Fabulous. Absolutely!

Story and Photos by
Missy Kavanaugh

>The Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes

>The Mandara Spa at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort

>Si Spa at Singer Island

>Don CeSar Beach Resort

>Spas for Tiny Tots:
Read Savannah's impressions of her first spa experience.

The Meru Temple and bath at Disney's Swan and Dolphin Mandara Spa in Orlando are works of art.

Spas have come to be an expected amenity at any resort worth its salt- or sugar-scrub, and many are diversifying in creative directions to meet the needs of all guests, no matter the age, gender...or species.

Four Florida spas offer AAA members such unique diversity that I decided to check them out. So, joined by my seven-year-old daughter Savannah and a continuous loop of Disney's High School Musical 2's Fabulous playing in my car speakers, I donned some shades and set off to see what's available in the lap of luxurious Florida travel.

First Stop—The Ritz!

From the moment we gave our keys to the valet at the Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando to the time we reclaimed them, we were treated like celebrities. And children are especially pampered.

Following the hostess up the winding staircase to the spa's second floor, we arrived at the salon for Savannah's Fizzy Princess manicure/pedicure.

Now, I've had my share of spa manis and pedis, but I have never, ever soaked my hands and feet in fizzy pink water. But Savannah did. Pink crystals poured into both the manicure soaking bowl and foot tub make an invigorating fizz, and the pink looks so elegant. Not bad for a little girl's first spa experience!

But it was the elbow-to-fingertip massage Savannah got during the manicure coupled with the massage chair and foot soak during her pedicure that sold her for good and always. (Forget a college fund. I'm gonna need a spa fund!)

The lobby at The Resort at Singer Island invites guests to sit and enjoy.

Once her fingers and toes were polished cherry pink, an attendant whisked her off to the Ritz Kids room for a snack, a game, and arts and crafts with other pint-sized Ritz guests.

Then it was my turn.

When I booked the appointment, I had no idea what Ashiatsu was. Turns out, it's massage with feet. A therapist, supported by two bars hanging from the ceiling, works the muscles of the back and extremities with varying degrees of pressure through her feet.

And while I had my doubts, lying on that table, with the soothing music, the low light, the aroma-therapeutic ambiance and the expert maneuvers of my therapist, I TOTALLY forgot that it was her feet doing the massaging. The spa's brochure boasts that this treatment will erase your mind. It's true.

An Oasis for Every...man

The Mandara Spa at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort features a Balinese style, with mahogany wood and sandstone accents in virtually every room. Here, beautiful ambience and attentive service are as important as the treatment itself. There are no voices above a low, hushed murmur.

Kids get pampered at the Ritz Carlton.

Guests await their treatments in the Tea Garden, a large room dominated by a dark wood canopy and soft pillowed couches below.

While enjoying the garden, I noticed a man sitting in his robe and slippers beneath the wood canopy. As he seemed to be enjoying his serenity, I left him to his thoughts. But seeing that he looked like any typical businessman you'd see on a plane or dad at a soccer game, it occurred to me that the Mandara's dark accents and meditative ambience would put any man wary of beauty salon chatter in a feminine environment at his ease immediately. The spa offers treatments especially for men and, of course, there are the massages. The spa boasts an extensive list of Western and Eastern massage techniques, and a couples massage and a couples soak are also options.

Post treatment, guests are led into the Meditation Garden, where a Meru Temple graces the center of the room, surrounded by soft-glowing lights, cushioned wicker chairs and long chaises.

As I chatted with a woman also enjoying the space, Savannah claimed a nearby chaise for herself. The woman and I spoke at length, and as I rose to leave, I noticed my typically active child had fallen fast asleep in the mid-morning light pouring through the window of the garden. Whatever Mandara's doing, it's working.

The Resort at Singer Island makes a formidable impression from the beaches of the Atlantic.

Si Spa at Singer Island

Having just opened in April 2007, the Si Spa at Singer Island sits directly on Florida's Gold Coast on a finger of sandy beach dotted with exclusive condos and upscale homes.

In the pre-treatment room, sheer, floor-length curtains help create cozy settings for intimate conversation or isolated privacy. I sat against a far wall, sipping herbal tea, and listened as a trio of women of varying ages discussed the youngest woman's upcoming nuptials behind the opposite curtain. Listening to the multi-generational conversation, I closed my eyes and mused on images of one day sharing the same with Savannah.

I was soon ushered into a room where a delightfully prepared treatment table awaited me. A tropical flower rested in the crevice of the top sheet's fold, just above a silk damask blanket.

I've never had an exfoliation treatment before, and it's got a tingly effect.

Once exfoliated, Monticelli mud was applied to my back and extremities, and plastic wrapped around me. My body grew warmer in response to the mud's restorative qualities.

As my body rested in its cocoon, my technician gently massaged my face, neck and scalp. It was a serendipitous treat, as I had expected to simply rest in solitude while the mud worked its magic.

After stepping out of the rain shower to wash off the mud, I was treated to the final step—my skin drenched in creamy, silky-soft lotion as the flavorful aromas of oregano, basil, anise and lemon permeated the room.

Before getting up from the table, I took a moment to run my hand over my "new" skin. It felt as smooth as Savannah's.

View from the treatment cabanas on the top floor of Spa Oceana at the Don CeSar on St. Pete Beach.

Pets Pampered in Pink

The Don CeSar was built in 1928 by real estate tycoon Thomas Rowe, who wanted to build a "pink castle" on Florida's Gulf Coast. Distinguished guests during the early years included F. Scott Fitzgerald, Franklin Roosevelt and Al Capone. The years following its heyday brought the hotel from the brink of obscurity to its present opulence. And recently, the resort unveiled its refurbished Spa Oceana overlooking the snowy white beaches of St. Pete Beach.

When I visited the resort, the spa was still undergoing its transformation, but I did get a "sneak peek" at what guests can expect. And boy, are those guests in for a treat.

The wing that houses the spa juts out onto the beach, and each Gulf-facing wall of the three-story structure contains a bank of floor-to-ceiling windows. The whirlpool in the women's section has a spectacular view of the Gulf, and guests lucky enough to book a treatment in one of the cabanas on the top floor are in for a panoramic feast for the senses, complete with Gulf breezes and the sound of sparkling water gently falling from its signature fountain.

But if you have four legs, you really have it made at the Don.

The resort is pet-friendly, and its spa has for some time offered pet massages to canine guests. At the new Spa Oceana, a pampered pooch and its owner can choose from a variety of services, including therapeutic massage that increases blood circulation and relaxation techniques designed to ease canine stress. Sports massages enhance muscle tone or promote healing from an injury, and massages for senior dogs increase flexibility of joints and enhance the quality of life for beloved and aging four-legged family members.

It's about education as well as luxury. Owners are taught how to do the same techniques at home, so pets can continue to benefit from their effects. Each owner leaves the spa treatment with a packet that contains pages of reader-friendly illustrations outlining doggie muscle groups, terms and fun activities to help motivated pet parents keep up the good work started at the spa.

Home Again

As we carried our suitcases into the house, Savannah dropped her bag and inspected her fingernails. "Uh, oh," she said, a sly smile crossing her face. "Mommy, I need another manicure."

I looked at my woman-in-training and sighed. I had to admit, my muscles ached for more attention.

Gotta start that spa fund. Good thing we don't have a dog.

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