Washington Spa Alliance Launches Forum for Capital Spa Community

Julie Register, publisher of DiscoverSpas.com, attended the inauguration of the Washington Spa Alliance (WSPA) at The Jefferson Hotel in Washington, D.C. on June 17, 2010. With her kind permission, here is the report which appears on DiscoverSpas.com.

Bernard Burt, author, editor, and founder of www.SpaGoer.com served as the Master of Ceremonies.

WSPA will be a resource for the Mid-Atlantic spa community and for those whose interests dovetail with WSPA's tenets of wellbeing and sustainability. Bernie reminded us that this area has a rich history of spa. George Washington surveyed Berkeley Springs, WV when he was 16 years old, and Thomas Jefferson frequented the Jefferson Pools near The Homestead in Virginia. (Aside: The men's bathhouse at the Jefferson Pools, built in 1761 and the oldest spa structure in the United States, is in danger of being torn down because it is in such bad shape after years of neglect.)

Franck Arnold, the Managing Director of The Jefferson, Washington, D.C. was our host.

Franck welcomed us and invited us to explore the hotel which just had just reopened in August 2009 after being closed for renovations for over two years. After the event, I toured the elegant, small Spa at The Jefferson on the 2nd floor. There were two treatment rooms with walls lined with luminous mother of pearl. One had a shower and dressing area. There was an area for make-up, shaves and retail. Down the hall was the Spa Suite, an 800 square-foot suite with a king bed and separate parlor that can connect to a couple's treatment room. (The Jefferson is Washington's first member of Relais & Chateaux worldwide association of boutique hotels, resorts, and restaurants.)

Deborah Szekely, founder of Rancho La Puerta and The Golden Door, Honorary Chair of WSPA, to be honored with ISPA Visionary Award in November.

Deborah told the story about how Rancho La Puerta was founded 70 years ago on June 6. She spoke of growth, possibilities and what-ifs. She has always recommended people change carreers when they turn 60. She followed her own advice. She had an unsuccessful run for congress but moved to Washington DC and wrote Setting Course: A Congressional Management Guide, - the basic training and reference manual for newly elected Senators, Congress members, and their staffs. From 1984 to 1990, she was President of the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), an independent agency of the United States government created by Congress to support self-help efforts of the poor throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. She returned home when her son became ill from melanoma. She now lends her amazing knowledge and energy to many organizations, including WSPA and her new project, The Living Skills Fifth Grade Semester to prevent childhood obesity through education.

Attendees listen to Bernie - Susan Miller, director of Spa Operations for Marriott (hands only); Sharilyn Abbajay (far left), the newly-appointed Director of Spa for Marriott; Ada Polla, President & CEO of Alchimie Forever; Charlene Whitcombe (standing in front of mirror) of the Spa at Mandarin Oriental; Mary Bemis (in white), Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Organic Spa Magazine; Norie Quintos (standing right front center) from National Geographic Traveler; Miriam Houston (standing in red at far right) from Relâche Spa at Gaylord National Harbor. Unfortuantely, I don't recognize everyone. Also in attendance were: Gayela Bynum, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development; Tasha Rebec, Best of DC; Kelly Collis Fredrick, Cityshopgirl.com; Martha Honey, Center for Responsible Travel; Anna Mancebo, the departing Director of Spa for Marriott; Kate Michael, KStreetKate.net and The District Dish; McLean Robbins, JulieB, Washingtonian, Robb Report, Daily Candy, Gadling, Luxist; Beth Solomon, Georgetown Dish; and Toni Sullivan of Relâche Spa at Gaylord National Harbor.

Susie Ellis of SpaFinder (left) gave a summary of the Global Spa Summit and highlighted wellness travel (in contrast to medical travel). Seated are Mary Bemis, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Organic Spa Magazine; Mary-Elizabeth Gifford from The Farm at Pantrepant; Deborah Szekely, Founder of Rancho La Puerta and The Golden Door and Honorary Chair of WSPA; and Dr. Pamela Peeke, Chief Medical Correspondent for Discovery Health TV. Dr. Peeke spoke about her activities (like walking and hiking) with the new Surgeon General, Regina M. Benjamin, M.D., M.B.A.

WSPA will hold an annual symposium as well as ongoing news-maker events, share best practices, and engage in advocacy. WSPA’s First Annual Symposium will be held at the National Press Club on March 24, 2011.

Regional members of the spa and related communities may join WSPA for the following annual dues: Individual Member — $75; Corporate Member — $150 (1-5 employees); or $300 (5 or more employees). For membership or additional information, contact: Washington National Spa Alliance, 1010 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W., Suite 201, Washington, D.C. 20007; 202.530.3931; Info@WSPA.com; http://www.washingtonspaalliance.com.

CHECK OUT SUMMER PACKAGES AT
HISTORIC AMERICAN SPAS

On a recent trip to The Homestead, a storied spa-golf resort in southern Virginia, Sachs compared choices in a getaway package with the listed costs of activities.

The Unlimited Activities package starts at $295 per night (plus taxes and a 15 percent resort fee) for two guests and runs through Oct. 19. Included: fly fishing, skeet shooting, mountain biking, archery, and more. (If booked by June 1, stay two nights and a third night is free.) Also, discount on meal options.

Spa Director Christie Ford says the unlimited activities package entitles you to a 20% discount on services at the historic Homestead Spa. Access to the indoor swimming pool and Fitness Center with Cybex equipment is complimentary to all guests.

Bottom line: For $80 extra, guests receive accommodations (typically from $215 per couple) and a selection of activities. To make it a smart investment, go nuts on activities or pick one of the more expensive diversions, such as golf (typically $125) says Sachs. Also on tap: shuttle bus to Jeffersonian hot springs soak. "With this package, people go wild trying to fit it all in," said George, who led Andrea's archery session and later drove the tractor for her hayride. The Homestead - 7696 Sam Snead Hwy., Hot Springs, Va., 540-839-1766 http://www.thehomestead.com

Getting a New Look: The Greenbrier

No stimulus dollars went into the rebirth of The Greenbrier, a historic resort in West Virginia, six hours south of Washington, D.C. But a once-secret underground bunker built to house members of the U.S. Congress during wartime now adjoins a casino, opening in July. Acquired after bankruptcy by Jim Justice, a businessman with interests in coal and agriculture, the 231-year-old resort features thermal springwater baths in its modernized spa. Construction costs for The Greenbrier's underground casino escalated to $80 million -- four times initial estimates – and may expand with a planned theater. Justice spent $20.1 million to buy the historic White Sulphur Springs resort in May 2009, snagged rights to host a PGA Tour golf tournament at the end of July, added 400 jobs to 1600 staff.

The Greenbrier offers a three-night Spring Into Action package for $390 (including taxes) with accommodations, two-for-one activity voucher per day, $20 slot play, 20 percent off spa treatments, access to spa, swimming pool, and sauna, plus resort fee. Spa Director Veronique Paquet invites guests to enjoy a free footbath with 105-degree mineral water.

Bottom line: Even if you don't take the bunker (a.k.a. the former U.S. Government Relocation Facility) tour (ordinarily $30 per person) or watch a falcon land on a gloved arm ($89), you'll come out ahead with The Greenbrier Spring Into Action package. A room in the intermediate category typically costs $299 per night, the resort fee is $25 per day, and gambling money comes out of your own wages. But meals are not included; the traditional dining plan at The Greenbrier can not be combined with this package, which is available through June, Sunday to Thursday.

The Greenbrier, 300 W. Main St., White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. 800-453-4858 http://www.greenbrier.com

PACKAGING STRATEGY

Since the economic downturn, packages have become more prolific and popular as travel suppliers look for value-added ways to cajole us out of the house. The strategy is pretty simple: Tack extra amenities, such as spa treatments or two meals a day, onto the basic vacation and charge below the list price. If it's a good, honest package, the whole should cost less than the individual parts.

"The concept of packaging is very much in vogue today because of the recent financial problems," said Peter Yesawich, chairman of Ypartnership, a marketing service that specializes in travel. "Bundling is in; unbundling is out."

Not surprisingly, consumers gravitate to trips that are rich in experience yet light on the wallet and easy to plan. A study by Ypartnership found that, in the first quarter of this year, six out of 10 travelers considered packages a "very desirable attribute." Additionally, Yesawich said, packages have really mushroomed in the past two years. "The supplier can give away stuff that's low-margin, like a couple of drinks or a round of golf, and hold on to the stuff that has a higher margin, like the hotel room," he said. "For the consumer, it's a wonderful way of managing down the cost of a vacation."

A cynic might question the suppliers' motives. Why, an incredulous person might ask, are the companies giving away extras for free or for a fraction of the cost? Were these items worthless to begin with, or are the operators really that generous, willing to sacrifice revenues for our pleasure?

"You don't have to be skeptical, but should you be savvy?" asks Donna Quadri-Felitti, a clinical assistant professor at New York University's Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management. "Yes."

"Packages are the cookies that suppliers wag before our faces, hoping we'll bite," said Sachs. "Once we're hooked, they hope we'll spend beyond the package, in the bar, the gift shop, the restaurant or the spa."

"The hotel is betting on you opening your wallet when you are there," said Scott Berman, hospitality and leisure practice leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers. "When you have a chardonnay in your hand, you'll feel the urge to splurge."

Andrea Sachs' complete story is online at www.washingtonpost.com.

FAT OF THE LAND

Deborah Szekely has a plan to change eating habits of children

Seventy years after launching Rancho La Puerta with a pioneer health and nutrition program, Deborah Szekely is putting her educational skills to work for a new generation.

The target: childhood obesity.

"Parents as well as children require education to lead healthy lifestyles," said the octogenarian wellness advocate. "Since so many adults did not learn the ABCs of good health, their children are vulnerable to TV, sedentary lifestyles, marketing for snacks and large-portion servings of fatty food."

Taking a practical, evolutionary approach, Szekely enlisted educators in San Diego, her California residence, and Florida to develop a syllabus that school teachers can use to introduce healthy lifestyles at the fifth-grade level. Early education, they believe, can create a basis for healthy habits. "Children can be taught that a healthy body naturally requires movement and natural food," says Szekely.

The Living Skills Fifth Grade Semester calls for 5th grade students to spend one year understanding the machinery that is the human body. At the same time, the program includes hands-on gardening, daily exercise, and making lunch fresh daily. Written by Dr. Judith J. Slater, Professor Emeritus at Florida International University, the curriculum is offered free of charge to educators and government officials. Endorsed by former Food and Drug Administration commissioner David A. Kessler, M.D., the program is now entering a three-year period of testing.

Pilot programs fulfilling the learning requirements of states will test the concept.
Using resources like a Web site that calculates body mass (http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/), teachers and students can follow progress. Outcomes will be evaluated at the end of the year.

Sponsors for the pilot study are sought by Szekely. Plans call for program roll-out this fall in four states. Estimated budget: $8 million, plus $1 million for research and administration by the University of San Diego.

• Steps of Digestion
• Food Groups and Nutrition
• Nutrition Facts and Labels
• Food Choices and Influence
• Healthy Eating and Appropriate Physical Activity.

Drawing on experience with community-based wellness programs for her Mexican neighbors in Tecate, where the Fondacion Rancho La Puerta has long fostered childhood education, plus 50 years of learning from people at Golden Door, and 70 years at Rancho La Puerta, the Living Skills Semester is Deborah Sszekely's gift to America.

COMBATTING BIG FOOD

David Kessler knows how government bureaucracy regulates the food industry.
As commissioner of the FDA in the 1960s, he took on the tobacco industry. Now, in a new book titled "The End of Overeating," he exposes Big Food. Kessler shows how the modern food industry invented "hyperpalatable" foods: "Once people ate tortilla chips; then they ate tortilla chips with cheese; now they eat them with a factory-made topping that can look like cheese but contains mostly oil and flavoring."

The new food is also addictive, like drugs. According to Kessler, many Americans suffer from "conditional hypereating," wolfing down fat, sugar, and salt as a habit. "We have learned to reward ourselves with these foods." Speaking at a gathering of educators in Washington, DC, he said "Diets don't work because they just make the dieter appreciate the reward of food even more."

Just walk downtown: Cupcake stores are the big new attraction in Washington's Georgetown; some come to your neighborhood by van. Kessler discovers that popular breakfast cereals contain four or five different kinds of sugar. Starbucks discovered oatmeal sells better with sugar topping.

Almost everything we eat has been invented or reinvented in recent decades, largely without anyone noticing. But a battle cry arose in Britain: Jamie Oliver, global TV chef and scourge of the food industry, leads the fight. The message: We are what we eat.

EATING WELL

Dinner at the residence of Esther Coopersmith in Washington usually mixes Congressional policy makers, diplomats, and a cause. So imagine our surprise when the chef turned out to be Deborah Szekely.

The occasion also marked Deborah's 88th birthday.

Regular visitors at Rancho La Puerta and Golden Door, the dinner guests included activists in every field of social responsibility and education. We shared a common interest in food - eating well and enjoying fresh, sustainable food sourced locally - and how to combat childhood obesity. Deborah's menu said it all. In the kitchen wearing a black sweatsuit, sneakers, and apron, Deborah prepared curried shrimp on rice, a green salad, and fresh berry dessert. Pre-dinner, we snacked on guacamole and tuna tartare from Restaurant Nora, contributed by Nora Poullilon, who took the night off from her nearby organic restaurant to honor Deborah.

SHIFTING GEARS, JOHN AND GINNY LOPIS LAUNCH WELLNESS PROGRAM

After four years of operating The Lodge at Woodloch, a destination spa in Pennsylvania, founders John and Ginny Lopis transitioned from primary hands-on management of the day-to-day operations in order to focus on designing and leading special destination spa programs for The Lodge. They remain owners and partners as well as advisors to The Lodge, and their consulting business JGL Inc., remains based in Hawley, PA. John Kiesendahl, and his family, who own and operate The Lodge's sister resort, Woodloch Pines, are taking the lead in managing The Lodge going forward.

For the past 20 years, John and Ginny have operated JGL Inc, spa design and consulting. Contact: JGL Inc., 168 Woodloch Springs, Hawley, PA 18428. Phone: Office: 570.685.3398; Cell: 570.335.6066. Email: glopis@jglspa.com, jlopis@jglspa.com

MARRIOTT GOLF "PUSHES" GOLFERS TO WALK FOR HEALTH
First-Of-Its-Kind Alliance Provides Golfers At 10 Leading U.S. Resorts
With Walking Program To Promote Healthy Golf & Environmental Consciousness

Marriott Golf is getting "pushy" with golfers at some of America's leading resort destinations.
Reinforcing Marriott International's commitment to healthy living, Marriott Golf, one of the world's premier golf operators, formed a first-of-its-kind alliance with The Bag Boy Company -- the No.1 name in golf cart innovation - to create Walk For Health, a program designed to promote the health benefits associated with walking the golf course. Golfers at leading Marriott Golf resort destinations in the U.S. will be outfitted with Bag Boy's innovative and popular three-wheel push carts, providing resort golfers with a fun and healthy way to navigate the course, as well as support environmental consciousness.

"This partnership directly supports Marriott International's unwavering commitment to promote wellness and healthy living, as the health and exercise benefits of walking and pushing your clubs around a golf course are immeasurable," said William Nault, Vice President, Marriott Golf. "We anticipate a very positive response from our resort golfers for this Walk For Health initiative, and our intention is to roll out the program at more Marriott Golf properties throughout the year."

As part of the Walk For Health program, a fleet of Bag Boy's lightweight, eco-friendly Express Auto walking carts will be available for guest play at participating resort destinations, including: Camelback Inn, A JW Marriott Resort, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort & Spa, Palm Desert, Calif.; JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, Phoenix, Ariz.; JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, Tucson, Ariz.; Doral Golf Resort & Spa, Miami, Fla.; Marriott's Grande Vista Resort, Orlando, Fla.; Grande Pines Golf Club, Orlando, Fla.; Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, Naples, Fla.; Oak Brook Hills Marriott Resort, Oak Brook, Ill and The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, Tucson, Ariz.

Walking is a tradition of the game, and recent studies by medical experts reveal that by pushing clubs around a golf course, a golfer will burn more than 1,400 calories compared to riding in a cart where that same golfer would burn approximately 800 calories. Innovative technology and advanced features have redefined the walking cart market, as three-wheel push carts have become a trendy, fun and health conscious alternative to riding in a cart and/or carrying a bag. Thus, golfers at some of Marriott Golf's premier resorts will now have access to a fleet of user-friendly, three-wheel walking carts that are ergonomically correct and equipped with an assortment of features, enabling all golfers to seamlessly maneuver the cart on all terrains and in all weather conditions.

"Research shows that golfers who walk and push their clubs burn more calories than when they ride in a cart, and they are also less prone to lower back, shoulder, and ankle injuries than golfers who carry their clubs," said Craig Ramsbottom, President, The Bag Boy Company. "Our innovative walking carts are not like the pull carts of yesteryear, as they are ergonomically correct and easy to maneuver so golfers that visit a Marriott resort can now experience a cool, fun and healthy way to navigate the course."

Each participating property in the Walk For Health program also holds the distinction of being a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, which indicates that Marriott Golf has gone to the greatest lengths possible to protect the environment by enhancing precious natural areas and wildlife habitats. This effort is part of a systemwide commitment by Marriott International, Inc. (MAR:NYSE) to promote environmental stewardship. The new Walk For Health program further enables golfers to support environmental consciousness while enjoying nature and a good walk on a spectacular golf course.

Nault added, "Pushing a Bag Boy walking cart around the course will enable golfers to truly appreciate the natural beauty of these venues." Visit www.marriottgolf.com. Click here for Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) company information. For more information about Bag Boy products, visit www.bagboy.com.

When W opened its first hotel in New York in 1998, it created a new era of hotel design and established itself as the clear leader in the contemporary lifestyle hotel space. Every W Hotel demonstrates a passion for cutting-edge design, rooted in its location and interpreted in a contemporary cool way that is brought to life through unique collaborations with upcoming as well as renowned third party and in-house designers. From the Ottoman-referenced glam of W Istanbul to the design inspired by the dual personality of the British man at the upcoming W London - Leicester Square (Fall 2010), each new W Hotel begins with a design philosophy formed by Starwood's in-house design team and is then fueled and delivered by a unique collaboration between the designers, architects, graphic designers, and W's Global Fashion and Music Directors.

W's rapid and unrivaled global growth brings opportunities for new design partnerships with established as well as upcoming designers. For W St. Petersburg, which will mark the debut of W Hotels in Russia when it opens this Fall, W has partnered with acclaimed architects and designers Antonio Citterio & Partners to blend contemporary style with Russia's elegant traditions, while the innovative and award-winning Dutch design firm Concrete has created a design that parallels the personas of the English at work and at play for the soon-to-open W London - Leicester Square. W's first hotel in Paris, W Paris - Opera will debut in early 2011 with interiors by Rockwell Group Europe (RGe). Diego Gronda, Managing and Creative Director of RGe, the Madrid satellite office of New York's Rockwell Group founded by David Rockwell, is leading the design, which takes its inspiration from Paris, the City of Light, combined with the energy of New York, where W was born.

These new boutique hotels will join W's already prestigious European and Middle Eastern portfolio, which includes W Istanbul by architect/designer Geomim and W Doha Hotel & Residences, which merges traditional Arabian imagery with W's signature contemporary cool, by London-based United Designers. W's European flagship and first hotel in Western Europe, W Barcelona, was designed by Ricardo Bofill in the shape of a giant sail and has already become a modern day landmark of the Barcelona design-scape.

Rounding out W's roster of current designer partners are Clodagh (W Fort Lauderdale); Tony Chi (W Santiago); Glamorous Corp. and g+a (W Hong Kong); Graft (W New York - Downtown); Yabu Pushelberg (W New York - Times Square renovation); Thom Filicia (W Atlanta - Buckhead and W San Diego and W Los Angeles - Westwood renovations); Patricia Uriquola (W Retreat & Spa - Vieques Island); and Patrick Jouin (W's experimental Extreme WOW Suite of the Future installation).

About W Hotels Worldwide®

W Hotels is an innovative, contemporary, design-led lifestyle brand and the hotel category buster with 35 hotels and retreats in the most vibrant cities and exotic destinations

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GLOBAL MARKET GROWTH REDEFINES MEDICAL SPA

For a large segment of the adult market, spas are no longer seen as luxuries. Staying well means integrating spa experiences with a personal health regimen.

The growing trend of medical spas, however, is becoming a source of confusion for consumers and the news media. Many medical spas offer a broad range of invasive and non-invasive cosmetic services, mostly in a physician-supervised environment. Services include breast augmentation, liposuction, Botox and collagen injections, face-lifts, microdermabrasion, cellulite reduction, hair transplants and laser hair removal.

Destination spas are expanding treatment menu options; new offerings include sleep health, fertility, and teeth whitening. At a retreat titled "Passionate Intimacy," Mii amo in Arizona invited spa guests to rediscover masculine and feminine energy through communication, love, intimacy, and sex; the four-night package was priced $3,124.80 per person, including medical specialist consultation.

As a huge generation of baby boomers turns 60, women and men are seeking treatments that enhance youthful appearances rather than anti-aging promises. Growing demand among women 40 to 54 years old: liquid face-lift rather than cosmetic surgery, fat transfer breast enhancement instead of implants. Younger adults are expanding the market. Look for tattoo removal to become a new specialty.

These are just some of the cosmetic and aesthetic procedures offered in conjunction with traditional facials and massages by professional therapists. Data compiled by ISPA for its 2004 Spa Industry Study showed 471 medical spas in the US representing approx. 4% of US spa locations. By May 2005, it was estimated to have doubled in size, and should break the $1 billion barrier by this year.

Medical spas now represent ten percent of the overall spa industry if one combines pure medical spas, laser hair removal facilities, spas that are attached to doctors' and dentists' offices, and those now being built into resorts, says Mark Wuttke, head of the Wuttke Group. Mark's 20-year history in the spa industry, covering homeopathic medicine to Jurlique skin care, convinced him to form his Atlanta-based consultancy to develop strategies that bring the medical spa into the mainstream of wellness and prevention of illness.

Networking spawned a new "industry" of consultants, advisors, and operators seeking the right balance of business for entrepreneurial doctors and dentists. Advice on how to handle ethical issues as well as management practices is offered members of the Medical Spas Association (www.medicalspaassociation.org.)

An alliance of industry leaders based in Washington, D.C., will launch June 17th with a conference at the National Press Club. Conceived as a forum for newsmakers, the Washington National Spa Alliance (W-Spa) includes the Hela medical day spa in Georgetown, as well as Alchimie Forever skincare created for dermatologists. Serving as honorary chair, Deborah Szekely, founder of Rancho La Puerta and Golden Door, says the W-Spa will be a resource for news media and policy makers in the national capital.

WELLNESS TOURISM LINKS TRAVEL INDUSTRY

Vast, growing global markets are intersecting and interweaving in creative and potentially synergistic business models. Ongoing research is needed to document the economic impact of medical tourism. Data has been limited to a few surveys by ISPA and the Global Spa Summit (www.globalspasummit.org). Market studies by two firms - Deloitte, McKinsey - contributed valuable insights to the conversation, but their vastly different numbers underscored that agreements on industry definitions and measurement remain unsettled.

• "The idea of traveling around the world for medical treatment" with 'medical travelers' defined as "people whose primary and explicit purpose in traveling is medical treatment in a foreign country." (McKinsey)
• "Healthcare consumers leaving home for treatments and care abroad or elsewhere." (Deloitte)

European health resorts now feature executive checkups alongside traditional kurs and hydrotherapy. A leading example is in Budapest, the Hungarian capital of hot springs. Surrounded by the Danube River, the Danubius Health Spa Resort Margitsziget was the birthplace of modern medical spas in Central Europe: The Thermal Hotel, mid-century modern, with 267 rooms and conference center, combines preventive medicine with thermal baths. The medical director said I could bathe in certain pools but some were too hot for a person with high blood pressure. Mudpacks made with mineral-laden vegetal mud from Lake Heviz, Hungary's spectacular source of healing waters, were prescribed for aching muscles and rehabilitation after surgery. Doctors on staff treat a variety of ailments, including cardiology and obesity; dental and optometry care is offered at prices well below the rest of Europe.

The British International Spa Association (BISA) will meet in Budapest this June to consider cross-currents in medical spa services. One issue will be enforcement of new standards on use of the term medical wellness, recently adopted by a consortium of health organizations and wellness hotels in Germany to replace the spa concept.

In Florida, the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa relocated to Miami on the site previously occupied by the elegant Saturnia Spa. Located within Marriott's Doral Golf & Spa Resort, the new center continues the pioneer work of Nathan Pritikin linking diet and lifestyle in programs that address obesity and cardio problems. For the first time, staying at the Pritikin Center will be covered by Medicare in 2010.

From massage to teeth whitening, the spa movement has come a long way in the past 20 years. In the early 90's there was very little overlap between medicine and spas. That changed dramatically, with more doctors 'discovering' that spas add to health and reduce stress. (Perhaps through their own experience after a round of golf at a medical retreat.) The spa world and the medical world began talking at the first ISPA European Conference, which I co-chaired with Jenni Lipa of Spa Trek in 1996, hosted by Baden-Baden. With the arrival of Botox in 2002, a new type of aesthetic/medical spa was born and the spa and medicine connection was solidified. Spas also got their act together, becoming more transparent and down-playing the New Age factor. On the beauty front, anti-aging therapies and products that prevent problems and avoid costly, invasive actions are the focus of leading resort and day spas. Examples include Brenner's Park-Hotel in Baden-Baden, which has one of Europe's top private medical clinics attached to a luxurious center for beauty and fitness, plus a PREVENT program that combines comprehensive examinations with personalized therapies, nutrition and fitness plans. Another world-class medical center in Switzerland, the original Clinique La Prairie, integrates a full-service spa with medical checkups. Now there are executive physicals at a Lanserhof in Austria, Bad Ragaz in Switzerland, or the Kurotel in Brazil.

When hospitals open spas, the health-care discussion takes on a new dimension. In Carmel, Indiana, Clarian North Medical Center has OLOGY, a "medically-based" spa where patients enjoy a one-hour Thai massage for $75. The Philippines' Medical City Hospital will preserve your DNA by stem-cell banking. Thailand's amazing Bumrungrad Hospital expanded its VitalLife Wellness Center customized nutrition and health programs, offering anti-aging, sports medicine, and fitness consultations within the Bangkok campus and a proprietary line of nutraceuticals for home use.

American hospitals often integrate spa-like services. Patients at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota can schedule in-room massage before and after surgery, and get a facial. Naturopathic doctor Les Moore, Director of Integrative Medicine at Clifton Springs Hospital in New York, restored mineral spring baths and opened a full-service spa. Cornell University professor Mary Tabacchi chaired NYSPA which aims to promote New York spas through an alliance with the state's tourism development program. Traveling across borders to destination spas such as Champney's in the UK, Rancho La Puerta in Mexico, or Chiva-Som in Thailand, for a life/health turnaround was well established in the 1980s when I researched a guidebook, "Fodor's Healthy Escapes," for Random House. Being immersed in exercise, nutrition, and stress-reduction therapies was the basis of "wellness tourism." But only one heath resort had a diagnostic clinic - Canyon Ranch at Tuscon, Arizona - still leading the industry with wellness vacations.

Going back to nature, some of America's original hot springs health resorts now feature full-service spas: Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, and New York's Saratoga Springs have been rejuvenated; George Washington's favorite watering hole in West Virginia, Berkeley Springs, now a state park, offers bargain baths with thermal spring water; Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Southern California celebrated 150 years as "Club Mud."

What's old is new again.

TRENDSETTER DESTINATIONS

Team a multibillion-dollar health insurance company with Dole Food Company and renowned geneticist Andrew Conrad, PhD, and the result is California Health & Longevity Institute. Built in 2006 on Dole's corporate campus in a Los Angeles suburb, the CHLI wellbeing center is linked to a Four Seasons Hotel and spa. The $300-million-plus project in Westlake Village offers checkups for corporate executives, cooking classes, personal health coaches, nutrition evaluation, MRI scan. Facilities include a hydrotherapy pool, 28-room spa. Four Seasons wellness packages can be booked online; Medical services are not covered by health insurance.

David H. Murdock, octogenarian billionaire and sole owner of Dole Food Company, Inc., envisioned the Institute as a place where individuals in search of a healthier lifestyle engage with the best available experts in the fields of Medicine, Nutrition, Fitness, Life Balance and Spa to improve the quality and longevity of their lives. WellPoint, Inc., the largest health benefits company in terms of medical membership in the United States, recognized a need to educate their corporate clients about strategic methods of reducing healthcare costs and absenteeism while increasing productivity through proven methods that provide a return on investment. Dr. Conrad, one of the world's foremost experts in the fields of genetics, complemented this venture with his studies about the degradation of DNA due to lifestyle factors. Together, they refined a vision to proactively provide an educational approach to improve the health and well-being of individuals and corporations' employees which resulted in California Health & Longevity Institute

CANYON RANCH, Arizona

Leading the way to quality aging, the Life Enhancement Center has its own residential compound where participants in the structured week-long program share experiences and enjoy supportive camaraderie.

Set amid 70 acres of high-desert, the landscape of cactus, mountains, and flowering shrubs enhances clusters of fitness facilities and the central building where guests gather for meals and lectures. Among features is an indoor set of pools for Watsu water therapy; demonstration kitchen for daily cooking class; and yoga/meditation dome. Excursions to nearby canyons are scheduled for hikes and biking.

Outposts of Canyon Ranch in Massachusetts, Miami, Las Vegas, and aboard cruise ships, offer similar services, but only the Arizona spread is both comprehensive and inspiring.

TOSKANA THERME, Germany

Taking the waters at Toskana Therme attracts young families as well as senior citizens. Nestled in rolling hills near Frankfurt, a new Toskana Therme opens this spring. Combining public pools fed by thermal springs, a day spa, hotel, and wellness center, the new structure in Bad Orb images the original Toskana health resort in East Germany, Bad Sulza. Created by the same team of designers, facilities include a "Liquid Sound" pool equipped with underwater music and projected images that induce deep relaxation.

The healing waters of Bad Sulza are the centerpiece of the original Toskanaworld, a large resort near Weimar. Marion Schneider and Klaus Boehm renovated a hotel/clinic and built a remarkable structure for water therapies on a grand scale. Recently added, saunas of many varieties provide a peaceful respite from the crowded pools. The clinic is staffed with medical doctors and therapists specialized in geriatric medicine. Restorative therapies employ thermal baths and exercise.

CLINIQUE LA PRAIRIE, Switzerland

Adding the spa building a few years ago brought La Prairie a new generation of devotees. The bi-level 4,500-sq.-metre facility includes indoor swimming pool, exercise equipment, and first-class restaurant. Trainers and physiologists are on hand to coordinate with doctors doing laser work or surgery. The original anti-aging treatment has been updated with CLP Extract, an orally administered potion taken from liver cells of unborn sheep. In addition to salon services, week-long packages focus on revitalization and thalassotherapy.

KUROTEL LONGEVITY CENTER, Brazil

Kurotel Directors Neusa and Dr. Luis Carlos Silveira founded this elegant mountain retreat 28 years ago. Inspired by Dr. Silveira's studies in Germany at the Kneipp center in Bad Woerishoffen,. Kurotel, uses the latest advancements in predictive and preventive medicine, plus nutrition and exercise regimens that address the whole person.

MURAD INCLUSIVE HEALTH CENTER & SPA, California

Based on the Cellular Water Principle® - Dr. Murad's theory that no matter what causes disease or aging, the final common pathway is cellular water loss - treatments are designed to maximize a crucial level of hydration in every cell of the body. Services include facials, extractions, new concepts in peeling, and an array of laser and light therapy. Massage and body treatments such as wraps, soaks in Japanese onsen tubs, and cellulite therapy are offered, as are salon services. The staff includes physicians, lifestyle practitioners, aestheticians, acupuncturists, body therapists, nutritionists, psychologists and other health providers. The Murad Inclusive Health Center® and Spa is affiliated with the Murad Medical Practice, where Dr. Murad treats his patients.

INTERNET SERVICES OFFER GUIDELINES TO MEDICAL SPAS

1. Who is the owner of the spa, and how long have you been in business?
2. Is your supervising doctor board-certified in the specialty I'm interested in?
3. Who performs the treatment and what are his/her qualifications? (For invasive/laser work, the procedure should be performed by a licensed physician or registered nurse under the supervision of a physician.)
4. If he/she was trained in the procedure, when and where did the training take place?
5. How many times has he/she performed the procedure?
6. What is your emergency protocol in case of complications? If a doctor isn't performing the procedure, will one be on-site and available?
7. Do you have a list of patients I can contact? (Ask to speak with someone who has had the same treatment, at least 6 months earlier, so you can evaluate permanence and healing.)
8. What are the costs for the procedure? Are there any additional costs?
9. What are the risks/side effects involved with the procedure?
10. What type of laser/equipment is being used? Is it appropriate for my skin type and for the result I'm seeking?

Susie Ellis

Bernard Burt