Do Hotel Spas Charge Too Much?

3/19/2010

So, your budget is $400 (including gratuity, parking and tax). Can you and a loved one enjoy a luxury spa package at a swank Miami hotel? My girlfriend set this investigation in motion having asked me to recommend a hotel where she can enjoy a lush spa package with her mom. “I don’t want a $200 massage,” she said. “I want mom to enjoy at least three services.” It’s a tall order, but I’m up for the challenge. My first thought: The Biltmore. A couple years ago, friends purchased a spa package that included the Chardonnay scrub, and it was sublime. But it’s also $180. Went to W Fort Lauderdale and we checked out Bliss, and while looks can be deceiving, the muted-house music, jarringly bright, blue and white décor and ten-year- old, infomercial-sounding receptionist weren’t impressive. The Setai is doing a two-service spa package complete with Mediterranean lunch, so maybe, we’ll try that. Come on, Guys. Do you really think these 100-adjective, $250 facials are worth it? Or are those of us of the financially-impaired persuasion, hating?