Monday, January 25, 2010

The Pacific Waters Spa in HB is worth the trip to OC

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This is how I spent my Sunday! The Pacific Waters Spa at the Hyatt Resort & Spa in Huntington Beach invited LA Moms bloggers (and a few others) to spend an afternoon indulging so that we could tell you all about it!

The Spa is 20,000 square feet of luxury, indulgence, and - oh, yeah - there's a fitness center, too. But admittedly, we were perfectly content to simply look at the equipment while we noshed on some of the lavish treats from the Spa menu. They had my favorite kind of sandwich: mozzarella, tomato, and basil with pesto. I had two. (There were other kinds of sandwiches, but why anyone would care when there's mozzarella to be had, I just don't know.)

But I'm getting ahead of myself. After going to the relax room, I was taken for a massage by Maren. We concentrated on the neck and shoulders, and it didn't take long for those tense muscles to forget all about the drive down!

Then I went for a manicure with Jacquie (who cracked me up when she heard my girls were 9 and 12, and asked "and you're still allowed to blog?"). She treated my hands to a scrub, masque, and moisturizer that left my hands still smelling sweet for hours!

After that, we learned how to make a couple of spa treatments at home created by Pacific Water Spa's manager, Carol McIntire. These are made from items either already on our grocery list, or easy enough to add to the list. I admit, I'm a little adverse to the idea of using coffee for a treatment (because it smells heavenly, and just made me want to drink it), and will instead share the foot treatment with you. You will need:

-3/4 cup Aloe gel (this might be tougher to find in your regular supermarket, so try a specialty store if you have trouble)
-1 cup organic sugar crystals (like the brown In the Raw packets you see at Starbucks)
-1/2 crushed fresh mint leaves (or another natural herb to your liking, like rose petals or lavender)

Mix all ingredients, apply to feet in light circular motion to exfoliate. You can also wrap the feet in plastic wrap and warm towels for 3-4 minutes, then unwrap, and rinse.

After learning about those and getting a tour of the entire spa facility (and stuffing my face with mozzarella sandwiches), it was time for our facial. When I arrived at my parents' house to pick up the girls, my mom immediately noticed the difference in my face! It felt heavenly and was just as soothing as the massage.

The entire staff was so friendly and easy-going. There wasn't a hint of air about them and they were very knowledgeable.

The chain of Hyatt spas (known as Hyatt Pure) is very conscientious about using natural products as much as possible, and incorporating local products as appropriate.

I was also surprised how family-friendly the Resort and even the Spa are! The salon offers services for kids ages 4 and up, and the Resort has two pool areas, one with 3 different slides for the kids (and cabanas with TVs for the parents). The Resort also offers Camp Hyatt, which would keep the kids plenty busy while parents relax in the sauna or have a couples massage.

The bad news? I could never afford this place! I could barely afford to tip all the wonderful staff who took such great care of us!

Still, I would have no trouble recommending it to anyone who can. And I can even help you with the price. Become a fan of Pacific Waters Spa on Facebook, and/or follow them on Twitter, tell them April McCaffery referred you, and you'll receive 20% off any 60 minute treatment.

Even if you're not a SoCal resident, what the heck, do it anyway! Maybe you can plan your next getaway around it, and we can meet up!