mind and body heal, detoxify and rejuvenate, reflexology, Shiatsu, Reiki and Thai massage, and Ayurvedic treatments such as Shiro Dhara and Tibetan Foot Rejuvenation, Bindi Herbal Balancer and Shiro-Bindi–a combination of the two previous therapies.
    Bacara’s signature treatments include the Body Melt, the Body Brightener, the Ultimate Body Blitz, and facial treatments such as the Classic Deep Cleansing Facial, the Sonya Dakar Skin Correction Facial, the Ultimate Anti-Aging Facial, and the Flight Fatigue Facial for the bride and bridesmaids weary after a long flight to their destination.
    Men are not neglected at Bacara.  The Men’s Preference Facial involves a customized cleansing, exfoliation, mask and moisturizer, followed by a soothing scalp, neck and shoulder massage.  And the groom can invite his bride to a Couples Massage—Swedish, Swedish Sport, Deep Tissue or Aromatherapy—on the eve of their wedding day.

Bacara Resort & Spa
8301 Hollister Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93117
(805) 968-0100 or (877) 422-4245
fax: (805) 968-1800
www.bacararesort.com

Shangri-La Paradise, Private Retreat, Ojai
Located on 1.5 acres of tropical paradise in the peaceful Ojai Valley, Shangri-La Paradise offers individualized retreat programs.  Your day in this Shangri-La includes a private tent and deck, outdoor shower, private sundeck and tea house. There are whirlpools and waterfalls in which to relax and a variety of aromatherapy and massage treatments to be enjoyed.
    A walk down quaint stone paths immerses you in the lush tropical gardens of bamboo, birds of paradise, jasmine, and other exotic plants. To feel like an exotic island princess, sink into a refreshing pool of exotic flowers and essential herbs that invigorates the senses and refreshes the soul.  Equally rejuvenating and relaxing is Shangri La’s water massage known as Watsu, an ancient technique of guided relaxation in the near-weightless environment of a warm pool.
    You can also experience a rejuvenating, cooling and moisturizing skin wrap with Aloe Vera plant and the Noni plant from the South Pacific, a variety of healing massages, aromatherapy, hot and cold stone therapy, naturopathic and homeopathic treatments, and a choice of facials, manicures and pedicures or a therapeutic Finlandi dry sauna—all the while sipping exotic herbal teas, organic freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juice.
    If you want to stay for another day, you can check in at Shangri-La Paradise’s Spa House, a private two-bedroom, two-bath cottage complete with a rock fireplace and private pool and waterfall, all surrounded by tropical gardens. At Shangri-La Paradise, you can create magic for your mind, body and soul.

Shangri-La Paradise, Ojai, CA
(805) 646-9953
www.shangrilaparadise.com

Meadowood Napa Valley
Located off the historic Silverado Trail in St. Helena, at the north end of the Napa Valley wine country, amid clustered forested areas and rows of vineyards, Meadowood Napa Valley offers luxurious lodging in eighty-five cottages sprawled over a 250-acre valley.  In its midst, the Meadowood Health Spa offers a wide variety of rejuvenation and renewal treatments as well as skincare and beauty services.
    The best known body treatments are the Meadowood Harvest Wrap, a brisk, dry brush exfoliation followed by relaxing hot towel compresses, scalp and face massage, and a soothing full-body application of anti-oxidant body care lotion—the Cabernet Crush, a warm grape seed polish exfoliation followed by a light brush massage and a luxurious application of an aromatic grape seed oil that restores and revitalizes the skin with Vitamins A, C, and E—the Vineyard Polish, which combines grape seed body polish and sea salt exfoliation and hydration—the Citrus Salt Glow, a special blend of citrus oil and sea salt, applied then removed with soothing warm towels, followed by a finishing application of aromatherapy oils that leave the skin glowing—and the Bliss, the ultimate in pampering.
    Meadowood also offers a choice of therapeutic massage treatments that include the Many Hand Massage, a four-hand treatment with synchronized movements that is heavenly, the Ayurvedic Shiro Dhara with warmed herbal oil, and different blends of thermotherapy and aromatherapy that will lull your sense into deep relaxation. For the groom, Meadowood’s celebrated barbershop offers cleansing and conditioning treatments that will restore skin and hair.

Meadowood Napa Valley, 900 Meadowood Lane, St. Helena, CA 94574
(800) 458-8080 or (707) 963-3646
www.meadowood.com

Red Door Spas Elizabeth Arden, San Francisco
Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa offers not only a complete menu of services - skincare, massage and body treatments, nail services, hair design, makeup artistry – but when you step though the distinctive shiny Red Door, you step back in time to experience the advanced level of care on which founder Elizabeth Arden created her company.
    In the late 1800’s, when she was still Florence Nightengale Graham, Ms. Arden was a visionary and a pioneer.  She began her beauty product business her kitchen, experimenting with various ingredients, searching for the perfect products.  Although her father firmly suggested that she give it all up and get married as young women of that era were supposed to do, her determination to help women with their beauty needs prevailed, to own her own cosmetics corporation.
    The ultimate in personalized care, the Red Door Signature Massage is a one-of-a-kind individual experience.  It incorporates essences, shea butter, reflexology and acupressure, warm towels and eye pillows for a therapeutic, relaxing massage.  Other massages include Thai Yoga Bodywork, Elemental Balancing, Desert Hot Stone and a variety of toning and rejuvenating massages.
    The Red Door Signature Facial is also individually created for the client’s skin type and includes a thorough cleansing, exfoliation, customized mask, Olive Oil Lip treatment and acupressure.  Other skincare treatments include customized Phyto-Organic, Ceramide Anti-Aging, Multi-Vitamin Anti-Oxidant, Ardena Four Layer facial and aqua therapy.
    Bridal packages include Dress Rehearsal at the Red Door–a half-day treatment that includes a trial hair consultation, a trial makeup application and wedding day hair and makeup treatment, and Bridal Bouquet at the Red Door–a full-day program that provides Swedish massage,  bikini wax, warm cream manicure and pedicure, haircut, style and finish, touch-up makeup application, and spa lunch. To keep the grooms on relaxed toes, the Groom’s Day at the Red Door provides Swedish massage, sport manicure, haircut, and style-and-finish during a half-day of pampering before the wedding day.

Red Door Salon & Spa
126 Post Street, San Francisco, CA  94108
(415) 989-4888
www.reddoorspas.com

Spa Gaucin at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa, Dana Point
High on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the five-diamond St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa, built with Tuscan-style elegance, is a feast for the senses.  A favorite wedding destination, conveniently located at mid-point between Los Angeles and San Diego, the St. Regis is home to Spa Gaucin, a 30,000 square foot health and wellness center that offers 25 treatment rooms, including four couples’ suites with whirlpools and fireplaces, in which you will be thoroughly pampered.

    The soothing fragrances of oranges, fresh flowers and aromatherapy oils greet you as you enter Spa Gaucin.  The whisper of cascading three-story waterfalls and water walls will soothe while the splendid architecture and artwork will delight you. Your day at Spa Gaucin begins with the traditional toss of a coin into the “Well of Desires,” a gesture which symbolically tosses your cares away. The day ends with euphoria as the “new” you emerges, refreshed, relaxed, and feeling every so deservedly well cared for.
    In between, you can indulge in any of the full-day and half-day packages–the Wine, Women & Spa which offers a selection of treatments like the Aromatherapy massage, the Orange Frappe or Lotus Silk wrap, the European deep cleansing or True Calm facial, accompanied by fine wines and appetizers in the spa atrium–the Cielo, includes a scrub with Vichy Shower, a body wrap, a Swedish massage, a European deep cleansing facial, a Vogue manicure and pedicure, and a fine lunch–and Between Friends, a package designed for couples or close friends. Many other delightful services await your pleasure at Spa Gaucin where wellness reigns supreme.

Spa Gaucin at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort and Spa, Dana Point
(949) 234-3200 or (800) 722-1543
www.spagaucin.com