1. Contents
Arizona ................................................................................................................................................ 4
Canyon Ranch, Sanctuary Spa, Tucson, AZ ..................................................................................... 5
Camelback Mountain, Sanctuary Spa, Scottsdale, AZ .................................................................... 6
Enchantment Resort, Mi Amo, Sedona, AZ ...................................................................................... 7
Royal Palms,Alvadora Spa , Phoenix, AZ ......................................................................................... 7
Sheraton, Wild Horse Pass, Phoenix, AZ .......................................................................................... 8
Wyndham Boulders Resort, Golden Door Spa, AZ .......................................................................... 9
California ........................................................................................................................................... 10
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa, Sonoma, CA................................................................... 11
Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, CA ................................................................... 12
Four Seasons Resort, Aviara, CA .................................................................................................... 13
Gaige House Inn, Glen Ellen CA .................................................................................................... 14
Harbin Hot Springs, Middletown, CA ............................................................................................ 15
Lodge at Sonoma, Raindance Spa, Sonoma, CA ............................................................................ 16
Loews Coronado Bay Resort, Sea Spa, San Diego, CA ................................................................. 17
Miramonte Resort’s Spa, The Well, Palm Springs, CA ................................................................. 20
Ojo Caliente ...................................................................................................................................... 18
Oaks at Ojai ...................................................................................................................................... 18
Sierra Hot Springs ............................................................................................................................ 18
Holding Space.................................................................................................................................... 19
Two Bunch Palms, Resort and Spa, Desert Hot Springs, CA ....................................................... 22
Cottonwood Hot Springs, Colorado ................................................................................................ 26
Minakshi’s Aquatic Bodywork Island Studio, Florida Keys ......................................................... 26
Grove Island Hotel, Amelia Island Plantation SpaCoconut Grove, FL ....................................... 27
Holding Space................................................................................................................................... 29
The Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, Miami, FL ......................................................................................... 30
Hyatt Regency, Stillwater Spa, Bonita Springs, FL ..................................................................... 32
Marriott Resort, Gulf Club and Spa, Marco Island, FL ............................................................... 33
PGA, National Resort & Spa, Palm Beach Gardens, FL .............................................................. 34
The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, FL .......................................................................................................... 35
Hawaii ................................................................................................................................................ 36
Hotel Hana Maui, Honua Spa, HI ................................................................................................... 37
Mauna Lani, Hawaii......................................................................................................................... 39
Minnesota .......................................................................................................................................... 40
New Jersey ........................................................................................................................................ 41
Nevada ............................................................................................................................................... 42
Bellagio Spa,Las Vegas, NV ............................................................................................................. 43
Marriott, Aquae Sulis Spa, Las Vegas, NV ..................................................................................... 44
Venetian Hotel, Canyon Ranch Spa, Las Vegas, NV ..................................................................... 45
New Mexico ....................................................................................................................................... 46
Bishops Lodge Resort, ShaNah Spa, Santa Fe, NM ...................................................................... 47
Ten Thousand Waves, Santa Fe, NM .............................................................................................. 48
Cornelia Day Resort, Manhattan, New York ................................................................................. 49
2. Texas ................................................................................................................................................... 50
A Better Body, The spa at II Creeks, Richardson, TX ................................................................... 50
Spa 2 U, TX ....................................................................................................................................... 50
The Crossings, Austin, TX................................................................................................................ 51
The Greenhouse, Arlington, TX ...................................................................................................... 52
So Just Relax, Day Spa, VE ............................................................................................................ 57
Le Toile, Day Spa, VI ....................................................................................................................... 58
Marriott Hotel, ASPA, WA .............................................................................................................. 59
Spas with Watsu in Other Countries
5. Canyon Ranch, Tucson,
Ranch, AZ
The 11,000-square-foot indoor Aquatic Center features WATSU®, Wassertanzen, and comprehensive
water therapies acclaimed for their conditioning and relaxation benefits.
Sanctuary Spa provides a relaxed, luxurious retreat with an Asian-inspired design and
philosophy and includes indoor and outdoor treatment rooms, a fitness center with movement studio,
a meditation garden, a therapeutic WATSU® pool, and a shaded, outdoor lap pool.
6. An intimate retreat, Sanctuary Spa offers a menu of Asian-inspired treatments in fourteen indoor &
outdoor treatment rooms. Enhanced by modern architecture and the breathtaking setting, the Spa’s
relaxing meditation garden, reflecting pond and WATSU® pool provide a tranquil experience.
Camelback Mountain, Sanctuary Spa, Scottsdale,
Mountain, AZ
The indoor/outdoor spa has the highest standards of contemporary luxury
with shaded 25-yard outdoor lap pool, therapeutic WATSU® immersion
pool, and a state-of-the-art fitness centre with movement studio.
7. Enchantment Resort, Mi Amo, Sedona, AZ
After welcoming the day with a Hatha yoga class, you’ll be ready for a soak in an outdoor Jacuzzi under a
turquoise sky, a WATSU® water massage, or time alone in the meditation room. It is this holistic focus on the
blending of work on the inner self and decadent pampering of the outer self that makes Mi Amo unique.
Royal Palms,Alvadora Spa , Phoenix,
Palms,Alvadora AZ
Other highlights of Alvadora’s menu are the Renaissance Massage and Footbath and the Orange Blossom
Body Buff, an exfoliating treatment that uses a moisturizing essential oil made from the bitter orange
blossom. The spa also offers a steam room, a resting area with fireplace outside the locker room, a
WATSU®, massage pool, and a full-service salon.
8. Sheraton, Wild Horse Pass, Phoenix, AZ
Sheraton,
SHUHTHAGI (WATSU®)
Water has historically been seen as the “life-line” for the Pima and Maricopa Indians and is an extremely
important aspect of their every day life. The WATSU® pool was built in the style of the “Vatho”, which
is a common outdoor living space. During this treatment, the water will allow for movements that are
not possible on a traditional massage table. Gentle rocking will loosen your spine while rhythmic
movement, massage, and stretching will relax your muscles and increase your flexibility.
9. Wyndham Boulders Resort,
Golden Door Spa,
Carefree, AZ
The aquatic therapy takes place in our outdoor heated WATSU®pool. Your therapist will cradle you while
utilizing rhythmic movement, pressure-point massage and stretches to assist with deep relaxation. The
warmth of the water and freedom from gravity allow flexibility of the spine that is rarely achieved through
traditional massage techniques. Please wear a comfortable bathing suit. (Couples WATSU®also available.)
11. Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, Sonoma, CA
Natural spring water fills the Sonoma Mission Inn’s three swimming pools, one of which is a WATSU® pool.
12. Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, CA
The essence of style with a relaxed California attitude, Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles is located in a
quiet palm lined residential neighbourhood just minutes from world-renowned Rodeo Drive shopping.
Soak in the views on the tropically landscaped pool terrace, relax in a cabana and the rejuvenating spa.
13. For the third consecutive year,
Resort,
Four Seasons Resort, Aviara,
N San Diego, LA
has earned the elusive Five Diamond Award.
The property remains San Diego’s only hotel
to be honored with this distinction. Less than
one-half of one percent of hotels evaluated re-
ceives the Five Diamond rating.
The facility also is the only resort spa in San
Diego to offer WATSU® (water shiatsu), a form
of aquatic bodywork that involves massage and
stretching while you float in a heated pool.
The support of the water takes the weight off the vertebrae and allows the spine to be moved in ways
that are impossible on land. Aviara’s WATSU®pool is set outside, amid lushly landscaped gardens.
14. Inn,
Gaige House Inn,
Glen Ellen CA
Voted the #1 Inn by Travel + Leisure Magazine!
If you are wondering where to go next you should consider a small luxury inn located in the beautiful
Sonoma Valley. Here’s what Travel + Leisure Magazine had to say about them: “Toast a new day with
white wine in bed at Gaige House Inn. Delicate pan-Asian touches are found throughout this 1890’s
Victorian house transformed into a Sonoma Valley refuge, from the Balinese teak chairs in reception to
the gorgeous mass of Dendrobium orchids on the library table. The inn has 15 rooms, including three
suites in an outbuilding (two come with private gardens on an ivy-covered bank above Calabasas
Creek, with runs through the backyard). A masseuse is on call for in-room massages; better yet are the
WATSU® rubdowns in the 40-foot heated pool. Two chefs whip up such breakfast dishes as pesto poached
eggs with goat cheese polenta and chicken-apple sausage.” Visit their web site at http://www.gaige.com
15. Harbin Hot Springs,
Middletown, CA
WATSU® is the first form of Aquatic Bodywork. Harold Dull began developing it in 1980 floating his
Zen Shiatsu students in the warm pool at Harbin Hot Springs applying its stretches and moves. In the
years since, with the help of countless others in classes, clinics and spas around the world, WATSU®has
evolved into what many consider the most profound development in bodywork in our time. While other
modalities are based on touch, the holding that working in water necessitates, brings the receiver to a
new level of connection and trust. This, combined with the therapeutic benefits of warm water and the
greater freedom of movement it encourages, creates a modality that can affect every level of our being.
16. Sonoma,
Lodge at Sonoma, Raindance Spa
A Renaissance Resort & Spa, Sonoma, CA
The natural hot springs that run beneath the property offer our guests a unique source for bathing and
therapeutic indulgences. The outdoor soaking and WATSU® therapy pools utilize these natural mineral-
enriched waters which combine to create a relaxed mind and a smooth hydrated body – something the
Native Americans of the area have used for centuries.
Wet spa treatments such as WATSU® (a combination of movement and massage) are performed in a
body-temperature mineral pool in a garden setting whose water originates from a nearby underground
source. To maximize the revitalizing benefits of mineral baths, try a WATSU® treatment, which combines
healing massage with graceful, flowing underwater movement techniques.
WATSU® or underwater massage, is further complimented by the soothing sounds of relaxing music,
as this service is accompanied by an underwater stereo system.
17. Resort,
Loews Coronado Bay Resort,
Sea Spa,
San Diego, CA
WATSU®® (Shiatsu Massage Performed in Water) is performed in our custom-made WATSU®® pool,
which is held at a constant 96 degrees. A series of stretches, massage techniques and gentle pulling
promotes relaxation and suppleness of the spine. This water treatment is excellent for many conditions,
such as insomnia and arthritis, and is the treatment of choice for pregnant women.
20. The discerning guest will
encounter an experience
unlike any other when visiting
THE WELL at Miramonte.
Miramonte Resort’s Spa, The Well,
Resort’s
Indian Wells (Palm Springs), CA
21. Miramonte officially opened their new Tuscan-inspired destination spa, The Well, on May
9, 2004. The 12,000-square-foot spa, the “centerpiece of the resort,” offers 10 outdoor and 9 indoor
relaxation suites, four mud bars, two signature river benchesand a WATSU® pool.
Unique among Southern California spas in its
intimacy and attention to detail, THE WELL
is a sanctuary from 21st century living, with
classic old-world style.
22. Palms,
Two Bunch Palms, Resort and Spa
Desert Hot Springs, CA
In the warm mineral waters of this world-class resort and spa,
hydrotherapy takes form in two of the most popular treatments,
the WATSU®and its close sister WASSERTANZEN.
Hydrotherapy, or water therapy, is the latest advancement in spa treatments.
23. Weightless Water Therapies
Make Waves
Stretch, glide and gracefully float in the soothing warm mineral water at Two Bunch Palms Resort and
Spa as experienced WATSU®therapists gently cradle and support your body through a series of fluid
movements during a WATSU®session. Seeming to defy gravity as you rest weightlessly in the body
temperature water, stress and tension depart your body with each gentle motion.
WATSU®(Water Shiatsu), a 25-year-old aquatic therapy known for relieving stress and invoking
deep relaxation, is currently offered in only a handful of spas in the United States.
Two Bunch Palms was one of the first spas to offer Watsu–
outside of Northern California’s Harbin Hot Springs, where it was created.
24. WATSU®and WasserTanzen
The Ultimate Treatments at Two Bunch Palms
In the new “WATSU®-A DEAUX” pool, couples enjoy WATSU®together under a grove of rustling
palms. Or, they can individually experience a brand new treatment called WASSERTANZEN, Swiss
for “Water Dance”.
WATSU®is short for “Water Shiatsu,” the treatment is more like passive yoga in the water than straight
massage. Some guests have described it as a return to the womb, where you hear your own heartbeat
and become one with the water. Developed in the early 1980’s by Harold Dull, Director of Harbin’s
School of Shiatsu and Massage — WATSU®is now practiced worldwide.
Supported entirely by the water and therapist, you are gently stretched and moved through the water,
fluid and weightless. After WATSU®, guests are decidedly refreshed and restored, often experiencing
emotional release as the body responds. Because of the growing demand for couples to experience this
treatment together, Two Bunch Palms has added its largest private pool, warmed just below body
temperature to 96 degrees. Secluded beneath a grove of rustling palms, this pool also accommodates
our newest hydrotherapy treatment, WASSERTANZEN.
If WATSU®is passive yoga, WASSERTANZEN is like passive ballet. This treatment starts as the therapist
gently rocks and cradles you in the rejuvenating waters. As you unwind, the therapist guides you below
the surface, where most of the bodywork occurs. The merger between above and below water is a
harmonizing blend of timeless, weightless wonder.
“The water just takes over and they dance.” “People laugh or sing underwater. They don’t want to
come up.” Comments overheard by Two Bunch Palms therapists.
The underwater choreography distinguishes this treatment from the rest. Developed in 1987 by Swiss
trainers Arjana Brunschwiler and Aman Schroter, WASSERTANZEN has been described as the ultimate
spa treatment. You learn to become seaweed floating in the currents.
You do not have to know the moves of WATSU®OR WASSERTANZEN. The highly trained spa therapists
at Two Bunch Palms take care of that. A return to the Dolphins? Rebirthing in the water? Or simply the
ultimate? We’ll let you decide ....
25. Cottonwood Hot Springs, Colorado
The Sanctuary Spa provides a relaxed, luxurious retreat with an Asian-inspired design and philosophy
and includes indoor and outdoor treatment rooms, a fitness center with movement studio, a meditation
garden, a therapeutic WATSU® pool, and a shaded, outdoor lap pool.
26. Minakshi became a certified WATSU ®
Instructor in 1991.
As of January, 2006 she has taught well over 3,000 students in
over 300 classes. She currently teaches (when not traveling &
teaching) at the facility which she developed.
She isthe author of this Spa Promotion
.
for the www.waba. edu web site and
can be reached at www.minakshiwatsu.com
Connect with Florida’s Caribbean Islands
While Studying at Minakshi’s Island Studio
Aquatic Bodywork Courses
Florida Keys
27. Amelia Island Plantation Spa in Amelia Island
Grove Island Hotel, Coconut Grove, FL
WATSU Massage
®
Deeply relaxing and therapeutic, this unique shiatsu
massage is performed in thermal, mineral-infused
water. Stretching and gentle flowing movements
guided by an experienced therapist promotes
flexibility and soothes aching joints.
28. WATSU - Massage in water
®
This unique massage therapy offers the relaxing and rejuvenating benefits of water, known
for its truly therapeutic and restorative properties. Performed in a perfectly synchronized
environment, the WATSU pool enables you to relax in water bearing the ideal temperature
®
of 94 to 98 degrees, which encourages complete relaxation. As your body receives the
WATSU Massage Therapy, you immediately begin to feel daily pressures, stress, aches and
®
toxins easing far, far away. Your breathing begins to stabilize. You can actually sense each
and every tired and fatigued muscle unwind and release without pain or hesitation. As
soreness and fatigue are reduced, your circulation gently removes any metabolites left within
your muscles. You are ever so gently transcending to a complete feeling of oneness with all
that is peaceful, calm and serene; one perfect balance of body, mind and spirit. As new
positive energy rises throughout your entire being, you discover where tension is stored and
how to effectively deal with it. You surface to a new-found world of peace, relaxation, inner
order and tranquility, armed with the focus necessary to confront the world with a strong,
positive attitude.
WATSU Massage
®
Get ready to experience the ultimate massage in water: WATSU . As you float freely within
®
the warm water, your massage therapist commences with a stretching, soothing and
rehabilitative massage. As the massage proceeds, your body gracefully flows and moves
without pain or limitation. You slowly become weightless, feeling the releasing effects of the
massage as soreness and fatigue are reduced while spine tension is removed. Flexibility,
relaxation and freedom are reinstated as you enter into a state of emotional, psychological
and physical inner and outer peace. Bathing suit required.
30. The Grove Isle
Hotel & Spa,
Miami, FL
general manager, Michael Allen said
“The addition of SpaTerre introduces
the local community to a level of
sophisticated boutique luxury
unrivaled in South Florida.”
SpaTerre originated at The Grove Isle’s sister property, Little Palm Island Resort & Spa in the Florida Keys.
31. SpaTerre,
Grove,
Coconut Grove
features seven treatment rooms, a
salon, a couple’s massage room,
three individual massage rooms,
two facial rooms, a wet room with
Vichy shower, a private steam
room, and a “Zen” meditation
room. The SpaTerre Salon has
four hair stations, three pedicure
stations, two manicure stations
and a makeup station.
Additionally, SpaTerre boasts a WATSU® pool with cascading Roman waterfall and Jacuzzi, a yoga
deck and two private massage areas, all set waterside on Biscayne Bay, which surrounds the resort.
Signature SpaTerre treatments include the Tropical Essence Massage, Key Lime Margarita Pedicure,
WATSU® Pool massage and Aussie Airbrush Tan.
32. Hyatt Regency, Stillwater Spa, Bonita
Regency, Springs, FL
WOMB WITH A VIEW What’s a WATSU®? I wondered as I wandered into the Hyatt Regency
Coconut Point’s Stillwater Spa in Bonita Springs. People had told me that this form of hydrotherapy,
also called Zen Water Shiatsu, reminded them of being back in the womb, or of flying. But I can’t
remember my days in the womb-though I recall my mother saying I kicked a lot-and try as I might, I’ve
never flown without mechanical assistance.
After Karen Phillips, spa director, gave me a tour of the Stillwater-lots of treatment and sauna rooms,
muted colors and lighting, all Zenfully presented in a less-is-more kind of way-I suited up and met Iris
Casteen, a serene-looking woman with friendly brown eyes who introduced herself as my therapist.
“We call WATSU® assisted yoga,” she explained as we entered the WATSU® room. A large skylight
capped it, and tall windows looked out toward Estero Bay.
We stepped into the pool-bigger than a hot tub but smaller than an average swimming pool. Casteen
strapped floats on my legs for buoyancy, then floated me horizontally, cradling my neck and legs in her
hands and arms. WATSU® is an art, she said, and I thought of us-large man borne in thin woman’s arms-
briefly there as a kind of living statue: working title, White Woman’s Burden, perhaps.
For 50 minutes, she whirled me in lazy circles through the 98-degree-Fahrenheit water, as if I were some
kind of robotic pool vacuum. All the while she massaged my back, arms, scalp, legs, yea unto the soles
of my feet.
Pleasantly relaxing and dreamlike, the treatment had a mildly hypnotic, faintly narcotic feel. A weak
storm had blown in from the north, and when I did open my eyes, I saw clouds scudding by and palm
fronds waving outside. Gently caressed, I enjoyed it, for the moment.
-Daniel Lindley
33. Resort,
Marriott Resort,
Gulf Club and Spa
Marco Island, FL
WATSU Massage
®
Zenfully relaxing, this specialized form
of Aquatic Bodywork involves the
ancient art of Zen Shiatsu massage.
Bring your chi in balance, elevate your
range of motion, increase your freedom
of movement and accelerate the healing
process with this soothing warm water
therapy.
34. PGA
National Resort & Spa,
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
The Waters of the World
section of the spa gives
contemporary expression to
the ancient spa tradition of
“sanitas per aqua,”
health via water.
One of its two mineral pools is filled with water and salts from the Dead Sea, the other with water and
salts from Sallies de Bearn, located in the pristine Pyrenees. Waters of the World also features a plunge
pool, the main freshwater pool, and two whirlpools.
Thanks to the extensive menu of
over 100 treatments, your choices
range from the most basic Swedish
massage to more unusual
offerings, such as WATSU and the
®
Golfers’ Recovery Facial.
Waters of the World
You can sample two different
hydrotherapy traditions in the spa’s
mineral pools.
The mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea have for centuries been valued for the healing benefits they
reportedly offer irritated skin. The pure, chilly waters of Sallies de Bearn are said to moderate fluid
retention, body temperature changes, and mood swings.
35. Ritz-Carlton,
The Ritz-Carlton, What Is
Naples, FL WATSU® ?
is rated among the “Top 50 Spas” in North
America, the Caribbean and at sea by From Anitra Brown,
Conde Nast Traveler (2006). Your Guide to Spas.
What Happens During a WATSU® Treatment?
A spa will have a special WATSU® pool heated to the exact same
temperature as your body. It will be private and quiet, like any
other treatment room. Some spas have outdoors WATSU® pools
surrounded by walls, with cloth panels overhead to create a
combination of sunlight and shade.
You and the massage therapist both wear bathing suits. During
WATSU® the therapist literally cradles your body, with one arm
supporting your knees, the other your back. One of your arms is
wrapped around the therapist’s back, the other floats free.
She then twirls you through in the water, first one way then another,
taking your body through a series of passive stretches and twists.
Being held in the warm water is deeply relaxing.
What Are the Benefits of WATSU®?
WATSU®s gentle stretches have a therapeutic effect on the body. The buoyancy and support of the
water allow the spinal column to be moved in ways that aren’t possible on land. Many people also find
it works on an emotional level as well, promoting trust and connection.
Some people find that the first session is all about learning to trust the fact that someone is there to
support you. Others are trying to overcome a fear of water. (If this is you, be sure to tell your therapist.)
Others are able to fully relax and find it deeply soothing from the very first session.
37. Hotel Hana Maui, Honua Spa, HI
Maui,
Drift into deep levels of relaxation. Floating in a therapist’s arms without the pull of gravity, the warm
water supports the body evenly, releases tension and produces a deep sense of renewed well-being.
Experience a whole new level of bodywork
in Maui’s first resort aquatic therapy
WATSU pool.
®
38. “Kahi Kikaha”, to soar, glide poise as the Iwa Bird. The sensation of floating was comparable to the
sensation of flying and being uplifted and carried by the winds......
The 1000 square-foot Kahi Kikaha takes the element of Aquatic Body Therapy to new heights. Built
amongst ancient Hawaiian Lava Tubes, Kahi Kikaha harnesses the energy and healing elements of the
land into every session. The Hawaiians believed that the Lava Tube represents the womb to the ‘aina
(land), this land formation provided shelter and a place of rest. Mauna Lani has worked in partnership
with PowerLight Corporation to replicate this special place that you can go back to what nutured you...
that settled place where you started life, back to the center of your creation. This masterpiece has
unique features to include: skin temperature salt water, underwater acoustics, tranquil lighting effects
and a surreal waterfall - all of which is completely powered by photovoltaic panels provided by
PowerLight Corporation.
Aquatic Body Therapy
Taking you back to the womb, your therapist will provide support while floating, stretching and massaging
your body into a deep state of relaxation and well-being. All body types benefit from weightlessness,
opening joints and melting tension. Experience techniques designed for warm salt water therapy including
WATSU®, Waterdance, Healing Dance, Floating Reflexology and/or Floating Massage. Experience as
a couples session.
39. Mauna Lani, HI
is the largest solar-powered resort in the world. Located on the Kohala Coast of Hawaii, this property is the
epitome of luxury. The sprawling 3200-acre resort has private bungalows, villas, a 36-hole golf course, a 3-
mile long beach, an indoor spa, a unique lava sauna garden, a 1000-square-foot WATSU® pool and a
gorgeous Sports & Fitness club to pamper its guests. The seven photovoltaic systems at the resort generate
over 674 kW of solar electricity that powers 162 solar-powered golf carts, the world’s only solar-powered
WATSU® spa, and thermal heating for the pool.
“Watsu therapy takes place in the amazing lava tube pool. The pool is in a replicated lava tube; the water
flows from the actual lava tube next door into the pool, and it’s heated by solar panels. Meant to re-create the
feeling of being in a womb, the therapy is essentially an hour-long massage in water. You feel totally weightless,
thanks to some artfully applied floats and the buoyancy of the warm salt water. It’s a great treatment for
people with disabilities that keep them from enjoying a traditional massage.” - Fodor’s
“The WATSU® treatment, which takes place in a lava pool, is a true spiritual awakening which
causes your body and mind to return to their embryonic stage of life.”
Review Team for Finest Health Spas travel@finesthealthspas.com
Deft combining of soulful, traditional healing
(lomilomi massage and plant-based medicine)
with a very worldly, sophisticated spa culture
(showplace suites and with-it treatments like
WATSU®) characterizes the islands’ top spa.
43. The WATSU® Room
Spa Splendor Package
• Enjoy a 70-minute aquatic WATSU® massage experience in our luxurious WATSU® Room.
• Relax during a 50-minute Bellagio Hand, Foot and Scalp Royal Ritual.
• Finish with a 25-minute luxurious Body Polish Treatment to gently exfoliate your skin.
• While in the WATSU® Room, you can enjoy a smoothie specialty drink or light snack.
Allow for a three-hour experience.a
Bellagio Spa,
Las Vegas, NV
Couples Reflection Package
• Discover and learn to float your partner with a WATSU® Therapist in the warm WATSU® pool.
This tandem soak is the height of the 70-minute WATSU® experience.
• Choose from any 50-minute facial from our treatment menu and pamper the skin
after you emerge from the water.
• End with our famous 25-minute Indian Head Massage.
• While in the WATSU® Room, you can enjoy a smoothie, specialty drink or light snack.
Allow for a three-hour experience.
44. Marriott,
Marriott,
Aquae Sulis Spa
Las Vegas, NV
45. Venetian Hotel, Canyon Ranch Spa, Las Vegas, NV
Nestled within a Venetian-style garden atop our 5-acre pool deck, the 63,000 square-foot Canyon Ranch
SpaClub is an exclusive state-of-the-art health, spa and fitness facility featuring massage, skin care and body
treatment rooms; gyms and weight rooms; a 40-foot rock climbing wall; movement therapy and Pilates studios;
a Spinning gym; therapeutic WATSU pools; a Canyon Ranch restaurant; and a beauty salon and medical/
®
wellness center.The Venetian Las Vegas has everything, from its majestic beauty, to its gondola rides.
47. January 2004
Resort,
Bishops Lodge Resort, ShaNah Spa,
Santa Fe, NM
recently received Condé Nast Johansens’ top award, naming the SháNah Spa and Wellness Center
the most outstanding spa in North America. The Spa recently celebrated its first anniversary, having
opened in summer 2002. The intimate facility houses six treatment rooms, a broad menu of spa
services and wellness programs and an outdoor WATSU pool. ®
This extraordinary form of Aquatic Bodywork is based on both stretching techniques and Shiatsu. Your
therapist will provide continuous support to your body, which will float with ease in a 96-degree private
pool. The warmth of the water and the freedom from gravity allow a flexibility of the spine that is
rarely achieved through traditional massage methods.
49. Cornelia Day Resort, Manhattan, NY
Only at Cornelia, and truly unforgettable. Our rooftop sanctuary is the spectacular setting for an
experience of a lifetime. Cradled in our exclusive saltwater pool set to your body temperature and
guided by our WATSU practitioner, you’ll close your eyes and gently float while muscles are massaged,
®
joints and tissues stretched, energy pathways opened. Sense a profound physical release as tension and
pain melt away from body... and mind. Underwater speakers encourage a sense of deep relaxation.
WATSU is a wonder that can return you to the fundamental essence of your being.
®
50. Spa 2 U, TX
Texas
A Better Body, The spa at II Creeks,
Richardson, TX
51. The Crossings, Omega, Austin, TX
WATSU® is a unique aquatic massage treatment using
gentle acupressure, stretches, and flowing movements
to nurture mind, body, and spirit while you float in a
warm pool of water.
Our beautifully-designed outdoor WATSU® pool
provides a private, healing environment.
Integrated Aquatic Therapy
WATSU® is used to address medical issues, injuries, and neurological or orthopedic disorders in a
safe and supportive environment. Performed by a registered nurse.
Massage or WATSU® For Two
Enjoy your choice of massage or WATSU® side by side with a friend or a loved one.
Create a WATSU® Escape
Deepen the healing process by adding a Watsu treatment to your massage,
scrub, mask, or wrap of your choice.
52. The Greenhouse, Arlington,
Greenhouse, TX
Minakshi trains staff and gives sessions, October 1993.
WATSU® at the Greenhouse, is quoted from the Greenhouse newsletter, October 1993. The gentle
yet powerful form of bodywork called WATSU® began when Harold Dull of Harbin Hot Springs in
California, started floating people in water, applying the moves and stretches of the Zen Shiatsu he
had studied in Japan. A wide range of physical and emotional conditions can be addressed during a
WATSU®. A personal account of a first WATSU® received at the Greenhouse tells the story best:
“It is one thing to watch a WATSU®, quite another to experience it. To the outside observer, it can
seem strange or otherworldly…a person being held in the water and swirled repeatedly back and
forth like a piece of seaweed. After just a couple of moments of being held in the water, I was
overwhelmed with a feeling of tranquility.l This must be what it feels like to be in the womb—
totally taken car of, nothing to worry about, nothing to do except go with the gentle flow of the
water.
Each individual brings her own perspective to an assessment of the WATSU®. Besides the relaxing
element of the process, channels are opened up for the release of stored emotions. With the body
flowing smoothly from one movement to the next, the breath slows down and becomes more
rhythmical as tension dissolves. The nurturing aspects of WATSU® often have a dramatic affect on a
person’s sense of self-esteem. The WATSU®. offers a unique opportunity for learning new things
about oneself with the distractions of the outside world.
The peaceful waters of the enclosed atrium pool at The Greenhouse make an ideal setting for the
delicate power of The WATSU®.
53. Quoted from Vogue, October 1993:
“While I am at the Greehouse, I can’t imagine any
class or treatment more stress relieving that the hour
I spend receiving WATSU® from Minakshi, a visiting
therapist for the Minad and Body Connection week
from Harbin Hot Springs spa in northern California.
At five seven and 125 pounds, 44-year-old Minakshi
has white-blond hair that sweeps past her shoulders,
a sun-worn face, and the calm blue eyes of a woman
who has meditated and studied yoga for years. Her
penetrating gaze accounts for the name she has
chosen for herself: In Sanskrit Minakshi means
“beautiful, spiritual eyes” as well as “water goddess”.
The Greenhouse is built around a stunning indoor pool covered by a latticed skylight, and it is here that Minakshi
works her magic on me. After I slip into the pool, which is body temperature, Minakshi begins to hold me,
cradling my neck in one arm, the small of my back in the other, almost as if I were an infant. For the next hour,
she will twist me gently, stretch me, massage me, and twirl me through the water, all the while keeping my nose
above water. I do nothing other than allow her to move me. My ears are completely submerged; I hear nothing.
The Greenhouse is built around a stunning indoor pool covered by a latticed skylight, and it is here that
Minakshi works her magic on me. After I slip into the pool, which is body temperature, Minakshi begins to
hold me, cradling my neck in one arm, the small of my back in the other, almost as if I were an infant. For the
next hour, she will twist me gently, stretch me, massage me, and twirl me through the water, all the while
keeping my nose above water. I do nothing other than allow her to move me. My ears are completely submerged;
I hear nothing.
Minakshi is surprisingly strong. At Harbin Hot Springs, where she has practiced and taught WATSU® for four
years, Minakshi sometimes gives the treatments to men twice her weight. Even after hours of working in the
pool at the Greenhouse (where the women aren’t all light-weights either), the only side effects she suffers are
not sore muscles or an aching back but hands shriveled like prunes.
WATSU® is a womblike experience—you are floating and being held in a very intimate (although not sewual)
way; Minakshi tells me later that people often recall childhood memories or have unexpected emotions during
the session. “Part of WATSU® is allowing yourself to feel open, to let yourself go,” she’ll say. “And when you
do, something magical happens. There’s a healing force involved here.”
I close my eyes…and as I relax more deeply, my mind does begin to wander. Submerged in water, I remember
that as a child I used to dive into the pool in my family’s backyard and just sit on the floor of the deep end,
staring up at the sun filtering through. For 30 or 45 seconds, I would pretend that I lived underwater, far from
the world’s noises or cares. It is a blissful memory—one that I experience before Minakshi tells me such
memories are common—and I am overcome by a peace that I haven’t felt in years. I forget about the business
trips, deadlines, and meetings that have filled my head. And when I emerge from the pool, my shoulders feel
lighter, my chest, more…more “open”.
54. What the clients said about WATSU®.
at the Greenhouse.
It was wonderful...very meditative...
my mind did not wander.
I wish I was staying longer so I could have more.
I have never felt so relaxed in my life
and I’ve had a lot of massages.
What a wonderful experience. Very relaxing. So therapeutic. Everyone should try it. What a thrill!
I enjoyed it very much. It is exercise without work. I have arthritis and found it very
relaxing for the joints. My pain was definitely better. My back also felt better.
I have compacted vertebrae which were stretched and it was such a comfort.
I’ve been marveling about it all week.
I’ve never experienced such a peaceful, relaxing and beautiful experience.
I am so happy to have the experience.
The most peaceful and relaxing experience I’ve had at the Greenhouse.
Now I know what it must feel like to be in your mother’s womb. INCREDIBLE.
It was incredible. A feeling of total peace. Almost like an out of body experience.
To manipulate the body so naturally is truly a God given talent.
I can’t wait to spread the news.
Totally relaxing, unbelievable how you notice nothing else…
and not an acquired taste.
Wonderful...nurturing.
I learned a lot about myself.
Trust.
I loved the Shiatsu.
That was for the body...
I liked the closeness. I feel much taller…and my smile won’t quit.
55. (Yogarobics teacher)
I don’t want it to end...
it was the most incredible experience
of my life...
I want to learn how to do it.
It’s fascinating to watch. We’re all fascinated.
It’s a great opportunity to forget your worries and go inwards.
I loved the neck movement. I want my mother to do it.
(This client took off a neck brace to receive WATSU®).
A truly magnificent experience.
The most relaxed I have ever been. I did not know that I had a neck!!!!
Every hospital and rehab clinic should have WATSU®. A person simply has to experience this.
It cannot be described in words. I am so happy that you were at the Greenhouse.
I loved the movement…the feeling of water moving. I felt like seaweed.
(Shiatsu practitioner and student of WATSU®)
It was insightful...
I discovered how and where fears were holding.
Simply saying relaxingdoesn’t describe it.
It is indescribable.
It was lovely, centering, peaceful and a most beautiful experience. I was able to feel a
bonding with Minakshi as she held me and touched and moved all my body areas. I
felt a oneness with Minakshi. I surely would like to have a WATSU® again.
It was very relaxing and very therapeutic.
I have a hard time relaxing,
but I succeeded more than I can ever remember.
It was also a very spiritual experience for me.
Very worthwhile.
Wow, wonderful...you can’t describe it...
you’ve just got to do it.
56. For me this was a mini journey, soft…trusting…love…I don’t
know if I felt the rebirthing, but I definitely traveled to
something simpler. I almost whimpered “Mommy” at the end
when I was cradled in a fetal position and was gently placed
against the wall. But the wall cradled me also and I didn’t
move; I didn’t want to. It was weird but at that point I felt a
very strong bond. Very warm, like an old friend that I hadn’t
seen in a while. As I write this I still feel a warmth but it
exudes out toward everyone. I feel moved.
(Head of the massage staff.)
It was wonderful, unbelievable, you hypnotized me.
Total relaxation in a wonderful environment
with a lovely WATSU® instructor
whom I’ve had massage from during the past year.
I want to come back soon. It’s one of life’s true pleasures.
A warm, safe, incredible esperience in body movement. I will do this again and recommend to friends.
Thank you for sharing this gift!
The only thing I could compare this with is like floating in a cloud. The water makes you feel so light
and free. Everyone should be so lucky to have an experience like this.
This was an incredible experience. I felt totally relaxed and comfortable. I am someone who is
usually a bit inflexible, but all the movements were extremely soothng and therapeutic.
I would definitely do this again and recommend it to others.
I felt incredible. Words are difficult. I traveled with my inner guide and my other guide, Allegra,
and her spirit. I experienced a sense of total safety for the first time in fifty years.
I loved it! Ultimate relaxation.
With each passing day, cloistered in this
sanctuary, I am surprised by how much better
my body is beginning to feel, and I can see the
tension in my face lessening, too. Maybe I feel
healthier because I haven’t had to take business
calls or because I’ve had the luxury of being
served breakfast in bed, but I think there’s more
to it than that. Certainly, after my WATSU®, I
think Minakshi has had a hand in it.
60. W ATSU AT PGA NATIONAL RESORT & SPA
Contact: Deb Hurd
Email: deb.hurd@pgaresort.com
Direct Num ber: 561-227-2511
W atsu at PGA National Resort & Spa
W atsu is a form of aquatic bodywork sim ilar to a floating shiatsu m assage. W atsu is often
referred to as a “back-to-the-wom b” experience. The service is performed in warm water,
ideally 94 degrees, to m axim ize the body’s freeing of m uscle tension, as well as allow deep
relaxation as the body is stretched. The buoyancy of the water and the warmth penetrates and
melts the tension in your body. The recipient drifts into deeper and deeper levels of relaxation
as their body is cradled and stretched flowing gently as in a water ballet. Stored tension or
traum a disappears. The com bination of physically therapeutic, soothing and meditative aspects
of this water m assage often transports its recipients to another plane.
W atsu has trem endous therapeutic benefits. W atsu is designed to increase flexibility, lengthen
m uscles, increase range of m otion, ease pain, relax the body and m ind and ultim ately create a
nurturing environm ent for the recipient. W arm water, and the continuous support, is ideal for
freeing the spine. It takes the weight off the vertebrae and relaxes the m uscles. U nrestricted by
contraction, circulation, carries away muscle toxicity, reducing soreness and fatigue. The
reduced requirem ents of oxygen found in states of weightlessness help calm the respiration.
This profound relaxation rem oves excess pressure on the nerves. Therefore, W atsu strengthens
m uscles, and increases flexibility and range of m otion.
At PGA National Resort & Spa, W atsu is performed in The Spa’s outdoor m ineral pools, known
as the W aters of the W orld, which not only provide the benefits of the service itself, but the
nutritive benefits of the mineral pools, with salts imported from the Dead Sea and Salies de
Bearne. For additional inform ation, call 800-858-1904 or visit www.pgaresort.com
