Norm:

Could you tell us a little about yourself and your expertise in spas, and why you became interested in them?

Susie:

I was athletic in my youth and naturally gravitated toward being as healthy as possible. After college in mid 70's, I began working at Golden Door Spa which, unbeknownst to me at time, was top spa in country. After spending many years on staff, I became enthralled with how people's lives were transformed after just a one-week stay at this famous place. I decided to make spa my life's work, and combination of movement, good nutrition, spa therapies and a mind/body/spirit approach to wellness became a passion. And lucky for me, spa industry, which was just emerging at time, was poised for explosive growth.

Norm:

Why have spas continued to grow and have become popular over past several years?

Susie:

I see three general trends that have come together to precipitate popularity of spas.

1. The aging baby boomer. This demographic wants to maintain youth and vigor. Spas are a perfect place to achieve these goals.

2. Stress. The non-stop bombardment of information and connectivity is creating a need for people to have places to decompress, de-stress, slow down and pay attention to their body, mind and spirit.

3. A troubled health care system means people of all ages must become more responsible for their wellness and health.

Norm:

How do you go about identifying top-notch romantic spas in terms of quality of treatment, fitness, relaxation, location, atmosphere, and staff?

Susie:

Truly best way to identify romantic spas is to consult romantic/honeymoon spa category on www.spafinder.com. There are almost 50 romantic spas listed. Spa Finder's mission is to connect people with their ideal spa experience, and we also present spas in 20 other categories such as: weight loss spas, spas for horseback riding, hiking spas, spas for yoga, etc.

Norm:

As a follow up which ones would make top ten on your list?

Susie:

Here are a few of my favorite romantic spas in U.S.:

Mirbeau, New York

Chateau Elan, Georgia

Miramante Resort & Spa, California

Silverado, California

Emerson, New York

The Spa at Sundance, Utah

Hampton Retreats, New York

Mana Lani , Hawaii

Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain, Arizona

Westglow, North Carolina

Outside of U.S.:

Brenner's Park, Baden Baden, Germany

CuisinArt Resort & Spa, Anguilla

El Santuario, Mexico

Samas, Park Kenmare Hotel, Ireland

Echo Valley Ranch Resort, Canada

Norm:

What are benefits of spa treatments for honeymooners and romantic getaways for couples in search of de-stress?

Susie:

There are many ways to de-stress and spas specialize in this. Exercise is an excellent de-stresser. Bathing in hot water is a de-stresser. Massages are for many ultimate de-stresser. At spas people typically leave their outside world behind, they slow down and their bodies become more relaxed. A spa has nurturing staff and there is lovely food that doesn't intoxicate but rather revitalizes. I think that what spas do is help us get back to who we really are and connecting at that level is always romantic.

Norm:

What spa treatments are especially recommended for those new to spa experience?

Susie:

I think a good place to start for a newcomer is with a Swedish Massage and a facial. These are still most favorite spa treatments because people love them. Although there are many wonderful treatments on most spa's menus, such as hot stone massage, Ayruvedic treatments or even body scrubs and wraps, I would not recommend them for first time spa-goer.

For a first time romantic experience, I would suggest choosing a "couple's massage" where both of you are in same room for your treatment. Sometimes this can include a bathing ritual for two of you together before or after...very romantic!

And finally, if a spa has a "signature treatment" that might also be a good place for a first time spa-goer to begin. Often this is an experience with more than one element - like a scrub and a massage, or a foot ritual and massage, etc.

And I do suggest that a person let receptionist know that this is their first time spa experience so that attendant and therapist can be a bit more thorough about explaining procedures and protocol.

Norm:

What is meant by "destination spas," and how do you differentiate them from other spas as well as between themselves?

Susie:

Being a spur of moment person has its advantages. It means you can “seize day” and run with it, enjoying an opportunity when it comes your way. So next time you’ve lined up your vacation time and decided you’re just going to drive to nearest lake or maybe visit some relatives, keep an open mind and check in on great online cruise deals that show up as you get closer to your vacation dates.

You may discover that as your vacation rolls around deals are getting better and better, and you simply can’t pass up opportunity to take advantage of great offers out there. At first glance you may tell yourself that even with reduced cost of a cruise you’re still paying more to go on a cruise than you are to drive to a popular lake resort of beachfront rental property, but discounts on last minute cruises are great bargains because they’re all inclusive!

All-inclusive Means Savings on Entertainment and Meals

A cruise includes your entire trip, accommodations, all of your meals (and meals onboard ship are fantastic!), and all of ship’s entertainment, from dancing to Vegas style shows. Compare that to your vacation and you’ll discover that by time you add up your room, transportation, meals and entertainment expenses, cruise deals that are available at last minute just don’t compare to your routine vacation plans – cruises are much better!

Think about total relaxation factor – no trying to find a good restaurant or wondering if there’s anything decent in way of entertainment. On a cruise vacation, everything’s right there, every night. Your vacation is filled with every kind of entertainment, relaxation and fine dining imaginable even before you get to your ports of call!

Some of amenities found on typical cruise ship – and available with last-minute cruise deals – include:

ØFine & casual dining Ø24-hour room service ØSwimming pool ØFitness centers & spa facilities ØDay spa and beauty salon ØA variety of lounges and stages with world-class entertainment ØCasinos ØDuty-free gift shops

Is there a vacation anywhere that provides all of this in one location, all within walking distance, with gorgeous vistas of water and moonlight thrown in?

Finding Sizzling Hot Cruise Deals is Easy

How do you find fantastic cruise deals? The best way is to be flexible – keep in mind that there are several reasons that last minute berths open up on cruise ships. Most commonly, cruise ships simply don’t fill every one of their rooms on most cruises, and they understand that it makes more sense to offer these spaces at a discount than it does to leave these rooms empty. The level of service and amenities are exactly same as that for passengers paying full price!