Family-Friendly Getaways
By Bernard Burt
Get Back to Nature at Tabac³n Grand Spa Thermal Resort
Mist rises from thermal streams, drifting among palm trees and flowering gardens at Tabac³n Grand Spa Thermal Resort in northern Costa Rica. Truly volcanic, the resort is located at the base of the Arenal volcano in a rainforest. Amid twelve natural hot spring pools and lagoons, you’ll discover sybaritic places to bathe, and experience an Indian sweat lodge, mud baths, and fine dining.
Tabac³n is about getting back to nature, stylishly. From the dining room you can slip into a warm pool of mineral water. At the main bathhouse, kids splash and slide in big pools, day and night. Secluded in the gardens, the new Grand Spa has 11 treatment bungalows. An extensive menu of indigenous and therapeutic treatments includes the unique volcanic mud wrap. Also on tap: mineral water treatments, coffee and coconut scrubs, and massage with hot volcanic stones.
A VIP cottage comes with meals served by your own chef and butler. Explore your inner self by meditating in the temazcal. Active vacationers can hike the volcanic slopes, and perhaps see nature’s fireworks at the cone. Tour the treetops on a zip-line, or ride the scenic route. The resort also rents bikes and can arrange jeep tours.
According to General Manager Uri Wagner and Spa Director Rosa Paulina Perez, sustainable tourism must respect the land and indigenous culture. When floods washed away the spa last year, they rebuilt it using green technology. Named a “Leading Spa of the World” by Leading Hotels of the World, and awarded the American Academy of Hospitality Science Five Diamond Award, Tabacon offers 114 guest rooms, and spacious suites with soaking tubs. For more information call (877) 277-8291 or visit www.tabacon.com.
Discover the Mandara Spa at The Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island
Treat your teenagers while you retreat. Secluded within the Atlantis Resort, Mandara Spa introduces YSpa for the tween generation where young spa-goers get the full glamour treatment including facials, massage, and nail care. Specialized services include the Fabulous Fruity Facial and Beach Babe Hair Conditioning Treatment. Spa together during a parent/teen massage in one of the double treatment rooms. Teen guests can return home with healthier looking skin after enjoying an Acne Attack Facial or an energizing Surfer’s Scrub Body Exfoliation.
Tapping into tropical energy, Mandara Spa treatments meld indigenous island fruits with the European beauty expertise of Elemis. Opt for a private villa suite for two, and enjoy a full or half-day of holistic treatments. The two-level spa has a salon for hair and nail care, soaking pools, color-themed relaxation lounges aglow with acrylic-sculpted bamboo, waterfalls, marble floors, and hand-carved Balinese woodwork.
Family fun at Aquaventure includes a climbing wall where kids learn strategy under the guidance of the fitness team. This 63-acre waterpark has tubing in raging rapids, pyramid-like water slides, and a shark-filled aquarium free of charge.
The ultimate experience: swimming with a dolphin at the new marine mammal study center, Dolphin Cay. Call it a learning experience; we loved getting close-up with these amazing creatures. Outfitted with wet suit and protective slippers, you are introduced to the agile dolphins and trainers. Adding a swim increases your experience, and cost ($200).
Mandara Spa tailors fitness programs to fit your lifestyle. Atlantis Kidisthenics (SM) family wellness program for kids ages 6-10, and Family Yoga, encourage the entire family to stay active together. Cutting-edge fitness options include nightclub spinning classes, letting you enjoy the beach and aquatic attractions during the day, so fun fitness classes are offered at night. For more information call (800) ATLANTIS or visit www.atlantis.com
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