Feb 22, 2012

Diane James

UPDATE 1-Five dead in shooting in Atlanta suburb day spa

Reuters

10:11 p.m. CST, February 21, 2012

Feb 22, 2012

Nancy Keller

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Georgia health spa shooting: 5 dead after murder-suicide in Atlanta suburb

Shooting ‘not random’ and probably ‘domestic related’

By
Anthony Bond

Last updated at 3:35 PM on 22nd February 2012

A gunman shot four people to death inside a Korean health spa in Atlanta’s suburbs and then killed himself in what police said may have been a case of domestic violence.

Surveillance video showed a man walking into the Su Jung Health Sauna on Tuesday night and getting into an argument with someone, then opening fire, police said.

‘It appears he walked in, had some conversation with one of the victims and the shooting started,’ Norcross Police Chief Warren Summers told WAGA-TV.

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Horrific: Five people have died following a shooting at Su Jung Beauty Health and Sauna in Norcross, Georgia

The crime may have been domestically related

Investigators had finished
interviewing witnesses Wednesday morning, Norcross police Capt. Brian
Harr said. He described the shootings as ‘not random.’

‘It’s probably domestic-related,’ Harr
told The Associated Press, adding that more information would likely be
released later Wednesday.

Yellow police tape surrounded the
stand-alone brick building early Wednesday on a busy highway lined with
strip malls and small businesses..

The spa’s decorative white columns
and white Greek-style statuary faced a parking lot empty except for a
handful of police and official vehicles. The spa was closed.

Shocking: Norcross Police Chief Warren Summers said preliminary evidence suggested the shooting may have been a murder-suicide

Interested: Yong Moon of the Korean Times, photographed the scene with Ann Ran, also of the Korean Times, after horrific crime at a Korean health spa

Police said the dead were three men
and two women.

Four people were found dead inside, and another was taken
to a hospital before being pronounced dead, investigators said.

Investigators say they believe about 20 people were inside the spa when the gunfire began around 8:30 p.m.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation joined the probe, GBI spokesman John Bankhead said.

Investigation: Police said the weapon which they believe was used by the gunman was found at the scene. The shooter is believed to be among the dead

‘We actually sent two crime scene
specialists, given the situation out there with the number of people who
were shot and killed,’ Bankhead said.

He said investigators were using 3-D
technology that was designed for architecture and construction jobs and
is now being used in some investigations to recreate crime scenes.

The spa is about 15 miles northeast of
downtown Atlanta, on Buford Highway between Peachtree Industrial
Boulevard and Interstate 85 in Gwinnett County.

Feb 22, 2012

Linda Reed

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Relax with California B&B Spa Package Deals this Spring

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Farmhouse Inn in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley

Spa packages often include couples’ massages and an array of romantic extras such as dinner, wine tastings, and even a hot air balloon ride.

Sacramento, CA (PRWEB) February 22, 2012

Indulge in a relaxing getaway by combining a day at the spa with an intimate stay at a California bed and breakfast inn. Many members of the California Association of Bed Breakfast Inns are currently offering deals on spa packages for travelers, some of which are valid through the winter and spring. Packages often include couples’ massages and an array of romantic extras such as dinner, wine tastings, and even a hot air balloon ride.

Relax and reconnect with Mount View Hotel and Spa’s Couple’s Indulgence Package. The package includes a 25-minute hydrotherapy mineral mud bath and a 50-minute couple’s aromatherapy massage. Through the end of February, the package price is discounted to $240 per couple. In addition, the Mount View Hotel offers its Sweetheart Deal year round. The deal includes a 25-minute couple’s hydrotherapy mineral mud bath, a bouquet of a dozen roses, a bottle of sparkling wine, a box of Napa Valley truffles, a bottle of the inn’s Signature Massage Oil, and a personal love note. The Sweetheart Deal can be added to any room night for $130. Room rates start at $149.

The spa package at Country Inn Bed and Breakfast on the Mendocino Coast includes a 60-minute therapeutic massage at Fort Bragg’s premier spa, dinner for two at the Mendo Bistro, two tickets to the Mendocino Botanical Gardens and a wonderful country breakfast served each morning. The package price is $347 for a non-fireplace room or $432 for a fireplace room.

The Candlelight Inn Bed and Breakfast’s Ultimate Wine Country Package combines the very best of Napa Valley’s attractions with three nights in a luxurious spa room—featuring a Jacuzzi tub for two and gas fireplace—and an in-room couples massage. In addition, the package includes a hot air balloon ride, a customized wine tasting tour with a private driver and guide, gourmet picnic lunch, scenic horseback ride through the vineyards, three gourmet candlelight breakfasts, welcome treats, and souvenir mugs. Package rates start at $2,169 plus tax and are subject to availability.

Indulge in a couples’ renewal treatment with the Elk Cove Inn Spa’s Coastal Indulgence Spa Getaway. The package includes a tandem massage, a private aromatherapy steam shower and sauna and two nights’ deluxe accommodations. The package is valid through April 30, 2012, excluding holidays. The package rate for an ocean view room or small cliff side cottage is $695; an ocean view luxury suite or large cottage is $825. May not be combined with other specials.

Brannan Cottage Inn has teamed up with select local spas, restaurants, and wineries to offer Calistoga Wine Country Wellness Packages. The Two Days/One Night Package includes one-hour therapeutic massages for two and a couples’ bath treatment at Lavender Hill Spa. The package also includes a three course dinner at Flat Iron Grill or Barolo Restaurante, customized wine tastings and vineyard tours for two at Lava Vine Winery and Vincent Arroyo Winery, one night’s accommodations in the historic main building of the inn and breakfast each morning. The Two Days/One Night Package is $469 per couple on weekdays or $499 per couple on Fridays and Saturdays through March 31, 2012. Three Day/Two Night packages and customized spa packages are also available. Prices exclude taxes, restaurant beverages and gratuities.

Sneak off with a special someone to the Farmhouse Inn in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley for a package that combines soothing spa treatments with romantic extras, such as sensual candles glowing in the steam of a delicious milk bath. In addition to the milk bath, the package includes a one-hour couples’ massage, a bottle of chilled champagne, fresh cut-flowers, chocolates, the innkeepers’ compilation of favorite singers crooning love songs in the background, a classic chick flick ready to slip into the DVD player, and a memento to take home. The package is $345 per couple and can be added to any room reservation.

In the High Sierra near Yosemite, McCaffrey House Bed and Breakfast Inn’s Grand Romance Package combines a one-hour, in-room couples’ massage with a chilled bottle of champagne and a $40 gift certificate to the popular Villa D’Oro Restaurant. The package is $130 and can be added to any three-night stay. Selected rooms apply. Must mention at time of reservation.

For further information on these spa packages and other bed and breakfast deals, visit http://www.cabbi.com/specials.

###

Feb 22, 2012

Samantha Manning

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Monart acclaimed in Bridgestone

MONART Destination Spa has been included in the top 100 of the Best Places to Stay in Ireland in the prestigious Bridgestone Guide for 2012.

Describing the now World renowned Destination Spa in the recent guide issue, Bridgestone said, ‘Monart got it right when it opened, and continues to get its alliance of relaxation and invigoration just right, whilst improving with age.

‘ Monart confounds your expectations, and therein lies its success,’ the guide continues. ‘At its core are wonderful staff, who love hospitality to their fingertips – if you’ve been before they know what room you were in, they welcome you back, and they mean it.’

Commenting on the listing, Liam Anthony Griffin of Monart said, ‘ We are delighted to be listed. It means a great deal to us as hoteliers and to all of the team who work very hard to truly make Monart a great place to stay.’

No stranger to awards Monart was named in the top three spa retreats worldwide for the second year running in 2011 in Conde Nast Traveller, regarded by many as the bible of the discerning traveller.

Forbes Magazine also featured Monart as one of the top ten destinations in the world and the Irish Spa Industry also awarded Monart Ireland’s Best Destination Spa for three years in a row.

For further information on Monart Destination Spa see http://www.monart.ie

Feb 22, 2012

Anna Carver

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20 questions for … Gail Simmons | The Republic

Eat. Write. Travel. Cook. Four little words, an amuse-bouche in the great feast that is food for thought, if you will, that would lead Gail Simmons to her prestigious roles with “Food Wine Magazine,” “Top Chef” and “Top Chef: Just Desserts.” Indeed, she has embraced these words and all their delicious meaning and set her creative appetite loose upon the world, serving not only as an icon in the popular realm of food culture to those who can dine at the best restaurants but also as an advocate for those who don’t get the cloth napkins; bringing delicious, nutritious food to people who need it most.

Her most recent offering to the ravenous realm that is pop culture is her memoir, “Talking with My Mouth Full: My Life as a Professional Eater “(Hyperion, February 2012). Gail shares with PopMatters 20 Questions those four words and other key influences in her life. One wonders if, as college student, Gail pondered those words while gazing upon her poster of Captain Jean Luc Picard, and she heard him say to her, “Make it so.” And she did.

1. The latest book or movie that made you cry?

Simmons: “Extremely Loud Incredibly Close” — both the book and the movie.

2. The fictional character most like you?

Simmons: A cross between Cookie Monster and Dora the Explorer — perhaps obviously, because I have an insatiable appetite for cookies and am always up for an adventure with friends.

3. The greatest album ever?

Simmons: Urgh — way too hard to choose just one. My personal top few in no particular order: The Beatles: “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” Pearl Jam: “Ten,” Led Zeppelin: “Led Zeppelin IV” and Elton John: “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.”

4. “Star Trek” or “Star Wars”?

Simmons: That’s like choosing between parents. I was weaned on “Star Wars” but “Star Trek” (Next Generation!) basically got me through my teens. Seriously, I had a “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi”-themed comforter on my bed until I was 12, and a life-size blow up of Captain Jean Luc Picard in my dorm room. Now you know all my secrets.

5. Your ideal brain food?

Simmons: The works of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

6. You’re proud of this accomplishment, but why?

Simmons: Actually finishing my first book — “Talking With My Mouth Full: My Life as a Professional Eater” (out Feb. 21). If you had told me two years ago that I could do it, I wouldn’t have believed you. It seemed so completely daunting to sit down and write my life story in a way that anyone would want to read, and in a voice that felt authentic and true to myself. But I think I achieved it.

7. You want to be remembered for …?

Simmons: As the girl with the highest hot sauce tolerance. And as the head cheerleader and advocate for an industry that works tirelessly, and often thanklessly, every day to feed the hungry people of world. (See Common Threads.org and Food Wine’s Grow for Good program, for example.)

8. Of those who’ve come before, the most inspirational are?

Simmons: Jacques Pepin, Julia Child, MFK Fischer and Sheila Lukins.

9. The creative masterpiece you wish bore your signature?

Simmons: The immersion blender.

10. Your hidden talents …?

Simmons: I can tap dance. True story.

11. The best piece of advice you actually followed?

Simmons: When I was 22 and had no idea what to do with my life, a close family friend told me to write down what I loved most in the world. I scribbled these four words: “Eat. Write. Travel. Cook.” Within a year I had moved to New York and was attending culinary school. She changed my life.

12. The best thing you ever bought, stole or borrowed?

Simmons: Most recently, borrowed: Season One of “Friday Night Lights,” from my friend Glen. Obsessed.

14. Your dinner guest at the Ritz would be?

Simmons: Michelle Obama and Melinda Gates. With Beyonce thrown in for good measure.

15. Time travel: where, when and why?

Simmons: France, 1770, the court of Marie Antoinette — the clothes, the Champagne, the cake …

16. Stress management: hit man, spa vacation or Prozac?

Simmons: None of the above. Rather, a beach vacation with a mountain of magazines, a mojito and my iPod.

18. Environ of choice: city or country, and where on the map?

Simmons: Country: The island of Bali (Indonesia), in an infinity pool overlooking the surf. It really lives up to every ridiculous, beautiful stereotype.

19. What do you want to say to the leader of your country?

Simmons: Keep hustling. Those dimwits have nothing on you.

20. Last but certainly not least, what are you working on now?

Simmons: Book tour! Coming soon to a city near you — check my Facebook page for updates and please come say hi!

———

PopMatters is an international magazine of arts and culture. Find more PopMatters content at www.popmatters.com.

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Feb 22, 2012

Susan Long

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After the rock star high, it’s down to earth with a bump

After the rock star high, it’s down to earth with a bump

21 Feb 2012

WELL its all over for another year. All that remains are a few blisters and scratches, bruises and scrapes, and the memories of friendships forged over pain-filled finishing stretches.

Months of training culminate in an epic event that pushes you to your very limits, and suddenly you are finished and life carries on indifferently all around you.

Its the rock star mentality: for three days you have crowds of people cheering and urging you on, and its hard to let it go when it ends.

On Sunday morning when you walk into the shop to buy milk you half expect someone to notice you.

But youre left to your own devices, to wind down internally. You find yourself going relentlessly over any mistakes you made, thinking how you could have avoided a silly swim, wondering how you lost so much time on day two.

Thoughts start to surface about a new boat. Maybe one thats a little faster? Maybe more stable?

You are determined to keep up the flat-water paddling during winter to avoid those hard, painful sessions at the beginning of the season. You also know you wont, not on those cold winter evenings. Get real.

The obvious thing to do is line up the next challenge: some people will be training for non-stop Sani2C, others will be gearing up for non-stop Dusi or the Umkomaas canoe marathon, possibly Comrades.

I suppose it becomes something of an addiction.

Perhaps the introspection this year is more marked because I did it alone you dont have a partner to share the thrills and spills with, so its more internal. I do, however, now understand why they have a K1 and a K2 year: you get very different experiences out of each type of Dusi. K2 is more sociable and its great to have someone to talk to, and to help make decisions with as you approach some technical sections.

I battled mentally with Thombi rapid, notoriously dangerous. I had been alternatively advised to definitely shoot it, and definitely avoid it. I was dying to shoot it, but also didnt want to do anything stupid. Recent tragedies at the same place were fresh in my mind.

I was still slightly undecided when I went down it, and ended up having an unnecessary swim, but gained the confidence to do it better next year.

Overall, I found Dusi more rewarding in a K1 because it literally is your own accomplishment.

In a K2 last year I had a great partner in Doc, whose driving took us safely to Durban, so it was a far more social and relaxed experience for me.

They are so different in fact, that the race deserves to be split into both categories, and to enjoy it fully I think you need to try each discipline.

Seconding is definitely more sociable in a K2, and my wife deserves every second of her spa weekend away after spending three days alone in the sun and rain waiting for fleeting glimpses of me.

Which brings me neatly to a great technology tool that made life much easier this year, a free app called Glympse (www.glympse.com) that allows you to use your GPS-enabled cellphone to plot your location in real time on Google maps. This meant my wife (and friends) could watch my progress down the river for the whole race on their phones or PCs at work. There is nothing worse as a second than arriving at a viewing point, waiting for an hour and then starting to wonder if your paddler is now an hour downriver or is having boat trouble upstream.

Dusi 2013? I cant wait.

Feb 21, 2012

Diane James

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Planet Beach Day Spa Franchise Launches Massive Latin American Expansion

NEW ORLEANS, LA, Feb 21, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –
Planet Beach is expanding its revolutionary, automated day spa
service into Mexico, Chile, Peru and Colombia thanks to an
enthusiastic Miami businesswoman eager to bring cost-effective day
spa services to customers throughout Latin America.

Jeannette Aguilar, a current franchisee for Planet Beach Contempo Spa
in South Florida, plans to open up to 100 international locations.

Her empire started with a coupon.

“As a former executive, I used to always try and make time to look
nice, so I would go to the gym, but I was also looking for a way to
get as many massages as I wanted without hurting my budget,” Aguilar
said.

She got her answer when a Planet Beach coupon arrived in her mailbox.

“When I went there, they said that for a single price I could get a
package of services,” said Aguilar. “I tried the day spa services and
loved it, and then I just started thinking of the needs of women,
executives and others in Latin America.”

Aguilar was impressed by the advanced automated spa therapies and
thrilled about the business model. Planet Beach functions a lot like
a gym membership — members pay one monthly fee in order to gain full
access to all the spa services they desire. Customer receive
automated spa services in private rooms which appeals to customers
uncomfortable with hands-on services.

She sees a ton of potential in Latin America.

“We will have them in the capitals and in different neighborhoods,
but we are just beginning the process of identifying the best
locations,” she said.

For customers, Planet Beach is a bargain.

“In Latin America, people understand the importance of their health
and eating habits,” Aguilar said. “It will be a new concept in Latin
America. There are always spas that provide services on a per-session
basis, but they are out of the budget for many people in Latin
America. It’s going to be a blast.”

        MEDIA CONTACT
        Troy Wise
        Franchise Marketing Director
        504-297-2577
        Email Contact

SOURCE: Planet Beach

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=2E51104B7764F778

Feb 21, 2012

Nancy Keller

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Hudak’s new business teammate has criminal record

BOXFORD — For the past couple of years, former congressional candidate Bill Hudak has derided Congressman John Tierney’s claims that he didn’t know about his brother-in-law’s allegedly illegal offshore gambling operation.

But Hudak, who spent last week touting an “amazing” nutrition supplement that promises a “veritable fountain of youth,” turns out to have had no idea that the man he’s teamed with to pitch the product has a bit of baggage, as well.

Albert Muir, identified in advertising as heading the “North Shore-Boston-based Qivana Team” with Hudak, is a professional poker player and is currently under a suspended five-year jail sentence for promoting prostitution, according to Connecticut court records.

Muir and his now-ex-wife co-owned a health spa called Marlow’s in Branford, Conn., which was raided by police in 2009. A Branford police detective who investigated the case said the business was well-known for years as a pit stop just off Interstate 95 for illicit massages.

Muir on Thursday said he pleaded guilty to the charge, a Class C felony, “because I was afraid she’d turn state’s evidence against me” during the couple’s divorce. His then-wife was also charged with promoting prostitution at the spa, which she ran.

Until he got a call from a reporter Thursday afternoon, Hudak said he’d had no idea about Muir’s past.

“I don’t know anything about that,” Hudak said.

But he doesn’t think it’s a big deal — and not ironic in light of his criticism of Tierney’s claimed ignorance.

“I think you’re really stretching,” Hudak said. “There are 25,000 people involved with Qivana.” He went on to mention former Olympic athletes and a former judge.

Muir, who has been training Hudak and co-hosting Web seminars and a presentation with him, will get a cut of each sale Hudak makes, and a cut of whatever anyone who is recruited by Hudak makes, Muir acknowledged Thursday.

In turn, Hudak gets income not only for whatever products he gets people to buy, but for bringing people into the marketing program.

That’s how most multilevel or “network” marketing operations, such as Qivana, work.

In the 1990s, Hudak was a representative for a company called TravelMax, a controversial venture that used thousands of home-based representatives to sell travel packages. Hudak was quoted in a 1997 Los Angeles Times article defending the company after it had shut down its headquarters and phone system.

Hudak said he learned about Qivana, which is based in Utah, during a fundraising call with a long-ago acquaintance he identified as “Gus.”

Muir confirmed Thursday that Hudak was referred to him by another Qivana representative he identified as “Augustine,” who is from the Springfield area.

Muir said Augustine told him about Hudak, mentioned that they’d both been TravelMax reps 15 years earlier and suggested he give him a call. Muir said he then went on a trip to visit his new wife in Malaysia, and, when he returned, Hudak was eager to get started.

He said he never mentioned his run-in with the law to Hudak.

“It’s never really come up,” Muir said.

Nor did Hudak ask.

And while Hudak didn’t know of Muir’s days on the World Poker Tour, he said he didn’t see anything wrong with that.

“Professional poker is legal,” Hudak said.

Courts reporter Julie Manganis may be reached at 978-338-2521 or jmanganis@salemnews.com.

Feb 21, 2012

Anna Carver

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Kick-start your way to fitness

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A half-hour into her new fitness programme, Sylvia Hayward-Harris was questioning her sanity.

She and her friend Sita Stirling had seen Cambridge Beaches’ advertisements depicting happy people working out on beautiful beaches they thought it was a great idea at the time.

“It was intense,” Ms Hayward-Harris said of their weekend at the Sandys hotel. “I am not a particularly fit person, although I thought I was fitter than I was.

“We hit Horseshoe Bay for a hike at 8.15am. By 8.30am I was asking myself if I was out of my mind.”

The Fitness Bay Resort programme was created by Norma Thompson.

Participants spend five hours a day exercising, hiking around Bermuda and learning about better nutrition. Two certified personal trainers work with them.

“If you are not really fit, they modify the programme to your level,” said Mrs Stirling. “You don’t have to be an athlete to be a part of it.

“What is good is that they keep you busy. It is not a spa vacation. If you want to go there and see results and get a kick start to keep you motivated, it is great.

“Going to this weekend resort changed everything. The whole weekend is still in my mind. I have kept it up. I go walking and I see my personal trainer once a week.”

Ms Hayward-Harris said that although the programme was difficult for her, in the end, it was well-worth it.

She lost 5lbs in two-and-a-half days; Mrs Stirling lost 3lbs. Ms Hayward-Harris was very pleased to see the fruits of her labour she’s about 80lbs overweight.

“My doctor tells me to walk all the time,” she said, “but I am indolent. I like to go home, and once I get in my house I like to stay there.

“I am on mild blood pressure medication for a slight blood pressure problem. I sell paint for cars, and do various accounting functions, so I am seated most of the day.”

The programme has inspired her to get out and make changes to the way she has been living. She has rejoined the gym, and she goes walking regularly, and she has also joined the Weight Watchers’ website.

Ms Thompson said she started the Fitness Bay Resort programme because she wanted to motivate people to get fit. She has been involved in other fitness programmes such as the 100-Day Challenge, here and abroad.

“I thought I could motivate people because I am passionate about it,” she said. “I had done weeklong camps, once in Utah and once in Malibu, California.

“I thought Bermuda was the most ideal location for losing weight. We have clean air, beautiful beaches and a year round good climate.

“It snows in November and December in Utah. In fact, it was freezing when we did the programme there. I played with the idea, and then last year I decided it was time to do it.”

There are no crazy diets involved with the Fitness Bay Resort scheme. Clients eat 1,200 calorie meals prepared by chefs at Cambridge Beaches. They drink only green tea and water during their stay.

“They eat fresh fruits, vegetables and lean meats,” said Ms Thompson. “They are allowed two fruits per day or two snacks, but I will never let anyone starve.”

Ms Hayward-Harris and Mrs Stirling both gave the thumbs up to the food, saying it was great and very tasty.

“We did have one class that taught us how to be really aware of your food and the taste and texture,” said Ms Hayward-Harris. “I tend to be very much aware of it anyhow.

“I like spices and seasonings. They did an excellent job. I had only one complaint the first morning.

“We had an egg white omelette and the chef hadn’t put enough seasoning. I mentioned it and it was really good the next day.

“They gave us salads with every meal and a really nice vinaigrette dressing.”

Mrs Stirling, an administrative assistant, said she found the training interesting and enjoyed being outdoors on the hikes around Bermuda.

“We hiked on the beaches and railway trail and did a loop by Horseshoe Bay,” she said. “Then that was followed by aqua aerobics at Sandys Sport, Aquatic and Enrichment Centre in Somerset.

“In the afternoon we did one hour of Zumba and one hour of circuit training. Saturday was three hours of power walking from Cambridge Beaches through Somerset to Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton.”

They also did belly dancing and weight training. Ms Thompson, 51, said she could understand her clients’ struggles as she had also battled her weight as a youngster.

Her interest in fitness and health stemmed from her own problems.

“Since I was young I was overweight,” she said. “I always had this complex of being a fat kid. My sisters were all little. I hated it.

“At age 12 I started exercising. I would lose the weight and then gain it back again. I tried every type of fad diet, including the lemonade diet. I didn’t have the education behind me to understand what I was doing wrong.

“Through a nutritionist and fitness programmes, I learned that if you stay within your resting metabolic rate and shave a couple of calories and add the exercise, it is a given that you will lose weight.”

She said it is possible to have a beautiful body, but you have to work at it. You have to convince your mind that it is possible.

“We sit too long,” she said. “Humans weren’t conditioned to sit for eight or ten hours a day. We were meant to be out there hunting and working the land.

“Now we sit in front of the computer, or we sit in front of the television. We don’t bother to prepare proper food. Now we are putting people on a journey of health and fitness.”

Ms Thompson is hoping the Fitness Bay Resort programme will attract more visitors to the Island. She has had 12 clients since the programme started in January.

“It is a good programme,” she said. “I really hope that Bermuda embraces it. These days, a lot of people want to go on these fitness holidays.

“They no longer like the cruise ship thing, where you come off 14lbs heavier.

“There is a ridiculous availability of food on cruise ships. A good portion of people like to go hiking or do something active.”

The programme costs $450 per week if you share a room with a friend, or $600 if you have a room to yourself. The cost includes all meals and training.

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Feb 21, 2012

Susan Long

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A spa weekend at Wynyard Hall

By
Lauren Paxman

Last updated at 9:49 AM on 21st February 2012

‘A spa weekend’ – possibly the three most instantly relaxing words in the English language.

For, try as you might to persuade yourself that a back-cricking pummelling in a Chinese massage parlour two minutes from your flat is a treat, an hour of unwinding just isn’t enough. A weekend just about is, but if you visit Wynward Hall’s spa you will want to stay a lot longer.

The new complex, which opened in December, was built in the boathouse of the uber-grand porticoed mansion – the home of Sir John Hall, life president and former chairman of Newcastle United.

Grand location: Wynyard Hall's spa is in the grand mansion's boathouse (bottom right) overlooking the lake

Grand location: Wynyard Hall’s spa is in the grand mansion’s boathouse (bottom right) overlooking the lake

The country house’s guest list includes Charles Dickens, Disraeli, Sir Robert Peel, Churchill, King Edward VII, Elizabeth II and ‘regular’ the Duke of Wellington, who the restaurant is named after.

Wynyard Hall was party turned into a four star hotel in 2008, and until the end of last year, the spa was just a series of ‘experience rooms’ within the hotel itself.

But it is a tribute to the quality of the treatments offered – and, more importantly, those providing them – that the spa now has its own lakeside setting.

Persuading Sir John Hall to sacrifice his vintage car garage to turn it into a spa must have taken some work. But the boathouse’s pretty conservatories and beautiful, calming views are much more suited to saunas and steam rooms.

Stunning views: The outdoor jacuzzi is the perfect place to watch the sunset - particularly if you've got a drink in your hand

Stunning views: The outdoor jacuzzi is the perfect place to watch the sunset – particularly if you’ve got a drink in your hand

As with any spa, though, the experience is really all about those who work there. And Wynyard doesn’t disappoint.

After changing into fluffy robes and Havaiana flipflops we were given a thorough – but refreshingly speedy – tour of the ‘snail shower’ (which hits you from every angle), drench bucket (freezing, but oddly rather nice), ice fountain (ditto), salt-inhalation room (dreamy and steamy) and herbal sauna, with a stunning view over the lake.

Therapists calmly collect you for treatments in hushed voices. Then full-body massages and facials – using everything from Karin Herzog therapies to freshly-peeled bananas – are carefully applied over a backdrop of surprisingly bearable panpipe music.

Spoilt for choice: The various treatment rooms include a salt inhalation room (left) and an ice showe (right)

Steamy and dreamy: The salt inhalation room... before it gets all steamed up

Steamy and dreamy: The salt inhalation room… before it gets all steamed up

Plates of fruit and carafes of ice-cold
water are there for the taking, and a cafe offers a very reasonable £9
buffet of quiches, salads, scones and cakes which you can tuck into
between treatments.

In case I haven’t made it clear enough yet, we had a pretty good time – particularly when sipping champagne in the steaming outdoor Jacuzzi as the sun was setting over the ornamental lake.

And the hotel just made the break even more relaxing.

Our Lady Annabel suite’s huge window overlooked the same peaceful lake – and the bed was so big we almost lost each other.

Relaxing treat: The herbal sauna which overlooks the ornamental lake

A gourmet dinner was served in the grand Wellington Restaurant (£30 for three courses, a total bargain) where couples were serenaded with romantic hits – and we even got some complimentary hors d’oeuvres (which my date was somehow more excited by).

We ordered room service for breakfast, reluctant to ditch our bathrobes until we dragged ourselves onto the train back to London.

A second day in the spa cemented our desire to get back to Wynyard Hall… as soon as we can afford it.

Reluctant to leave: Lauren outside the grand entrance to four star hotel Wynyard Hall

Making an entrance: The Hall's guest list includes Charles Dickens, Disraeli, Sir Robert Peel, Churchill, King Edward VII, Elizabeth II and 'regular' the Duke of Wellington who the restaurant is named after

Making an entrance: The Hall’s guest list includes Charles Dickens, Disraeli, Sir Robert Peel, Churchill, King Edward VII, Elizabeth II and ‘regular’ the Duke of Wellington who the restaurant is named after

Set in the rolling countryside half way
between Durham and Darlington, the Hall might not seem like the most
accessible place to the most.

But both stations are served by East
Coast, which makes the trip all the more weekendable by offering very
reasonable upgrades to first class for £15- £25 (and with bottomless
cups of tea, why wouldn’t you?).

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli used to visit the Hall in the 19th Century. And speaking of his trips he remarked: ‘I never left London with such a sense of relief and such anticipation of happiness.’

You will struggle not to feel the same way on inevitable repeat visits to Wynyard.

Wynyard Hall, Tees Valley, TS22 5NF, United Kingdom Tel: 01740 644811, www.wynyardhall.co.uk. The hotel is currently offering a ‘Stay, Dine Spa’ package which costs £160 per couple
East Coast trains (www.eastcoast.co.uk) serve Darlington, a short taxi ride from Wynyard Hall. Standard Advance returns, booked online, between London and Darlington start from £29. Times and fares also on 08457 225225 or from staffed stations and rail agents.