The Green Economy : Caribbean Sustainable Tourism Conference 2011

Organized by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) in collaboration with the Bermuda Department of Tourism, the 12th annual Sustainable Tourism Conference (STC -12), was held in Bermuda in April. Two-hundred business, political and tourism leaders as well as tour operators and travel agents from the Caribbean, Canada and the US gathered at the Fairmont Southampton to discuss green tourism and examine key issues that affect tourism numbers in the region.

“This year’s conference encouraged the Caribbean to breathe new life into its commitment to strategically develop the tourism industry in a sustainable manner,” said Hugh Riley, secretary general, CTO, ‘our hope is that STC-12 will inspire the entire region to continue its efforts in responsible resource use and overall sustainable tourism practices.”

With the theme “Keeping the Right Balance: Rising Above the Numbers” ,the conference opened with Bermuda Premier Paula Cox outlining a tourism model for Bermuda based on cooperation between the tourism and the business sectors. "Tourism has always been seen by this government as the leveller and from a policy perspective it is important that tourism fortunes change and rise,” she said “we consider it imperative to look for new sources of business so that we have a sustainable economy that is both healthy and vibrant.”

CTO secretary general Hugh Riley added while the tourism sector faces a variety of threats, the region has contributed little to climate change. “We are low carbon emitters,” he told delegates, “no one in his or her right mind could seriously think that the Caribbean is a significant contributor to global warming, but we could suffer the consequences if climate change and rising sea levels create conditions that would devastate our economies."

Patrice Minors, minister of tourism added the elements that attract tourists to a destination often make them more vulnerable to the pressures of tourism. “We have all seen beaches packed with umbrellas and sun-burnt visitors lined up like sardines which is why sustainability is essential for the survival of the visitor’s experience. “

Travel industry veteran Judy Karwacki, owner of Small Planet Consulting discussed the importance of the visitor experience or the ‘experiential traveler’ in today’s marketplace. “A tourism product is what you buy, but a tourism experience is what you remember. When travelers connect to a destination, there is intent to recommend it to others.” Known for her work in responsible tourism, Jacqueline Kuehnel, owner JK Consulting discussed how to avoid the “green washing” trap or making false claims about the sustainability of a hotel or a product. “It is important to be honest when communicating your organization’s sustainability platform, “she noted, “if you exaggerate your claims, you risk eroding public trust, increasing regulatory risk and damaging your reputation.”

Jamie Sweeting, Royal Caribbean International's vice president of environmental stewardship walked delegates through the environmental priorities in place at the cruise company. “Our key initiatives include minimizing the use of water on board ships, recycling, waste reduction and reducing fuel burn.” Also championing sustainability in the region, Seleni Matus, Director of Tourism for Belize discussed efforts to create standards that are recognized globally. “With more than 900 million international tourists having traveled in 2010, there is an urgent need to consider sustainability and standardize its evaluation because consumers are confused.” Adding even the industry is facing challenges defining sustainability; she added “"There is an opportunity to define the change needed by defining guidelines and embedding them at a country and company level."

The 2011 Caribbean Excellence in Sustainable Tourism prizes were awarded to Harrison’s Cave in Barbados and Surama Village Eco-Lodge in Guyana. The popular Barbados attraction picked up top honors for its recent environmentally-responsible upgrades and Surama Village Eco-Lodge, operated by the local Makushi Amerindians, was awarded the distinction for their green management practices.

Entertained by Bermudian Gombey dancers and treated to authentic island delicacies, delegates also had the opportunity to experience Bermuda with tours to the UNESCO World Heritage town of St. George with its cobblestone streets, pocket gardens and former military fortifications, Royal Naval Dockyard which once housed a British naval base and today bustles with shops and restaurants and the National Museum of Bermuda.

Planning for 2012, it was announced STC-13 will be held in Georgetown, Guyana. "Guyana’s tourism product has its genesis in sustainable tourism development, “said Tameca Sukhdeo-Singh, deputy director, Guyana Tourism Authority,” from the inception, the government realized that we needed to place our focus on developing a tourism product that protected our environment. “

For more information, visit www.caribbeanstc.com.


The Bermuda Buzz

The Bermuda Department of Tourism launched www.GoToBermuda.com providing user-generated content for mobile and social media channels. “Like our island, the website is a user-friendly experience, using beautiful imagery and in-depth information to tell the Bermuda story,” said Patrice Minors, minister of tourism.

Air Tran began nonstop service on April 7 from Baltimore with additional nonstop flights from Atlanta starting on May 26. Service from both cities will continue through October 30th.

Sitting pretty at Bermuda’s highest point, Fairmont Southampton’s Willow Stream Spa is the largest wellness haven on the island with an indoor heated pool and creative treatments like a ‘Golf Facial” that hydrates sun-drenched skin. Visit www.fairmont.com.

Crowning a limestone cliff overlooking a pink sandy beach, the Reefs hotel welcomed culinary wizard Jason Koppinger as the new Executive Chef. Formerly with the Westin in Grand Cayman, Chef Jason is adding pizzazz to the menus at the hotels three restaurants. “I am especially influenced by the flavors of Asian cuisine, which I blend into locally-sourced foods and seasonal offerings.” Visit www.thereefs.com.

Visit www.GoToBermuda.com or call 1-800-BERMUDA.


Visit www.GoToBermuda.com or call 1-800-BERMUDA.


- 30

From Soup to Nuts : Booking a holiday with MLT Vacations

With no shortage of resorts in the Caribbean from all-inclusive on the beach to rustic resorts for the more adventurous, agents can tailor vacations to suit various budgets and requests. However, confirming a holiday means not only booking a hotel but also booking flights, travel protection plans, airport transfers, spa treatments, golf time, tennis lessons and tour options.

With access to a large air inventory and package pricing as well as a wide selection of properties in the world’s most popular destinations, MLT Vacations is one-stop-shopping providing travel agents with industry-leading marketing tools , knowledgeable customer support , generous commissions and an impressive variety of vacation brands including Delta Vacations, Continental Airlines Vacations, United Vacations and Worry-Free Vacations as well as luxury packages and destination wedding and honeymoon packages. Through its unique airlines partnerships, MLT Vacations offers the lowest available airfares, discounted rates at thousands of hotels worldwide, a broad selection of sightseeing excursions and bonus miles for travelers through frequent flyer programs.

“One reason vacation packages are popular with travelers is because purchasing one simplifies the planning, buying and travel process significantly, “ said Ken Pomerantz , president and chief marketing officer, “ and as so many people have learned this winter with all the weather events, when you purchase a vacation package, all the elements of your vacation are handled by a single entity. If you flight is delayed or cancelled, you don’t have to worry about how the land portion of your vacation will be handled.”

In the vacation business for more than four decades, MLT Vacations is headquartered in Minneapolis with the reservation center in North Dakota. More than six hundred employees make up the team with 150 new hires in the past eighteen months. One call to a reservation agent and the entire holiday from soup to nuts is confirmed. No additional calls to the airlines, the spas, the restaurants and the golf courses. “MLT Vacations now offers vacation products to travel agents on a national scale, “added Ken Pomerantz, president and chief marketing officer, “if you are an agent in Bangor, Maine or San Diego, we have products that will be very attractive for your clients.”

The Blue Sky Holiday

Looking forward to a few days in the Mexican Caribbean and wanting to get the best bang for the vacation buck, I decided to test drive a luxury vacation package, rather than book the various pieces of a holiday individually. With one phone call to Continental Vacations, I reached a perky reservation agent named Michelle who not only was thoroughly informed about options in Riviera Maya but oozed efficiency and professionalism from the get-go. Explaining that she was located in North Dakota and has been with MLT’s luxury division for two years, she told me that she has the “best job in the world” because she makes frequent trips to the Caribbean and Mexico in order to know the product before she sells it. She answered all of my questions from budget to concerns about safety in Mexico. After discussing the pros and cons of several resorts including Maroma Resort, Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita, Azul Beach Hotel and the El Dorado Royale, we settled on the all-inclusive Playacar Royal Hideaway, an Occidental property in Playa del Carmen.

Add-ons that fit the budget included private airport transfer which I highly recommend after traveling from the US. Check-in at the property was a breeze and the room was exactly as described. No surprises and no glitches. Nice touch! “If we carry the property, we will do all possible to book any room category for our customers, “notes Ken Pomerantz, president, “ We will try to get an immediate confirmation on all hotel requests, the majority of them being handled while the travel agent is still on the phone.”

Hugging the breathtaking beach on the Yucatan Peninsula, the Royal Hideaway Playacar marries stellar service with distinctive style. As the world's first adult-only all-inclusive to earn the AAA 5-Diamond Award, the uber-swank resort offers an oversized cascading infinity pool , relaxation pools , seaside solarium decks and a superb beach. Six gourmet eateries and unlimited 24-hour room service kept hunger at bay while windsurfing, sailing, tennis and aqua aerobics helped work off the added calories. Gratis Wi-Fi in all the rooms is an appreciated necessity these days.

Las Ventanas is a fine food eatery with specialties that were a treat to try from sautéed octopus and scallops in mole sauce to desserts well worth the splurge. Spices by the beach dishes up divine guacamole and burritos, the Deck grills juicy burgers while Palazzo served creative Italian dishes like goat cheese ravioli wrapped in melon. Tasty sushi is the specialty at Azia and for a nightcap; Bar Allegria is casual elegance with bartenders who excel in shaking and stirring fruity martinis. The Spa is sublime with a medley of massages for singles or couples. For resort information, visit www.royalhideaway.com.

The Whole Enchilada

As of January, MLT Vacations signed an agreement with United Airlines to take over the operation of its private label vacation packaging operation United Vacations which had been operated by The Mark Travel Corp. since 1994. United Vacations is the third major airline brand vacation packaging operation taken over by MLT Vacations in the last two years. The company also took over Continental Airlines Vacations in 2008 and Delta Vacations in 2009. Since taking over Continental Airlines Vacations, MLT has gone through a rapid expansion with 70 new destinations including Dubai and South Africa.

In addition to offering a ‘Travel Protection Plan’ or ‘Travel Protection Plan PLUS’, Pomerantz adds “MLT supports agents with a host of products, programs and policies.” For example, final payment is now due 31 days from departure in lieu of the previous 45 days, a vacation purchase now becomes non-refundable 3 days prior to departure instead of 10 days under the former policy and cancel fees have been reduced. “For travel agents, it's important to note that in addition to the lowest available airfares, “said Ken Pomerantz, president, “ we also offer access to more seat inventory and more fare classes, and we pay commission on every airfare, including business and first class, and on all land components, with no caps.”

The merger between United and Continental is in the works with final approval expected by the fall. “We look forward to working with Continental and United to optimize their package vacation revenue as they create the new United Airlines, “adds Ken Pomerantz.

Through WorldAgent Direct www.worldagentdirect.com - agents can book packages on Delta Vacations, Continental Airlines Vacations, United Vacations, and Worry-Free Vacations.

Agent tools include financial incentives and rewards, online training opportunities and e-marketing tools. MLT University, a three-day agent trade show, is held each fall and new business development managers are in place in Chicago, Denver, San Francisco and Washington DC.

As of March 30, Larry Chestler assumes CEO duties. In this new role, Chestler will be responsible for the overall strategy and performance of MLT Vacations. “Larry is an accomplished executive and his promotion is well deserved,” said Pomerantz. “I could not be happier for him personally and I look forward to continuing to work with him as we lead MLT Vacations in the years to come.”

For more information, click www.mltvacations.com
Or call 800-727-1111.


- 30 -

Haute & Spicy : A Culinary Tour of the Caribbean

Haute & Spicy

A Culinary Tour of the Caribbean

Melanie Reffes

“Ever since I knew myself,” quips Donovan Thompson in his charming Patois or Jamaica-speak,” My Uncle Taric told me never to tell anyone how we make our jerk chicken.” Grilling over an open fire at Mickey’s Jerk Pit in Jamaica’s Boston Bay and zealously guarding the family secret, the Jerk Master who learned the art of jerk from his famous Uncle swears it’s the best on the island. “My jerk is more-ish,” he explains using a typical Jamaican expression with the flair of a philosopher, “after you eat it, you want more. “

High atop the coffee-famous Blue Mountains and down the road from the movie-famous Blue Lagoon, Port Antonio is the birthplace of jerk or the centuries-old art style of grilling meat slowly over a low fire. Driving east from Kingston, a piquant aroma fills the air as the Boston Jerk Centre with a dozen or so open-air huts comes into view. This is casual dining at its finest. No cutlery, no menus and no frills. As the song goes, there may be a cheeseburger or two in this paradise but jerk is, indeed, the national taste treasure.

Whether it’s Jamaican mouth-burning jerk, Grenada’s oil-down stew of breadfruit, spinach, coconut milk and salted meat or conch fritters from the Bahamas, Caribbean cuisine is a delectable mélange from faraway lands and long ago times.

With more than 7,000 islands making up the region, it’s no surprise its culinary history is peppered with international inspiration. Okra and plantains came with the West African slave trade. Columbus planted sugarcane and the Dutch, Danish, British and French introduced rice and coffee. Potatoes were donated from those arriving from South America and avocados and cocoa came from Mexico.

In Aruba and Curacao, an Indonesian ristafeel is popular with locals, pommes ce theure or green plums soaked in coriander brine are street treats in Trinidad and in Puerto Rico, asopao stew, similar to paella, is family-style traditional fare.

Table Matters

Running the kitchen with palate-pleasing perfection, Christopher Golding is the new Chef de Cuisine at Sugar Mill Restaurant at Half Moon on Jamaica’s northwest coast. Winning rave reviews, his saffron poached snapper with spur tree pine and pepper jelly is already a big hit with foodies. For a most romantic dinner, book a table under the centuries-old waterwheel. Visit http://halfmoon.rockresorts.com.

Through imposing carved Indonesian wooden doors, East in Antigua excels with an Asian-inspired menu from green curry to pumpkin udon noodles. “The raw ingredients are of the utmost importance” explains Chef Peter Fitz Dreyer, “we can have paw-paw, guava and mangoes on the plate within an hour”. Visit www.campbellgrayhotels.com.

In St. Kitts, duck confit and rack of lamb are the star attractions at the new La Belle Vie, a short stroll from the Marriott. Owner Michel Lerousseau delights both French food aficionados while also introducing tourists to the refined flavors of France. Visit www.labellevie-stkitts.com

A Nibble and a Nosh

Next to the bridge at Simpson Bay in St. Maarten, barbecue is de rigueur at Bonita’s Cantina where owners Bryan and Bonny Tyrell cook it low and smoke it slow. “When the bridge goes up, “says Bonny Tyrell, co-owner, “we serve pork mini-sliders and margaritas to those waiting in their cars for the bridge to come back down.” Specials include the “Pig Out on Monday for a Tenner” (ribs, pulled pork and fries for $10.00). “Folks don’t have to take out a second mortgage to afford a really great meal here,” adds Bryan Tyrell, co-owner. Visit www.bonitascantinasxm.com.

Rated one of “America’s Best Burgers” by the Wall Street Journal, the ‘Presidente’ seared in beer is greasy goodness at the Hull Bay Hideaway in St. Thomas, USVI. West of Magen Bay and a few yards from the best surf break on the island, chili dogs and buffalo chicken are tops with the hardcore carnivores in the crowd. Visit www.hullbayhideaway.com

Sugar Rules

Desserts are the talk of the town at Oliver’s in the Spice Island Beach resort in Grenada where Head Chef, Jesson Church enchants with sinful masterpieces like his dark and white chocolate parfait. ”Jesson works tirelessly to ensure the highest culinary standards for our discerning guests,” said Sir Royston Hopkin, owner, “which is critical to our success as a fully-inclusive luxury resort.” For travel through April 15, an agent-specific “Escape to Grenada” package includes resort credits that can be used at Oliver’s. Contact the property - 473-444-4258 - or e-mail reservations@spiceisle.com.Visit www.spiceislandbeachresort.com.

On the tiny isle of Montserrat, a guava ice cream cone at Chico’s is a refreshing elixir for the soul. Those with a sweet tooth get their Chico fill at Ponts Beach View Restaurant and the Tropical Mansion Suites.

On the waterfront at Vigie Marina in St. Lucia, Coal Pot is the local favorite for sinful sweets created with flair by Chef Xavier. For dessert, a wedge of pineapple cheesecake (two forks, please) is a must-try. Visit www.coalpotrestaurant.com.

Bottoms Up

Move over, piña colada. These days, the top cocktail in Puerto Rico is the chichaíto (cheeh-chah-ee-toh), an after-dinner fusion of Palo Viejo rum and anise liqueur that is blended in twenty-five flavors from chocolate and ginger to lemon and coffee. Served in one-dollar shot glasses, the trendy brew is poured at Los 3 Cuernos bar in Old San Juan's Plaza de Colón.

Healthy yet potent, the beet mojito at the Cabana Bar & Grille in Turks & Caicos goes wonderfully well with a platter of perfectly fried conch fritters. Along Grace Bay revered for its white talc sand and cerulean waves, the sea view patio is all the rage with islanders who never tire of watching the sun set into the horizon. Visit www.oceanclubresorts.com

In St. John, USVI, The Beach Bar along a sandy stretch of Cruz Bay is a magnet for seriously famous megastars like Keith Urban and Kid Rock and a band of regulars who belly up to the bar for Sunday Jazz and Happy Hour. Visit www.beachbarstjohn.com

Reservations Required

April 10 – 16 - St. Croix Food & Wine Experience will celebrate its 11th year with gourmet dinners, celebrity chefs and wine tastings. Visit www.stcroixfoodandwine.com.

April 21 – 25 –Oistens Festival in Barbados for the best in fresh fish with sides of macaroni pie and plenty of Banks beer. Visit www.visitbarbados.org.

Beet Mojito Recipe
Courtesy: Cabana Bar in Turks & Caicos
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
A few sprigs mint
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Ice
1 tablespoon beet purees (boil beets until soft and puree in a blender until smooth)
1-1/2 ounces rum
Sprite
Garnish - fresh mint, lime wedge and sugar cane stick
In a tall tumbler, muddle 5 lime wedges with mint and sugar until crushed and juicy. Fill glass with ice. Add rum and beet puree. Stir well. Fill remaining glass with Sprite and stir. Garnish with lime, sprig of mint and a stick of sugar cane.

Posh Spice

Grown in an attractive array of bright yellows, oranges and reds, the Scotch bonnet was the first Caribbean hot pepper to be known by a specific name in the export market.

Among the most intense of all, a scotch bonnet rates between150, 000 and 3000,000 on the Scoville chart – the industry standard for measuring a pepper’s punch named after its creator, American chemist Wilbur Scoville. A Bell peppers rate a zero and pure capsaicin registers a blistering 16 million.
- To reduce the heat, remove the seeds and the white ribs in the middle
- If a pepper is burning you up, eat something sugary or fatty because the oil-based capsaicin will dissolve in these substances. A cold beer or margarita will make matters worse.
- Fire extinguisher of choice is a dollop of Greek yogurt which is thicker than other varieties.
- Remember, you can always add more but you can never take it away.




- 30 -

Spa-tacular in the Caribbean

Whether it’s rejuvenation for your soul or a massage for your soles, a day in a Caribbean spa is a must-have guilty pleasure. From an apricot pit scrub to a mineral mud bath, welcome to the world of unbridled relaxation where the wise and the weary soak, scour and soothe their way to feeling good.

There’s plenty of sensual healing in the Blue Spa at the swank Carlisle Bay in Antigua. With views of the rainforest, the glass walls are covered with louvered shutters to ensure peace and quiet in the six treatment rooms, plunge pools and sauna. “Guests occasionally find it hard to relax on a vacation, “said Bruce Lawrence, spa manager, “however, after a hot stone or deep tissue massage, relaxation is instant.”  Stand-out treatments include the ‘Citrus Drench” which hydrates the skin with Shea butter, honey and orange extract.  Visit http://www.carlisle-bay.com/ . 

At the pair of Ocean Club Resorts in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos, Spa Tropique delights with unmistakable island calm. Friendly front desk staff at both resorts, Ocean Club and Ocean Club West , will arrange a myriad of massages either en suite or inside the aptly named spa  with its warm colors, aromatic scents and a jazzy soundtrack that is never too loud. “Foot massages are popular with folks coming from cold cities,” smiles Patricia Amor De la Rosa, masseuse, “because walking on the beach in comfort is a priority.” Massages worth the splurge include the “Turks Island Salt Glow” using sea salts from the flats of Salt Cay and a gentle “Eye Candy” treatment that softens winter weary lines around the eyes.  Visit http://www.spatropique.com/

In St. Lucia, La Mer Spa at the Bay Gardens Beach Resort in Rodney Bay is a tranquil haven for rejuvenation offering sports massages, body scrubs and full-body rubdowns for couples. “Feeling relaxed and gorgeous should be easy, “said managing director Joyce Destang, “we bring a full-service spa experience to a convenient setting on our hotel premises.”  Visit www.baygardensresorts.com. 

Soaks in tubs filled with water from the Diamond Mineral Baths where Napoleon Bonaparte’s wife Josephine reportedly “took the cure” is the quintessential St. Lucian experience at the chic Ladera Resort. Visit www.ladera.com

The “Body Oasis “at Janissa’s Spa at the Spice Island Beach Resort is Grenada’s ode to well-being.  The all-day package - $610.00- includes treatments that utilize the fragrance of nutmeg, restorative powers of coconut and the calm of ocean seaweed. Visit http://www.spiceislandbeachresort.com/.

 

Get in touch with your inner hedonist at the Wellness Center at Cap Juluca in Anguilla where a “Green Tea and Ginger Sea Enzyme Wrap” relaxes to the tune of $205.00 for eighty minutes. Visit http://www.capjuluca.com/. 


Across the sea in St. Maarten, an hour flies by under a steam dome as warm honey is rubbed all over the body at the Good Life Spa in the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort.  The “Salt and Honey Glow” joins other regal treatments like the “Four Hand massage” where a pair of therapists performs a choreography of moves that will remind clients why they booked a vacation in the first place.   http://www.thegoodlifespa.com/. 


Everything about it is exclusive from the marble floors to the bathrobes embossed with the Dior signature.  The first and only Christian Dior spa in the Caribbean, The Dior Spa at The Cliff in Cupecoy Beach, excels with a power soak in a hydrotherapy tub where sea water, seaweed and more than two hundred jets melt tension into oblivion. Visit http://cliffsxm.com/spa.

Pampering is paramount in Jamaica with a vast array of the crème de la crème of tropical spas. Setting the gold standard in Montego Bay, relaxation at the Ritz-Carlton Resort is de rigueur with eleven treatment rooms, fitness center and saunas. With fine finesse and nimble fingers, the “Gentlemen’s Retreat “ - 130 minutes / $349.00-  is for the boys in the crowd and includes a massage, facial and  round of golf on the 18-hole White Witch course. Visit http://www.ritzcarlton.com/.

The scent of lemongrass permeates the air at the Red Lane Spas in Sandals Resorts region-wide. Hot and cold plunge pools, eucalyptus saunas and perfumed garden sanctuaries compliment a menu that includes a  no-nonsense facial that uses vitamin-rich red oranges, grapefruit oil and seaweed and massages like the ‘Wake up and Smell the Coffee’ that exfoliates the skin with coffee grounds but won’t keep you up at night.  Visit http://www.sandals.com/

Life is laced with languor at the open-air KiYara Spa at the Jamaica Inn in the cliffs of Cutlass Bay, outside Ocho Rios. Translating to ‘sacred place of the earth spirits’ in the language of the Taino Indians, treatments harness river-smoothed stones in the “Hot Stone Energy Balancing Massage “and  organic cocoa for a  “Chocolate Indulgence’” rub that is good enough to eat and too good to miss. Visit http://www.jamaicainn.com/.
 

Centuries-old healing traditions are alive and well at the Fern Tree Spa at Half Moon Resort in Montego Bay. From a massage with heated sea shells and a sugar and allspice body exfoliation to a “Jamaican Bush Bath” steeped in the local healing herb known as “cerasee”, the spa on the sandy crescent dotted with fragrant gardens is relaxation par excellence. Visit http://www.halfmoon.com/.

And for mommies-to-be, Breezes Resorts in Jamaica and Curaçao are selling a “Blue Mahoe Maternity” spa package for women in their second and third trimesters. The package includes a massage, facial and pedicure and unlimited pickles and ice cream at the resorts buffet tables. Visit http://www.breezes.com/.

Spa 101 – The Glossary

• Acupuncture: The ancient Chinese healing system that uses fine needles to open up blockages to balance the flow of energy.
• Body Polish: Skin exfoliation using botanical, fruit or marine extracts.
• Chakras: Seven energy centers located between the base of the spine and the top of the skull.
• Couples Massage: Side-by-side therapeutic massage for two - one therapist for each person.
• Eco-Spa: Facilities that limit the use of plastic packaging bleached paper and chlorinated water.
• Exfoliation: The removal of dead skin cells by loofah rub or body brush.
• Hot Stone Massage:  Hot and cold stones used for relief of sore muscles.
• Reflexology: An ancient system of applying pressure to reflex points on the feet.
• Salt Glow:  Hydrating treatment using salt and fragrant oils.
• Vichy Shower:  Multiple showerheads spraying warm water while you recline on a wet table.