Talk about WOW factor – the Mövenpick Hotel lobby certainly makes an impression
I spent most of June in the Philippines visiting my family. It was pretty special — I traveled to new cities, ate way too much, and saw family members I hadn’t seen in decades. During my trip to Cebu, I was completely spoiled with an overnight stay at Mövenpick Hotel on Mactan Island. A beautiful beachfront hotel, this Swiss hotel has created a fresh, contemporary, stylish retreat.
There are many things I miss about living in Austin, and Hiatus Spa + Retreat is one of them. For those who are not familiar with Hiatus, they have a super awesome membership program where as an H-Circle member you pay $59/month and receive one Essential Service – a massage, facial, mani-pedi, body glow, or body wrap – each month. It’s a great deal for any of these top-notch offerings. Continue reading
Now that I’ve moved to San Antonio (Oh, did I mention that yet? By the way, I’ve moved to San Antonio!), all I can think about are all the many beauty service providers in Austin I haven’t written about. However, I have many friends and commitments that keep me closely tied to the Capital City, so now Beautypendence will have bi-regional – Central and South Texas – coverage. HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW?!?
Okay, getting back to the order of the day. Visiting AWAY Spa at the W Austin had long been on my agenda. Fortuitously, I had a bachelorette weekend to attend, with accommodations booked at the W. Thanks to my friends at the hotel, I was able to book a Susan Ciminelli Signature Facial at AWAY while I was in town. Continue reading
WARNING: MAJOR DECLARATION AHEAD
I had the best facial I’ve ever had in my life. It’s kind of a milestone event. And I’m sorry that it’s taken me so long to tell you about it.
I was invited by Woodhouse Day Spa, a national franchise founded in 2001 in, of all places, Victoria, TX, to learn more about the spa and their services. Last November, I sat down with Daphne, the owner of the Westlake location, the only Woodhouse in the Austin area. Following a tour of the facilities, she and I had a lengthy, informative and all around lovely conversation. Daphne walked me through the history and philosophy behind Woodhouse, and their carefully selected product lines sold and used at the spa. She insisted that I must first try their Signature Minkyti Facial. Sounded good to me!
My friends at Hiatus Spa+Resort let me know of a few new treatments they’ve cooked up for the fall. One in particular sounded delightfully relaxing, the Chakra Balancing Massage. Per Hiatus, it’s “An innovative massage that focuses on the seven chakra energy centers within the body. Essential oil blends are used to uplift, calm and enhance well-being. Experience a variety of massage techniques including deep tissue, reflexology and energy work. A guided meditation enhances the benefits of stress relief and increases energy.”
Soon after that little Austin Monthly article came out, I was contacted by Mecca Gym & Spa. They kindly invited me to visit their spa to try out some treatments to review on Beautypendence. Truth be told, I had never been to Mecca, despite hearing nothing but good things about their spa. Spoiler alert: I was not disappointed. Continue reading
With all the SXSW hoopla, I was running out of time to squeeze in a monthly treatment at Hiatus Spa + Retreat as part of my Founding Circle membership. Technically, they allow you to rollover a service credit for up to six months, but why would you want to skip a whole month of spa self-indulgence? I already have a massage on the books at another spa this week (post forthcoming), so I thought this would be a good opportunity to try out a new-to-me Essential Service. I had heard from several sources, one Hiatus owner included, that the Body Glow was a favorite. I’m pleased to report that it did not disappoint.
Ladies and (maybe a handful of) gentlemen, I’m proud to share Beautypendence’s first ever interview! I had the pleasure of meeting and sitting down with the three owners of Viva Day Spa: Shannon Mouser, Laurie Aroch, and Maya Aroch. What a fun trio of ladies who have a sincere passion for their business.
A few weeks ago, Wendy and I met with Meredith Davis, the founder of Austin Beauty Guide, an online resource of beauty related businesses in Austin. And this coming week, they’re hosting the first ever Austin Beauty Week.
February 6-10, you can take advantage of discounts from spas, salons, and stores all around town. Read about the discounts these participating businesses are offering on the Austin Beauty Week website. Continue reading
Hiatus Spa + Retreat‘s first location is in chic Inwood Village of Dallas and has won many awards in the Metroplex. Dallas women know their beauty indulgences, so it bodes well for us that Austin is their second location. On December 18, Hiatus Spa + Retreat had its soft opening in the 5th Street Commons complex. I stopped by after work the following day to introduce myself and for a quick look around. Continue reading
