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Tropical Retreats

By Lena Katz

The best of Europe and the Caribbean come together in Curaçao, and spa-goers get to experience this cultural synergy in the most hands-on way. Exotic tropical treatments, certified European staff and a colorful island setting stimulate the body and the spirit. And since most of Curaçao's hotels and resorts have on-site spas, you'll never be too far from a plunge pool and a pair of healing hands.

The Color of People Spa at the Hilton was remodeled, renamed and reopened in August 2005. Contemporary and minimalist, it's adjacent to the spacious new gym. Of the four treatment rooms, the best-equipped and most spacious is the body room, which has its own in-room shower. While relaxing, you're treated to a great view of cheerful flowerbeds, blue sky and the sea beyond. Facials are a specialty here; choices range from a deep cleansing treatment to the Aqua Lift anti-aging facial.

The gym is also a standout. Equipped with state-of-the-art machines and plenty of free weights, it's a clean, well-lit place to work out. Wall-to-wall windows provide an inspiring ocean view. There are daily aqua-jogging classes, aerobics, Pilates and the obligatory Bums & Tums. During high season, there's also yoga on the beach. This is a membership gym, so some well-heeled locals mix with the hotel guests.

Across the road from the Hilton is the White Feather Spa, a little New Age-style facility that offers massage, reiki, yoga and even Tarot readings. There's also a hair and nail salon. Although it's on the grounds of the Piscadera Bay Resort, the spa serves local clientele as well as tourists.

At the Marriott Spa just down the way, massage is the specialty: everyone on staff is a licensed sport masseuse. The spa menu features everything from shiatsu to traditional Polynesian lomi lomi massage and Marinalgues, the latter a technique thought to reduce cellulite that's often customized to fit a guest's needs via a consultation. The signature treatment here is the Body Scrub Therapy, which combines an exfoliating scrub with an aloe massage.

Clean, bright and simply decorated, this spa is surprisingly tranquil. It's tucked toward the back of the Marriott's main building, around a curve and out of the mainstream hustle and bustle.

If you like to sample new and exotic treatments, definitely pay a visit to the colorful storybook village that is the Kurá Hulanda Hotel in Otrobanda. Though the spa is not particularly large or lavish, the menu is probably the most extensive on the island. There are more than a dozen different kinds of massages alone: aromatherapy, chi-pressure body massage, hot stone massage and Thai "walk-on-back" massage. The facial treatment menu includes an anti-aging collagen mask, an enzymatic peel and a thermal mask. For the body, there's an essential oil beauty wrap; a "Cleopatra" body scrub formulated with mineral salts, jojoba and aloe; and the aloe-rich Sunburn Relief Body Wrap. There are specially formulated treatments for men and children; you can even treat the little princess in your family to a Petite-Toe pedicure.

Westpunt sister property the Kurá Hulanda Lodge has a much simpler menu, and the "spa" is simply an open-air palapa by the beach, which can have curtains drawn around it for privacy. Book your treatment at the front desk, and the spa therapist will come to the hotel at the appointed time. This place's distinguishing factor is its setting. No indoor treatment room, no matter how lavish, could possibly compare to the tropical beauty of this seaside paradise. Close your eyes, take in the sound of the ocean and feel the occasional ocean breeze ruffle your hair as knowing hands knead your sore, stressed-out muscles.

The Lodge offers complimentary yoga and water aerobics classes once a week, but you can also book private classes for an extra charge. Get toned as well as tanned during your Caribbean vacation… now that would be a first!

The spa at the serene and lovely Habitat Curacao Resort aims to offer an East-meets-West experience. Since Habitat is primarily a dive resort, it's no surprise that its signature spa treatment is the Habitat Divers Massage-specifically intended to relax you pre- or post-dive. We would also recommend Waves of Bliss. Billed as "one hour of pure pleasure," it's a massage and aromatherapy treatment for the body, face and scalp. Since this is a boutique facility with a small staff, the resort recommends you reserve your space when booking the hotel and not upon arrival.

The sleek, sophisticated Avila Hotel houses Relax au Paradis Spa-a great place to ease into the brave new world of men's spa treatments. Manly manicures, manly mud treatments… it's all par for the course here. Or, make it equal opportunity with a couples' treatment like the Honeymoon in Paradis sunset couples' massage. The Relax au Paradis special (a coconut body scrub, seawater rinse and coconut oil full-body massage) is a delicious splurge.

Breezes Curaçao at Sea Aquarium Beach is an all-inclusive resort and therefore doesn't tend to get a lot of walk-in traffic from guests of other hotels. That said, the Blue Mahoe Spa at Breezes is quite impressive, with Vichy showers and hydrotherapy treatments, alternative medicine treatments such as cranio-sacral therapy and a variety of luxurious body scrubs. Spa connoisseurs will be pleasantly surprised by this unlikely haven.

Book your time and start perusing those spa menus now… because body-and-mind bliss awaits you here on Curaçao.

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