2011 SpaFinder Readers' Choice Award Winners

Spa Places in the News

NEW YORK, NY— September 27, 2011 - SpaFinder, Inc., the global spa and wellness resource, today announced the winners of its Readers’ Choice Awards, honoring the most international and diverse group of spas in the history of the awards. This year marks the ninth anniversary of the annual awards; SpaFinder is also celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the company.

The 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards drew unparalleled participation worldwide with more votes cast by spa-goers across more countries, regions and categories — offering the most complete and the most useful peer-to-peer recommendations in the global spa market. In addition to the Crystal and Country/Region Awards, readers voted for their favorite spas in 32 different “Best For” categories.

“SpaFinder was the first to offer people the opportunity to vote for their favorite spas in diverse categories, from cuisine to hiking to golf to romance, providing a fast, accessible way for spa-goers to make decisions based on what’s important to them,” said SpaFinder President Susie Ellis. “They have become a valuable consumer guide, as well as an industry accolade.”

This year’s winners for the coveted Crystal Award, recognizing the favorite spas on each of six continents, were:

South Africa: One&Only Cape Town
Asia: The Peninsula Bangkok
Australia: Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat
Europe: Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris
North America: Miraval, Life in Balance
South America: Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires

Spas in Four New Countries Earn Accolades
Winners were also named for 44 countries and regions, with four new countries (Israel, Jordan, Mauritius and Vietnam) added to the list, reiterating just how vibrant the expansion of spas around the world has become.

2011 Country/Region Winners

Argentina: Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires
Australia:
Gwinganna LifeStyle Retreat
Queensland
Austria: Lnaserhof
Lnas bei Inssbruck
Brazil: Kurotel Longevity Medical Spa
Gramado
Bulgaria: Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena
Bansko
Canada: Ste. Anne's Country Inn and Spa
Grafton, Ontario
Caribbean: The BodyHoliday LeSport
Castries, St. Lucia
Central America: Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
Papagayo, Costa Rico
Chile: Alto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spa
San Pedro de Atacama
China (Hong Kong): Four Seasons Hotel
Hong Kong
Cyprus: Almyra Luxury Spa
Paphos
The Czech Republic: Four Seasons Hotel
Prague
Egypt: Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria
San Stefano
France: Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris
Paris
Germany: Brenner's Park Hotel & Spa
Baden Baden
Greece: Porto Elounda De Luxe Resort
Crete
Hungary: Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace
Budapest
India: Ananda in the Himalayas
Narendra Nagar
Indonesia: Fivelements, Puri Ahimsa
Ubud, Bali
Ireland: Four Seasons Hotel
Dublin
Israel: Carmel Forest Spa Resort
Haifa
Italy: Lefay Resort & Spa Lago di Garda
Gargnano
Japan: The Peninsula, Tokyo
Jordan: Four Seasons Hotel
Hamman
Malaysia: Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa
Kota Kinabalu
Maldives: Four Seasons Resort maldives at Landaa Giraavaru
Baa Atoll
Mauritius: Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita
Beau Champ
Mexico: Rancho La Puerta
Tecate
Morocco: La Mamounia
Marrakech
The Philippines: The Farm at San Benito
Batangas
Portugal: Four Seasons Hotel Ritz
Lisbon
Qatar: Four Seasons Hotel
Doha
Russia: The Ritz-Carlton, Moscow
Scandinavia: Farris Bad
Larvik
South Africa: One&Only Cape Town
South Africa
South Pacific Islands: Four Seasons Resort and Spa Bora Bora
Bora Bora
Spain: SHA Wellness Clinic
Alicante
Switzerland: The Dolder Grand
Zurich
Thailand: The Peninsula
Bangkok
Turkey: Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus
Istanbul
The United Arab Emirates: Talise Spa at Madinat Jumeirah
Dubai
United Kingdom: Ragdale hall Health Hydro and Thermal Spa
Leicestershire
United States: Miraval, Life in Balance
Tucson, Arizona
Vietnam: The Nam Hai Resort and Spa
Hoi An

Details about the winners as well as the favorite spas in the world in 32 categories from cuisine to golf to casinos can be found at 2011 Readers’ Choice Winners.

Crystal and Country/Region award recipients will also be featured in the NewBeauty SpaFinder: Guide to Global Spa, Wellness & Beauty, arriving on newsstands in November.

Ellis noted that this year there has been a veritable explosion in the kinds of offerings and choices available, as the industry continues its expansion worldwide.

“This diversification is seen in the selection of ‘Favorite Spa Professionals.’ With winners, including those in naturopathy and fitness, along with venerable disciplines like massage and esthetics, there’s an unmistakable move toward holistic health and wellness in the eyes of spa enthusiasts,” Ellis said.

The 2011 Awards were based on votes submitted worldwide at SpaFinder’s global consumer websites (including SpaFinder.com) and by readers of SpaFinder publications. Voters were asked to cast ballots only for spas they’ve personally visited within the past three years.

“Given that there are more than 13,000 getaway spas (hotel, resort and destination spas) worldwide, being chosen by consumers, who are the true experts, is clearly cause for celebration,” Ellis noted.

About SpaFinder:The world’s largest spa media, marketing and gifting company, SpaFinder, Inc., connects millions of wellness-focused consumers with thousands of spas, yoga, Pilates and fitness studios and wellness practitioners worldwide. SpaFinder’s media properties include the award-winning www.spafinder.com, the Club Spa e-newsletter and blog and the annual NewBeauty SpaFinder Guide to Global Spa, Wellness & Beauty. SpaFinder and its spa-beauty gift division, SpaWish, offer gift certificates and cards that are redeemable at a combined network of over 9,000 spas and salons, and are available at nearly 1000,000 unique retail outlets in 79 countries. SpaFinder Europe and SpaFinder Japan offer regional spa marketing and gifting programs, including localized websites. Currently celebrating its 25^th Anniversary, SpaFinder is a privately held company headquartered in Manhattan.