Ranked as one of the top ten spas in the world by Travel & Leisure, the Green Valley Resort & Spa offers outdoor adventure, scenic beauty and a full array of spa services.  Green Valley Resort is located in southern Utah near Zion National Park and offers 16 different types of fitness classes, as well as hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing. During July and August you can take advantage of their “Bring a Friend and Save” package.  Here are the details:  (more…)

From now until September 4, take advantage of summer rates to getaway to Camelback Inn.  This southwestern resort is located in the Sonoran Desert on 125 acres and includes three pools, scenic hiking trails, two golf courses, six tennis courts, six restaurants and a newly expanded spa with 32 treatment rooms.

The Camelback Inn “Summer Swedish Massage” Package includes:

- Casita-style guest room accommodations

- Two one-hour Swedish massages (a $200 value)

The package is $289 per room, per night. Rooms can accommodate up to 4 people.

Not interested in a massage?  The Camelback Inn also has a limited number of rooms that qualify for its “Leisure Rates”.  Book by June 4 for stays from June 12 – September 4.  Rooms with the leisure rate are $139 per night.  Beginning September 5, room rates increase to $399-$999 per night.

To make a reservation contact the Camelback Inn.

One of my favorite resorts in Scottsdale is the Royal Palms.  From now until May 31, the Royal Palms Resort is offering a “Ladies Fling” package. 

The package includes:

• two nights in their Plaza Room with two double beds
• two spa treatments in their Alvadora Spa
• dinner for two at T. Cook’s 
• welcome gift of Rosa Regali, an Italian fine wine
• assortment of homemade truffles

Cost of the package is $1,168.

[Via Royal Palms Resort & Spa]

Everybody has heard of Whole Foods Market by now, but did you know that the headquarters is in Austin?  Touring the Whole Foods Market Landmark store is a “must see” when in Austin.  Located on Lamar and Sixth Street, the 80,000 square foot Whole Foods headquarters sets a new standard for food shopping. The store has six mini-restaurants including a sushi bar, trattoria and a sorbet bar.  From a distance, the fruit and vegetable displays look like an impressionist painting.  It’s a blur of color and textures.  The store also has a huge array of meats and seafood, wine and beer and a “Whole Body” section that contains all kinds of natural make-up, soaps and lotions. Whole Foods offers daytime seminars on healthy eating and on Thursdays evenings during the summer, hosts live music on the upper plaza. (more…)

With more live music performances per capita than anywhere else, Austin is known as the “Live music capital of the world”.  On any given night you’ll have plenty of choices for live music which might include rock ‘n roll, rockabilly, jazz, salsa, blues, hip hop, funk, world music and retro. Starting in April bands perform at many outdoor venues as well. On Fridays from April to October, stop by the Austin City Hall for a free concert at noon. While you’re there, stroll along the new 2nd Street District which runs from City Hall to the Austin Convention Center. If you’re downtown after dark, check out the music scene on Sixth Street and the more refined Warehouse District. For a complete listing of bands, see the Austin Chronicle or Austin360.   (more…)

Royal Palms is the kind of secluded resort where you’d expect to see movie stars in dark sunglasses lounging by the pool.  The hotel and casitas are surrounded by lush gardens, antique fountains and towering palm trees. Located in Scottsdale near Camelback Mountain, Royal Palms’ main building is a 1929 Spanish Colonial mansion decorated with tapestries and antiques.  Since becoming a hotel in 1948, the resort has expanded to 117 casitas and guest rooms.  The grounds are especially beautiful at night. (more…)

If you’re looking for a place to relax with warm weather, consider Scottsdale for your next destination.  Scottsdale is home to some excellent resorts including the Biltmore, Phoenician, Fairmont Princess, Royal Palms and Camelback Inn. These resorts have full service spas and spectacular pools - the pools at the Phoenician and the Biltmore are my current favorites. The best time to visit this area is October – May when the weather is at its best.     

There is no shortage of restaurants to choose from in Scottsdale. We had wine and tapas at Tapino’s where the bite-sized portions were perfectly presented and very tasty. My favorites were the pancetta wrapped gorgonzola stuffed dates and the beef tips with jicama slaw.  For a special dinner or Sunday brunch try T. Cook’s at the Royal Palms Hotel.

For those who love shopping, you’ll find all the top retailers in the Scottsdale Fashion Square. To experience some local flavor, try exploring Old Town Scottsdale by foot. Stop by Bischoff’s to see some “ranch chic” or view local art at the many art galleries scattered along the streets. Take a break at the Salty Senorita, a popular place to sit outside with a margarita, soak up some sun and people watch.

This past weekend we had a girls’ getaway in Scottsdale, Arizona and our first day was spent at the Fairmont Princess Willow Stream Spa.  I chose the Arizona Aromatherapy Facial, which included a hand, foot and shoulder massage followed by heat wraps. I’m not sure what was better, the facial or the massage with heat wraps. They were both wonderful.

One of the nice things about the Spa at the Princess is the variety of activities. As a spa guest you can lounge by their rooftop pool, take a Pilates class, work out at the fitness center, soak in the whirlpool, stand under a waterfall or just find a comfortable place to read a book by the fire.  In between treatments and activities spa guests can refuel with complimentary muffins, fruit, cookies, iced teas, prickly pear lemonade, water, hot teas and coffee.  If you’d like, you can order lunch as well.  The bento box was the favorite in our group.  While treatments are a little more expensive than other spas in Scottsdale, the Spa at the Princess also offers more activities and more diverse facilities than most.