States of mind achieved through states of body. These are the names of just a few of the treatments offered at Senses Spa at Our Lucaya on Grand Bahama Island. The names reflect the intention used to create and perform them. The focus on senses is the heart of the spa.
According to Spa Director, Bruce Josephs, “We want to touch every one of our five senses” with the treatments at Senses Spa.
Senses Spa is located in the three-story Lighthouse Pointe building at one end of the 7 1/2 acre Our Lucaya complex, away from the busier, noisier, and more family-oriented parts of the resort.
More about Our Lucaya Resort
The spa’s first floor houses the salon, manicure and pedicure stations, and two facial treatment rooms. The second floor contains six massage treatment rooms (one for couples) and hydrotherapy and Vichy shower rooms. The rooms are named after native plants such as Sea Grape, Gammalami, Cerasee, Five Fingers, Yellow Elder, Blue Flower, Brasalita, Cocoplum, and Wood Rose. The top floor is the home of the very popular fitness center which provides a terrific view of the infinity pool and Caribbean beyond. It offers state-of-the-art cardiovascular and strength training equipment, activity rooms for aerobics, abdominal classes, spinning, and one-on-one fitness consultations.
The decor of the spa is neutral, but the warmth and sincerity of the therapists definitely are not. I visited Our Lucaya weeks after the Senses Spa opened and enjoyed the better part of a day experiencing a Bahamian Bush Bath, Total Senses Massage, and Pure Sense Facial. I checked in at the reception desk, was given a robe (sandals hadn’t arrived yet), and was shown to the Women’s Locker Room. I changed, enjoyed the sauna and steam rooms, then waited in the co-ed lounge. From there, my therapist, Pamela, escorted me to the hydrotherapy room for my first treatment, the Bahamian Bush Bath.
The Bahamian Bush Bath is a hydrotherapy bath using Bahamian remedies made from indigenous plants (Bush Medicine). Cascarilla bark, Cerasee, and Fever Grass along with chamomile, fresh lemon juice, and Pevonia essential oil all combined to make a fragrant, bubbly, fizzy, relaxing experience. While I was soaking in this concoction with the water jets moving along my body, Pamela placed a cool, scented cloth over my eyes and massaged my scalp, neck, and shoulders. This lasted for about 25 minutes. When it was over, I was dried off and instructed to sit on a massage chair where Pamela applied moisturizer to my back, arms, and legs. Very relaxing.
More about Bush Medicine at Senses Spa
When the Bahamian Bush Bath was done, Pamela escorted me back to the lounge and brought me water.
Senses Spa describes the Total Senses Massage as “the ultimate massage” and if it’s not, it’s close. My therapists (note the “s”), Audell and Tara escorted me to the Vichy shower room and asked me to get on the table while they put on waterproof aprons. I closed my eyes and felt the unique sensation of being massaged on both my head and feet at the same time, my left and right legs at the same time, my left and right arms at the same time, … More than just at the same time – the therapists strived to be in the same place, with the same pressure – a choreographed masterpiece. If that wasn’t enough, when they were through, Tara exfoliated my feet with a sea salt mixture while Audell massaged my scalp, neck, and shoulders. Then the Vichy shower gently sprayed warm water all over my body as Audell and Tara rinsed the salt off and finished my massage. Truly outstanding!
I floated back to the lounge where I sipped delicious Bahamian Emily Rose Tea and waited for my final treatment.
Marjorie led me to a first floor facial room for the Pure Sense Facial. Using Pevonia products, Marjorie applied a citrus-scented cleanser followed by a toner, then deep cleanser actuated with steam, a mechanical exfoliation with a soft rotary brush, a mask and, finally, a moisturizer. While the mask was setting, Marjorie massaged my feet. Heaven.
The three treatments I had were a great combination and I highly recommend them.
As I mentioned earlier, Senses Spa had been open a very short time when I visited. Spa sandals had not arrived. The Spa Cafe was not yet open (scheduled to open by March 2001). Service offerings were just being finalized. Brochures had not been printed but photos had been taken. Despite the newness, the staff was terrific. Spa Manager, Linda Joseph, has a kind, calm, friendly, competent demeanor that sets the tone for the rest of the employees.
Senses Spa was designed by Salud Spa & Fitness, who has been involved in all aspects of the spa: initial space design of the spa facility, equipment and product selection (Pevonia and Jurlique), staff selection and training, and development of the spa treatment offerings. They created the the “senses” theme and the Sense of Wisdom – The Dolphin Journey package. They have also been contracted to provide overall spa management services in the daily operations of the spa.
By Julie Register, Your Guide To Spas
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