Half Moon in Jamaica has out-done themselves, with their brand-new, 68,000-sq.-ft. spa, the Fern Tree Spa, one of the Caribbean’s largest.  Given the size of this spa, one might think that it will give you that medical, impersonal feel, but they have achieved in providing a sense of intimacy in all of their rooms.  The spa is big enough to include all the amenities that you can hope for, but with personalized service and comfortable décor, you’ll feel like your their only guest.  Included in the 68,000-sq.-ft. are treatment rooms, fitness center, pavilions for yoga and Pilates, a spa café and other health club centers.  And the spa area is separated into sections:  a check-in desk, a spa shop, separate men and women’s locker rooms, and of course, the treatment rooms.

 Not only will you find all the amenities you hope for in the spa, but you will find equally satisfactory service in the locker rooms.  A spa attendant is always stations in the locker rooms, allowing you to have all that you want at your finger tips, even if you feel in the mood for refreshments.  Each locker room has its own outdoor sauna and steam room, along with access to an array of the Fern Tree Spa bath products.

 Their full-service spa features couple’s rooms, private showers, hydrotherapy tubs, and a 12-page menu of treatments and services.  For the Fern Tree experience, you can first indulge in the Fern Tree Signature Massage, which uses the scent of Jamaican all spice with ginger and orange throughout the 80-minute massage, which includes many techniques from Hawaiian, the Mediterranean and Asia.  This massage also includes foot baths, stretching and a 10-minute guided “power nap.”  The Fern Tree Signature Facial starts with a skin analysis, where the therapist combines Jamaican fruits and herbs to create a mask that is specific to your skincare needs.  This facial includes ingredients such as aloe, chamomile, green tea and vitamins, that will help improve the tone and texture of your skin, and is followed by a guided power nap.  For the more indulgent experience, the Aromatic Vital Relaxation Journey, is a 100-minute experience that includes meditation and spa techniques such as a Mediterranean-style scrub and wrap,  an Egyptian milk bath, and a massage that uses Indian and Chinese techniques. 

 All treatments star and end in the same way:  before the treatment, the therapist sprays a mist of herb-infused water around the room, while you inhale the steam, then you recite a short meditation focused on breathing; and at the end of all treatments, your feet are wiped with a warm towel of the same scent.  With 35 years of experience, Stella Gray, the chief spa elder, is an expert in indigenous herbs, flowers and plant life of all sorts, and has chosen allspice as a key ingredient in almost every treatment.  She holds private sessions with you, determining your needs, and uses ingredients from her own herb garden, that is on the grounds, to mix and match and create combinations suited for your skin.

 The hotel also features new spa suites, which all are ocean view rooms with oversized bathrooms, and are the closest location to the spa of all the Half Moon’s room.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 7th, 2008 at 10:30 am and is filed under Caribbean, Jamaica. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.