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bright, airy feel.
Another option during your Seattle
visit is a stay at the beautiful and
historic Mayflower Park Hotel. The
Deluxe Queen Suite is a luxurious
expanse which includes two
bathrooms, a very nice bedroom
with two queen beds, a living room
with a television, luxury robes, free
Wi-Fi and a flat screen television in
the bedroom.
Before you even arrive at your suite,
you will be impressed by the beauty
of the sumptuously decorated lobby
as you walk through the glass and
brass doors of the hotel. Complete
with a fireplace and cozy seating,
the lobby is a great introduction to
one of the city’s finest hotels. Built
in 1927, the hotel is still locally
owned and an important part of the
Seattle downtown area. An entryway
leads directly to the Westlake
Center, a mall with plenty of shops,
restaurants, and a tram stop for the
tram which runs directly to the
iconic Space Needle.
One of the best things among the
many wonderful pluses of staying at
the Mayflower Park Hotel is the fact
that it is less than a block from one
of the best spas we have ever
experienced.
The locally owned Ummelina
International Day Spa is just a short
walk down Fourth Avenue but a
world away from busy downtown
Seattle. Step through the door, go
up the stairs and enter that fragrant
spa environment which always makes
me take a deep breath and begin
relaxing.
The lovely folks at the spa suggested
The Equator as one of the choices in
the Journey experiences for couples,
and we were in complete agreement.
Especially after we read the
description:
Journey Solo or Duo...On this
odyssey, relax under a true waterfall
and receive the natural healing and
restorative properties of the flowing
water. Move your body to receive the
water’s healing forces. The scents of
nature surround you and the water
washes away all stress.
Leaving the Waterfall behind,
journey into the warm, moist
environment of the steamy Rain
Forest. While relaxing under a
canopy of gentle rain, surrender to
the pleasure of an exfoliating salt
rub followed by a luxuriating water
massage. Pause in a comfortable
lounger for a brief rest before
continuing your journey.
Arrive in the Desert, where dry heat
enfolds you as warm oils and muds
from around the world are applied to
your body. You lie basking as if in the
warmth of the meridian sun.
A visit to the Monsoon, to cool
down your body and center before
returning to the world anew, fresh
and well-traveled. ~ 2 hours
Ummelina is truly a fascinating place
to visit. Using both new and ancient
healing rituals gathered from all
over the globe combined with state
of the art spa equipment, the
massage therapists spent three
hours making sure we enjoyed
every single minute. All the spa’s
therapies are shaped by the natural
environment and the philosophy that
for centuries, indigenous people
listened to the earth and used its
riches as part of their lives. This
philosophy helps restore health and
promotes a balance between the
individual and the environment.
First, we changed clothes in the
beautifully decorated locker room.
In our robes, we settled into the
waiting room area which was
comfortable and sun-lit, with chairs
made for relaxing and plenty of
stools to rest your feet on. I was
surprised and delighted when a spa
employee came into the waiting
area, softly introduced herself and
proceeded to pour hot water into a
basin where she gently washed our
feet. A calming and relaxing ritual,
it’s something they do for all their
guests and we loved it.
From there, we proceeded to
a room with a large, low tub and an
elaborate faucet on the wall which,
when turned on, created a warm,
miniature waterfall which we both
loved. After relaxing in the wa FW&f