The results are in for Condé Nast Traveler’s spa poll. And the awards go to ... (drum roll please) - Destination Spas! According to the magazine, "Readers raved about destination spas this year, with more than twice as many high scorers as last year." Notably, almost all of them - 7 of the top 9 - are Destination Spa Group® (DSG) members.
- Mayflower Inn & Spa, 89.5% (see Editor’s note)
- Lake Austin Spa Resort (Austin, Texas) 88.3% *
- Cal-A-Vie (Vista, California) 86.6% *
- Canyon Ranch (Lenox, Massachusetts) 86.2% *
- Miraval Life in Balance Spa, 85.1%
- Golden Door (Escondido, California) 85.0% *
- Canyon Ranch (Tucson, Arizona) 84.4% *
- Rancho La Puerta (Tecate, Mexico) 84.3% *
- Red Mountain Spa (St. George, Utah) 81.9% *
* DSG member spas
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Mayflower Inn & Spa offers wellness programming Monday-Friday only and is open to Inn guests who do not participate in the program).
Many magazines poll their readers and rate spas (see Allure blog entry). While I feel that they are helpful tools when searching for a spa vacation, please remember that these are reader polls. Just like you don’t trust every study that hits the headline news or a total stranger’s recommendation, don’t rely solely on readers’ polls or awards. Research all of your options thoroughly.
In your research, look for consistency over time and several publications. The Destination Spa Group® members that were included with this poll have also won awards with Travel + Leisure, SpaFinder, Condé Nast Traveler and many other publications and websites for several years running.
Additionally, consider the smaller and less traveled Destination Spas. Without a critical mass number of people "voting", they rarely top readers’ choice awards. Yet they offer fabulous programs. Trust me, even if I am a stranger to you -- I worked at Birdwing Spa in Minnesota for four years and have visited almost all of the Destination Spas and several Hotel/Resort Spas in North America.
For more information on Destination Spas, visit www.destinationspas.com or call 888-772-4363.
