Hibiscus Spa at The Westin Casuarina Hotel and Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada
Julie Register and Linda Bankoski visited this hotel spa in November 2004

*The Westin Casuarina Hotel and Spa is located on Flamingo just a block or so east of The Strip. What a difference that little distance makes! Just a short stroll from what must be the most energetic, stimulating street in Nevada, the Westin Casuarina Hotel and Spa seems miles away in atmosphere - much calmer and quieter - but in a good way. Everything is on a more personal scale. There is a casino, but at 20,000 square feet, it's not cavernous. It actually sees daylight from the front of the hotel. There's also a 200-seat showroom, 15,000 square feet of meeting space, a restaurant -the Silver Peak Grill, a Starbucks and a small WestinWORKOUT(SM) fitness center.

The nicest feature of the hotel, in my opinion, is the Hibiscus Spa. The attractive 10,000 square-foot facility features a large reception area with beautiful wooden shelves lining the walls for retail display; 15 treatment rooms for facials, massages, vichy shower, and couples; separate men's and women's changing rooms with lockers, showers, saunas and steam rooms; and men's and women's lounges separated by lovely etched glass panels. There is also a full-service salon with manicure and pedicure stations. Next to the spa is the exit to the outdoor Jacuzzi and heated pool with private cabanas which are available to all hotel guests.

I was scheduled for an Aromavedic Total Body, Mind & Spririt Experience and Linda for a Botanical Garden Wrap at 8 am. What follows is how our morning went.

Julie: We checked in at the front desk, were given sandals and escorted to the Women's changing room. I opened the locker and started exchanging my clothes for the comfy robe inside.

Linda: I opened my locker to find no robe inside. I looked in 3 or 4 lockers before I found one that had a robe inside.

Julie: I realized I had been given two different sized sandals. I put my shoes back on and went back to the reception area where I traded the mismatched pair for two of the same, correct size and went back into the changing room.

Linda: I changed into the robe and decided to use the bathroom before heading to the Lounge. Two out of the three stalls had no toilet paper. The trash cans were full from the day before. It was clear the area had not been prepped for the day. I went to the lounge, which clean and comfortable, and read a magazine until time for my treatment.

Julie: Since I had time, I decided to use the steam room before my treatment but found the temperature too high - especially as the steam was filling the room. I couldn't put my feet on the floor. I just moved over to the sauna for a bit. I showered off and stopped by the water cooler before heading to the Lounge. It was empty. I walked out the reception area to ask for water and was given one bottle. I asked for a second one for Linda.

Linda: I sat in the lounge and looked through the stack of magazines. They were allabout spas. I selected one and flipped through it. The article I read infuriated me. A special interest of mine is customer satisfaction. The article said to secure customer loyaly, a spa need only ensure the front desk people are attentive and friendly. I know it takes much more than that - a clean, stocked area, for instance. This article did not help me relax.

Julie: Outside the lounge, there was a spot for snacks, the snacks had not been refreshed for a long time - probably the day before. I entered the lounge to find Linda reading in a lounge chair. I gave her a bottle of water, and she was glad I did. There was no water in the lounge either. There were samples of lotions to try, so I did - all 8 of them. My hands and arms were covered in an interesting combination of aromas. I hoped they didn't interfere with my upcoming treatment. There were candles, but none were lit. I felt like the spa just weren't ready for us yet and wished we had come at a time when they were. I settled in a lounge chair, and Linda and I chatted for a while and paged through a few magazines. Another woman joined us, so we stopped talking and started to relax. At the appointed time, Kim, my therapist, came to escort me to my treatment room.

Linda: I was going to have a Botanical Garden Wrap which is described in the brochure, "Dead skin cells are simply rolled away with our relaxing Petit Grain Essence Exfoliant. You are then wrapped in a summer garden ultra hydrating cream of Apricot Stone Oil and Elderberry Flower Extract known for its smoothing and moisturiing benefits, all ingredients used are rich in Vitamin A & E known to promote cellular renewal and soften the skin." I found the treatment to be very relaxing and soothing. The table was warm in the cool room. I was just expecting a wrap and was pleasantly surprised by a bit of massage on my hands, a pad on eyes and hot towels wrapped around my feet. The aroma was wonderful. My therapist was very personable. I felt cared for and felt that she was truly interested in providing a great experience for me. I am fairly new to the spa experience, so I have little to compare it to, but it certainly met all of my expectations.

Julie: I was scheduled for an Aromavedic Total Body, Mind & Spriirt Experience which is described in the brochure, "Enter an atmosphere envisaged only for you, with soft candle light, aromachology adapted to your needs and reiki music lulling your spirit. Essential, floral and ayurvedic oil blends are selected to invoke harmony whether the need is Relaxation, Energizing or Delight. A special blend is used to do an ayurvedic massage from scalp to toe. No need is ignored and you depart with a revivial of the body, mind and spriit. 80 minutes." The treatment room was nicely decorated in light purple and bamboo floors with a slate center. Light was softened by a nice wooden diffuser covered in sa paper. I selected the Energizing blend when asked to choose an oil. Kim left the room while I got on the massage table. The table was heated and felt great in contrast to the air conditioned room. Kim returned and gave me a terrifc massage. It wasn't what I had anticipated as an ayurvedic massage. Those I have had in the past use profuse amounts of oil. However, as it was, it was the best massage I've had in Las Vegas. It was highlighted by a few special touches. While I was face-down, Kim put small bolsters under my shoulders which greatly added to my comfort. While I was face-up, Kim covered my eyes with warm eye pads and tucked a warm neckroll under my neck. When it was done, Kim wrapped my feet in very warm towels and wiped the oil off my feet. After my treatment was over, I went back to the lounge. The candles were now lit, but there was still no water. I went out to the reception area for a couple of bottles. Linda was waiting in the lounge. She also has an excellent treatment. Despite all of the inconsistencies between service and expectations, we agreed the services were wonderful and well worthwhile. They were a great start to the day!

The Hibiscus Spa offers a large menu of treatments including: Hibiscus Facial Treatments (Aroma Stone Facial, European Aromaprime Basic Facial, Aromaclear Clarifying Facial or Fruit and Floral Purifying Facial, Retivine Anti-Aging Facial, Aqua-C Facial, Men's Rejuvenating Facial, Ultimate Back Facial, Teen Facial, Hibiscus Beauty Express, Radiant Renewal Facial, Add-on to any facial - Viternel Eye and Lip Treatment, Anti-Aging Floral Hand Treatment, Collagen Amplifier, Skin Tightening Serum, Microdermabration Scrub, Eye Treatment), Hibiscus Body Scrubs (Herbal Papaya Pineapple, Geranium Grapeseed, Mandarin Orange, Sesame Almond, Rare Essence Blossum Rub, Hibiscus Island Paradise, Tropical Tempataion, Tranquil Escape Mud Mask, Crystalsilk Body Glow), Hibiscus Body Wrap Treatments (Botanoca Garden Wrap, Natures secret Elixir, Herbal Rjuvenating Wrap), Hibiscus Massage Treatments - included in every massage, choose from Orange Blossom, Papaya, Pineapple, Rosemary, Lavender, Kukui Coconut, Herbal Spice massage cream (Reflexology, Japanese Shiatsu, Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue, Sports Therapy, Craniosacral Therapy, Couples Massage, Four Handed Massage, Pregnancy Massage, Aromavedic Total Body, Mind & Spirit Experience, Massage enhancement - Aromascultp Experience), Nail Services (Pedicures - Creative Signature SpaPedicure, Runner's Repair, Cooling and Rejuvenationf Pedicure, Intense Moisture Pack for the Feet, Garden Pedicure, Short & Sweet Pedicure; Manicures - Creative Signature SpaManicure, Garden Manicure, Moisuture Manicure, What's your mood? Manicure, Raid Rejuvenator, Creative Signature 4 Hands Spa Pedicure / Spa Manicure, Quick Change, Enhancement Services), Hair Services, Make-Up Services, Waxing Services, Wedding Parties.

The Westin Casuarina Hotel and Spa offers 826 contemporary guest rooms including 10 suites, all rooms feature the Westin Heavenly Bed®, Heavenly Bath(SM), dual-line cordless telephones, in-room safe, coffee makers, deluxe spa amenities and soft, terry cloth robes. While my room looked a bit worn for being a new hotel, I certainly enjoyed the Westin Heavenly Bed®!