Spas in the News

The Charles Hotel Launches Corbu, Cambridge’s Newest Spa Named After Famed Architect

Renowned New England Property Brings Tradition of Local & Sustainable Success to Spa

Cambridge, MA (July 14, 2011): For heads of state, academic leaders, celebrities, college students, their families, and more, Corbu Spa & Salon at The Charles Hotel will be a sanctuary from the fast pace of America’s intellectual hub when it opens late summer this year. Located in the heart of Harvard Square, Corbu offers a luxurious spa experience and a harmonious escape from the stresses of urban life and will showcase farm to spa table treatments in alignment with the property’s long dedication to this movement. Corbu’s name pays homage to renowned architect and designer, Le Corbusier, who only designed one building in North America, which is just steps away from the spa – the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts at Harvard. 

The 4,000 square foot venue will house seven treatment rooms including one “Room for Two” equipped with a Swiss shower as well as a complete salon. Corbu’s Spa Director, Pamela Baldwin Adami, oversees the smooth operation of Corbu, while constantly developing new treatments. After studying the ins and outs of homemade salt scrubs, sugar scrubs and lotions, she has decided to stretch her mixology skills and produce some of the spa’s products right in her own home. Following in the success of The Charles’s Chef Peter Davis of Henrietta’s Table and Chef Jody Adams of Rialto , both industry leaders in the farm-to-table movement, Adami is bringing the movement from the restaurant world into the spa, using the freshest locally sourced ingredients to craft these items based on what’s in season and what looks fresh when she visits the farmers market.

The French-inspired, all-organic treatment menu features ingredients handpicked from the hotel’s gardens, and the space incorporates touches of nature into the architecture seamlessly. At Corbu, guests enjoy seasonal treatments inspired by Chefs Davis and Adams. Chef Adams worked closely with Adami to create the Hot Herbal Poultice Journey featuring herbal poultices and traditional massage techniques, as well as the Vanilla Mocha Slimming Treatment, utilizing a stimulating blend of coffee and cocoa combined with the penetrating power of hempseed butter. Chef Davis, a true champion of sustainability, also partnered with Adami to craft a menu which features locally harvested seasonal ingredients. The Winter Solstice is hydrating and energizing, the Vernal Equinox is slimming and detoxifying, the Summer Solstice is deeply nourishing, and the Autumnal Equinox is balancing and relaxing.

“The Charles has always fostered a culture focused on regional products and seasonality,” said General Manager Alex Attia. “Both of our restaurants have always been dedicated to local and sustainable products, and Pamela will bring that same dedication to Corbu.”

In addition to the farm to spa table concept, Adami has crafted a comprehensive treatment menu including an innovative new program entitled “Spa with a Heart.” As part of Corbu’s commitment to the community, the spa has partnered with local organizations to design this program.  These packages donate five percent of the proceeds to select charitable organizations like Partners in Heath , MSPCA , the EcoLogic Development Fund , and the Steppingstone Foundation .

Corbu will also be the first spa in New England and one of the first in the United States to employ the mySkin skincare system. Corbu is the perfect spa to introduce mySkin to this new market as developers Sava Marinkovich and Rahul Mehendale met at Harvard Business School. Utilizing scientific principles and highly sophisticated algorithms, mySkin analyzes multiple variables to determine the perfect products for one’s unique skin type.

Working with Interior Design Firm, Bill Rooney Studio , and local Architecture Agency, Cambridge 7 & Associates , Adami also heavily consulted on the spa and salon’s design. The spa is a modern expression of “Organic Form,” utilizing pure modernist design principles that balance form, function, and human scale. Adami joins The Charles from the award-winning Cliff House Resort & Spa in Ogunquit, Maine and Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod, where she held the position of Spa Director.

“I am so excited to open Corbu Spa & Salon and begin welcoming the Cambridge community and visitors from all over the world,” said Adami. “The Charles Hotel is such an institution in Harvard Square, and I know that Corbu will fast become the standard for serenity in this bustling area.”

About The Charles Hotel

The Charles Hotel , Harvard Square is The Smart Place to Stay.  Located just minutes from downtown Boston and a variety of world-class attractions, The Charles is a AAA Four Diamond Hotel and a proud member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts. Reflecting the eclecticism that is Cambridge, The Charles Hotel is a modern interpretation of New England hospitality with a thriving jazz club, the Regattabar , two signature restaurants, ice-skating rink (winter months only), state of the art conference facilities and a central location in the heart of Harvard Square. The Hotel is home to Henrietta’s Table , featuring “fresh and honest” home cooking, and Rialto , recognized by one of the best restaurants in America by Gourmet, Food & Wine and Esquire.  Noir , the hotel’s chic, cozy bar, serves classic cocktails mixed to perfection and sultry signature drinks. With frequent recognition in The Wall Street Journal, Travel + Leisure and Boston magazine, The Charles Hotel has earned its reputation as a leading independent hotel. In 2011, the Hotel was recognized by Travel + Leisure in the annual World’s Best Survey as one of the 500 Top Rated Hotels and as one of the top 25 World’s Best Business Hotels in 2010. Catering to internationally renowned business leaders, government officials, entertainment executives and leisure travelers alike, it’s no wonder that the New England Travel Guide has designated The Charles as the best hotel to “stay put in” when visiting Boston.

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