California’s Ojai Valley has long been known as a sacred destination for healing—or, at the very least, good vibes. And though its largest and best-known resort definitely embraces the area’s transcendent mystique, it’s decidedly more high-end than hippie. Occupying a 31,000-square-foot Spanish-style villa tucked amongst mature cypress, oak, and olive trees at the edge of the resort, the state-of-the-art Spa Village is an oasis of cream-and-white minimalism. Ojai is often referred to as an “energy vortex,” and Spa Ojai also offers a separate Spiritual Wellness menu that allows for one-on-one sessions with resident intuitives, Reiki practitioners, sound healers, and life coaches. There truly is something for everyone here—all a modern-day wellness seeker could desire.
Photo: Courtesy of Rosewood Miramar Beach
California’s central coast has no shortage of gorgeous resorts, but Rosewood Miramar Beach offers an entirely fresh way to experience the region. Located just 15 minutes from downtown Santa Barbara in the posh beachside community of Montecito, this 153-room ocean-front hotel feels like a grand estate straight out of Cape Cod: It’s all white roses, white picket fences, and white clapboard. At the resort’s Sense Spa, which is tucked onto the second floor of the main Manor House, the sensibility is equally genteel. The indoor relaxation lounge features plush private lounge chairs surrounded by gauzy cream curtains, while outside, a sunny rooftop deck has cold plunge pools and offers sweeping views of the Santa Ynez Mountains. There are six private treatment rooms, dry saunas and steam rooms, and a full-service nail and hair salon. It all makes for a chic escape into a refined world of wellness.
Photo: Courtesy of Parker Palm Springs
Located within the iconic Parker Palm Springs Hotel and designed by Jonathan Adler, PSYC (as they call the spa for short) manages to be quirky, serene, and chic all at once. Likely that’s because it’s also very serious in its approach to body treatments, facials, and massages: Each one is personalized to suit your specific needs, and a lot of them end with a bliss-inducing scalp massage. The 18,000-square-foot temple is dedicated to “full-on pampering and self-indulgence,” so it also boasts an indoor saltwater pool, eucalyptus steam rooms, saunas, hot tubs, a boutique, a fitness center, and a movement studio. And because the spa’s manifesto proudly proclaims its belief in the “American country club experience, mixed doubles, a long steam, and a stiff cocktail,” every visit starts with the option of a cool, cucumber-infused vodka shot.
