The Spa at Sea Island
Sea Island, Georgia
D
onna Mastrianni, director of spa, fitness & salon at
The Spa at Sea Island, has found ways to incorporate
honey into several aspects of the spa. “We use the
honey in our tea and in a special body treatment and facial in
September which is National Honey Month.” Their honey is
sourced from the Savannah Bee Company and the resortowned hunting lodge, Broadfield.
Within the spa’s menu options, farm fresh produce such as
kale, Swiss chard, salmon, cheese, onions, cauliflower, and
apricots are sourced from Sapelo Farms in Brunswick, Georgia.
“Our guests and members appreciate the health value this
brings to the menu,” says Mastrianni.
“The benefits of knowing we are receiving true, locally
grown, clean and fresh foods is reassuring,” Mastrianni
explains. “Our partnerships not only benefit our guests and
members, but also help keep local growers in business.”
The Spa at Laguna Cliffs Resort
Dana Point, California
J
essica Timberlake, spa director at The Spa at Laguna
Cliffs Resort, believes that sourcing locally to highlight
produce from small farmers and communities is crucial
to the success of any spa. “I found farm-to-table treatments to
be a missing component from high-end spas of Orange
County, California. As I’ve become familiar with Deborah
Szekely’s WELLNESS WARRIOR initiative and the need to eat
local, we should be ‘spa-ing’ local, too.”
“Our guests benefit from experiencing natural, organic, and
local products in a way they never thought of before. The treatments are experiential and have become a ‘wow’ factor. Our
local guests are excited to try something new and learn about
“Our guests benefit
from experiencing
natural, organic, and
local products in a
way they never
thought of before.”
36 PULSE
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March/April 2013
a new element of spa and wellness in their own backyard,
several have gone to the farm and have even started purchasing
produce baskets,” Timberlake says.
They have currently partnered with VR Green Farms in San
Clemente, California. “Guests from out-of-town are tickled that
they can experience a part of the ‘real’ Orange County.”
Timberlake says they use rosemary, extra virgin olive oil, and
sage-infused honey from the farm for their body treatment. “For
facials, we use avocados, and one of two types of honey:
whipped cinnamon honey or mango-infused honey.”
A farm partnership can also be a valuable investment in the
food service area of a spa. Timberlake explains, “Our head chef,
Erasmo Rodriguez, incorporates different ingredients on a
weekly basis with the restaurant’s farm-to-table menu, available
on the weekends. The ingredients for the food menu change
depending on what the farm has to offer that week. “