Spa Finder, with the largest consolidated audience of spa consumers, has announced its annual Readers` Choice Awards for 2004…
Spa Finder, with the largest consolidated audience of spa consumers, has announced its annual Readers` Choice Awards for 2004. The winners are savvy spa-goers` favorite destination and resort spas across a range of specialty categories, from Best for Mineral Springs, to Best Low-Cost Spa, to Best for Romance. The prestigious Crystal Awards are also being presented to spa-goers` favorite spas by size category and international region. A complete listing of Spa Finder Readers` Choice Award winners is featured in the November/December issue of Luxury SpaFinder Magazine and at http://www.spafinder.com.
Following are the Crystal Award winners:
Crystal Award Winners — Best Spas in the World
Best Spa in Europe — Royal Parc Evian, France
Best Spa in Mexico — Rancho La Puerta, Baja California
Best Spa in Canada — Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Alberta
Best Spa in Asia/Australia/South Pacific — Chiva-Som International, Thailand
Best Spa in the Caribbean/Central America/South America — BodyHoliday at LeSPORT, St. Lucia
Crystal Award Winners — Best U.S. Spas, According to Size
Best Megaspa (200 or more rooms) — La Costa Resort & Spa, CA
Best Large Spa (100-200 rooms) — Miraval, Life in Balance, AZ
Best Midsize Spa (40-99 rooms) — Lake Austin Spa Resort, TX
Best Small Spa (20-39 rooms) — Golden Door, CA
Best Boutique Spa (fewer than 15 rooms) — Westglow Spa, NC
Traditionally, Readers` Choice Awards are presented to spa-goers` top-10 favorite spas in each of the following categories: Best Medical Spas, Best for Weight Loss, Best Fitness Programs, Best for Hiking, Best for Golf, Best Yoga, Best Spa Cuisine, Best Low-Priced Spas, Best for Water Sports, and Best for Winter Sports. This year, awards will also be given to the Best Casino-Hotel Spas, Best Mineral Springs Spas, Best for Going Solo, Most Romantic, and Top Spas by Country (covering 16 nations).
With so many different spa activities, programs, amenities and treatments available, individual spa enthusiasts can have vastly different expectations and goals, said Spa Finder, Inc. President and CEO Pete Ellis. Our Awards move beyond `general interest` travel magazine polls to reflect the real diversity of today`s spa experience.
Thousands of readers of Spa Finder publications and visitors to http://www.spafinder.com cast ballots for nearly 800 different premier spa properties nation- and worldwide. Voters were asked to only cast ballots for spas they`ve actually visited within the past three years. Spa Finder does not reveal rankings (who finished first, second, third, and so on) because of the disparity in size among spas. (Larger spas have more annual visitors and thus an inherent polling advantage.)
A recent Gallup poll finds that 33% of all leisure travelers consider access to a spa to be a prime consideration while making their travel plans, added Ellis. Our Awards provide this exploding travel segment with insight into the very `best of the best` for the spa experience they`re seeking — based on objective feedback from the most sophisticated spa-goers in the world. Congratulations to all of our winners; this is a truly meaningful validation of your creativity and excellence.
Spa Finder will formally present its Readers` Choice Awards to recipients at a champagne reception on November 8th at The Canyon Ranch Spa Club at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas (one of the winners in the new Best Casino-Hotel Spa category). The awards reception begins at 7:30 p.m.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
