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Spa at
Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC
Julie Register visited this hotel spa in Washington, DC in
August, 2006
 *Another
year, another anniversary! This year, Jeff and I spent it at the
Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, DC. It was an easy train ride
to Washington from our home and a quick ride on the Metro from Union
Station to a stop just a few blocks from the hotel. The Four Seasons
is located in historic Georgetown, a charming area known for its
art galleries, antique stores, boutiques and restaurants. This shopper's
paradise is anchored by The Shops at Georgetown Park, a former tobacco
warehouse now decorated in classical Victorian style. However, other
than the hotel, we didn't take advantage of what the area had to
offer. With one exception, we didn't leave the property. That exception
was a DC
Restaurant Week dinner at a restaurant near the capitol. We
just wanted to chill out for a couple of days. The spa was main
attraction and set the tone for relaxation. |
The Spa
We left our room to go to the spa and crossed the Garden
Terrace, the hotel's open-air interior courtyard, to the spa entrance.
If there was an interior way to get to the spa, we never found it
- not that we looked that hard. The Garden Terrace was quite peaceful
and provided a direct route. Had it been January instead of August,
we might have looked harder. We checked in at the 12,500 square-foot
Four Seasons Fitness Club and Spa's reception desk and had plenty
of time to tour the two-level Fitness Club.
The main level held a nice assortment of cardiovascular
equipment, each with a television, DVD player, CD player, radio
and individual headset. Many faced large windows overlooking the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park adjacent to the
hotel. There was also a complete line of Cybex strength training
equipment and a quiet, private terrace. The lower level featured
a 60-foot, two-lane lap pool, whirlpool and eucalyptus-scented steam
room.
The Fitness Club also had an aerobics studio. Unfortunately,
it was located next to the spa's co-ed lounge, and classes were
being held at the time of our visit. The high energy music and
instruction coming from the studio rendered the lounge unusable
as a place of relaxation. Fortunately, the spa also had a quiet
alternative - small, separate men's and women's lounges. Since
the spa did not have a couple's treatment room, Jeff and I parted
ways as we entered the locker rooms and did not see each other
again until our treatments were finished. Jeff opted for an 80-minute
Swedish Massage, and I chose a Cherry Blossom Champagne Signature
Body Treatment.
My initial reaction
to the women's locker room was that it was really large for
a spa with eight treatment rooms. Then I remembered the Fitness
Club and realized it probably served a lot of women there
to just work out. Unlike other changing / locker rooms that
I had visited this year that served both fitness centers and
spas and whose decor was more fitting a YMCA than a spa, this
locker room was lovely - lots of marble and rich wood finishes
and much more "spa" than "fitness center."
Iced washcloths were provided for the steam and sauna. The
vanity area had a large array of amenities - hair gel, hair
spray, mouthwash, foot spray, note pads and pens and more.
I enjoyed
the steam and sauna, donned my plush robe and plastic sandals and
waited for my appointment in the petit two-seat women's lounge (the
men's lounge was the same size). I was mid-article in a fitness magazine
when Lori came to get me. She escorted me to a luxurious, private
spa room – a spa within the spa - with its own treatment room,
whirlpool and steam shower.
Lori began the Cherry Blossom Champagne Signature Body
Treatment by dry brushing my body to exfoliate and increase the blood
flow. When done, my skin just tingled. Lori opened the doors to a second
chamber and revealed a deep soaking tub. I climbed in and relaxed in
the bubbles for about 15 minutes while enjoying a Champagne flute of
black cherry soda (the only reference to cherries in this "cherry
blossom" treatment) and a plate filled with blueberries, strawberries,
blackberries, raspberries, apples and oranges. It was thoroughly indulgent,
and I loved it. All too soon Lori asked me to dry off and return to
the treatment table. There she polished my skin with an all-natural
champagne salt scrub followed by an application of a soothing, fragrant
champagne mixture. She wrapped me in silver plastic and snapped on a
thick outer blanket that left my feet and face open. While the wrap
worked, Lori massaged my face and scalp massage and then my feet. I
returned to the inner chamber to shower off in the steam shower. The
final part of the treatment was a massage with thick shea butter to
seal in moisture. As I left the room, Lori handed me a bag with extra
shea butter, the dry brush (I love knowing they don't re-use the brushes
on the next client!), cherry incense and one other item. Remember that
fitness magazine I was reading? Lori noticed and included it for me
to take home. What fabulous attention to detail! What a lovely, thoughtful
touch! I left feeling pampered and renewed.
I reconnected with Jeff in the co-ed lounge, now quiet,
and we enjoyed a warm cup of Elixir
tonic together. Although I know Jeff thoroughly enjoyed his massage,
I don't see how I could have had a more enjoyable treatment than the
Cherry Blossom Champagne Signature Body Treatment.
Other treatments offered at the spa at the Four Seasons
Washington DC include:
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Massages
- In-room massage
- Aromatherapy massage
- Deep tissue massage
- Hot stone therapy massage
- L'enfant prenatal massage
- Muscle melt sports massage
- Swedish massage
- Thai massage
Facials
- Four Seasons Hotel Washington signature facial
- Naturopathica facial
Eye care
- Eyelash perm
- Lash and brow tinting
Hand and foot treatments
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Body treatments
- Four Seasons In One spa treatment
- Capital buzz revitalising treatment
- Cherry blossom champagne signature body treatment
- Revitalising verbena polish
- Rosemary citron scrub
Depilatory services
Treatment packages
- Demi package
- Body renewal package
- Head-to-toe package
- Urban retreat package
Salon services at George's Salon
- Haircuts, coloring and treatments
- Manicures and pedicures
- Make-up application and instruction
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The Room
We stayed in a Premier Room located on the 3rd floor
of the revitalized east wing of the Four Seasons Washington DC which
overlooked the Historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, one of the best
preserved and least altered of old American canals. The décor
of the room was sophisticated and elegant, in a mauve color scheme
accented by original artwork from the Louis-Dreyfus private collection.
A limestone foyer led to a sitting area furnished with a chair,
ottoman, keyless refrigerated private bar and executive desk. The
full limestone bathroom had an absolute black granite-topped double
sink vanity, deep soaking tub, separate shower with massage and
hand-held shower heads, and enclosed WC. The room was very comfortable.
We spent a good portion of our stay in it.
Technological features of the room included:
- 32-inch, LCD, flat-screen, high-definition
television with digital on-demand movies and all-news cable
network
- DVD and CD player
- CD clock radio
- PlayStation available
- High-speed e-mail and Internet access
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- Recessed overhead individual reading lights
with bedside dimmers
- Dual-line cordless telephones
- Voice mail
- Fax machines available
- Laptop safe
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Other room amenities included:
- 100% cotton oversized bath towels
- Down pillows
- Duvets
- Hair dryer
- Iron and ironing board
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- Non-allergenic pillows and bedding available
- Refrigerated private bar
- Thick terry bathrobes
- Twice-daily housekeeping service
- Complimentary newspaper
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Other facilities, amenities and services offered at
the Four Seasons Washington DC:
photos copyright Julie Register 2006
except those marked * which are courtesy Four Seasons Washington,
DC
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http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=*EJTVpauQ/0&offerid=61746.10000013&subid=0&type=4
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$50-
