Basalt is a volcanic stone formed from cooled volcanic lava, weathered and tumbled by the ocean to become silky smooth. Now used in the new Hot Springs Stone Massage at Glen Ivy, these basalt stones give strength to the name of this healing therapy.

“Having formed in extreme heat from volcanoes, basalt stones are able to hold warmth evenly for a long period of time, thus creating a more relaxing and soothing massage experience that is safer for guests and our massage therapists,” says Glen Ivy Hot Springs Assistant Spa Director Tara Thompson.

As a commitment to the greater health and wellbeing of guests and employees, Glen Ivy is dedicated to providing continuing education and training for all levels of employees to better serve guests.

“At Glen Ivy we’re proud to offer unique treatment experiences provided by a team of caring, skilled and knowledgeable service providers. With the launch of using these new stones, every Glen Ivy Massage Therapist has gone through continuing education with Assistant Spa Director Tara Thompson who is a NCBTMB certified Massage Therapy Instructor,” says Danny Silva, Glen Ivy Hot Springs Executive Spa Director.

It is our pleasure to serve you and we hope that when you visit Glen Ivy next, you’ll try the new Hot Springs Stone Massage. We are always looking for ways to provide you with a more memorable, meaningful and enjoyable day and thank you for your support.

Here at Glen Ivy, March is a month that holds a special place in our hearts. It’s a month where we not only welcome the first days of spring, but because it’s our birthday month! Even though we’ll be celebrating our birthday all month long, we have so many other things that we are looking forward to. Here are just a few things we’re excited about for March:

• It’s Our Birthday:  Are you celebrating a birthday this month? We are too! Join us in celebrating our 152nd anniversary all month long. On Monday, March 19 we will be offering historical tours of the grounds and sweet treats from Chef Bill Wavrin. We’ve even created a special package just for you! The 152nd Anniversary Special (Available March 19 – March 22, 2012) includes: Spa admission, Grotto and a 50 minute treatment of your choice for $152 (a $10 savings!).
• March MUDness Contest: One of our favorite contests is BACK! It’s time for the 4th Annual March MUDness photo contest and we couldn’t be more excited. Wondering how to participate? Starting Monday, March 5 come meet us in Club Mud from 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm every Monday-Friday this month where we’ll snap your muddy moment and you’ll have a chance to win Glen Ivy prizes!
• Renovations Underway at the Hot Springs: Some exciting renovations are well underway this month as our team works towards making improvements to enhance your spa experience. Included in the renovations is a complete redesign of our front entrance (see the progress). Our Bath House is also getting an updated look with new furniture and paint for the walls and lockers.  We thank you for your patience and support during the transformation and look forward to revealing the completed project to you in mid-March!
• St. Patrick’s Day: Wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day is customary so why not go green AND give your skin a treat at the same time! Luckily we’ve got your covered. Covered with a green, deeply hydrating moisturizer of aloe vera, coconut oil, and shea butter that is. Enjoy The Grotto spa treatment with friends or alone and finish off the treatment in the cool mist chamber enjoying a cup of Glen Ivy tea and a crisp green apple.
• More Time in the Place You Love: Daylight Savings Time begins on Sunday, March 11 giving us some extra daylight to enjoy.  And what’s better than enjoying more daylight? Enjoying an extra hour in your spa day! Beginning Monday, March 12, Glen Ivy Hot Springs will be open daily from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, giving you more time to spend in paradise.

Planning a visit in March? Make sure to check out what Events and Activities and Specials  we are offering on March.

If you’ve been to Glen Ivy this week you may have been startled by what you saw as you got out of your car and approached the entrance to embark on a relaxing spa day…and if you weren’t here this week, here’s what you would have seen:

While sunny blue skies and towering palm trees are still a beautiful sight to behold, the front lawn has been deconstructed (with care, of course) — a drastic contrast to the gorgeously landscaped gardens you’re used to seeing at Glen Ivy.  This week marks the start of a huge project that we are so excited to share with you – a complete redesign of the front entrance!  The beautiful new area will feature refreshed native landscaping, a shaded walkway ramp and a dedicated deck for fitness classes and programs. Plans are progressing smoothly as our team works hard to bring this plan to completion.  We thank you for your patience and support during the transformation and look forward to revealing the completed project to you in mid-April.

Along with other improvements we’ve been making to enhance your spa experience (see our roundup of the Best of 2011 here) the Pavilion is now open! Located adjacent to Sauna Court on the pathway leading to the Spa Salon, the Pavilion is a pleasant, sheltered area for programs, a shady place to read a book or to simply lounge in a rocking chair and take in the beautiful surroundings – whatever you choose to do here, we hope you enjoy this new space as much as we do!  Be sure to stop by during your next visit and let us know what you think!

The newly completed Pavilion – see photo here.

And, lastly, our Bath House will receive some much needed sprucing as well.  Stay tuned for fresh paint for walls and lockers (ladies, we know you’ll probably miss the bright pink lockers but we asked and they told us they’d like an updated look), new carpet and furniture with more room for lounging and relaxing.  We’ll be sure to share before and after photos on Facebook.

One of our favorite things to hear from guests is that their trips to Glen Ivy always surprise them with something new to do or see.  We are always looking for ways to improve your Glen Ivy Experience and can’t thank you enough for your support.  As always, we welcome your feedback and look forward to welcoming you to Glen Ivy.

10 Things you can do TOGETHER at the Spa

If you are reading this, chances are you would like to receive  the gift of a day at Glen Ivy Spa, or are perhaps  you are thinking of  giving the gift of Spa to someone you care about. We say go together, why not  share such a wonderful experience!

Wondering what two people can do together at the Spa? The real question is, what can’t you do? The entire Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa grounds and facilities are co-ed accessible, with the exception of changing and bathing areas, making it easy to plan a relaxing and romantic day for two! Here are a few suggestions…

1. Play together in Club Mud.
2. Reserve the Date Palm Cabaña for 2 for a romantic VIP spa experience.
3. Learn something new together during a couples class, cooking demonstration, or gardening workshop.
4. Float in the Lounge pool holding hands.
5. Enjoy a relaxing Together Massage side-by-side in the same room.
6. Share a healthful and delicious lunch at Café Solé, complete with champagne.
7. Go underground for The Grotto, Glen Ivy’s signature body moisturizing treatment.
8. Find a quiet spot to relax together in silence or read our current Book Club selection.
9. Explore nature as you walk through the grounds to admire the botanical gardens and view, take a guided botanical tour, or use The Birds of Glen Ivy Guide (available at the front desk) to see how many residents you can spot.
10. Try a new fitness class such as Yoga, Water Aerobics or Tai Chi.

February is almost here and we are welcoming the month with open arms. Why you ask? Because here at Glen Ivy we LOVE love and this month is filled with things that we’re sweet on.  Here are just a few things that we’re excited about for February:

• Valentine’s Day Contest- Have a memorable, romantic or funny Valentine’s Day experience? Then we want to hear from you! Submit your entry Tuesday, February 7 – Monday, February 14 on the Glen Ivy blog for a chance to win a spa day for two!
• Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup- We’ll be welcoming this fabulous line to the Hot Springs this month! Join us for the Jane Iredale launch party, Rose & Romance: Kissable Lips and Touchable Skin, February 11 & 17. You won’t want to miss out on experience Janie Iredale makeup, get color matched by our Skin Care Experts, win prizes, and take home some great gifts with your purchase.
• Rose Hydration Facial- We’re excited to introduce our newest facial that rehydrate your skin with the essence of custom distilled organic roses. This 50 minute treatment will leave your skin and mind feeling balanced, refreshed and renewed….a true indulgent rose experience! As if this facial couldn’t get any better, exclusive to this facial is an Opal Eye treatment and Moroccan Oil Scalp Treatment.
• The Art of Racing in the Rain- Selected for the winter edition of the Glen Ivy Book Club, we are loving this New York Time’s Best Seller.  What we’re the most excited about is that the author, Garth Stein, has stopped by to join in the conversation! Whether you are reading along with us or have already read it, we’d love to hear your thoughts.
• Love is in the Air- From our Massage for Two: Learn to do a Basic Couples Massage to Lunch & Learn with Spa Chef Bill: Romantic Dinner for Two, we have plenty of romantic things to do for the perfect date day with that someone special!

These may be our top five things we’re excited about but there are many  more Events and Activities and Specials happening in February that we can’t wait for and we hope to see you around the spa enjoying them right along with us!

What are you looking forward to most in February at Glen Ivy? Let us know here or on Facebook!

As we said goodbye to 2011, we were fortunate enough to end the year with a day filled with sunshine and wonderful guests at both our Hot Springs and Brea locations. The first day of 2012 wasn’t any different as we welcomed the year with another beautiful day and fantastic guests. Meet a few important guests who helped us end 2011 on a good note and start off 2012 the same way:

Last Guests of 2011: John and Teresa Hull

John has been coming to Glen Ivy since 1984 (and estimates that he has visited the Hot Springs over 300 times!) and with a less hectic schedule, is even considering becoming a Club 1860 Member again for even more frequent visits.  By his side is was his favorite spa partner, his wife, Teresa who has been coming to the Hot Springs since 1990.

Along with getting massages, they enjoy the peaceful, tranquil environment and the friendly staff.  John could not stop raving about the Café, especially the BBQ chicken pizza. What keeps them coming back though is the opportunity the Hot Springs gives them for getting away for some relaxation.

So what does 2012 have in store for the Hulls? Both have the same resolution:  To eat better, be more active and to be spend more time at Glen Ivy.

First Guests of 2012: Don and Lorraine Riser

January 1, 2012 was a special day for Don an d Lorraine Riser. This was Don’s first visit to Glen Ivy. His wife Lorraine has visited the Spa in the past and decided to bring Don on a surprise visit (not a bad way to start off the year if you ask us!).

Having recently retired from the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department, the trip was a surprise retirement celebration for Don. Lorraine woke up Don early in the morning stating that that had an appointment to get to (so much for retirement).

As they were driving up the road his first thoughts were a day at the golf course?  Then he realized he was on his way to the spa for a day of  to get started on the resolution that Lorraine had made for him this year:  to learn how to relax.  After spending 31 years of service with the Sheriffs department he has earned the right to relax.  Lorraine’s goal was that Glen Ivy is going to be the beginning of Don’s relaxation process and we couldn’t be happier to help him achieve his resolution.

Brea’s Last Guests of 2011: Erika & Florence Sheppard

Having received Glen Ivy gift cards during the holidays, Erika and Florence Sheppard decided to spend the last day of the year enjoying some of their favorite things: cold stone eye treatments and massages. Both have only visited the Brea location a few times but with their New Year’s resolution being “to exercise, be more present and eat better,” we have a feeling that they’ll be back to enjoy everything that Brea has to offer throughout the year.

Brea’s First Guest of 2012: Mary Koller

Mary Koller has visited Glen Ivy Day Day Spa Brea so many times that’s she has lost count. “I have been here so many times. You would have to look up my history!” As our very first guest of the new year, Mary explains that what keeps her coming back is the friendly staff and the incredibly relaxed feeling she experiences after her services.

Adding a little pampering to her New Year’s Day, she jumped at the chance to use her Glen Ivy gift card and joined us for a massage (in fact, her family knows how much she loves Glen Ivy that they often give her gift card for all occasions!). Like many of our guests, Mary’s 2012 resolution is to to loose weight and stress less and is already off to a great start!

Thank you to all of our guests who visited in 2011 and we look forward to seeing everyone throughout 2012!

In April of 2011, Glen Ivy Hot Springs presented a three-day, two-night retreat experience led by celebrated author and life coach, Elizabeth Trinkaus.  The experience offered guests the opportunity to enjoy an extended stay at Glen Ivy while partaking in the benefits of a life transforming retreat.  On the surface, this event does not seem momentous in any way; an overnight retreat experience at Glen Ivy Hot Springs featuring personal and creative renewal seems an obvious fit and one would think it to be a regular offering.  However, The Law of Attraction Retreat with Elizabeth Trinkaus in April of 2011 marked the first time that Glen Ivy guests were able to schedule an extended stay with Glen Ivy Hot Springs in nearly 50 years.  This special weekend epitomized Glen Ivy’s commitment to creating a future based in authentic healing and rejuvenating experiences by drawing on its longstanding history of being a resource of health, healing, and spiritual and creative renewal.

In preceding decades, the undeniable draw of Glen Ivy Hot Springs extended beyond a soak in the natural thermal mineral waters, the sharing of good food or even a day of relaxation.  While all reasonable motives to visit Glen Ivy, the history of this land reveals more to us.  Once a healing and spiritual site shared by various tribes of the indigenous people of southern California, in the early 1900’s the Hot Springs carried on traditions of healing and rejuvenation through the offering of classes and programs designed to revitalize the spirit, nourish the mind and foster inspiration and creativity.    Historically, Glen Ivy Hot Springs overnight accommodations were standard with a visit to the natural mineral springs spa.  Glen Ivy was known as a haven in which to reconnect with nature, revive inspiration and evoke creative impulses.  Visitors traveled south from the Los Angeles area, north from San Diego and west from the desert communities for a week or weekend of health, fitness and camaraderie.  Until the later 1900’s these sojourners faced a long trek to partake of the healing waters and lands found at Glen Ivy.  With the inevitable changes that come with time, travel became easier and the land on which the original inn at Glen Ivy sat was partitioned off from the spa.  By the later 1970’s, Glen Ivy Hot Springs became known as a “daycation” destination; a unique day spa experience that is easily accessible from major southern California metropolises, Glen Ivy continues to offer an escape from the daily grind – a sense of spending the day in a remote tropical paradise – but in reality only a short drive away.

Many guests of Glen Ivy do not know the history of the property and are unaware that the original inn at Glen Ivy, The Lodge, is still standing and fully operational as a retreat center.  Day spa guests often comment that they wish they could stay overnight to enjoy more time to rejuvenate.  With the renewed vision of Glen Ivy Hot Springs as a center of personal, creative and spiritual renewal, it seemed only logical to return to offering extended stays and meaningful classes, programs and retreats to Glen Ivy guests.

The reasons for partaking in a Glen Ivy Hot Springs retreat are numerous and varied – some seek to extend their stay only as a means of enjoying more relaxation time – an effortless and easily reached destination that feels so far from the grind of daily life, while others, the Glen Ivy overnight experience represents the opportunity to reconnect with nature, to enjoy delicious, healthy, organic meals and to take pleasure in learning a new skill or life approach through the retreat activities.  Still others seek the personal transformation that only a retreat experience can provide.  Whether facing a major life transition, personal or spiritual awakening, or the feeling that life is somehow stuck or that an indefinable something is missing, extended stays and retreats at Glen Ivy offer a pathway back to life balance, an avenue with which to reunite with one’s true essence and a quiet space with gentle guidance leading to a more peaceful and happy life.

Glen Ivy has committed to offering extended stays and retreats led by professionals who hold a sincere desire to support and guide Glen Ivy guests to discover their personal best selves.  Glen Ivy’s retreats are held in the serenity of The Glen Ivy Center, our sister property that is home to over 58 acres of organic orchards and gardens, indigenous wildlife, Coldwater Creek and Glen Ivy’s original inn, The Lodge. Glen Ivy offers guests an all-embracing retreat experience:  Spa time each day, a Spa treatment, organic meals and the prospect of embracing life-changing rejuvenation.   And when we hear guests comment about how much they love these “new” offerings, we simply smile and stand in silent repose – knowing that Glen Ivy has, in fact, simply returned to the authenticity of its legacy.

Warm water wishes,
Seraphina Ashe,
Guest Experience Program Director

We’ve said “So long!” to summer and as the seasons change and we enter autumn, we couldn’t be more excited for all of the wonderful things that are happening. With new treatments, packages and events, it’s no wonder why we’re looking forward to this October. Here are the top five things we’re excited about:

• New Autumn Specials: With the season comes all of our favorite scents. Warm and cozy apple cider and pumpkin will be wafting through our treatment rooms thanks to the new Pumpkin Spice Facial, Harvest Glow Pedicure and Harvest Glow Body Treatment. All of these delicious services feature the welcoming aromas of the season and will have you relaxed and ready for fall. (For all of our autumn specials visit our Specials page.)

• The Better Together Package: What’s better than enjoying a spa day? Enjoying it with your favorite person! The Better Together Package at Glen Ivy Hot Springs (available Tuesday-Thursday) includes everything you need for the perfect day for two: 2 Spa Admissions, 2 Grotto Body Treatments and lunch for two at Café Sole.

• The Master Chef Series: We’re excited that our own award-winning Chef Bill Wavrin is offering not one but FOUR classes this month. From healthy holiday favorites to sharpening your knife skills, the Master Chef Series features a spa day package that includes Spa Admission, cooking class and lunch for just $75.

• Women’s Health Day: The first annual Glen Ivy Women’s Health Day will be held at the Hot Springs on Sunday, October 23. This all-day event will feature various speakers, classes and presentations with topics geared towards the physical, mental and spiritual health of women. Read more about  Women’s Health Day.

• The Glen Ivy Robe: As the temperature drops and you walk from pool to pool, sometimes a towel just doesn’t quite warm you up so why not wrap yourself up in luxurious warmth with the Glen Ivy Salt Air Spring Robe. It’s the perfect spa accessory for cool weather and available for purchase both at the Spa Lifestyle Store and on the Glen Ivy website.

Whether you customize your spa day with events & activities (see October schedule), or just come relax with a friend, we hope that you enjoy this coming month and experience one of the many things that we’re excited about. See you at the Spa!

What are you most looking forward to this month? Share with us by leaving a comment below.

On May 6 Bhante Sujatha, a Buddhist monk from the Blue Lotus Temple in Woodstock, IL, will be visiting Glen Ivy Hot Springs to teach guests a yoga and meditation class. Sujatha, a Buddhist monk for over 30 years, has taught around the globe to those wishing to learn the art of happiness and contentment through meditation. The teaching is centered around the cultivation of self love and the activities include: “What is Loving-Kindness?” and how to practice it.

Some other benefits of this beautiful workshop include:

• Reduced stress, anxiety, worry, and depression
• Healing and enhancing relationships with others
• Gaining a sense of empowerment over challenging issues in your life
• Insights into your life purpose
• Awakening to the blessings of the present moment
• Attaining unshakable inner peace

Make sure you join Bhante Sujatha for a Yoga class at 10am followed by a meditation class at 11am on May 6 at Glen Ivy Hot Springs. Bhante believes his purpose is to not only teach Meditation but also to “teach people how to be happy.” For more information on Bhante and the Blue Lotus Temple click here.

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, “Mom” is definitely the word at the spa lately. In our office we were talking about Mother’s Day and Elizabeth and Jennifer both shared some great Glen Ivy memories of their moms.

“My mom and I come to Glen Ivy every few months to spend quality time together – in fact, we just got some one-on-one time here on Monday! While we were relaxing she commented on how she finds herself at Glen Ivy for all sorts of different reasons: personal getaways when she has a day off work, Mother/Daughter days with me, and one special memory she recalled from Mother’s Day two years ago when my brothers and dad joined us at the spa. We reflected a bit on that happy, fun day and she said spending time at a place she loves with the people she loves most is a memory she will cherish forever.” – Elizabeth F.

“Just a few weeks ago I brought my mom and future mother-in-law to the Hot Springs for a relaxing Spa Day before the Big Day. We got a Cabana and we were so thankful to have a Cabana Concierge taking care of all the small details so we could just sit, soak and enjoy each others’ company – quite a contrast to the wedding planning, that’s for sure! Weeks leading up to the wedding can usually be very stressful so it was nice to carve out a full day for time together. We had such a great time laughing and chatting, and really celebrating the fact that our families will soon be joined. It was the perfect way to kick off the one month countdown to the Big Day!” – Jennifer S.

Do you have a Glen Ivy Mom Memory? Leave a comment with yours below!