Jackie's on the Reef
Negril, Jamaica
Jackie's Signature Treatment
New York transplant Jackie Lewis' intimate holistic sanctuary is surrounded by the sea, and every activity – be it yoga or tai chi, ear candling or hot-stone massage – is accompanied by the sound of the ocean and the caress of salt-scented breezes. Designed to detoxify the body and nurture the spirit, Jackie's 45-minute signature treatment is a combination of reflexology and a traditional herbal or "bush" bath. It begins with application of a green-clay face-mask and a sea-water soak, after which clients transition to a cliff-side cabana where their feet are slathered in fresh-cut aloe vera gel and treated to a reflexology massage. The main event is a bracing full-body scrub with a secret five-herb brew. "Most people are blown away by this treatment," says Lewis. "It's very personal and nurturing, reminiscent of being bathed by your mother or grandmother."
$60; 876-957-4997; jackiesonthereef.com
La Source
Grenada
Arawak Indian Head Massage
The much-loved, activity-packed all-inclusive playground La Source reopened last February after a three-year closure. As before, a daily regime of water- and land-based sports, exercise, meditation and stress-management classes is complemented by one included treatment per day at the Oasis Spa, where director Sally Dawson has formulated a new menu that incorporates native spices and echoes the healing traditions of the island's first inhabitants."The Arawaks believed that massage increased brain power and strengthened the hair," says Dawson, creator of the spa's Arawak Indian Head Massage. "Their hair had to look strong and shiny, and the head was massaged regularly to accomplish this." The 20-minute treatment at La Source employs a variety of massage techniques to stimulate blood circulation to the scalp, nourish the roots of the hair and encourage hair growth. It also relieves tension in the head, neck and shoulders while eucalyptus-and-camphor massage oil eases breathing.
$40 if purchased separately; 888-527-0044; theamazingholiday.com
Check out the CT+L Featured Spa page to read more about La Source...
Maroma Resort and Spa
Riviera Maya, Mexico
Purifying Body Kinku Ritual
Maroma embraces elements of Maya culture throughout the resort; its thatch-roofed buildings are cosmically aligned to ensure the flow of positive energy to the 7,000-square-foot Kinan Spa, where 20-foot mahogany doors give way to a sanctuary brimming with native trees, herbs and flowers. A unique menu of treatments borrows from the knowledge of local healers and shamans.The two-hour Purifying Body Kinku Ritual begins with a full-body scrub using corn, cucumber and tamarind. "Corn was used for worship in the Mayan culture and is one of the most sacred plants," notes spa director Sharron Hopley. Post-scrub, a body mask of purifying ginger, pepper and cloves is applied to help stimulate circulation and detoxification. "This mask gives a really nice 'warm' feeling; you can literally feel your blood pumping," Hopley claims. To balance the intense heat, the body is wrapped in cool banana leaves, and a therapist performs a relaxing pressure-point massage.
$250; 866-454-9351; maromahotel.com
Matachica Beach Resort
Ambergris Caye, Belize
Hibiscus Sea Salt Body Detox Treatment
In the thick of the jungle, Matachica is surrounded by an abundance of plants, flowers and tropical fruits – many of which find their way into the resort's Jade Spa, where treatments combine traditional Mayan remedies. Head spa therapist Maria Louisa Campos comes from a long line of Mayan healers and creates unique therapies such as the 75-minute Hibiscus Sea Salt Body Detox. It begins with a full-body application of a mixture of fresh hibiscus flowers, sea salt, coconut oil, detoxifying sea clay and fresh ginger. Once the mask cures, it is washed off, and the body is rinsed with fresh coconut milk and patted dry. Guests also enjoy facials made from fresh banana, papaya, honey and coconut oil. The 45-minute Papaya Facial & Décolleté, recommended for sensitive skin, uses papaya to exfoliate, sea clay to tighten and vitamin E to impart a healthy glow.
Body Detox $95; Facial $50; 011-501-220-5010; matachica.com
Presidente InterContinental Resort & Spa
Cozumel, Mexico
The Mayan Aromatic Ritual
At the 6,500-square-foot Mandara Spa, an expansive palapa-style building houses treatment rooms, showers, whirlpool tubs, a relaxation area and outdoor baths. The Maya-inspired menu of services incorporates local fruit, plants and natural elements such as mud, a traditional curative poultice that's the centerpiece of the Mayan Aromatic Ritual.The mud is mixed with hot water and essential oils, cloves, ginger and cinnamon. The warm, thick paste is then slathered onto the body to soothe aching muscles and joints. After a few minutes, the mud is rinsed off under an invigorating Vichy shower, and the treatment ends with a massage.
$180 for 80 minutes; $230 for 110 minutes; 800-327-0200; intercontinentalcozumel.com
Radisson Aruba Resort & Casino
Aruba
Aloe Vera and Rum Massage
On a famously arid island, the Radisson Aruba's Larimar Spa is an unexpectedly lush oasis, with bamboo-lined walkways and Zen-inspired gardens and reflecting pools. "Most people don't realize we are a desert environment and that very few plants grow here," says spa director Bruce Cavan. "But what we do have is aloe, brought from Africa more than 160 years ago and part of the family medicine cabinet ever since; it's traditionally used for stomach and skin ailments and general well-being." Larimar's indulgent 80-minute Aloe Vera and Rum Massage uses locally distilled Palmera rum, liquified local aloe, fresh limes, polished black pebbles from a northern beach, and heated Larimar stones (blue semi-precious rocks found only in the Dominican Republic). Therapists use a variety of massage styles in this head-to-toe rubdown.
$185; 800-333-3333; larimarspaaruba.com








