Palms in the Turks & Caicos

The recently-opened Palms in the Turks & Caicos is making waves with its stellar fusion cuisine (the chef is Jasper Schneider, a protégé of Eric Ripert), sprawling beachfront suites, and snazzy infinity-edge pool. But the real buzz is centered on the 15,000-square-foot freestanding spa (conceived by Angel Stewart of Canyon Ranch fame), which features eight hand-cut coral stone cabanas and a torch-lit outdoor meditation area. One of the signature treatments is the Zareeba (Arabic for “safe enclosure”), a detoxifying steam ritual developed exclusively for the resort by a Jamaican herbalist. The eighty-minute treatment, which takes place in a private canvas tent, requires the participant to stir a boiling clay pot of therapeutic herbs (lemongrass, wild basil, rosemary, eucalyptus, etc.), which releases steam. The rhythm at which the herbs are stirred determines the intensity and amount of herbal steam she receives. The steam is then followed by a light massage. For more information call (866) 877-7256 or visit www.thepalmstc.com

—Jill Fergus

September/October 2005