Spa and golf in Las Vegas - Bet on Wellness

It’s called Sin City for a reason; Las Vegas tantalizes with shows, nightlife and a devil may care attitude. It’s hardly the first place you think of for wellness and relaxation, but Vegas has kept its cards close to its vest and we’re here to call; Las Vegas is one of the top cities in the United States for spas.

Las Vegas is the perfect destination to cater to the devil and the angel within. You can indulge in all that the city is known for, and then erase any damage with the wealth of luxurious hotel spas.      The Strip is the heart of Las Vegas, and with its mid-Strip location, the Laurel Collection at Caesars Palace is the perfect base. This boutique hotel within Caesars is in a private corridor of the colossal hotel and affords guests sumptuous accommodations and a private entrance and check-in.

WYNNING WAYS. To wipe away the effects of jet lag so you look gorgeous in glitzy Vegas, head to the Wynn Encore spa for the Fusion Facial. Entering the unabashedly over-the-top 60,000 square-foot spa that greets you with opulent Turkish décor in creams, golds and peaches, with the hotel’s signature butterfly motif discreetly mixed into the design, you know you’ve arrived in Vegas.     The stunning decor continues in the locker rooms with chandeliers, rich textiles dripping in tassels and crystals, and lockers reminiscent of old-fashioned steamer trunks. Arrive early to take advantage of amenities like the wet area featuring two cold plunge pools and two whirlpools. Relax on the Lanconium loungers before heading to the steam and sauna. The Fusion Facial uses Ling products and incorporates facial massage and a jade roller to encourage the anti-oxidant products to penetrate more deeply into the skin. It was one of the few facials I’ve had where I noticed a distinct dewiness and glow to my face afterwards.

PAINT THE TOWN. Now that you’re looking radiant, it’s time to hit the town. Begin the night at City Center and Sage restaurant at Aria. Gone are the days of cheap buffets and in their place are establishment after establishment helmed by celebrity chefs. At Sage, Chef Shawn McClain brings his Midwestern roots to Vegas resulting in seasonal gourmet dishes that are straightforward and not fussy. Roasted sweetbreads get foodies started, and the Maine Day Boat Scallops continue the culinary symphony.  For dessert the foie gras sundae will surprise the palette. Finish by sipping one of the just-legalized absinthes.    When you check out the latest Vegas Cirque du Soleil extravaganza, Zarkana, playing at the Aria Theater, you might think it’s the absinthe’s infamous effects kicking in. It’s not. Like all Cirque shows, Zarkana is a visual feast and reminds one of a crazy dream come to life. Zark, a reincarnated circus ringmaster leads his motley crew in a dizzying array of acrobatic feats, dance, humor and song. Live performers mix seamlessly with digital backdrops to create a rich spectacle that overloads the senses.

GLUTTONY, GOLF OR GLAMOUR. If you’re going to try any buffet in Vegas, have brunch at Bacchanal in Caesars.  This 500-item extravaganza was voted the top buffet in the city by USA Today. Don’t miss the exotic gelatos like fig and balsamic, or Thai tea.    Fully satiated, head to the Mandarin Oriental’s 1930s Shanghai-inspired spa. Unlike most Vegas hotels and spas that try to one up each other on size, the Mandarin has stayed true to its luxurious roots and has carved out an oasis of calm in a city of frenetic energy. The spa is one of only 30 worldwide to earn a Forbes Five Star Award.    The Mandarin experience starts in the waiting lounge where you’re invited to exchange your shoes for the spa slippers as a symbolic way of slipping out of your worries before entering the spa. The 17-treatment room facility whispers relaxation with the amenities designed to lull you into a peaceful state. Enjoy relaxing on special air loungers in the warm pool as you drink in the high-rise view of Vegas.                   Don’t miss trying the hammam chamber, laconium room and the temperature controlled tepidarium. There are also customized shower experiences, steam and sauna and a relaxation lounge featuring adjustable tempurpedic loungers.

 UNIQUE SCRUB. You’ll be Jell-O before beginning the Diamond Magnetic Body Ritual. This 90-minute service, designed to eliminate the effects of electromagnetic pollution and stress, incorporates one of the most unique scrubs around.    After a chakra balancing, a mud studded with diamond dust is massaged into the body and removed, not with a shower, but with magnetic tools. A massage with elements of stretching completes the treatment.    If the buffet left you feeling like you needed to work off calories instead of being pampered, spend the day at one of the top golf courses located near the strip and affiliated with Caesars, including Cascata Golf, offering Red Rock vistas, lush fairways and water features, or Rio Secco Golf, one of the most difficult courses in the area. Both are designed by Rees Jones, son of Robert Trent Jones.

SEAFOOD DELICACIES. No matter what you’ve done, you’ve undoubtedly worked up an appetite. Tonight it’s Lakeside at Wynn, named best new restaurant by the Vegas Hotel Concierge Association. The restaurant is known for seafood delicacies like fresh shellfish, lobster risotto or yellowfin tuna.    After dinner, move to the theater at Wynn to see Le Rêve, a fanciful aquatics show featuring over 70 performers who move in and out of the one-million gallon pool using acrobatics to bring the dream of the main character to life.WATER,WATER EVERYWHERE. If Le Rêve left you dreaming of water, get your fill while relaxing at Caesars. The Qua Baths & Spa is a 51-treatment room spa that ushered in the era of big spas on the strip when it opened in 2005.     As the name implies, water is central to Qua and guests should indulge in the Roman Bath experiences before or after treatments. Hang your robe in the “robe sauna” while you enjoy the three pools: the Tepidarium with warm, mineral-rich water, the hot Caldarium, and the cold Frigidarium. Complete a circuit of all three while also enjoying the rain showers and heated stone loungers. If the desert heat has been getting to you, you’ll love the Arctic Ice Room where ‘snow’ trickles down from a domed ceiling and the air is scented with mint and chilled to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

ULTIMATE PAMPERING. Qua spa offers some of the most unique treatments in Vegas, ranging from color therapy, body art featuring Swarovski crystals, and services that launched this year affiliated with the new Nobu Hotel in Caesars. If you’re looking for the ultimate in pampering, choose the Nobu signature experience, the Nagomi Ritual.     The treatment begins with a foot scrub using honey particles to exfoliate feet tired from walking The Strip. A selection of four different aroma nectars drizzled along your spine begins the intoxicating massage where a variety of Thai, Shiatsu, Lomi Lomi and Balinese styles are used to work out all the knots and kinks while increasing joint mobility. The service ends with Carboxytherapy, a new facial technique that uses carbon dioxide to combat aging.

BORN TO SHOP. While Las Vegas surprises with its concentration of top spas, it also surprises with the quality of luxury shopping that shouldn’t be missed. The Forum Shops at Caesars serve up brands like Dior, Panerai and Fendi, and the newest complex, The Shops at Crystals at Aria, has been called the largest collection of high-end fashion stores under one roof in the world.     Peruse the latest offerings from Hermès, Harry Winston, Miu Miu and Roberto Cavalli. You’re sure to find the perfect souvenir to remember your Vegas vacation for a lifetime.     They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but thanks to your holiday focused on wellness, you’ll be taking home the effects of days spent rejuvenating your mind, body and spirit, and hopefully a wallet flush with winnings!