Tropical Treasure

Once a British colony, Barbados, an island located in the Western Atlantic Ocean and east of the Caribbean Sea, is now a popular destination thanks to its luxe hotels, lively nightlife, and welcoming Bajan hospitality. Maintaining a strong British influence, the inviting island is dotted with rum shops and sugarcane fields, which serve as a reminder of its rich history as home to one of the world's largest sugar industries. Today, one of those sugar plantations serves as the spectacular setting for the legendary Sandy Lane.

Ronald Tree, the grandson of Chicago department store magnate Marshall Field, built the five-star Barbadian luxury resort in 1961 after falling in love with the island and its people. It wasn't long before it garnered a devoted following, including such A-listers as Maria Callas, Greta Garbo, Mick Jagger, Aristotle Onassis, Frank Sinatra, and Natalie Wood, to name just a few. The property was later sold in 1967 to the largest hotel company in the world at that time and then again in 1996 to Dermot Desmond, J.P. McManus, and partners. After a multi-million-dollar overhaul and expansion, it was re-opened in March 2001 with the addition of a stunning 47,000-square-foot spa.

The spa's 11 deluxe treatment suites feature either a private garden or a private pool.

Located in a stand-alone Romanesque-style building, The Spa at Sandy Lane invites guests to indulge in traditional cultural therapies from the Caribbean, Europe, and the Far East. With 13 treatment rooms, the spa is able to comfortably accommodate 65 clients a day. The other 11 rooms are deluxe treatment suites, which offer a private shower, a bathroom, changing facilities, and either a private landscaped garden or a hydrotherapy pool. Guests can also avail themselves of the spa's crystal laconium steam room, ice cave, and hydrotherapy pool.

The relaxation room at The Spa at Sandy Lane (Barbados) is a luxurious place in which to retreat both pre- and post-treatment.

In creating the menu, spa director Jo Bullock sought to introduce exciting signature treatments that use indigenous ingredients. "Aromatherapy Associates has worked with Sandy Lane to create a signature range of products that enhance the treatment menu and utilize the skill base of our therapists," says Bullock. Some of the signature treatments offered include the Bajan Head Massage ($150, 30 minutes), the Bajan Sugar Cane Scrub ($110, 25 minutes), and the Bajan Four-Handed Massage ($315, 60 minutes). For guests who can't get enough of Barbados, there is the Bajan Experience at Sandy Lane ($530, 2 hours 45 minutes). It begins with a relaxing Foot Soak and a glass of Mauby, a traditional Bajan drink made with sugar and the bark of a small tree native to the Caribbean and South Florida. Guests are then treated to a Bajan Sugar Cane Scrub, a Sandy Lane Full Body Massage, either a De-Stressing Soother Body Wrap or Rose Hydrating Body Wrap, and a Bajan Head Massage. A light healthy lunch at the Spa Café caps off the perfect Barbadian day.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Soothing body treatments, playful spa fountains, an inviting freshwater pool, and indulgent alfresco footbaths all beckon guests to the spa.

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