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Pamper Yourself, Tucson-Style
Surrounded by the unexpectedly lush and mysteriously healing Sonoran Desert, Tucson, Arizona is an ideal locale for those in search of relaxation, revitalization, or out-and-out pampering. While many spas around the world offer massages, facials, body wraps, and other traditional treatments, Tucson’s spas offer unique therapies that incorporate the local, natural botanicals that flourish in Southern Arizona. From desert herb-infused body wraps, to fossilized Sonoran Desert salt scrubs, Tucson spa-goers can truly immerse themselves in the real, natural elements of the Old Pueblo.
In addition to the desert flora often incorporated into Tucson spa treatments, a world-renowned massage technique also has roots here. Indigenous cultures – including the Native American tribes of the Southwest – have practiced hot stone massage for thousands of years. More recently, Tucson native Mary Hannigan trademarked the therapy (in 1993), naming her particular technique LaStone Therapy. Today, Tucson’s spas offer a wide range of their own unique hot stone treatments.
Luxury/Destination Spas
The natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert’s purifying warmth and clear skies makes Tucson an unparalleled home for rejuvenating, luxurious destination spas. Guests can relax over a weekend or longer in an all-inclusive spa experience custom-designed for specific needs. Break a bad habit, learn to deal with stress healthfully, experience true nutrition, get into better shape, or just sit back and unwind at one of Tucson’s world-renowned spas.
In the lush foothills of Tucson’s Santa Catalina Mountains, lies Miraval Life In Balance – recently featured on Oprah and consistently ranked the No. 1 destination spa in the country by Condé Nast Traveler magazine. While Miraval is best known for its mindful approach of caring for both the body and the soul through therapeutic massage, healthy gourmet food, and thought-provoking meditation, it also offers a wide array of traditional spa treatments that feature the all-natural ingredients of the desert surrounding the resort. The spa’s Sonoran Mud Wrap begins with a “desert rain” salt scrub exfoliation – consisting of mineral salts combined with desert herbs and essential oils – and switches to a mineral-rich red clay wrap before ending with a re-moisturizing desert sage lotion rubdown. Miraval uses an abundant local ingredient – the prickly pear cactus – in its Prickly Pear Sugar Scrub treatment, which gently exfoliates sensitive skin, and ends with a light massage with Prickly Pear Jojoba Body Butter. The resort also offers an Arizona Aloe Wrap, which combines essential oils with the flesh of the soothing desert plant, Aloe Vera, to alleviate sunburn and rehydrate the skin.
World-famous Canyon Ranch can be found in the Catalina Mountain foothills northeast of Downtown Tucson. Canyon Ranch invites guests to indulge in both calming spa therapies and healthy lifestyle education, in its unspoiled Sonoran Desert environment. Visitors can tailor their stay to their individual needs, treating themselves to physical activities such as pilates, hiking, and aquatic workouts; visiting expert medical personnel – both traditional and alternative; or relaxing away tension during a wide array of spa therapies. Those in search of an authentic desert spa experience can enjoy the Mesquite Body Scrub – a full-body treatment that includes an exfoliation using ground desert mesquite beans and cornmeal, which combine to polish and moisturize dry skin. The Mesquite treatment is followed by a soothing application of moisturizer, leaving skin soft, smooth, and replenished.
Resort Spas
Tucson is widely regarded as a world-class golf Mecca, boasting challenging “target” courses on plush resort properties surrounding the city. While professional-caliber golf is a major attraction for many Tucson travelers, most of the Old Pueblo’s resorts also boast some of the finest spa facilities in the Southwest.
The 7,000-square-foot Lakeside Spa at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort & Spa offers a wide variety of full-service health, wellness, weight, and beauty treatments designed to soothe the stresses of both body and mind. Guests can indulge in an assortment of facials, massages, and body wraps, or hit the fitness facility to work up a sweat on the spa’s cardio, resistance, and weight machines. The Lakeside Spa offers a broad selection of natural desert treatments, such as the Native Hot Stone Massage, which features smooth, heated basalt stones to ease muscle tension and encourage healthy circulation while inducing deep relaxation. Guests at the Lakeside Spa can also experience the Desert Herbal Cocoon Wrap with Mountain Arnica and Sage, which captures the healing benefits of oils infused with its namesake desert herbs. While the body is cocooned in hot linens steeped in herbal infusions, a relaxing neck, face, and scalp massage is administered. Or, for those in search of body and mind restoration, the Sedona Sacred Clay Energy Restorer with Juniper Cedar Wood therapy re-mineralizes the skin with an exfoliating Juniper Cedar Wood Desert Salt Body Polish scrub. Warm, smooth Sedona Clay is then applied to the body, after which it is wrapped in a warm cocoon, encouraging detoxification and energy revitalization. When the clay is rinsed off, guests are treated to a full-body application of Juniper Cedar Wood Jojoba body lotion.
The Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa at Westin La Paloma features a 9,300-square-foot, uniquely-Tucson spa retreat. The Red Door Spa offers state-of-the-art spa services that range from rejuvenating seaweed body wraps to Desert Stone massages. At Red Door, Tucson visitors can indulge in three separate Juniper Sage treatments: The Juniper Sage Aroma Bath, which immerses the body in a fragrant, detoxifying bath with the natural desert herbs, sage and juniper; The Juniper Sage Aroma Massage, which lasts 50 or 80 minutes and uses nourishing Desert Sage oil to soothe away stress; and the Juniper Sage Foot Bath, which calms the feet and heals the spirit with a gentle desert herb soak. Guests can also enjoy the Native Grains Body Wrap, which includes an assortment of natural Sonoran Desert grains to revitalize skin and leave the body relaxed and revitalized. Or, for those who don’t want to choose just one or two desert treatments from the Red Door Spa, the La Paloma Purification Ritual blends all four therapies into one long, blissful experience.
In the saguaro-studded Tucson Mountains just west of town, the Hashani Spa at JW Marriott Starr Pass combines the latest health and beauty technologies with ancient healing traditions and techniques in a peaceful spa environment. At Hashani, spa enthusiasts can turn back the clock with an Arizona Copper Peptide Firming Facial, which uses a natural copper complex to relax facial features and keep the skin supple and firm. The Sonoran Sands Body Polish combines desert herbs and pure oils with an exfoliating scrub that both improves circulation and softens skin. Or – for skin in need of TLC after too much time under the Tucson sun – the Sonoran Quench hydration wrap blends pure algae with native desert Aloe Vera, which is applied after a soothing rub-down with lavender essential oils. Following the aloe-algae treatment, guests are wrapped in loose sheets and treated to a calming scalp and foot massage. At Hashani, spa-goers in search of a simple massage can also enjoy the unique atmosphere of the Sonoran Desert with the Cabana Massage – a traditional, relaxing rub in the serenity of an outdoor desert cabana.
Set high in the foothills north of Tucson, the Sonoran Spa at Westward Look Resort lies on an 80-acre oasis of pristine Southern Arizona desert. Treatments at the Sonoran Spa are tailored to each guest’s individual needs, and many services are inspired by Tucson’s abundant natural elements. The Desert Stone Massage employs techniques from the ancient Native American tribes of the Southwest, utilizing natural, heated basalt stones to ease muscle tension, followed by a soothing Desert Sage oil massage. Visitors can also shed stress and reveal smooth, moisturized skin with the Blue Corn Scrub, which blends blue corn, raw sugar, and sunflower oil for an invigorating rubdown, followed by a skin treatment that features hydrating desert botanical essential oils. Or, to experience the cleansing warmth of the Tucson desert, visitors can heat up with the Desert Heat wrap, which captures Arizona’s naturally occurring copper, magnesium, and zinc in a self-heating body wrap that cleanses body, mind, and soul. After the wrap is removed, an application of essential sage and juniper oils helps the body rehydrate.
Day Spas/Salon Spas
Those in need of a spa treatment on the fly can still experience Tucson’s rich desert botanicals at one of the Old Pueblo’s many day spas or salon spas.
In the heart of Tucson’s funky, eclectic University area, Elements In Balance Salon and Day Spa – a full-service Aveda Concept Salon Spa – offers visitors aromatherapy, scalp and hand treatments, body wraps, massages, and more. Spa guests can indulge in a Hot Stone Massage, which uses water-heated basalt and metamorphic stones that have been hand-selected by the spa’s massage therapists from Sedona Oak Creek and the White Mountains in Northern Arizona. The heat from the stones penetrates tight muscles, allowing for deep relaxation, increased circulation, and superb muscle tissue detoxification.
Right next door to the University of Arizona’s midtown Tucson campus, Salud! Spa Bar puts a unique spin on the idea of a day spa, by custom-blending bath and body products for use in traditional spa treatments. Guests can experience the distinctive aromas of the Sonoran Desert with Salud’s Desert Bloom scent, which captures the essence of the dewy native agave cactus. Or, flood the senses with the fruity aroma of juicy Pomegranate – a staple Arizona desert fruit.
For more information on Tucson and Southern Arizona spas, please visit the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau online at www.VisitTucson.org (click on “Things To Do” and “Spas”), or call the Tucson Visitor Information line at 1-800-638-8350.
The MTCVB is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the Tucson area as a convention, visitor, and film production destination. It is financially supported by the City of Tucson, Pima County, the Town of Oro Valley, and its nearly 800 individual and business members.
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