HOT SPRINGS, Va. --
Two years ago, the 40,000-square-foot Homestead Spa at the
Homestead resort here created a menu of treatments just for kids in
a 1,000-square-foot area called the Spa Suite.
Spa Director Christie
Ford said response to the innovation has been incredible. It books
out all the time, she said.
Ford said the Spa
Suite is dedicated to families and groups as well as children,
making it a little different than anywhere else in the
U.S.
A visit to the Spa
Suite is a bit livelier than a normal spa visit, according to
Ford.
We wanted the
children to have a great time, and we did not want the parents to
have to worry about their children bothering others, Ford said. We
created the program in April 2002 because we used to see kids as
young as 6 or 7 dropping mom off at the spa for her treatment, and
they would just look so sad. The Homestead is all about being with
your family.
Now kids can have a
treatment with mom or dad and spend the day at the spa as a family,
according to Ford.
Some of the services
offered in the suite are the KidSpa Massage ($50); the Teen Facial
($60) for acne-prone skin, which includes a take-home regimen for
future care; and Fun Fingers ($25), a strawberries-and-cream
version of the classic manicure.
Another treatment specifically
for children is the Fancy Feet pedicure ($40), which uses a
chocolate-milk bath, whipped-chocolate lotion and a
cookies-and-cream scrub.
In addition, the
Friends Forever package, priced at $125, offers two friends the
chance to partake in a Fancy Feet pedicure and a Fun Fingers
manicure for each. According to Ford, this package tends to be the
most popular.
Meanwhile, the Coming
of Age spa package is created for mothers and daughters staying at
the Homestead. The package, priced at $265, covers a manicure,
herbal pedicure and a minifacial for mom, and a Fancy Feet
pedicure, Fun Fingers manicure and My First Facial for
daughter.
A parent must be
present during all child treatments. In addition to KidSpa
services, the Spa Suite can be reserved for private parties and as
a bridal suite.
Nightly rates through
Oct. 28 start at $211 for standard rooms, $311 for junior suites,
$371 for one-bedroom suites and $561 for two-bedroom suites. From
Oct. 29 to Dec. 21, rates are from $131 for standard rooms, $216
for junior suites, $261 for one-bedroom suites and $381 for
two-bedroom suites.
Rates are per room,
double, weekdays only. Weekend rates are slightly higher. Breakfast
and dinner daily and use of most resort facilities are included in
the price. For more information, call (800) 838-1766 or visit www.thehomestead.com.
To contact
Managing Editor of TravelWeekly.com Kimberly Scholz, send e-mail to
[email protected].