The morning sun was shining brightly at the rooftop spa pool of the Fairmont Princess Scottsdale, where I was stretched out on a recliner, lazily gazing at the most sharply defined clouds I’ve ever seen – like white construction paper cut-outs pasted on a bright blue backboard. I don’t remember the last time I made time for cloud-watching. I didn’t think I could get much more relaxed (turns out I was wrong), and I hadn’t even had my spa treatment yet.
Founded in 1894 as a farming community, Scottsdale, Arizona’s mysterious desert landscape started attracting artists and writers in the early 1900s. Since then, it’s become a tourist haven and home to some of the best spa resorts in the world.
The Well & Being Spa, Fairmont Princess Scottsdale
Whether you’re staying here or just visiting for the day, you’ll likely need a map to find the spa – this resort is big. It has six pools (one with a white sand beach), two golf courses, numerous restaurants, landscaped grounds filled with saguaro cacti and agave plants, and plazas with fountains that enhance the Spanish-colonial architecture of the property.
The design of the spa itself is inspired by a hidden oasis in the Grand Canyon called Havasupai Falls and contains all of nature’s elements: air, earth, water, wood and fire. Aside from the rooftop pool with private cabanas, there’s a waterfall grotto, steam room, eucalyptus inhalation room, Swedish dry sauna, whirlpool, cold plunge and Swiss shower. Use of the fitness studio and some exercise classes are included with a spa booking.
My treatment: I start by deeply inhaling the earthy, sweet scent of the sage smudge that Dusty, my therapist for this two-hour Havasupai Falls Rejuvenation treatment, whisks around the corners of the treatment room and then my body, to oust any bad energy.
Next, comes an exfoliation with an essential oil infused with desert salts. The attention to detail of this treatment is incredible, like the continuous misting of my face and hot towels on my chest and under my neck to increase relaxation. Dusty discreetly leaves the room as I shower the salt off my body and sink into the soaker jet tub filled with bubbles.
I don’t want to leave this warm, liquid heaven, but if there’s anything that will get me out of a tub, it’s a massage. And this massage is warm jojoba butter slathered on my body with Himalayan salt stones. “These stones release tension and soothe the muscles,” advises Dusty.
After that, I’m cocooned in a warm herbal wrap of hot towels and heavy blankets, as my feet are massaged. Then Dusty slowly drizzles hot oil over my scalp – letting me enjoy the sensation of it slowly dripping down my head before massaging it into my scalp and hair (let’s face it, most of us love going to the hair salon for the shampoo/scalp massage). A Sedona red-clay face mask is the final touch. I’m so relaxed, I feel like I’m floating.
Joya Spa, Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia
If you’re not staying at the Omni, you will still want to take a walk around to check out the pools, which are stunning with the backdrop of Camelback Mountain. There are lots of Spanish influences in the resort design, and I highly recommend a visit to Prada, their Andalusian-influenced restaurant, where they serve traditional mix-and-match wood-fired tapas.
The Moroccan-influenced spa, Joya, has kasbah décor throughout and, along with the regular treatments, they offer a hammam treatment and a Moroccan orange blossom detox ritual.
My treatment: An experience is evoked as soon as I walk through the door, when my spa host (called a “Joya journey co-ordinator”) leads me to the “joy of intention” room to choose from an array of precious stones. To set my intention for the day, I choose rose quartz, to open the heart chakra. The next stop is the “joy of purification” room, where the focal point is a massive, 25-kilogram Brazilian quartz crystal, which removes any negative energy and stress.
Now I’m ready for the 80-minute White Tea Tree and Ginger body experience. A delicious floral scent fills the room, as my therapist, Juliane, rubs my skin with the body polish. Next is a warm stone foot massage (like the head, I believe the feet are an overlooked part of the body) and neck massage. Then Juliane slathers me with shea and jojoba butter mixed with delicious smelling herbs like rosemary and lemon grass, to aid lymphatic drainage, before I’m wrapped burrito-like in foil.
After a shower, the treatment finishes off with a relaxing massage with more white tea tree and ginger products. My skin is so soft and moisturized, I swear a shiny new layer has been exposed.
The Phoenician Spa, Phoenician Resort
This 250-acre resort and golf course is nestled at the base of Camelback Mountain. The Phoenician is all about wellness and, when you book a spa treatment, yoga and meditation classes are complimentary. A must-do is the morning yoga walk, which combines power walking through the large pool complex and grounds, with stops to incorporate yoga poses at interesting spots like the historical Jokake Inn and the two-acre cactus garden, which features 250 varieties of cacti.
The newly constructed spa here is modern and sleek. Along with the usual treatments, the Phoenician has some unique offerings, like harmonic sound therapy with Himalayan singing bowls, tarot card readings and hypnotherapy.
My treatment: I arrive early to the spa to allow time for the recommended spa ritual of hot and cold-contrast hydrotherapy. After a five-minute sauna, five-minute steam, 30-second cold shower and five-minute rest, my therapist, Maureen, who has 27 years of experience with the Phoenician, whisks me away for my 110-minute Sonoran signature scrub, massage and wrap.
She starts with some hands-on energy balancing, before she gently scrubs my body with the desert sage and wild lavender smoothing body polish. Next, Maureen places a rose quartz on my mid-back (“a vital point to enhance the massage,” she advises) before she massages me with hot sodalite rocks. Then, after she wraps me with a healing aloe moisturizer, Maureen pampers me with an acupressure massage on my face and feet.
As I left Scottsdale, every part of me was polished, pampered and de-stressed. I’m already looking at my calendar to see when I can return to this desert oasis for more relaxing spa treatments.
IF YOU GO:
The Well & Being Spa, Fairmont Princess Scottsdale
https://www.fairmont.com/scottsdale/spa/
Joya Spa, Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia:
https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/scottsdale-montelucia/spa?utm_source=GMBlisting&utm_medium=organic
The Phoenician Spa, Phoenician Resort:
https://www.thephoenician.com/spa/
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