| Bellissimo Spa & Salon at the Grand Casino Biloxi in Biloxi, Mississippi | |
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We had a little three-day family get-together at the Grand Casino in Biloxi with me, my husband, his parents and two of his aunts. We had a great time together playing the slots, blackjack, and Texas hold-um, eating great shrimp and seafood at the bountiful buffets, seeing fireworks over the Gulf of Mexico, watching the shrimp boats and walking along the white sand beach past lovely historic homes and huge Live Oak trees dripping with Spanish Moss. My husband and I had the added pleasure of visiting the Grand's Bellissimo Spa.
The Fitness Center at Bellissimo Spa & Salon
Jeff and I started our first day with a visit to the Fitness Center at the Bellissimo Spa on the third floor of the Bayview Hotel. We were there when it opened at 7 am and charged the $15/person fee to our rooms. We used the Cybex cardio and weight machines for a little over an hour. The fee allows unlimited use of the Fitness Center for your entire stay and the use of the wet area of the spa on the first day. If additional days of using the wet area are desired, there is an a daily charge of $15 for its use - unless you have a spa appointment. Then use of the wet area and Fitness Center is complimentary. We did not use the wet area after our workout because it did not open until 9 am. Instead, we went back to our room on the 8th floor to shower and get ready for our busy day.
Biloxi Attractions
This was our sightseeing day. We drove parallel to the beach along the Gulf of Mexico between Biloxi and Gulfport for about 13 miles. The beach is actually twice that long. We spent a good bit of the morning hopping from casino to casino. We drove past Beauvoir, the home of Jefferson Davis and the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum. We ended up at McElroy's Harbor House Restaurant a few miles down the beach from the Grand Casino. After a wonderful seafood lunch, Jeff and I decided to let the others drive back without us. We wanted to walk back and explore the area. We watched the shrimp boats and charters going out including the Biloxi Shrimping Trip, a ferry carrying a few shrimp nets and lots of tourists. We walked past the site of the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art which is affiliated with the Smithsonian and currently under construction. It will house the work of 20th-century artist George Ohr, the "Mad Potter of Biloxi." We passed a number of lovely old homes, the Ring-In-The-Oak, read about the Cassette Girls, and stopped to tour the Tullis-Toledano Manor. The 600-year-old Live Oak next to the manor was immense. I find it amazing that this and the other large Live Oak trees along the shore have survived the likes of Hurricane Camille.
The Wet Area of Bellissimo Spa
The walk was great, but it was pretty hot outside. By the time we arrived back at the Bayview Hotel, we were ready to use the spa's wet area. We checked in at the reception desk. The wet areas are separate facilities for men and women, so we parted. The spa receptionist escorted me to the locker room, gave me a locker key, sandals and a quick tour of the facilities. Throughout the spa, there were small self-serve refrigerators containing bottled water and a variety of juices - V8, cranberry, orange, apple and grapefruit. I undressed, put on a fluffy white robe and headed for the Ladies' showers then to the warm and cool immersion tubs, sauna and steam room. It was just what I needed to get refreshed for an evening at the Grand Casino! (For additional refreshment, we later found an Oxygen Bar in Wild Coyotes at The Mississippi Long Bar on the lower level of the casino.)
Bellissimo Spa
The following day, we both had spa appointments. Mine was at 9:30 am for a Bellissimo Stone Massage and Jeff's was for a Swedish Massage at 4 pm. I used the Fitness Center then checked in for my appointment. I showered, helped myself to a bottled water and relaxed in the lounge until my therapist, Kemba, came for me. There was a TV in the lounge, but, fortunately, it was not on. She escorted me to a treatment room, instructed me to undress and climb on the table face up then cover up with the sheet. Kemba asked if I had any specific concerns or areas that needed special attention. I provided my usual list. Kemba started by stretching my legs and arms then she had me sit up while she put warm stones on the table. When I lay down, the stones lined both sides of my spine sending warmth deep into my back. She took larger stones and placed them on my chakra points - my lower and upper abdomen and chest. She placed a smaller stone on the "third eye" of my forehead. She placed a stone under each hand. She coated my arms and legs with oil. She took a small warm stone and massaged the top of my foot with it then slipped it between my toes. She repeated this for each toe. She massaged my legs with warm stones combined with her hands. Then the arms. By the time it was time to turn over, I was really zoned out. I turned over on my stomach with my head in the face cradle. Kemba placed a large, warm stone at the base of my spine and one in each hand. She massaged the bottoms of my feet and left the stones on top of them. She massaged my legs and back with warm stones. It was extremely relaxing. When it was over, she noted I had stress in my legs (probably due to the earlier workout) and shoulders (computer). She suggested rolling a ball under my feet when I sit at my desk to help reduce the tension. She also demonstrated some stretches that would help my shoulders. Kemba was also the therapist that later gave Jeff his massage.
Bellissimo Spa offers a large menu of treatments including:
- Massage (aromatherapy, Swedish, reflexology, upper body, stone) According to spa manager Christy Boney, the Spa will soon be offering pregnancy massage.
- Body treatments (Vichy shower, loofah, salt glow, algae, sea mud, herbal wrap, water lily after-sun soothing wrap, desert heat self-heating body wrap, Moroccan cocoon with rassoul, body bronzing self-tanning treatment),
- Facials (Bellissimo, athletic, delightful, tension free mini, teen, back, glycolic, rosacea, deep cleansing, high performance, stone),
- Tanning bed,
- Nail services,
- Makeup,
- Hair services and
- Waxing.
The spa also offers a number of packages including:
- Regalo - Bellissimos Signature Package (aromatherapy massage, herbal wrap, the Bellissimo facial, manicure & pedicure)
- Una Breve Vacanza - Spa Sampler Package (upper-body massage, tension-free mini-facial, manicure)
- Due Two Treatments (the Bellissimo facial, Swedish massage)
- Tranquillita - A Full-day Spa Experience (Swedish massage, herbal wrap, the Delightful facial, manicure & pedicure, hairsetting or blow-dry styling, Spa lunch)
- Viziare - Youll be spoiled for a half day (Bellissimo stone massage, tension-free mini facial, hair blow dry, desert heat body wrap)
The five-year-old Bellissimo Spa & Salon encompasses 16,000 square-feet. In addition to the locker rooms, vanities, showers, steam rooms, saunas, immersion pools and lounge, it offers retail items, two manicure rooms, a pedicure room with two pedicure "thrones," a makeup station, four hair stations and a facial treatment room in the Salon. The Spa has ten treatment rooms including massage, one facial, two Vichy and a tanning bed. There are three treatment rooms between the female and male sides of the spa. Two of these connect allowing for couples treatments.
According to Christy, there will be some remodeling in the fall. They will add a new makeup line as well as physically expand the Salon. There are currently four hair stations in the salon and they will be adding one more. The Spa will be getting new furnishings and carpet.
Grand Casino
Grand Casino Biloxi is located on the Gulf of Mexico and has two hotel towers (the Bayview and the Islandview), 10 restaurants, an 18-hole par 72 Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course (Grand Bear), an 1,800-seat theatre, 42,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting and convention space, a nightclub, shopping, Kids Quest supervised child care center, a teen arcade and, of course the Bellissimo Spa & Salon. Grand Casino Biloxi is the Mississippi Gulf Coasts biggest casino at 106,300 square feet with over 2,800 slots and 89 table games.
Photos copyright 2003, Julie Register
Licensed to About.com
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