Planning the Perfect Day with Friends at the Spa

What could make a wonderful relaxing Spa Day even better? Sharing it with friends of course! Glen Ivy Hot Springs is an ideal location for gathering with friends, family, even coworkers, for a celebration or just some “chill time.” Here are some spa pointers for planning a great day:

1. Is there a celebration part of your day? Whether a bridal party, birthday or work retreat, it is a good idea to make a guest list and jot down some notes of what you expect from your day. That may include time to relax together, meet or open gifts, have lunch, enjoy a treatment and take a class… there are so many fun things that you may do together as a group. If there are more than four people in your party, you may want to create a loose schedule for your day with the highlights, but be sure to leave time open for relaxing.

2. Reserve your Space. When you come to the Hot Springs as a group, it can be nice to reserve a space that will be all your own for the day. This ensures you have a comfortable and semi private setting to visit in, concierge service, and other perks. Depending on the size of your group, choose from Solé Lounges, Cabañas, or the Paradise Falls deck.

3. Reserve your treatments. It is recommended you reserve your treatments up to six weeks in advance, especially when you are with a group and hope for similar schedules. In addition to a full traditional spa menu with massage, facial and nail care, Glen Ivy Hot Springs offers signature treatments. The Grotto Moisturizing Body Treatment with friends is a fun social spa experience, reservations are required. Get more spa for your dollar when you try one of our current treatment specials, like the Glen Ivy Getaway. Includes Spa admission, your choice of a 50 minute Swedish Massage, Glen Ivy Facial, OR Body Treatment, plus Grotto Admission, and lunch! Monday-Thursday (excluding holidays). $160 Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays. $180

4. Take a class. Consider taking one of the many classes or tours offered as part of our Guest Programs. Choose from a variety of options that include fitness, gardening, cooking with Chef Bill, or guided labyrinth walks.

5. Dress the part! To ensure you are most comfortable through the day, here are a few tips on What to Bring. Pack as you would for a day at the beach, bringing a bathing suit, towel, flip flops and a robe. Commemorate the day with some “Spa at Home” items from the Spa Lifestyle Store. Choose from a selection of clothing, gifts, and body care, as well anything you may have forgotten for your day while you’re here.

6. Make a lunch plan. Under the artful eye of award-winning executive Chef Bill Wavrin, Glen Ivy Hot Springs offers a variety of dining options. Enjoy Mediterranean Cuisine of the Sun at Café Solé, try some fresh sushi at our newest restaurant, Sunflower, or order snacks poolside. If you reserve a cabaña you may also enjoy food and beverage service, an extended wine list, specialty cakes and cupcakes*, and the option to preorder your lunch for the day.

*Specialty cakes and cupcakes must be ordered at least 3 days in advance.

We all know it happens. People move, our lives get busy and we lose touch with those we were close to. Staying in touch with your friends isn’t always an easy task, until now. Taking a little time out of your month, or week, to spend with your friends not only has its health benefits, but it will help you live a more balanced life while strengthening some of the most important relationships—friendships.

Check out some easy ways to spend time with your favorite pals:

• Have a Dinner Date—Whether you meet up at your favorite restaurant or have a nice homemade dinner, there’s no better way to reconnect than by enjoying some great conversation over great food.

• Start a Book Club—If you and your friends all enjoy a good read, bond over a book! Book clubs are a great way to get together and share your thoughts about your favorite books! Check out Oprah’s tips and resources on how to start your own club!  

• Game Night—Love a little healthy competition? Grab that Monopoly board (or Pictionary if that’s more your style) and let the games begin! A game night wouldn’t be complete without some delicious munchies so make it a pot-luck game night and have everyone bring a dish!

• Plan a Spa Day—Head to Glen Ivy! Therapeutic waters, spa treatments, delicious food, and hours of relaxation. What more could you ask for!? Make the day even better and rent a cabana with your friends and enjoy a day being pampered!

So mark it on the calendar and invite your friends. Whether you’re reconnecting with a long last friend or keeping close with your best bud, take some time and enjoy each other’s company!

This month’s camaraderie theme was reflected in the many touching entries we received about friendships, siblings, mom and daughters, and marriages. From starting a new friendship to honoring a wonderful mother, and in the case of this contest’s winner, thanking a humble husband who is also a great best friend. Congratulations to Lorianne who will enjoy a a VIP day in the Date Palm Cabana at Glen Ivy Hot Springs! Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and voted!

The finalists for our “Win a Cabana” contest have been chosen! From mothers to husbands (even Mark Wahlberg and Audrey Hepburn!), we enjoyed reading about who you would spend a cabana day with! Now it’s up to YOU to choose who will be spending a day lounging in our Date Palm Cabana! Voting ends Sunday, September 12 at 10:00 pm so make sure you cast your vote!  Enjoy our finalists’ entries and thank you to everyone who participated!

#1- Lasting Memories: Spending a day with my baby sister, Linda, would be like getting two for one. Since our Mother passes two years ago, spending time together keeps the memories of her alive. We reminisce and share hilarious and touching stories that we’ll later share with her favorite people–our children. Our time together has helped us realize how many of our Mom’s quirky personality traits, wonderful qualities and family traditions we have adopted as our own. Our Mom, like so many other great women of her time, was a progressive Mother. There was never a doubt that our Dad and us girls were the most important thing in her life. I’m sure my sister and I will create a lasting memory the we can share with our children.–Gerri

#2-A Long-Awaited Anniversary: I have been in the ER seven times over the past 12 weeks and admitted to the hospital four times. My husband has been my partner, caretaker and unrelenting support. I know it has been trying on him and he would LOVE a day at Glen Ivy. Due to the above, my husband and I had to cancel our fifth year anniversary cruise to the Caribbean. This would truly be a treat and would help me say “thank you” to the man I love who takes such good care of me. He is so deserving of this day. He is so humble and patient he would never ask for it so it would be a nice surprise.–Lorianne

#3- A Day With Mom: I would spend it with my mother. My mother passed away 12 years ago while I was pregnant with my first child. I feel there is so much of my life she missed and she never got to meet her two grandchildren or see me purchase my first home. I have not had the opportunity to share my life with her. I would love to spend the day reflecting on my memories of my mother, her words of wisdom, her advise and counsel. I would spend the day getting to know myself better and searching for signs and resemblances of my mother in me. I truly miss having her in my life. Whenever I see the Birds of Paradise (her favorite flower), I know her spirit is with me and that all things are good.–Latrice

#4- Beginning a Friendship: If I could spend one day at Glenn Ivy in one of the cabanas with one person it would have to be my co-worker, Miranda. I moved here from Minnesota a year ago and have been busy trying to make ends meet. All of my family and friends are so far away, and while my husband is great, I need some girl time. I would love to become better friends with Miranda but our job makes it hard to do so. She also desperately needs the time to relax.  She is a single mom who is underpaid and overworked. Despite all the hardships, she always manages to smile and get a whole room laughing with her. It normally takes me a long time decide whether I want to be friends with someone, because I know that a good friendship takes time and energy. Oddly, I have felt an instant connection with Miranda and just know that we are meant to be friends forever.  Given the time to relax and have some fun our friendship can start to blossom.–Nichole

#5- A Deserving Friend: I would pick my friend Gina who is an amazing woman who deserves such a chance. This year has been quite difficult for her, she lost her father and stepfather within a few months of each other. For years she has spent much of her time taking care of her father and also supporting her mother and family when her stepfather was ill. She takes on the burden of the world and doesn’t complain, but one can see the pain is deep. In many ways she has been my light when I lost my job and living through the fear of almost losing a family member this year. She has been there unconditionally for the people around her and deserves a chance to take care of herself. It would give her a glimpse of happiness when this year has been filled with such darkened tragedies. –Nancy

With all the stress that comes with planning a wedding, a bride definitely needs some relaxation before the big day! Check out how our own Jennifer relaxed with all of the important women in her life before she walked down the aisle!

A few weeks before my wedding, I planned to bring the special women in my life to the spa for a day of relaxation and celebration. I wanted to do something to honor and thank them for their support and help with planning the wedding I’d dreamed about, and to also include my older sister, my 16-year-old niece, my mom, and my future mother- and sisters-in law.

The idea of reserving a Cabaña for the day came to me quickly, as they’ve been very popular for bridal and bachelorette parties, plus I knew there would be something at the spa for everyone to enjoy.  Being the bride and host, I was relieved to have Cabaña Concierges to take care of all the arrangements during the day so I could relax and enjoy the company of the wonderful women I’d invited.

When we arrived to the cabana that morning, I was delighted to find a beautiful platter of chocolate covered strawberries and chilled champagne – a terrifically thoughtful gift from my colleagues at the spa!

Our group spent the day soaking in the Terrace Spa, sipping on lava flows, mimosas and sparkling cider, devouring chocolate covered strawberries in between snacking on pizzas and salad, gushing over wedding details, and just laughing and having a great time. Later in the day, my sister and her daughter muddied each other up in Club Mud, some of the girls went down to the Grotto, and others had booked massages and body treatments.  It was an amazing day, full of great memories and it was the perfect way for me to unwind and get even more excited about the wedding!
For more information on renting a cabana for that special occasion in your life, 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!

Once upon a time there was a man named Alex and a woman named Cynthia. A few weeks ago Alex called Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa to arrange the perfect proposal in paradise. Yesterday was the big day and Alex had everything planned – they enjoyed time together in their cabana, ate lunch, and then Cynthia enjoyed a pedicure and manicure (so she could show off her new sparkly ring later with perfectly polished nails – Alex was so thoughtful!). While the couple was enjoying their Grotto experience, the cabana staff sprinkled rose petals around the cabana and set up the champagne and chocolate covered strawberries just the way Alex had wanted. When they arrived back at their cabana Cynthia was pleasantly surprised as Alex proposed. And she said YES! We are so excited for Alex and Cynthia and we were thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful moment in their love story.