LMF's excellent afternoon at the Mandarin Oriental spa Miami
May 20th, 2005, 04:54 AM
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LMF's excellent afternoon at the Mandarin Oriental spa Miami
Spa junkie that I am, I took a two day mini break in Miami and booked "TIME" at the Mandarin Oriental. I love this hotel and will probably stay there next time. I had an ultra cheap rate at the supposedly very nice JW Marriott which was about 1/4 mi. away. I posted my comments on this disappointing hotel under Hotel Raves.
This is a serious spa, no champagne, no make up lessons no hard sell on products. I booked 3.5 hrs which translates to a $525 bill plus an additional 19% gratuity. I have no complaints.
Everything about this spa is relaxing. You remove your shoes on entering and they provide you with slippers. After changing into your robe and perhaps having a steam or sauna, you wait in a quiet room with a water wall.
My therapist/esthetician took me to a room with a full glass wall looking out on the causeway to Key Biscayne and the highrises of the Miami financial district. Two steps up was a platform with a spa tub and a frosted glass enclosed shower. You have one person who takes care of all the services. My girl was from England. She performed the foot washing ritual, a scent test to determine what types of treatments might be best for me and a final determination that I would have an full body exfoliation, a Lomi Lomi full body massage, and an aromatherapy facial with a pink mud scalp treatment that was amazing.
I thought I had found nirvana last fall at the Boca Raton Resort. Wrong....true Nirvana rests at the Mandarin.
The lobby of the Mandarin was stunning and truly different and tropical A welcome difference from the JW Marriott interior which could have just as well been in Chicago.
I did not get back to Azul, the fabulous restaurant in the hotel. That will be on my next trip. LMF
This is a serious spa, no champagne, no make up lessons no hard sell on products. I booked 3.5 hrs which translates to a $525 bill plus an additional 19% gratuity. I have no complaints.
Everything about this spa is relaxing. You remove your shoes on entering and they provide you with slippers. After changing into your robe and perhaps having a steam or sauna, you wait in a quiet room with a water wall.
My therapist/esthetician took me to a room with a full glass wall looking out on the causeway to Key Biscayne and the highrises of the Miami financial district. Two steps up was a platform with a spa tub and a frosted glass enclosed shower. You have one person who takes care of all the services. My girl was from England. She performed the foot washing ritual, a scent test to determine what types of treatments might be best for me and a final determination that I would have an full body exfoliation, a Lomi Lomi full body massage, and an aromatherapy facial with a pink mud scalp treatment that was amazing.
I thought I had found nirvana last fall at the Boca Raton Resort. Wrong....true Nirvana rests at the Mandarin.
The lobby of the Mandarin was stunning and truly different and tropical A welcome difference from the JW Marriott interior which could have just as well been in Chicago.
I did not get back to Azul, the fabulous restaurant in the hotel. That will be on my next trip. LMF
May 31st, 2005, 02:48 AM
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Dreamer: The foot washing ritual is just part of their schtick. Very gentle and sort of sets the tone for the rest of the service.
Whilst in the little footbath chair, my aesthtician asked me to smell many different essences. I had to select my favorite of a pair about 5 times. If I had to guess, I'd say that some were stimulating and others relaxing and their judgments of the treatments to provide were made based on my preference.
I can not afford this sort extravagance on a regular basis but I will go back at least once a year. Best spa I've been to period and I'm sort of a spa junkie.
LMF
Whilst in the little footbath chair, my aesthtician asked me to smell many different essences. I had to select my favorite of a pair about 5 times. If I had to guess, I'd say that some were stimulating and others relaxing and their judgments of the treatments to provide were made based on my preference.
I can not afford this sort extravagance on a regular basis but I will go back at least once a year. Best spa I've been to period and I'm sort of a spa junkie.
LMF
