Though located within a stone’s throw of downtown San Diego, Coronado Island has long gained acclaim as an escape from it all, boasting a relaxed beach town vibe. Adding even more to this chill appeal is a recent wellness-themed renovation at Marriott Coronado Island Resort & Spa, which involved the debut of a new spa and fitness center inspired by the serene seaside location.
The Spa at Coronado Island is a 5,500-square-foot, 10-treatment-room retreat that envelops guests in soothing coastal hues throughout, from the treatment rooms and the coed relaxation room to the outdoor spa garden to the manicure and pedicure salon with three stations. The spa services, which were created in partnership with Elemis, are also ocean-inspired, and according to Veljko Savic, director of spa and membership, the menu was guided by the resort’s positioning statement, which dubs it “an enchanting natural paradise that captures the essence of true Coronado and celebrates the special connection we all have with the tranquility, comfort, and relaxation of the sea.”
According to Savic, it was that concept that inspired most of the spa and wellness services and the spa’s mission of “conscious pursuit of living life to its fullest potential.” Among the highlights is the Coronado Island Ocean Memory Ritual ($280, 110 minutes), which includes a skin brushing, a wrap with an application of warm essential oil and body cream, a scalp massage, and a full-body massage, and the Mindful De-Stress Massage ($145, 50 minutes; $210, 80 minutes), an intuitive service that involves breathwork, aromatherapy, and guided visualization to promote deep healing and stress reduction. The thoughtful menu is well received by spa-goers, who Savic says are looking for an authentic experience when they visit Coronado. “They are fun-loving, active guests with a sense of adventure and great taste who appear to be well-traveled and know what they want when on the road,” he says. “They tend to crave an elevated experience that is neither flashy nor fake.”
The experience is also elevated by the additional wellness offerings that extend beyond treatments and are enticing to guests—both from the hotel and those locals who take advantage of the spa’s membership program. The Spa Café, located on the spa balcony, features fresh, healthy, and creative cuisine handcrafted by executive chef Michael Poompan. The signature dish is the Wellness Bento Box ($20), which gives guests the choice of selecting two sides and one protein, one side and one sandwich, or three sides, and would not be complete without the signature cocktail—the SpaTini. Also new to the property is a 6,000 square-foot, two-story Wellness Center featuring an array of state-of-the-art equipment; direct access to fresh-air programming, fitness classes, and special events for members and groups; a movement studio; a lap pool; and nine attached sport courts, including three tennis courts, one basketball court, one multipurpose court, and four pickleball courts. All of these offerings are particularly tempting to today’s wellness-minded consumer. “People are more focused on wellbeing and taking care of their health and body than ever before,” says Savic. “We are trying to provide knowledge to each guest that they can use for the rest of their life. Whether it is a stretching technique at work or a self-massage technique, we provide advice and try to impart our guests with knowledge beyond the spa visit.”
Also appealing to guests is the retail boutique, which was designed to be “engaging, experiential, and informative,” says Savic. “The spa boutique offers a carefully curated and continuously evolving collection of diverse product categories and indigenous brands based on quality, efficacy, and distinction.” Along with a complete assortment of homecare products from Elemis and other featured lines, the boutique offers unique selections from companies like Balanced Guru, Kaysa Jewelry, Makana Candles, and VitaJuwel, just to name a few.
It is this quest for distinction and an ongoing desire to help guests achieve their wellness goals that Savic says is the guiding principle for the spa. “We plan to elevate our wellness offerings to the level of the entire resort, where each step of the guest experience will be geared to bettering their health and life during their stay with us,” he says. “For example, the guests’ arrival will be enriched by a welcome wellness email, a lobby wellness station, and an activities information board. We may have a wellness room and wellness suite upgrade that could offer fitness and rejuvenation amenities delivered to guest rooms upon demand, or potential partnerships with some of the leading fitness professionals to program our fitness offerings. Ultimately, we will be known for the conscious pursuit of living life to its fullest potential.”
The Spa at Coronado Island at Marriott Coronado Island Resort & Spa (CA)
Owner: Host Hotels & Resorts International
Director of Spa and Membership: Veljko Savic
Opened: May 2016
Client Base
70% female
30% male
Space
5,500 square feet; 10 treatment rooms
Products
Balanced Guru, CND, Elemis, Éminence Organic Skin Care, European Spa, Kaysa Jewelry, Makana Candles, SpaRitual, VitaJuwel
Equipment
Comphy Co., SpaSoft, Technogym, Universal Companies, Yeah Baby
Architect
Houston/Tyner
(Los Angeles)
Interior Designer
Clear on Black
(Los Angeles)