Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Romantic Spa Vacations


The Spa at the Hotel Hershey; Hershey, Pa.


The street lamps are kisses: oversized replicas of the foil-covered variety. Oh, and - breathe deep - the whole town smells like ... mmm ... chocolate. With its manicured gardens, fountains and reflecting pools, the Hotel Hershey is the delicious center of a romantic resort. Its European-style spa is ground zero for indulgence.
The signature treatment - it's patented, no less - says it all: a whipped cocoa bath. Or say, for instance, that you or your partner has been less than delectable lately; you can book a chocolate fondue wrap for two. It consists of body-brushing, applications of warmed moor mud with cocoa essence, and Vichy shower rinses. VoilĂ  - sweeties again!To commemorate 2007 - the 100th anniversary of the Kiss - the spa introduced a new Cocoa Facial during which you're actually encouraged to eat dark chocolate: mercifully busting the myth that chocolate is bad for the skin.
The spa's locale is provincial, but the ambiance and treatments are disarmingly exotic. A Moroccan-inspired lounge evokes the interior of a harem tent. The Noche Azul soak (a calming bath containing Cuba's national flower, "la mariposa blanca," or white butterfly jasmine) and the mojito sugar scrub (an exfoliating tropical body experience), transport couples, if only in spirit, to the forbidden paradise of Cuba.
Also, take a trip into town and visit Hershey's Chocolate World!