canyon ranch

Start 2011 With the "Ultimate Healthy Beginning" at Canyon Ranch Miami

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

After all those rounds of holiday parties, we're sure you'll need a detox - after all, we certainly do. What better place to kick off your New Years Resolution than at Canyon Ranch Miami Beach, an industry leader in both spa and wellness? They've designed the Luxury of Wellness package, a series of three five-night programs that are customized to your specific needs.

Priced at a cool $45,000, this package is limited to those with fairly deep pockets, but it does offer a comprehensive vacation and wellness experience. Plus, who wouldn't want to spend three weeks a year in Miami?

The package includes a a pre-arrival interview to assess the guest's overall health; completely stress free travel with luggage delivery service, private airport pickup, and more. A host of comprehensive diagnostic tests are conducted to establish the ideal course of action. Private session options with in-resort practitioners (think acupuncture, energy healing, life style management, exercise physiology, etc.) are aimed at leaving the guest with all the tools necessary to take home to improve their health.

Tags: ashiatsu massage, canyon ranch, canyon ranch miami, canyon ranch miami beach, fitness DVD, luxury of wellness, massage, spa package, spa packages, spa treatments

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Queen Mary 2's Canyon Ranch SpaClub: Pure Bliss on the Atlantic Ocean (with Video)

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

Perhaps the most decadent, and most relaxing experience one could ever imagine, is time spent at the Canyon Ranch SpaClub while crossing the Atlantic Ocean on Cunard's Queen Mary 2 ocean liner.

The Queen Mary 2 is equipped with a 22,000 square foot spa, which is one of the largest ship-based spas in the world. The spa facilities include 24 treatment rooms, a luxurious aqua-therapy facility and a beauty and hair salon. For those seeking exercise, there's a fully-equipped circuit gym with free weights as well as a large cardio facility that is outfitted with state-of-the-art elliptical trainers, stationary and recumbent bicycles, a variety of treadmills and stepping machines. Much of the equipment is equipped with individual televisions and iPod docks. Fitness trainers are available for individual sessions.

While the Canyon Ranch SpaClub isn't quite as elaborate as visiting the world-renowned Canyon Ranch destination locations in Tucson, Ariz. or Lenox, Mass. (and a Luxist Awards' Nominee for Best Extended-Stay Spa), it is extremely impressive nonetheless. And in some ways, the Canyon Ranch SpaClub aboard the Queen Mary 2, which opened in 2004, is even better. Where else can you enjoy the historic and romantic experience of crossing the Atlantic on a beautiful ocean liner while experiencing the healthy lifestyle offered by Canyon Ranch?

Gallery: Canyon Ranch SpaClub on Cunard's Queen Mary 2

Canyon Ranch SpaClub on the Queen Mary 2

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Summer Recipes from Canyon Ranch Spas

by Carrie N. Culpepper (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

Luxury spa chain Canyon Ranch with resorts in Tuscon, Ariz., Lenox, Mass. and Miami Beach (as well as "SpaClubs" at the Venetian in Las Vegas and aboard Cunard's Queen Mary 2) is famous for its integrated approach to health and wellness. During a weekend stay you might exercise, see doctors and wellness experts and enjoy spa treatments, but the food is where some of the most subtle and sublime healthiness takes place. Earlier this year MSN named the Canyon Ranch Grill at Las Vegas' Palazzo hotel one of the Top 10 Heart-Healthy Restaurants in the U.S. We asked the culinary team at Canyon Ranch to share three healthy summer recipes and their secrets.

Salmon w/ Blueberry Mango Salsa

Health Benefits:
Fish, specifically salmon, is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids which have been shown to increase optimal brain functioning by decreasing inflammation and keeping the blood vessels flexible.

Antioxidants, found in brightly colored fruits and veggies like blueberries and red peppers, protect against free-radical damage.

[recipe after the break]

Tags: canyon ranch, Canyon Ranch Cooking, canyon ranch grill, canyon ranch miami, canyon ranch spa, summer recipes

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Arizona Real Estate Developer Faces Foreclosure On Major Land Project

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

Some Arizona land that was once to hold over 1,000 luxury homes and a luxury resort may be heading for a trustee's sale. The Arizona Republic reports that the Ellman Cos., doing business as Goldfield Preserve Development LLC, defaulted on a $177.1 million loan for the 2,450 acres of land in Maricopa County northeast of Scottsdale. The trustee sale is set for August 4.

The project known as the Preserve at Goldfield Ranch is part of the existing 5,000-acre Goldfield Ranch community. Ellman bought 2,200 acres for the development in 2006 for $133 million. The resort was to have a Canyon Ranch spa and resort and the single-family property lots were to be one to eight acres. In 2007 after the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors approved a master-plan amendment for the project it was predicting that groundbreaking could take place in as few as two years.

Don Kile, Ellman's president of master-planned communities is quoted in the article as saying that the company continues to work with their lenders to "resolve this issue and to maximize the property's value and marketability."

Tags: arizona, arizona real estate, bankruptcy, canyon ranch, ellman, goldfield ranch, preserve at goldfield ranch

Nominees for Best in Spas

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

Best Day Spa
The first nominee has 20 locations around the world, its own line of take-home products and an attitude almost as refreshing as its spa treatments while the second nominee is a luxurious spa ensconced in a sumptuous hotel located in one of the most splendid cities in the world. The third nominee is widely recognized for revolutionizing the day spa, while stepping into the fourth us reminiscent of a sixteenth century Mediterranean villa, albeit in San Diego. The final nominee offers body treatments and skincare with techniques borrowed from European and Asian tradition with sweeping views of the Hong Kong Harbor.

Bliss
Dior Institute at the Plaza Athénée
Exhale
The Spa at The Grand del Mar
Peninsula Spa by Espa

Best Green Spa
The first nominee is a Napa Valley retreat that opened a year ago while the second, also in the California wine country takes green to a whole new level. The third nominee is in Australia, nestled in the middle of the world's oldest living rain forest, while the fourth is located more than 500 miles off the coast of East Africa, making it one of the world's most exclusive and secluded spas. The final nominee is located in Hawaii and is powered almost entirely by the energy soaked up by solar panels that adorn the roofs of nearly all of its structures.

Bardessono
Calistoga Ranch
Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa
Frégate Island Private
Sullivan Estate & SPA Retreat

Best Extended Stay Spa
The first nominee is the recipient of countless awards and accolades for its innovative approach to health, wellness and holistic and integrative care while the second offers different site-specific perks at each of its five locations. The third nominee offers all-inclusive stays that include airfare and is located in the mountains of Arizona. The fourth nominee dates back over 80 years and is located in a charming historic town 35 miles south of Santa Barbara and the final nominee is the original destination fitness resort and spa.

Canyon Ranch
Golden Door Spas
Miraval
Ojai Valley Inn & Spa
Rancho La Puerta

Best Men's Spa

The first nominee offers the best of ancient Asian relaxation techniques while the second is "comfortable and stylish" and "reassuringly masculine." The third nominee has earned the title of "El Primer Spa Masculino" in its native Buenos Aires. The fourth nominee has styled itself as a destination for a new generation of men and the final nominee, which is based in Chicago, has a distinct masculine feel to it, thanks to exposed brick walls, rich wood trim and a beer-stocked refrigerator.

Chuan Body and Soul
Gentlemen's Tonic
Markus for Men
Nickel Spa
Sir Spa

Best International Spa

The first nominee offers results-oriented programs and is located on the island of Capri in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The second nominee was built in the 17th century by Ferdinando I de' Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, in the Tuscan countryside while the third nominee is the only treetop spa in Polynesia. The fourth has long been a favorite retreat for Hollywood celebrities and savvy travelers alike since it originally opened in 1956. The final nominee is in Costa Rica amidst a lush rain forest setting complete with a thermal mineral river and a volcano.

Capri Palace Hotel & Spa
Fonteverde Natural Spa Resort
Marù Spa at Bora Bora Lagoon Resort & Spa
One&Only Palmilla
Tabacón Resort

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World's Best Spas

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spas

Nominations have been received and vetted for the best-of-breed in day spas, green spas, extended stay spas, men's spas and international spa retreats. The Luxist Readers' Choice Awards for Best in Spas will be awarded based on your voting.

Vote for what you believe is the best of breed for each of these categories. The Readers' Choice Awards for Best in Spas will be announced on April 1st.

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Canyon Ranch: A Life-Changing Experience

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spas

Canyon Ranch is nominated for a Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Award for Best Extended-Stay Spa. Canyon Ranch is the recipient of countless awards and accolades for its innovative approach to health, wellness and holistic and integrative care, as well as for the uniquely relaxing and inspiring experience it provides.

In 1978 Mel Zuckerman was 40 pounds overweight and had asthma, high blood pressure, a hiatal hernia, ulcers and diverticulitis. He had never exercised, had poor nutrition and his primary goal was to succeed in his home building business. His father had recently passed away as a result of cancer from smoking. His grief was mixed with the fear he was heading down the same path as his father.

Zuckerman checked himself into the Ojai Ranch & Spa for a 10 day stay to learn how to get on track. There, he exercised and ate right. He noticed how great he felt and extended his stay to a month. "After that I never looked back," he says. After he returned home, he and his wife, Enid, launched a dream to make healthy living their business---and hence Canyon Ranch was born.

Canyon Ranch opened in the Sonoran Desert and the mountains in 1979 in Tucson, Arizona. It was a radical idea at the time---a comprehensive, healthy living resort with no smoking or alcohol. Within a few years, Canyon Ranch had gained a strong reputation and was influencing the evolution of spas around the world.

Gallery: More from Canyon Ranch

Tags: awards-main, best extended stay spa, best spa, BestExtendedStaySpa, BestSpa, canyon ranch, canyon ranch cooking, CanyonRanch, CanyonRanchCooking, luxist-awards, spa-main

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Cunard Wins Readers' Choice Award for Best Caribbean Cruise Line

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Arguably the grandest, most magnificent ocean liner ever built, Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 is the winner of the Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Award for Best Caribbean Cruise. Queen Mary 2 is the flagship of Cunard, whose history dates back to 1839 when Her Majesty Queen Victoria awarded Sir Samuel Cunard of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the first ever license to deliver mail across the Atlantic Ocean.

While she is described as "timeless elegance", Queen Mary 2, which debuted in 2004, offers the latest luxury amenities, from the pampering services of the first Canyon Ranch SpaClub® at sea to a pool with a retractable roof, allowing it to be enjoyed in inclement weather. Queen Mary 2 also offers an award-winning intellectual and entertainment enrichment program led by prestigious experts in a variety of fields, including literature, the arts, politics, the sciences, culture, maritime history and academia.

The ship, which cost an estimated $800 million to build, is 1,132 feet long--113 feet longer than her predecessor Queen Mary, with space for 2,592 guests in lower berths and 3,056 total guest capacity, when including third and fourth berths. Her crew numbers 1,253.

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Canyon Ranch Luxury Hotel and Spa in Miami Beach

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spas, Events

Canyon Ranch Miami Beach is a luxury hotel and spa which offers guests a "total wellness experience." We caught up with them recently when they came to New York to encourage us all to come down there and relax.

The New York event included hand massages, organic french toast, and even an impromptu fitness class! We learned about their fabulous skincare line, their "Art of Eating" events where you meet with a chef, a nutritionist, and a behavioral therapist to eat and talk about eating, and more.

Click through our gallery to see what Canyon Ranch Miami Beach brought to the Big Apple, and click here to visit their website. Their introductory rates start at just $350!

Gallery: Canyon Ranch Miami Beach Comes to NYC

Tags: canyon ranch, CanyonRanch, event, miami beach, nyc

Canyon Ranch Miami Beach Now Open

by Lisa Palladino (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas, Yachts & Sailing, Real Estate Developments

Canyon Ranch has long been known as one of the top spa and wellness centers anywhere. With two locations (Tucson, Ariz., and Lenox, Mass.) already established, we've been waiting since 2005 for the Miami Beach location to be ready. It finally opened earlier this month and now is accepting reservations. The historic Carillon Hotel, with ocean views, has been restored and now is "infused with the Canyon Ranch spirit of health, fitness, and personal attention." Choose from a selection of 150 one- and two-bedroom luxury suites that range from from 720 - 1,200 sq. ft., and from $300 - $1,800. All include

kitchenette, and washer and dryer;
400-thread-count linens;
luxury limestone-tiled bath with dual-head frameless glass shower, soaking tub, and exquisite vanity niche;
two flat screen HDTVs;
Bose Wave radio;
High-speed Ethernet and wireless Internet access; and
multi-line telephones, cordless phones, DID numbers and voicemail.

Download a brochure here to read more about the spa and wellness programs, or use the easy-to-navigate lefthand tabs on the home page to get all the details.

Tags: Canyon Ranch, CanyonRanch, fitness, Miami, spa, wellness

Canyon Ranch Settles Tips Lawsuit

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spas

Often at spas and resorts, instead of having customers deal with tips a gratuity is built in. Easy for the customer and a little assurance for the practitioner, right? Well not in the case of Canyon Ranch, the luxury getaway in the Berkshires. As the Boston Globe reports, the resort has agreed to pay a whopping $14.75 million to around 600 massage therapists, hair stylists, waiters and other employees that worked at Canyon Ranch between April 2004 and October 2007 after a lawsuit accused Canyon Ranch of breaking a state law that prohibits management from taking tips reserved for service workers. Canyon Ranch has denied any wrongdoing in the settlement filed in Massachusetts this week, stating that service charge was "was never intended to be a significant part of the employees' compensation plan."

The suit said that not only did workers feel like they might lose their jobs if they asked to receive the tips but that guests were discouraged from giving extra gratuities. If a client still wanted to tip extra the worker couldn't accept the money directly but had to send the client to another area of the spa to complete the transaction. This isn't the first suit of this kind but it is one of the biggest payouts around.

Canyon Ranch has eliminated the 18 percent service charge instead charging a "resort amenities fee" that does not include tips. The spa still discourages tipping. Certainly resorts have the right to set up no tipping rules but in cases where the gratuity is added in it is natural to assume that the worker has received the tip just as they would have if you pressed the cash into their hands. Personally, while I can sometimes find the process of tipping to be awkward I would much rather have the control. I also tend to enjoy tipping, it allows me to visibly demonstrate my thanks for great service.

Source

Tags: canyon ranch, tipping

Canyon Ranch Chicago

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Canyon Ranch, the company famous for their luxury spas, is making a big splash in the residential community market. Their third residential community is planned for Chicago (previously announced Canyon Ranch developments will be in Miami and Bethesda). Canyon Ranch Chicago is a $450 million project, a 67-story tower overlooking the Magnificent Mile that will be home to a 65,000-square-foot health and wellness center as well as 256 condos, a five-star hotel with 128 hotel-condominium rooms, a cafe, dining room and office space. An exercise, fitness and spa center will also be part of the center. The project will break ground next year and condos will cost between $1.2 million and $3 million for units ranging from about 1,600 to 3,000 square feet.

Source

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Canyon Ranch Expands to Bethseda

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Canyon Ranch, the Arizona-based health spa, is planning an expansion in Bethseda, Maryland, just outside of Washington D.C.. The nearly $1 billion complex will not be a spa, but a residential community with a wellness focus. is the second of its kind, as a Miami Beach location is already under construction. The property will have a 157 room hotel, 434 condos, 87 apartments and a restaurant, in addition to a 90,000-sq. foot wellness center. Condos will range in price from $900,000 to upwards of $5 million. The opening is expected to be sometime in 2008, but sales of the residences began this year.