As you step into The Spa at La Costa, you’re immediately wrapped in the aroma of earthy vetiver, soothing sandalwood and sensuous jasmine – a new signature scent inspired by the famed flower fields of Carlsbad. This scent, Sundarya, is infused into all of the spa’s signature treatments.
When Omni La Costa Resort & Spa first opened its doors north of San Diego in 1965, it attracted Hollywood’s elite – like the Rat Pack – for its seclusion and sunny SoCal vibe. Spread out over 400 acres dotted with palm trees and bougainvillea, it was known as the “original destination for mind, body and sport.” Since then, the resort has changed and expanded over the years, but the resort carries this tradition forward in its spa, offering a whole-body wellness experience.
The sprawling 43,000-square-foot spa features Spanish Mission-style architecture and an outdoor courtyard with a private pool, waterfall showers and spa café, which uses herbs straight from the spa’s very own herb garden, warmly known as Alicia’s Garden, named for the long term member of the culinary team who tends to the herbs. There’s also a therapeutic reflexology path, with smooth beach stones laid in a pattern that stimulates pressure points on the feet.
The spa recently entered into a new partnership with Ayurvedic skincare brand Shankara, which uses synergistic blends of anti-aging, antioxidant-rich ingredients and therapeutic essential oils in its products. Ayurveda is a traditional system of health and wellness developed in India – practiced for thousands of years – based on a holistic approach to physical and mental health.
?: @nikolkleinhomes
?: Courtesy of Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
Shankara has been a pioneer in the beauty and wellness space since 2001, sourcing all-natural ingredients in a responsible manner and donating 100 per cent of its profits to humanitarian causes worldwide.
Embracing the Shankara philosophy, The Spa at La Costa has introduced five new face and body treatments to its spa menu, including the Shirodhara Treatment, in which a stream of warm herbal-infused oil is continuously poured over the forehead to quiet the mind, calm the nervous system and ease tension held around the head and neck.
Also noteworthy is the Chakra Balancing Treatment, which balances the body’s energy centres (known as ‘chakras’) with an Ayurvedic kansa massage wand, full-body aromatherapy massage and the placement of chakra stones. Circular massage motions along the spine with the kansa wand helps to awaken the chakras, while specific stones are used to balance the body.
You can take your wellness journey a step further with customizable half- and full-day retreats. The spa has also teamed up with the health experts at Best Life-ing to offer private healing experiences and custom-curated wellness retreats. Best Life-ing, a ‘wellness concierge,’ opened its first location in Miami Beach two years ago, followed by a second location at The Spa at La Costa. By bringing together different healers, teachers and coaches, you can choose from a variety of healing modalities, workshops and experiences to support your individual journey.
The healing modalities include regression hypnotherapy (exploring your subconscious mind to discover past-life memories, heal trauma and align with your purpose), conscious breathwork (controlled breathing for relaxation, meditation or therapeutic purposes), reiki (an ancient healing method that manipulates energy flow in the body), yoga (Kundalini, Bhakti or advanced), guided meditation and life coaching, as well as massage and bodywork.
Also on offer are massages, facials, body wraps and clinical treatments, as well as couples massages with Champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries. Along with an Athletic Club, eight pools and two golf courses – complemented by the Golf Performance Institute – the resort makes for an idyllic getaway with a focus on whole-body wellness.
