Upon Arrival, Visitors To Las Ventanas Al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort, are immediately submerged into a world of secluded luxury. Located at the tip of Mexico's Baja Peninsula along the coast of the Sea of Cortez where it meets the Pacific, the resort has been providing guests with an unprecedented level of service since 1997. Translated, Las Ventanas al Paraíso literally means "windows to paradise," which are open wide at this seaside sanctuary where the only goal is to satisfy guests' every wish.
 The sun-drenched entrance of the spa is open and airy, inviting guests to enjoy the natural surroundings. |
Personalized attention is apparent from the moment guests enter the resort. Instead of checking in at a front desk, visitors are greeted by a staff member, served a beverage of their choice, and escorted to their suite where a private check-in is conducted. Once settled, visitors have an array of relaxing options to choose from, such as taking a dip in the resort's infinity-edge swimming pool, napping on a hammock under a palapa on the beach, or, for a truly pampering experience, receiving a treatment at The Spa at Las Ventanas. Featuring four treatment cabanas that open to private gardens and four indoor treatment rooms, the spa combines traditional Mexican and Mediterranean architectural influences. Guests can also enjoy the saunas, steam rooms, and plunge pools located in both the men's and women's facilities, as well at the solarium.
 Spa-goers can unwind in the palapa-covered solarium pre-and post-treatment. |
According to spa operations manager Roberto Juarez, the spa accommodates about 80 clients per day during high season, with a ratio of 60 percent women and 40 percent men. "There has been a steady growth in the number of men visiting the spa," says Juarez. "Not just for massages, but for facials and body treatments, too." The spa employs 50 staff members, all of whom are full-time, including therapists, yoga and Pilates instructors, attendants, and receptionists. To create the aura of peacefulness that visitors to the resort have come to expect, all service personnel at Las Ventanas travel through underground tunnels to hide much of the activity and ensure a tranquil atmosphere.
 Guests can enjoy a wood-burning fireplace and breathtaking views of the Sea of Cortez from the living area in the Spa Suites. |
Catering to guests who wish to experience a "total spa lifestyle" approach, the resort introduced three Spa Suites in 2006. Each of the two-bedroom, two-bath 3,900-square-foot suites offers an expansive living area, several terraces, a wood-burning fireplace, and panoramic views of the sea, sand, and desert gardens. But what sets the Spa Suites apart from the other 71 suites is the unique spa ambience, including a private infrared sauna, a steam room with a waterfall and rain shower, and an infinity-edge outdoor Jacuzzi, as well as a full-service treatment room where guests can partake in any of the offerings on the menu. According to Juarez, guests staying in these special suites have little reason to leave. "Guests have everything they need in the privacy of their suite, with massages and treatments performed in their very own treatment room," says Juarez. "The Spa Suites are the perfect option for the guest who wants it all." And on hand to help them get it all is their very own spa butler, who they will find, literally, at their doorstep. "The spa butler does it all, performing the duties and roles of both a personal butler and a concierge, as well as having been specially trained to recommend appropriate, specific treatments to meet each guest's needs and desires," says Juarez.
 Private treatment rooms in each of the Spa Suites add another level of personal pampering. |
When it comes to treatments, guests can choose from an extensive menu that was originally developed in 1997 when the resort opened, but, like the spa itself, continues to grow and change to keep up with guests' expectations. "It is an ongoing evolution of the spa's holistic approach of creating a personalized spa experience that addresses the mind, body, and soul, helping guests realize optimum well-being and an enhanced quality of life," says Juarez. According to him, the most requested treatment is Welcome to the Sun ($225, 110 minutes), a customized experience designed to help guests prepare their skin for exposure to the Mexican rays. The treatment, created specially for arriving guests, includes an exfoliation using a fruit gel, followed by the application of a seaweed nourisher and aromatic lotions, which are massaged into the skin. In addition to traditional spa therapies, visitors at the resort can partake in unique rituals to enhance their journey. For example, every day at sunrise and sunset, guests can join the staff in a ritual known as Crystal Tones Sonic Meditation, where staff members use crystal bowls to exude a harmonic tone to encourage thoughtful meditation and resonate tranquility and good health.
 The bedroom, like the rest of the Spa Suite, transports guests into the lap of luxury. |
Guests staying in the Spa Suites can also select one of three intensive programs focused on beauty, fitness, or weight loss. The Luxury of Beauty Program offers a variety of appearance-enhancing services, ranging from ultra-sonic peeling to subdermal cellulite therapy. For guests looking to get into better shape, the Ultimate Fitness Program teaches them how to increase metabolism, burn calories, reduce blood pressure, and more. Clients wanting to shed some pounds can partake in the Weightlessness Program, which focuses on juice fasting to lose weight and cleanse the body of toxins. Therapists are on hand throughout to provide analysis and guidance in creating individualized programs, measuring results, and teaching guests how to continue the process at home.
 Some treatment cabanas open to private gardens, where guests can be pampered alfresco. |
Whether looking to get in touch with nature, get in shape, or just get away from the stresses of daily life, Las Ventanas offers it all, which is why so many guests flock to this exclusive retreat. According to Juarez, there is an exceptionally high return rate, which means loyal guests have come to expect something new to experience each time they return to the resort. "Our guests are constantly searching for the best treatments available anywhere, and they look to Las Ventanas for the highest level of service," says Juarez. "Ongoing training, along with continuous evaluation and re-evaluation, is imperative to keeping our spa at the top of the industry." —Nanci McArdle
 Treatments are also available on the spa's rooftop, where guests are surrounded by Mexico's natural beauty. |