URBAN RENEWAL
A wet room at 29 Spa at the Mansion on Peachtree.
29 Spa at the Mansion on Peachtree, a Rosewood Hotel,
Atlanta
Given that Lydia Mondavi owns grape-seed-fueled 29 Cosmetics and is
married to renowned winemaker Robert Mondavi Jr., it comes as no
surprise that her debut spa revolves around vinotherapy. Set inside a
stately Southern hotel, the inviting space offers such treatments as
Cream of the Crop, an exfoliating facial that relies on antioxidant
grape seeds culled from vineyards around the world, the Mondavis’ in
Napa, California, included. A potentially dangerous treat is the shoe
and handbag shopping service available in the manicure-pedicure room:
Beginning in December, clients need only point to their favorite pair of
Manolo Blahniks midpedi, and a personal butler will run across the
street to Neiman Marcus to pick them up. “It’s like a Batphone to
luxury,” Lydia jokes. 404.995.7500, rwmansiononpeachtree.com.
The over-the-top staircase at Sense, a Rosewood Spa at the Carlyle.
Sense, a Rosewood Spa at the Carlyle, New York
The historic Carlyle’s first-ever spa boasts an intimate salon run by
New York hairstylist Yves Durif and a treatment menu that brings a hint
of the quirky to the indulgent. The esoterically named Flowers Hold Life
includes a private steam that doubles as a light show, with sounds and
colors evoking thunderstorms or sunrises. Even more eccentric is the
Apaisant Treatment, involving bundles of oak leaves from Central Park,
which are sterilized, soaked in olive oil soap and then whisked across
the body to exfoliate skin. Curious touches aside, the space flawlessly
captures the Carlyle’s gracious style, both in its attitude (the
facility’s gym opened prematurely to accommodate Tony Blair) and Art
Deco decor, executed in warm, soothing grays. Especially impressive is
the staircase leading down to the treatment rooms, which is surrounded
by $70,000 worth of platinum tiles— the spa’s only show of flash.
212.660.7560, thecarlyle.com
Dior Institut at Hôtel Plaza Athénée.
Dior Institut at Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris
Inside Dior’s first Paris spa, the label’s latest fashion show is
projected onto one wall, making for an artsy and edgy contrast to the
otherwise pervasive atmosphere of tranquillity. Within the spa’s
treatment rooms, however, the focus is entirely on relaxation. The L’Or
de Vie facial fights signs of aging with grapevine extracts from
France’s Château d’Yquem vineyard, the same formula that powers the
company’s L’Or de Vie skincare line. To help hotel guests ease their way
into the City of Light, Jambes en Apesanteur is a back and leg massage
that aims to revive weary limbs after a taxing flight or an arduous
shopping trip. 33.1.53.67.65.35, plaza-athenee-paris.com.
