f you’ve never experienced a destination spa, you must, especially if you’re a busy professional. Take it from this working mother of two—two days on a lush tropical property, several spa treatments and ample pool time is the perfect prescription to unwind, de-stress and refresh—physically and mentally.

And that’s precisely what I stepped into when I arrived on a sunny afternoon at the 20-acre Hyatt Regency Bonaventure Hotel in Weston, Fla. I was here primarily for the signature Elizabeth Arden Red Door Lifestyle Spa located on the property. The spa itself promised to offer a sophisticated, zen-like atmosphere and experience, and the expansive Hyatt property surely reflects those qualities. With its lush, green foliage, koi pond and resident swan, this resort exudes the sense of a harmonious retreat. Exactly what I needed.

The resort itself has nine different buildings that offer luxury accommodations. A nature trail connects each to the next. It’s intentionally designed to get you outside and engaged with various outdoor amenities, including walking paths, the pool and cabana bar, all swaddled in fresh air and a lush, tropical environment. And true to its intention, I took a short walk under an overstory of foliage that shielded me from the sun’s rays, through a zen garden, and finally arrived at those famous red doors.

Through the Red Doors

When we talk about “lifestyle,” it encompasses body, mind and spirit. At the Red Door, the atmosphere is therapeutic and engages all of the senses: light therapy, aroma therapy, and music therapy permeate each space. The massive, red Asian-inspired doors welcomed me into a large room in which the grand space and design made me feel very small—humbled, in fact.

Compare that with the smaller space of the treatment room where I received the Red Door Signature Massage: small, personal, comforting, safe. So much so, in fact, that I wouldn’t have even known my massage therapist was there if it hadn’t been for the fact that I had her hands on me. True to what Red Door promises, I walked out in my robe feeling completely relaxed, centered and rejuvenated— body and spirit.

But my experience at the Red Door didn’t end there. In celebration of their anniversary—100 years of Elizabeth Arden Red Door—I also had the privilege of indulging in their special Champagne and Roses Manicure.

No, I didn’t get to drink the champagne. Instead, I had it served up in their Champagne and Roses Scrub and Moisturizing Butter Cream, after I had a nice rose petal finger soak, of course. A paraffin hand treatment and polish left me with the softest, prettiest hands at the resort.

Lingering on Lifestyle

The purpose of “spa” is to relax, rest, rejuvenate, unwind. Reflecting on my experience at the Red Door spa, their philosophy strikes me as similar to that of yoga: Ideally, it’s not something you “do” to get intermittent benefits, it’s something you “practice.” It’s something to be done with purpose; it’s not just about the physical, but also the emotional and spiritual.

I know what you’re thinking: Sometimes all you’ve got time for is the quick “fix.” This spa definitely recognizes it and caters to that, too. You can have a manicure or a simple polish change, but it’s a totally different experience from that which you’re likely to have at other spas. What makes it different, you wonder? The atmosphere of the place, of course.

To get the most from “spa,” they say that it’s got to become a lifestyle. Me? After this experience, I’m a believer!

Contact Information:
Elizabeth Arden Red Door Lifestyle Spa
Hyatt Regency Bonaventure
250 Racquet Club Road, Weston, FL
954.349.5500
www.reddoorlifestylespa.com