This post is a two for one post. One part is Adulting Tips from Mom and the other part is Spallowme. Both parts are inspired by the recent Spa Day, my daughter Nicole and I had at the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago. Though we had done spa days together previously,
I was always the one who did the planning. Since she’s in Chicago and I was coming to visit, I asked her to help us find a good place to spa.
That helped me realize there are some things a spa enthusiast like me knows that perhaps others may not.
So, this version of Adulting Tips from Mom focuses on having an awesome spa experience. This won’t focus on basic spa etiquette but here’s a link to a good article about spa etiquette by the New York Times .
Tip 1– Schedule services in advance. The more exclusive the spa and when you want to go, you’ll likely need at least a week in advance to schedule specific services. This is especially true if you want a package deal and or prime slots like on the weekends.
When you call to schedule, ask about relaxation areas you can enjoy before or after services. Here’s one of my new favorites, Eau Palm Beach Spa. There are so many wonderful parts of this spa, I did an 8 part series on TikTok.
If you aren’t on TikTok, I’ve upload them on my Spallowme page. You can find that post here. Eau Palm has many excellent examples of relaxation areas.
This leads me to my second tip.
Tip 2 – Go for the spa experience not just the services
Remember a spa experience is about more than just a massage or a facial. You can get a massage just about anywhere these days. However, what you really want is the spa experience. To me the spa experience is about taking advantage of all of the amenities and services the spa has to offer.
Here’s another one of my new favorite relaxation areas, the water room at the Royal Spa at the Royalton Negril.
As you can see, to fully enjoy these areas, you need to bring a swimsuit. You may not think to bring a swimsuit if you’re only thinking about getting a massage or facial but if you’re planning for a spa experience, you’ll want to bring one. Before or after your services you may wear your bathing suit in the swimming area, the sauna or the steam room.
A word of advice, DO NOT take an edible before going into the steam room. While the video is slight exaggeration, it actually almost happened.
Relax, relate, release
Remember, you’re there to enjoy yourself, so try to unplug while you’re there. I highly encourage you to leave your cellphone in the locker you’re assigned and unplug to enjoy the experience.
How do you like to spa? Drop me a comment and let me know.
