Virginia SpaClub Created

Hot Springs, Va. (USA) – October 31, 2012 – The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia, and Canyon Ranch of Tucson, Arizona, have announced a partnership to create a new spa and wellness experience in the Allegheny Mountains of southwest Virginia.

Canyon Ranch SpaClub at The Homestead will combine southern hospitality and southwestern style in wellbeing. Bringing a new level of healthy lifestyle vacations to the mid-Atlantic region, the facilities will include historic hot springs and a new version of the Aquavana® aqua thermal oasis at the Las Vegas Canyon Ranch SpaClub.

Founded in 1766, the resort is 230 miles south of Washington, D.C. There are 483 guest rooms in the main tower and adjoining buildings that date from 1902-1929, with a colonnaded entrance and Old South elegance. Among resort attractions are three golf courses, fly fishing, equestrian center, and downhill skiing.

The new spa will complement an Olympic-size indoor swimming pool (built 1903) and new water park as well as the original Jefferson pools, all featuring thermal mineral water from the same mountain springs. Plans call for 29 treatment rooms. Family spa services for teenagers, facials for kids, and other enticements for family fun will be introduced when Canyon Ranch SpaClub debuts in spring 2013.

A signature feature will be Aquavana®, an exclusive European-inspired aqua thermal oasis with experiential rainshowers, herbal sauna (laconium), chill room, and crystal steam room – focused on the ancient concept of “healing by water.”

President Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and 20 U.S. Presidents have visited. The new Jefferson Springs spa garden at The Homestead is a year-round sanctuary for adults only, offering indigenous hot springs, therapeutic geothermal mineral bath, river reflexology bed, co-ed Finnish sauna, spring-fed whirlpool, and private poolside cabanas. The refuge is accessed via walking paths warmed with radiant heat. A soak in the original rock-walled pool where Jefferson “took the waters” costs $17.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with The Homestead, stated Jerry Cohen, vice chairman and CEO of Canyon Ranch. “The indigenous mineral springs coupled with our spa and fitness offerings will provide guests with an oasis for relaxation and rejuvenation.” Other locations for Canyon Ranch SpaClub include Miami Beach, Las Vegas at The Venetian, and aboard the entire fleet of Oceania Cruises.

Peter Faraone, vice president and general manager of The Homestead added, “Canyon Ranch SpaClub at The Homestead will be one-of-a-kind in the southeast, introducing our clientele to the spa experience of Canyon Ranch.” The Homestead, one of the first spas in America, has been an innovator since before the American Revolution, he added, “and we are excited to take it to the next level through our partnership with Canyon Ranch.”

Faraone served most recently as managing director of the Lansdowne Resort in Fairfax County near Washington. Prior positions include The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Intercontinental Hotels, KSL Resorts, and Marriott Hotels. Faraone worked for more than 10 years as GM of the Ritz-Carlton Tyson’s Corner. At KSL Resorts, he served as vice president of sales, and was instrumental in developing KSL’s first national sales force during a period when the company expanded its portfolio of destination resorts, acquiring The Homestead.

Canyon Ranch SpaClub at The Homestead is the latest chapter of an ongoing transformation of the historic resort. Launched this past summer, the $25 million project has already seen dramatic enhancements across the 3,000-acre property. New and continuing additions include Allegheny Springs, a two-acre family-friendly attraction featuring the waterborne excitement of Mountain Rush; and new restaurants and bar options to appeal to the contemporary dining preferences of resort guests. Unchanged is the formal dining room featuring nightly dinner dances, and afternoon tea.

About
Since 1766, The Homestead has been recognized as one of America’s most storied resorts, offering unparalleled hospitality and Southern charm in a 3,000-acre setting within the Allegheny Mountains of southwestern Virginia. Renowned for its natural healing springs, The Homestead is distinguished by 483 luxurious guest rooms and suites, 72,000 square feet of meeting space, a wide array of fine and casual dining choices, a world-class spa, three championship golf courses that include one of the nation’s finest mountain courses (The Cascades), the South’s first downhill ski area, a 48-stable Equestrian Center and show ring, one of the top-rated Shooting Clubs and a wealth of other recreational attractions. The resort is currently undergoing a $25 million transformation. The first phase to be completed in 2012 will include the addition of Allegheny Springs, a new family water complex which includes a children’s pool, winterized family pool, whirlpool, sandy beach, three 100-foot water slides, a 400-foot lazy river and private cabanas as well as a new miniature golf course, the Mini Cascades and the tranquil Jefferson Springs spa garden. The second phase to be completed in 2013, will see new dining experiences, including Jefferson’s Grille, and renovations to the interior of the Spa.

Media Contact:
The Homestead
(877) 479-8517
www.thehomestead.com