| The Hideaway Spa at The Buccaneer on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands | |
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Hideaway Spa
The Hideaway Spa is located in the lower floor of the Shopping Arcade, a building with a boutique, general store and fitness center. The spa is small - three treatment rooms, a changing/shower room, a salon area, and a pool right outside the door. It's not posh, but it has everything everything a spa needs. And it has one thing most spas don't have - Spa Director, Michael Dance. Michael is also a treatment provider. I was fortunate enough to have him as my therapist for a massage. He is one of those gifted therapists with a "healing touch." It was one of the most relaxing and calming massages I've had. I was suspended from earthly cares for the entire length of the massage and quite a while afterwards. I think some therapists have the ability to remove stress from your mind as well as your muscles. Michael is one of those therapists. Michael was the only therapist I experienced while at The Hideaway Spa. However, since Michael put together the rest of the spa staff, I would have to think they would be very good, also.
Treatments offered at the Hideaway Spa include:
- Massage: Therapeutic, Aromatherapy, golf/tennis/sports, reflexology
- Skin Care Treatments: "Fountain of Youth Facial, French Porcelain Facial, "Come Clean" Facial, Mini-Cleansing Facial, Back Facial
- Specialized Body Treatments: Marine Body Polish, Seaweed Toning Wrap, "Soothing" Sedona Mud & Algae Gel Wrap, Lavender & Lemongrass Wrap
- Nail Services: Classic Manicure and Pedicure, Deluxe Manicure, "The Bucaneer" Deluxe Pedicure, Manicure or Pedicure with Microdermabrasion
- Waxing: 1/2 leg, 1/ leg with bikini line, full leg, full leg with bikini line, bikini line, under arm, full arm, lip or chin wax, brow arching, full facial
- Hair Services: Shampoo/Blow Dry/Style, Haircut, Haircut & Style, Hair Braiding
Spa Packages include:
- Hummingbird Delight (~2 hrs): Enjoy a Marine Body Polish to prepare your skin for a nourishing Seaweed Toning Wrap. A full session therapeutic massage is the finishing touch.
- Sugar Bird Sampler (2 1/2 hrs): Come Clean facial followed by your choice of any one of our body treatments and a full session therapeutic massage.
- Pelican Trio: Choose a specialized body treatment, 50 minutes or longer facial and massage and receive a 10% discount. All treatments must be booked together in one session for one individual.
The Spa also offers a number of Wedding-in-Paradise Spa Packages:
- Simply Beautiful: French manicure and pedicure, hair sculpting, custom makeup application
- Bridal Radiance: 50 minute aromatherapy massage or honey cucumber facial, lavender and lemongrass wrap, deluxe manicure, "The Buccaneer" deluxe pedicure, bridal hair sculpting
- Pre-Nuptial Jitters?: For the nervous groom - 50 minute therapeutic massage, back facial or special men's facial, and a specialized body treatment
- Bridal Bliss: "Come Clean" facial, marine body polish, seaweed or Sedona body wrap, 50 minute therapeutic massage, French manicure, hair sculpting
- Hideaway Elope: Relax together - Share a sauna followed by a 50 minute therapeutic massage, each choose from "Come Clean" facial, deluxe manicure & pedicure combo r a specialized body treatment. Complementary tropical mimosas included upon request.
- Wedding Treasure: For the wedding party - Groom enjoys a 50 minute therapeutic massage and deluxe manicure. Two in the party choose from a 50 minute therapeutic massage, "Come Clean" facial, or deluxe manicure/pedicure combo. Bride enjoys a "Come Clean" facial or 50 minute therapeutic massage, a French manicure and hair sculpting.
- Ladies in Waiting: Complimentary mimosas, deluxe manicure and pedicure and choice of 50 minute therapeutic massage or honey cucumber facial for the bride and each member of her party finishing with hair sculpting for the bride. For parties of 3 or more, a tropical fruit and cheese appetizers will be included. For 4 or more, the bride will be treated to custom bridal makeup application.
Guest Accommodations
I had the pleasure of staying in Room No. 357, one of The Buccaneer's luxurious new Doubloon villas located right on Mermaid Beach. It meant a bit of a climb to get back to The Great House for dinner at the Brass Parrot, but it was worth it! I had delicious meals there. I particularly enjoyed the salad of local greens with Champagne Dressing, Basil-Parmesan Crusted Mahi and home-made coconut ice cream. As for the hill, it is long and steep, but there is a shuttle that you can call to drive you up and down if needed.
The villa was extremely comfortable with a large sitting area, king size bed, ceiling fan, air conditioning, TV, mini-fridge, a comfortably furnished balcony overlooking Mermaid Beach and Christiansted in the distance. A large window in the sitting room affords the same view from inside the villa. About a third of the floor space is devoted to the bath area. There is a large vanity, huge walk-in closet with built-in ironing board, robes and slippers, a separate shower area, a separate WC and, my favorite, a whirlpool bath beneath a skylight. I faced many hard decisions of soaking the whirlpool or relaxing by the beach. I tried to divide my time evenly - the beach in the day, the whirlpool in the morning and evening.
The Buccaneer has a large variety of guest rooms available - 138 in all - and they all have their advantages. Some are in or next to The Great House and offer spectacular hilltop views. Some are halfway down the hill between the beach and The Great House - near the tennis courts and the views are still terrific. Some are on the water between Mermaid and Grotto Beaches. Some overlook Grotto Beach. Not a bad choice among them. All rooms feature a patio or balcony, one king or two queen beds, small refrigerator, safe, telephone, hair dryers, air-conditioning, satellite television, ceiling fans, irons and ironing boards, and coffee makers. Cribs and roll-aways are available by advance request.
The Resort
The Buccaneer is a family-owned and operated resort since 1948. It is located on 340 lush tropical acres just a 5-minute drive to the historic town of Christiansted. The resort features three picture-perfect beaches (I only visited 2 - one is so private, you won't find it unless you are looking for it), 18-hole golf course and pro shop, 8 tennis courts (two lit for night play) and pro shop, The Hideaway Spa and fitness center, water sports center, one swimming pool on Grotto Beach and one at The Arcade, and four restaurants. As in many locations around St. Croix, there is the remains of a sugar mill at The Buccaneer - a very popular setting for weddings - on the hill next to the The Great House. Personally, I enjoyed the beach and walking on the jogging trail. I also walked around part of the golf course. The view from the third hole is stunning - and it's right behind the Doubloon villas. I also enjoyed an early morning yoga session on Grotto Beach. It was the first yoga class I had where part of it was in the sea! It was a wonderful way to start the day.
| Helpful Information About The US Virgin Islands |
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Electricity: The voltage is 110, 60 HZ AC (like the rest of the
US) • Driving: Cars drive on the left (not like the rest of the US). • Currency: US Dollar • Tipping: Tipping is expected. • Time: Greenwich Mean Time • Language: English |
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Photos copyright 2003, Julie
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