|
am having a love affair with a hotel. The spa there
is quiet and elegant, and the treatments are superb.
The beds are the most comfortable I've ever slept
in. My love affair is with the Four Seasons Hotel
Chicago - a wonderful place for the ultimate
urban retreat, with views that overlook Lake Michigan,
impeccable service, and absolutely beautiful décor.
One
of the latest trends is for businesswomen to take
just a day or two to rejuvenate their energy. For
those visiting Chicago on business, and for the
many people within driving distance, the Four Seasons
is a perfect haven for getting a hot stone massage,
having a facial, swimming in a Roman-style pool,
taking a nap, snacking on afternoon tea, or working
out with a personal fitness trainer.
Indulgence.
The very word evokes a sense of luxury, decadence,
being catered to, pampered, escaping, and fantasizing…
The
perfect place for such indulgence is the Four Seasons
in Chicago. Built in 1989 above an upscale shopping
mall on Michigan Avenue, the hotel is located at
the north end of the famous Magnificent Mile -
with its many upscale stores, including Escada,
Chanel and Van Cleef & Arpels.
Water
Appeal
Views of Lake Michigan are ever-present
from many suites in the hotel.
Perhaps
because we're each made up of a large percentage
of water, large bodies of water affect us with positive
karma. Waking up with water outside my window always
moves me to ecstasy, and Lake Michigan is a gorgeous
body of water, seemingly as endless as the possibilities
for indulgence at the Four Seasons.
I'm
not alone in my connection to water. The lure of
water has attracted people to spas for centuries,
starting with the mineral baths in ancient Greece.
Later, the Romans soaked in mineral waters, and
they built baths throughout the Empire. The Roman
columns around the beautiful indoor pool at the
Four Seasons Hotel Chicago is in keeping with this
tradition. So is Lake Michigan.
The
Four Seasons spent $2.5 million to build an entirely
renovated and expanded 8,000-square-foot spa and
fitness club in 2001. They did it quite successfully
and now have a facility with five large treatment
rooms, sauna, steam, luxurious locker rooms, and
a nail suite, plus a fitness club and an indoor
pool.
The
spa is open, by reservation, to the public from
3 p.m. on Sundays through closing time at 8 p.m.
on Thursdays. The rest of the time, it is open only
to hotel guests and a few local members. Personal
trainers are available with 24-hour advance notice.
Bedtime,
Anytime
But, I keep thinking of the beds.
Julia Roberts talked about the hotel's beds on "The
Oprah Winfrey Show" a few years ago, and she is
right. The bed I slept in at Four Seasons Hotel
Chicago is one of the most comfortable imaginable
- so much so that I had to force myself to
get up out of it. But, I was, after all, heading
for the spa.
And
I found out that if I really loved the bed (I did),
I could buy one just like it through the hotel gift
shop.
Hot
Stones
At the spa, I experienced the
"Ancient Healing Stones Massage," and it fast became
one of my favorites. The stones are used for heat,
and their weight on pressure points revitalizes
energy meridians, or areas of the body.
The
therapist actually massages you with oil and heated
stones, and then leaves the stones on your palms,
feet, and other body parts. The stones center and
relax you, providing deep, meditative heat rather
than a lot of pressure.
Next
I had a "Perle de Caviar Facial," which uses caviar
extract to re-hydrate and improve the elasticity
of the skin. The facial treatment includes a flute
of champagne and a bit of caviar afterward, served
in a comfortable relaxation room that features lounge
chairs, soft music, fruit, and flavored water. You
can also order a spa lunch. My favorite is their
plump poached shrimp with white asparagus and a
bit of salad.
Spa
treatments should be booked in advance, and there
is a four-hour cancellation or rescheduling policy.
You can add a gratuity - typically 20 percent -
to your credit card or room charge - but
a tip is always discretionary.
It's
a good idea to arrive 20 minutes early, so you can
change into a robe, relax in the sauna or steam
room, and ensure that you're in time to receive
the full scheduled treatment.
Unusual
Requests
Four Seasons Hotel Chicago is
also facilitating the merger of small, informal
business meetings with spa treatments. During meeting
breaks in one of the hotel's five boardrooms, attendees
can receive hand reflexology (an ancient method
of massaging acupressure points), hand massages,
neck massages, and stretching exercises from qualified
therapists.
One
hotel spokesperson said that other spa treatments
are certainly possible at meetings. "Anything you
want - we'll do it. We're the Four Seasons."
This unusual pairing of spa treatments and business
meetings is new, and the programs are customized.
Another
meeting add-on is a visit from "The Ice Cream Man."
Originally developed to entertain kids with hand-dipped
sundaes, The Ice Cream Man is also being used in
place of coffee breaks or as an entertaining ending
to meetings. Adults receive packaged treats, such
as Dove bars and ice cream cookie sandwiches, indulging
the child in everyone.
Groups
of up to six women can also enjoy private spa treatments,
and then meet in the lounge overlooking the pool
for a light lunch and business meeting while still
wearing their robes.
Other
Sustenance
All
this pampering can make you hungry for afternoon
tea in the lobby lounge, with live piano music playing
in the background.
Seating
is intimate, and the tea sandwiches and pastries
are excellent. You are served tea in a "sleeping
steeping teapot," which tilts at different angles,
depending upon how strong you like your tea. Sandwiches
include curried chicken salad and a smoked salmon-cucumber
combination; there are also homemade currant scones,
chocolate-covered strawberries, and mini fruit tarts.
Lunch
in Seasons restaurant is superb. I grew up in Baltimore,
where crab cakes are de rigueur. Much as I love
them, I'm always hesitant to order them in other
cities, where they are generally disappointing.
At Seasons in Chicago, the crab cakes were exceptional
- among the best I've ever eaten.
In
fact, everything at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago
is exceptional - among the best I've ever
experienced.
LESLIE
ATKINS is an award-winning feature writer who specializes
in travel, sports and fitness topics. The owner
of LA Communications, LLC, a Washington, DC-based
public relations and speechwriting firm, she can
be contacted at 202-223-1865 (e-mail: LAtkinsCom@aol.com).
|
