Up-and-Coming Spa Trends

The spa industry is booming—and pampering experts have invented fresh ways to help you recharge. The trend is toward treatments that connect spa-goers with nature and provide a respite from the digital world. Expect to see these popular new offerings.

Low tech, high touch. A digital detox option, this therapy—featured at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort in Bedford, Pennsylvania—combines a salt exfoliation with a hand-and-wrist butter massage, to ease the toll of texting and typing. The Spa at Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York, has a tension-taming massage, with extra attention to hands and forearms.

Forest healing. This Japanese treatment, now offered at spas like Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee, is basically a walk (or yoga or meditation) in a beautiful natural setting. The emphasis is on absorbing the tranquility of the environment to reduce stress and elevate mood.

Mindful massage. At L’Apothecary spa at L’Auberge de Sedona, you can get a Quiet Mind massage, in which the therapist teaches you simple guided breathing techniques to help you let go of distracting thoughts.

Garden revitalization. More spas are offering therapies outdoors. At the Dorado Beach Spa at the Ritz-Carlton in Dorado, Puerto Rico, guests can experience a coffee-and-cloves revitalizing scrub in the resort’s lush private garden.

Silent treatments. Nearly any spa treatment can be more soothing in silence. Mandarin Oriental spas have Silent Nights, with massages, facials, wraps, and other therapies provided in a chat-free, music-free environment.