The essence of southern refinement
Grand Hotel Marriott Resort"Everything here was created with gentleness in mind," says Susie Marquez, the spa's creator and director. "We created a cocooned oasis that removes the stressful reality so prevalent in everyone's life."
When I visited, I doubled up and indulged in the Marine Facial and the Aromatic Thermal Wrap. If this combo isn't enough to uncoil you, consider medication.
Grand Spa
The spa is housed in its own building with luxury suites above, which means I walked to my treatments in only my robe. When I arrived at the spa, I passed through the Hall of Whispers to the clothing-optional Quiet Room (one for each gender) where wine and a whirlpool soak awaited.
"Visiting the spa is a full-bodied, sensual experience," Marquez says. "If you're just going to have your treatment and go, you may as well visit a day spa."
Hurricane Katrina closed the spa for more than a year, but it recently reopened with a refreshed menu. If you indulge in a massage, be sure to ask for Mike, a former engineer who switched gears midlife to nurse an ailing partner. He can coax stress from even the most stubborn muscles.
Fringe Benefits
When you're done playing at the spa, relax by the pool, play on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail or take a Segway tour to the Confederate Cemetery. "And high tea is still served at 4pm in the lobby every day," Marquez says.
Nearby Fairhope Ala., offers an eclectic mix of high-
Mobile Bay Shorelineend lux, trendy trinkets and local crafts. If you're desperate for civilization, trek across the bay to the historic city of Mobile. You'll find more pre-Civil War mansions and crawdads than you shake an antebellum flounced ankle at.
Passport to Grand Hotel Marriott
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