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InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa

by cnyspagirl, 06/14/2009 20:06

Category: Spa vacations

I spent 2 nights (3/28/09 to 3/30/09) at the InterContinental Montelucia Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley, Arizona -  near Scottsdale.  This luxury hotel opened in November of 2008.  

Resort

  • 253 guest rooms and 40 suites in 5 distinct villages located throughout the property
  • 5 pools (2 private)
  • 24 hour fitness center
  • Motion/spinning studio and classes

Rooms

  • Glass-walled walk-in showers
  • Oversize sunken soaking tubs
  • Semi-private or private patios

Spa

  • 31,000 square foot spa and salon
  • 19 treatment rooms including 5 luxury treatment suites
  • Arrival dome topped with a replica of a starry night in Spain
  • Whisper room - a quiet room for deep relaxation

Joya Rituals

When you arrive at Joya, there are a number of rituals that you are invited to perform.  After climbing the 40 stairs from the first floor spa reception desk to the second floor fitness center, motion studio and spa you are invited to perform the Joy of Intention.  During this ritual, you can select from 5 jewels symbolizing love, work, health, clarity and strength. You choose a stone, then place it on the blessing blow to clarify your intentions. Next, you enter a circular room for the Joy of Illumination – 888 twinkling lights on the ceiling that represent a starry night in Grenada, Spain. The next room you arrive at is the Women’s Social Lounge.  This is where you can relax before or after a treatment and can have conversations with friends or other guests.  You can help yourself to walnuts, dried cherries, dried mango, fresh fruit, iced herbal tea, ice water, and hot tea.  The spa and guest rooms feature Mighty Leaf Teas in a silken teach pouch, much like a sachet filled with tea. Magazines are available for your reading pleasure and there is also a large flat screen tv.

The spa was large enough that it never felt crowded, even though the spa staff indicated that there were a couple of bridal parties enjoying the spa and that 130 guests came through on one of the days of my visit.  The bathroom area consists of 6 sinks, 4 vanities with a large variety of hair products and 7 showers, including a handicapped accessible shower.

The wet are of the spa features a semi-circle shaped cold deluge chamber. You pull the handle to release 46 degree water from overhead.  This cold therapy is alternated with warm and hot therapies.  You climb a few stairs to reach the whirlpool.  Very soothing but a bit too shallow to soak up to your shoulders like many whirlpools.  The whirlpool is accessible to the handicapped. There is a dry sauna, which was closed for maintenance during my visit. As a substitute, guests could use the Hamman room even if they weren’t getting a Hammam treatment.  The Hammam is a warming room featuring iridescent seats and rose water mist.  If you purchase the treatment, you will be scrubbed  briskly with herbal black soap applied with a special cloth.  This is to be followed by steam, whirlpool, sauna and cold deluge.  There was a small relaxation area in the wet room, which was a nice touch if you want a place to rest between the warm/hot/cold rituals.

In the Whisper Lounge, 5 double daybeds exist for deep relaxation pre and post-treatment.  Gauzy curtains can be drawn around each bed for privacy.  The beds – memory foam mattresses, soft padding, blankets and pillows beckon to guests to rest, meditate, relax and sleep.  Most of the time I had the room to myself.  Low lighting and candles add to the atmosphere of the room.  If the daybeds aren’t your thing, curved seating along the perimeter is comfortable too.

If you venture outside of the spa, you’ll find a glorious, private rooftop terrace pool that is accessible only to guests of the spa.  A rectangular shaped pool, which is heated or cooled depending on the season.  The spa pool area overlooks the resort and has spectacular views of Camelback Mountain – probably some of the best views from anywhere on the property.

Guests enjoy thickly cushioned lounge chairs, sun umbrellas, shaded areas, plush, oversize pool towels.  The pool itself is 3’ 6” deep.  The poolside service is outstanding – an energetic attendant never missed an opportunity to bring guests glasses of iced water and to inquire how we were doing and if we needed anything.  Lunch and beverage service is available to enjoy on the Joya Terrace. 

Joya Terrace is adjacent to the fitness center and motion studio.  There was some fitness equipment available on the terrace outside of the fitness center, which also overlooked the resort and Camelback Mountain. 

At the spa, Paula was my therapist for a Moroccan Inspired Body Treatment called the Harvest Festival – 60 minutes, $155.  

 

Appointments at the spa were spaced out to avoid the top of the hour rush felt at so many spas.  Despite the resort being sold out, an on site wedding on the day of one of my treatments and a steady crowd of spa-goers, the spa never felt even remotely crowded.  In fact, I had more of the areas to myself most of the time.  

 

I loved my stay at the InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Joya Spa.  Phoenix, Scottsdale and Paradise Valley Arizona have so much to offer spa vacationers.  Planning a spa vacation?  Let the travel specialists at Tripology put together a dream spa trip for you!

Filed under:  Paradise Valley Arizona, spa vacation, spa, Spa vacations
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