Relaxing Retreats Live in the Lap of Luxury

by Stephanie Jimenez

I have heard many people say you can’t put a price on good health, but why not?  Health and wellness has not just become a popular trend, but a necessity in everyday life.  Whether you have incorporated a morning yoga class or started a regime of regular fitness, people everywhere are making the choice to live healthier lives.
And it doesn’t just stop there.  Weekend retreats, specialized day spa services as well as individualized spa services are becoming a staple in the health and wellness phenomenon.  It was just a few short years ago that most people thought of wellness as a fad or trend that would pass in the night.
We at élite Magazine are happy to report that it’s not just some fad or popular trend!  Personal wellbeing has become just as much a part of people’s daily lives as the gas they put in their cars to drive.
Incorporating personal wellness as a priority in your life can seem like a very overwhelming process, but it can be as simple as starting with bi-weekly facials or massages.  Put aside money in your “Wellbeing Jar” and take the time to use it.  Before you know it you will be planning weekend retreats with friends and won’t be able to imagine life before you were the priority.
We chose the top resorts and spas in Southern California to help get you started in allowing yourself to become the special person in your life.  I mean how can you give your best to others if you do not feel your best to begin with.

Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa
1-888-GLEN-IVY
25000 Glen Ivy Road, Corona, Ca. 92883
www.glenivy.com
If you’d like to escape for the entire day, you’ve come to the right place.  Just hearing the names will give you a hint of what awaits.  Club Mud, The Grotto, Under the Oaks, Mineral Baths, Saline Pool and Massage Village, just to name a few.  There are 11 lavish acres, 15 different areas to enjoy, and at least a million reasons why you deserve to come see for yourself.  Day services include: parking, use of all pools, sauna, steam rooms, Roman Baths, red clay mud bath and Wafa, towels, and lockers.  Please bring your own swimsuit, beach towel, robe, and an old swimsuit for the red clay mud bath.  Individual spa treatments and The Grotto are additional to admission rates.  Cost: $38/day, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Personal Cabañas and the Solé Terrace are available for a more exclusive accommodation and begin at $125/day on the weekends.  Cabaña rental includes: personalized concierge service, food and beverage wait service, complimentary fruit basket, complimentary bottled water, fresh towels replenished as needed and sample amenity spa products.  Glen Ivy Hot Springs offer 4 different Cabañas which accommodate anywhere from 2 to 14 guests.  The Solé Terrace is also available to accommodate parties up to 100 guests.
If you don’t want to drive to Corona we have our very own Glen Ivy on Town Center Drive.

Two Bunch Palms Resort and Spa
760-329–8791
67425 Two Bunch Palms Trail,
Desert Hot Springs, Ca. 92240
www.twobunchpalms.com
Take the stress and guess work out of your next vacation and choose one of the custom “inclusive” packages.  You can choose from one or more nights and all packages include accommodations, all taxes and fees, breakfast, lunch, dinner and either one, two or three 60-minute Spa Treatments per day, per person.  When you purchase one of these stress-free packages you can choose from nearly 30 different spa treatments including massage, body work, energy work, Watsu, facials and/or manicure and pedicure.  The Body Package starts at only $385 single occupancy/$289.50 per person based on double occupancy, per day and each guest receives 1 spa treatment per reserved evening.  The Mind Package starts at $543 single occupancy/$429 per person based on double occupancy, per day and each guest receives 2 spa treatments per reserved evening.  The Soul Package starts at only $650 single occupancy/$1,085.00 per person based on double occupancy, per day and each guest receives 3 spa treatments per reserved evening.  And don’t miss out on Fourth Night Free – Reserve any room for three nights and receive the fourth night free!

Bacara Resort & Spa
805-968-0100
8301 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, Ca. 93117
www.bacararesort.com
Bacara Resort & Spa offers the ultimate in indulgence and rejuvenation.  42,000 square feet completely dedicated to refreshing and reviving you with 36 individual treatment rooms, private sunbathing with breathtaking ocean views, open air or indoor massage, a 3,500 square-foot cardiovascular and strength-training center, fitness classes as well as one-on-one training, a heated zero-edge pool, Swiss showers, personalized wellness programs, a beauty salon, the all-organic Spa Café and every conceivable treatment for both men and women by skilled, licensed professionals.   The resort offers 3 and 4 story villas made up of clusters of rooms.  The rooms are 450 square feet, with beautiful Spanish tile.  Each room has a private patio or balcony, high speed internet access, multi line phone, honor bar, Frette robes, slippers, DVD player and approximately half of the rooms offer gas log fireplaces.  Prices begin at $475-$625 for the Village View and can run up to $1,700-$2,500 for the Signature Suites.  Bacara Resort & Spa also offers ultra luxurious lofts, a penthouse and two-story residence in the $8,000-$10,000 range.

Montage Laguna Beach
949-715-6000
30801 South Coast Highway,
Laguna Beach, Ca. 92651
www.montagelagunabeach.com
A resort showpiece, the 20,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor oceanfront Spa Montage offers comprehensive programs and a la carte services ranging from herbal and hydrotherapy body treatments to fitness consultation and daily classes.  The oceanfront facilities – with floor-to-ceiling windows which take maximum advantage of the breathtaking vistas – include a full-service salon, a lap pool, a fitness room with state-of-the-art weights and machines, yoga/aerobics studio and spa boutique.  A total of 21 treatment rooms include 12 massage rooms; 4 facial treatment rooms; 2 hydrotherapy rooms; and 3 specialty treatment rooms with outdoor relaxation and plunge pool that can be used for a single or couple’s massage or hydrotherapy treatments.  Separate male and female club-style locker rooms feature a relaxation rooms, complete with fireplace, shower, steam and sauna areas, Jacuzzi and cold plunge.  Individual services begin at just $135 as well as packages, which can include treatments from any one of the many specified areas of service.  You may also chose to indulge in the wellness program by adding joy with an inspirational lecture to help you achieve your heart’s desire.  Learn to journal.  Master the art of meditation.  Enhance your ability to communicate with loved ones and colleagues.  They offer intimate interactive classes as well as private, highly customized life coaching sessions to help you find new motivation and encouragement that will translate into a more balanced and rewarding life.