golden door

In 1958 Deborah Szekely, founder of the first destination spa, Rancho La Puerta, opened the pioneering Golden Door in Escondido, California.

Golden Door Spa, the well-known Escondido, CA-based fitness resort and destination spa, has hired Chef Curtis Cooke (pictured) from Texas as its new executive chef. Chef Cooke was drawn to Golden Door Spa because he felt it was a perfect fit for his many years of culinary experience and belief in a balanced lifestyle and […]

It’s called a workout, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be fun. Exercise your right to visit one of these top getaway spas voted ‘Best Fitness Program’ in SpaFinder’s 2010 Readers’ Choice Awards.

With daylight savings in full swing, relish in the evening with Golden Door’s cozy and satisfying creamy polenta. This straight-forward recipe pairs tart lemon and warm rosemary polenta with sweet corn, meaty oyster mushrooms, and earthy, in-season rainbow chard. Add some roasted tomato sauce and a drizzle of a simple balsamic reduction to enhance this […]

This year is flying by (where have all the months gone?), but there’s still time to sneak in a spa getaway before the end of 2010. Save this season with SpaFinder’s top ten picks for November spa deals…discounts so good, there’s much to be thankful for. Canyon Ranch, Massachusetts Resort Save 15% per Guest – […]

It’s getting chilly and everyone around you seems to be coughing and sneezing. To make sure your immune system is in check and ready to fight off any unwanted cold and flu germs, we wanted to share with you some of the immune-boosting, detox-encouraging, and healthily-hydrating juices and smoothies being offered at spas and yoga […]

Rancho La Puerta, a fitness resort and wellness spa in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico, is hosting a two-day birthday gala and symposium, “The Sun, the Butterfly, the Dove,” in San Diego, California, this September 24-25th to celebrate its 70th. Proceeds from the gala will benefit Fundación La Puerta, a non-profit dedicated to the Tecate region and building a better future on the border through educational and ecological action, so join the fun and feel good about it at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront.

If you’ve always dreamed about going to the famous Golden Door Spa, this is your chance! Share a week, and share the rate at Golden Door Spa. Sign up yourself and a friend for a weeklong stay this August* and split the summer rate!

SpaFinder shares with you insights about recent spa getaways with our new “Confessions of a SpaFinder” video series. Hear firsthand about what a stay is like at legendary spa, The Golden Door, with SpaFinder’s COO Sallie Fraenkel.

California is home to some of the best getaway spas in the world. From the legendary, zen-like Golden Door Spa in SoCal, to the majestic hills of the wine country in the north, relaxing by the Pacific, there are some dreamy deals to be had on the West Coast.

The legendary Golden Door Spa in Escondido, California offers guests customized program in fitness, nutrition, and beauty. Now you can enjoy their reknowned spa cuisine at home! A special highlight is on Fall recipes including Jam Dot Cookies and Beer Steamed Shrimp Cocktail with Avocado Vinaigrette & Mixed Greens from Chef Dean Rucker.

“Sorry. We are fully booked.” It’s surprising to me how often I hear this when I call a spa or stop in at a spa to see about booking a treatment. It happened to me twice today when I was trying to book a massage here in Freeport, Grand Bahama where I spent Easter weekend. […]

That Famous Spa in Switzerland, Clinique La Prairie and the Product Line, La Prairie – Sorting it All Outby Susie EllisSpaFinder Insider (Note, if you aren’t seeing any photos in this blog post, then please read the blog at http://www.www.spafinder.com/blog/ as the photos will be a big help in following this timeline!) By now I […]

It was 1974 when I first heard about Clinique la Prairie. I had just begun working at the famous Golden Door spa in southern California and would occasionally hear guests whisper about the sheep cell injection therapy at this expensive place in Switzerland. Our Golden Door guests, who at that time included mostly wives of […]

Pritikin Spa Edging to a New Generationby Susie EllisSpaFinder Insider Just returned from a very nice Labor Day Weekend which Peter and I spent down in Florida on a boat tied up right near Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa in Aventura. Paul Lehr, President of Pritikin and author of their new book Pritikin Edge, was […]

Spa’s Colon Cleansing Program, Yin/Yang Exercise Classes, Luxury Villas and Resident Nature Expert Make Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat Uniqueby Susie EllisSpaFinder Insider Before leaving the Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat here in Australia, I wanted to share a few more observations. From my previous posts you will notice that I found their program to be quite thoughtful and […]

Spa Terminology: Wellness or Well-being?by Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Earlier this week I attended the New York Spa Promotion Alliance (NYSPA) conference. This year it was held at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Professor Mary Tabacchi organizes this event every year and despite the unfortunate timing (just days before the Global Spa Summit), I always try […]

Sleep Health at Vacation Spas May be more Important than Massages, Facials, Manicures/Pedicures, Diet, or even Exercise! by Susie Ellis The importance of sleep is something that has been on our SpaFinder top 10 spa trends list for the past two years. In 2007 the focus was on adding sleep health to diet and exercise […]

Daytona Bike Weekend Photos by Susie Ellis As promised here are the photos from our weekend in Daytona during their big bike rally. A couple of things I learned: 1.When you are working long hours and going to bed late, etc. there is nothing like a total change of scenery and schedule to revive you. […]

After a very pleasant 12-hour trip on Emirates Airlines from New York to Dubai, I’m at the airport awaiting my luggage. With me is my identical twin sister, Katrine, and we are both giddy with excitement to see what this scene is all about. I have tours of spas planned, plus I will be attending […]