| Today Norm Goldman, Editor of
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| | are examples of resort/hotel spas and
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| Sketchandtravel & Bookpleasures
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| | Bliss or Elizabeth Arden's Red Door are
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| interviews Susie Ellis, President of Spa
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| | examples of day spas.Norm:Can you tell us
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| Finder Inc.Norm:Could you tell us a
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| | something about the new developments and
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| little about yourself and your expertise
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| | trends in the spa industry, particularly
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| in spas, and why you became interested in
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| | as it affects those couples seeking
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| them?Susie:I was athletic in my youth and
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| | romantic getaways together with spa
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| naturally gravitated toward being as
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| | treatments?Susie:We are seeing a variety
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| healthy as possible. After college in
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| | of trends in the spa industry. I will
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| the mid 70's, I began working at the
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| | share with you the 10 trends that we
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| Golden Door Spa which, unbeknownst to me
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| | predicted in January of this year:Medical
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| at the time, was the top spa in the
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| | spas (medicine and spas coming
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| country. After spending many years on
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| | together)People mixing business and
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| staff, I became enthralled with how
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| | spasThe arrival of the "destination day
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| people's lives were transformed after
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| | spa"More affordable spas and more
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| just a one-week stay at this famous
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| | inclusiveInternational treatments and
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| place. I decided to make spa my life's
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| | unique and inviting spas
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| work, and the combination of movement,
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| | internationallySpa cuisine going
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| good nutrition, spa therapies and a mind
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| | mainstreamTravelers deciding on where to
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| body/spirit approach to wellness became a
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| | go and stay depending on the spaPets are
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| passion. And lucky for me, the spa
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| | welcomed at some spaMore men are
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| industry, which was just emerging at the
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| | goingMore families, including teens and
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| time, was poised for explosive
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| | preteensOf these I think one of the
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| growth.Norm:Why have spas continued to
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| | interesting trends for couples is that
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| grow and have become popular over the
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| | more men are going to spas. This means
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| past several years?Susie:I see three
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| | that it is becoming easier and easier for
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| general trends that have come together to
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| | a woman to get her guy to go with her to
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| precipitate the popularity of spas.1.
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| | a romantic spa get away. Increasingly,
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| The aging baby boomer. This demographic
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| | they already want to go!Norm:I have come
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| wants to maintain youth and vigor. Spas
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| | across the term "quality assured" spa,
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| are a perfect place to achieve these
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| | what does this imply, and why should we
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| goals.2. Stress. The non-stop
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| | believe the spa when it has this
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| bombardment of information and
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| | designation?Susie:To be honest, I am not
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| connectivity is creating a need for
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| | aware of any such designation on a large
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| people to have places to decompress,
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| | scale. There are over 10,000 spas in the
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| de-stress, slow down and pay attention to
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| | U.S. and no one has been to all of them
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| their body, mind and spirit.3. A
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| | or able to rate them in terms of quality.
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| troubled health care system means people
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| | There is no easy way to conclude the
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| of all ages must become more responsible
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| | level of a spa's service. In fact,
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| for their wellness and health.Norm:How do
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| | sometimes quality comes down more to an
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| you go about identifying top-notch
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| | individual therapist than it does a
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| romantic spas in terms of quality of
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| | facility.That being said, there are some
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| treatment, fitness, relaxation, location,
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| | ways for the consumer to have more
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| atmosphere, and staff?Susie:Truly the
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| | information that could help them make an
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| best way to identify romantic spas is to
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| | informed decision. There is an
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| consult the romantic/honeymoon spa
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| | association called the International Spa
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| category on There are almost 50 romantic
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| | Association (ISPA) that has a "voluntary
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| spas listed. Spa Finder's mission is to
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| | standards and practices designation" that
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| connect people with their ideal spa
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| | spas may choose to apply for if they
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| experience, and we also present spas in
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| | wish. This could be of some help. But
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| 20 other categories such as: weight loss
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| | even here, many spas don't know about
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| spas, spas for horseback riding, hiking
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| | this so I wouldn't necessarily rule out
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| spas, spas for yoga, etc.Norm:As a follow
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| | selecting a spa if they don't have this
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| up which ones would make the top ten on
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| | designation.It is also helpful to look at
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| your list?Susie:Here are a few of my
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| | what awards a spa has won. For example
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| favorite romantic spas in the
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| | the Spa Finder Readers' Choice Awards
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| U.S.:Mirbeau, New YorkChateau Elan,
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| | lists the top 10 spas in almost 20
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| GeorgiaMiramante Resort & Spa,
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| | categories. Since this award is voted on
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| CaliforniaSilverado, CaliforniaEmerson,
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| | by readers, it is a good indication of
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| New YorkThe Spa at Sundance, UtahHampton
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| | quality.Of course, word-of-mouth is
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| Retreats, New YorkMana Lani ,
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| | always a good way to learn about a
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| HawaiiSanctuary on Camelback Mountain,
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| | spa.Norm:Could you give our readers some
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| ArizonaWestglow, North CarolinaOutside of
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| | suggestions as to tipping?Susie:Tipping
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| the U.S.:Brenner's Park, Baden Baden,
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| | policies differ among spas but in general
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| GermanyCuisinArt Resort & Spa, AnguillaEl
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| | it is customary to leave a gratuity of
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| Santuario, MexicoSamas, Park Kenmare
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| | between 15% and 20% for the therapist or
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| Hotel, IrelandEcho Valley Ranch Resort,
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| | technician providing your service. In
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| CanadaNorm:What are the benefits of spa
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| | some cases, the gratuity is already added
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| treatments for honeymooners and romantic
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| | on to the final bill and in some very
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| getaways for couples in search of
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| | rare cases, tipping is discouraged. Most
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| de-stress?Susie:There are many ways to
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| | spas have their tipping policy printed on
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| de-stress and spas specialize in this.
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| | their brochure I often ask, "What is your
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| Exercise is an excellent de-stresser.
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| | tipping policy?" when I arrive at the spa
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| Bathing in hot water is a de-stresser.
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| | and check in. That usually clears things
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| Massages are for many the ultimate
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| | up right away!Norm:I have read that the
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| de-stresser. At spas people typically
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| | destination spa concept is evolving as
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| leave their outside world behind, they
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| | some brands expand their product through
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| slow down and their bodies become more
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| | other outlets. Could you give us some
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| relaxed. A spa has nurturing staff and
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| | examples and explain why this is taking
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| there is lovely food that doesn't
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| | place?Susie:we are seeing brand extension
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| intoxicate but rather revitalizes. I
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| | from destination spas such as Canyon
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| think that what spas do is help us get
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| | Ranch and The Golden Door. Canyon Ranch
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| back to who we really are and connecting
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| | Health Resort began as a destination spa
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| at that level is always
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| | in Tucson, Arizona in the late 70's. They
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| romantic.Norm:What spa treatments are
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| | then opened in Lenox, MA and then opened
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| especially recommended for those new to
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| | their first Spa Club in Las Vegas. They
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| the spa experience?Susie:I think a good
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| | are now the spa on the QM2 and are part
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| place to start for a newcomer is with a
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| | of a retirement condominium spa facility
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| Swedish Massage and a facial. These are
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| | being built in Miami. They have also
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| still the most favorite spa treatments
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| | added a Canyon Ranch product line and I
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| because people love them. Although there
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| | hear there are more things in the
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| are many wonderful treatments on most
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| | pipeline.The Golden Door branched out
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| spa's menus, such as hot stone massage,
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| | from its origins as the U.S.'s top
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| Ayruvedic treatments or even body scrubs
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| | destination spa...there are now Golden
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| and wraps, I would not recommend them for
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| | Door spas at resorts in Arizona, Colorado
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| the first time spa-goer.For a first time
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| | and Puerto Rico. There is a Golden Door
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| romantic experience, I would suggest
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| | product line.But I am also seeing another
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| choosing a "couple's massage" where both
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| | type of brand expansion; that is product
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| of you are in the same room for your
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| | companies opening "retail spas".
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| treatment. Sometimes this can include a
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| | Jurlique comes to mind, Givenchy, and to
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| bathing ritual for the two of you
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| | a certain extent Elizabeth Arden's Red
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| together before or after...very
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| | Door could be considered a spa extending
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| romantic!And finally, if a spa has a
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| | from a product. And there are day spas
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| "signature treatment" that might also be
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| | which have become as well known for their
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| a good place for a first time spa-goer to
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| | products as their spas, such as Bliss and
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| begin. Often this is an experience with
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| | Nichel.Norm:What should we expect in the
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| more than one element - like a scrub and
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| | future from spas?Susie:I think that
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| a massage, or a foot ritual and massage,
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| | medicine and spas coming together is a
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| etc.And I do suggest that a person let
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| | very exciting happening. We are seeing
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| the receptionist know that this is their
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| | prevention/wellness as well as aesthetic
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| first time spa experience so that the
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| | cosmetic medical spas now. Doctors and
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| attendant and therapist can be a bit more
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| | spa therapists working together is
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| thorough about explaining procedures and
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| | resulting in some very nurturing,
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| protocol.Norm:What is meant by
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| | comfortable medical settings with the
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| "destination spas," and how do you
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| | best results possible. In addition the
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| differentiate them from other spas as
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| | entire arena of complementary and
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| well as between themselves?Susie:That's a
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| | alternative (CAM) medicine is finding a
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| great question and I'm glad you asked.
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| | home in the medical spa environment.
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| In the world of spas we segment them into
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| | Consumers are increasingly interested in
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| various categories. The most general
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| | being proactive when it comes to their
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| categories are resort/hotel spas, day
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| | health and well being. (They
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| spas and destination spas. The resort
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| | increasingly need to take responsibility
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| hotel spa is part of a hotel or resort
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| | for their own health.)I think that spas
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| where there are also activities such as
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| | will eventually become a very important
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| golf, tennis, fine dining, etc. The spa
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| | part of the solution to health problems
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| is one of the amenities. A day spa is a
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| | in the world.Thanks Susie for replying to
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| place where people go for a spa
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| | my
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| experience but do not stay overnight -
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| | questions._______________________________
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| this can be for one spa treatment or for
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| | _______________________________Norm
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| several or even for an entire day. Then
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| | Goldman is the editor of and The former
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| there is the destination spa. Think of
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| | is a travel site that melds Norm's words
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| them as places to stay overnight with
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| | with his wife Lily's water colors. Their
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| programs that makes it a full immersion
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| | articles focus on romantic and wedding
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| spa experience. In other words,
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| | destinations. You can find out more about
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| everyone is there for the spa experience.
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| | them by clicking on their site, is also
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| Canyon Ranch Health Resorts and the
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| | a book reviewer and in addition to
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| Golden Door are good examples of a
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| | contributing to his own site, he is a
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| destination spa. La Costa or The Doral
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| | regular contributor to many other sites.
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