Valentine spas provide exquisite couples' treat

The season of ‘tis better to give than receive is behind us. Valentine’s Day celebrates a selfish sort of intimacy: You’re getting while you giving.

That makes a visit to a lavish spa suite perfect for a holiday renown for coupling.

“Spa services are a very intimate and private experience,” says Lori Shubert, spa director at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, Pennsylvania. “When a couple comes in and shares these intimate moments together in a treatment, it brings them closer together and allows them to share a unique experience with each other that they cannot find elsewhere.  Afterwards, they have a fun and romantic memory to cherish.”

A trio of Nemacolin couples spa rooms feature an elegant waiting area with a copper-topped fireplace and an ambiance enhanced by a staff adept at assisting wedding proposals with champagne and floral offerings. Overnight spa packages with accommodations start at $581.

Today, high end spas like Nemacolin consider it a must to have a couple’s suite to accommodate lovers who enjoy an atmosphere that’s conducive to seductive romance.

And as far as high-end spas go, few are higher than the 35th floor of the Mandarin-Oriental in Manhattan. The VIP Spa Suite includes a private steam room, hot tub, fireplace and side-by-side massage beds. The hotel is offering on Feb. 11-14 the $1,750 “Valentine’s Day Midnight Magic Over Manhattan” package from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Packages include lobster, champagne and caviar.

Spa director Heather Hannig says the elements combine to make the luxurious spa the sight of frequent proposals.

“It’s very sweet,” she said. “We’re all in on it and do everything we can from sprinkling rose pedals to preparing special dishes and surprises to make sure everything goes perfectly.”

The 650-square-foot VIP Spa Suite was constructed to mimic a sumptuous oriental-style home with stunning views, fireplace, deep soaking tub and dual massage beds. A typical three-hour booking costs $1,500; a four-hour stay, $2,000.

“Some couples will book it for up to eight hours,” Hannig says. “We have lots of anniversaries with guest couples who just want to spend the whole time luxuriating in the romantic privacy.”

In Kohler, Wisconsin, a name synonymous with water, a luxurious couples spa at The American Club Resort is sure to make a splash. The spa features The Riverbath treatment followed by its signature 80-minute massage for two; $225 per person.

The Venetian’s Canyon Ranch Spa in Las Vegas gives guest more than romance. In a town renown for quickie weddings, the spa lets couples get hitched, Rasul-style. Rasul refers to an ancient Oriental pre-wedding night cleansing/purification ceremony complete with candles and rose pedal spreads. 

Couples fingerpaint one another with purifying mud before ascending heated spa thrones to bask in the mud’s therapeutic effervescence. The Rasul treatment is $200 per couple.