NOURISH YOUR BODY...NURTURE YOUR SOUL - JAMAICA TOURIST ISSUE 2
IT HAS BEEN SAID THE GENTLE ISLANDERS HAVE A HEALING TOUCH. EXPERIENCE IT FOR YOURSELF IN ONE OF THE MANY WONDERFUL AND REJUVENATING RETREATS FOR THE PAMPERING OF BODY AND SOUL.
Ritz-Carlton Spa Director Samantha Telesford is from Sheffield in the UK. With a total of 19 years in the spa industry, she began her career as a hairdresser making coffee at a Regis Hair Salon in Sheffield at the tender age of 16. She was promoted to Regis Salon Manager at the age of 19.
At 23, Samantha joined the world of floating spas with Steiner Leisure Ltd, the company which operates luxury spas onboard cruiseships. From 1993 to 2001 she continued to work as Spa Manager more than 17 different ships including the Princess, Holland America, Carnival, Disney and Royal Caribbean. Due to her experience in running floating spas, she was selected to set up the spa operation onboard the Disney Magic, a job that encompassed team building, training of staff and creation of spa programs. Samantha then continued on to launch the spa onboard the ‘Explorer of the Seas’, the largest ship in the world at the time, and spent six weeks in a freezing Finland supervising the set up of the onboard spa. “I reclaimed my ‘land legs’ in 2001, when I joined Our Lucaya Beach & Golf Resort on Grand Bahama Island as Spa Director for their ‘Senses’ Spa.”
“In 2003, former colleagues from the cruiseship world who now work with Ritz-Carlton told me there was an opportunity in Jamaica. I interviewed for the position of Spa Director at the Ritz Carlton Resort & Spa in January 2003, and arrived on the island in May,” explains Samantha.
Having traveled all over the world, her favorite part of the world is the Caribbean. “I had never been abroad before I left the UK to work with Steiner. For my first job, I flew to Miami and boarded the ‘Zenith’. Our first port of call was Montego Bay! 10 years later I was back in Jamaica.”
Samantha says that her favorite part of working here is her Jamaican team. “My team consists of 48 service professionals who display a passion for creating excellence, they are warm and have this immense thirst for knowledge and learning.” she says. “The majority of our 25 therapists are certified to perform a variety of treatments, which is great from both a service and an operational standpoint”.
The Ritz-Carlton Spa concept creates unique treatments featuring traditional European influences along with signature treatments that have an indigenous Jamaican flavor, and Samantha encourages guests to try something different; “Of course you can get a great massage, but I would highly recommend trying one of our signature treatments; the ‘Sugar Cane Scrub’ and the ‘Matrimony Soak’ during your stay.” The scrub features powdered sugar cane with white sand, milk and honey, which provides a gentle exfoliation for the skin.
“Following the scrub, we submerge our guests in the Matrimony soak,”she explains. The soak is based on a Jamaican dessert of tropical fruit and cream called the Matrimony. After the soak, an orange spice body lotion is applied to replenish the skin.
Samantha also recommends the ‘One love - one heart’ couples treatment, where couples enjoy a massage together in our candlelit spa treatment suite, followed by a soak in our Jamaican Bath Elixir. “The concept being that we get the souls together to ‘Feel Alright’.
”In addition to the signature treatments, the Ritz-Carlton Spa also offers rejuvenating facials using the Academie Scientific product line, as well as treatments for hair and nail care.
To book your next treatment at the Ritz Carlton Spa, dial tel. 876-518-0117 or 876-953-2800.
Ritz-Carlton guests dial the Spa on ext. 4507.
Ritz-Carlton Spa Director Samantha Telesford is from Sheffield in the UK. With a total of 19 years in the spa industry, she began her career as a hairdresser making coffee at a Regis Hair Salon in Sheffield at the tender age of 16. She was promoted to Regis Salon Manager at the age of 19.
At 23, Samantha joined the world of floating spas with Steiner Leisure Ltd, the company which operates luxury spas onboard cruiseships. From 1993 to 2001 she continued to work as Spa Manager more than 17 different ships including the Princess, Holland America, Carnival, Disney and Royal Caribbean. Due to her experience in running floating spas, she was selected to set up the spa operation onboard the Disney Magic, a job that encompassed team building, training of staff and creation of spa programs. Samantha then continued on to launch the spa onboard the ‘Explorer of the Seas’, the largest ship in the world at the time, and spent six weeks in a freezing Finland supervising the set up of the onboard spa. “I reclaimed my ‘land legs’ in 2001, when I joined Our Lucaya Beach & Golf Resort on Grand Bahama Island as Spa Director for their ‘Senses’ Spa.”
“In 2003, former colleagues from the cruiseship world who now work with Ritz-Carlton told me there was an opportunity in Jamaica. I interviewed for the position of Spa Director at the Ritz Carlton Resort & Spa in January 2003, and arrived on the island in May,” explains Samantha.
Having traveled all over the world, her favorite part of the world is the Caribbean. “I had never been abroad before I left the UK to work with Steiner. For my first job, I flew to Miami and boarded the ‘Zenith’. Our first port of call was Montego Bay! 10 years later I was back in Jamaica.”
Samantha says that her favorite part of working here is her Jamaican team. “My team consists of 48 service professionals who display a passion for creating excellence, they are warm and have this immense thirst for knowledge and learning.” she says. “The majority of our 25 therapists are certified to perform a variety of treatments, which is great from both a service and an operational standpoint”.
The Ritz-Carlton Spa concept creates unique treatments featuring traditional European influences along with signature treatments that have an indigenous Jamaican flavor, and Samantha encourages guests to try something different; “Of course you can get a great massage, but I would highly recommend trying one of our signature treatments; the ‘Sugar Cane Scrub’ and the ‘Matrimony Soak’ during your stay.” The scrub features powdered sugar cane with white sand, milk and honey, which provides a gentle exfoliation for the skin.
“Following the scrub, we submerge our guests in the Matrimony soak,”she explains. The soak is based on a Jamaican dessert of tropical fruit and cream called the Matrimony. After the soak, an orange spice body lotion is applied to replenish the skin.
Samantha also recommends the ‘One love - one heart’ couples treatment, where couples enjoy a massage together in our candlelit spa treatment suite, followed by a soak in our Jamaican Bath Elixir. “The concept being that we get the souls together to ‘Feel Alright’.
”In addition to the signature treatments, the Ritz-Carlton Spa also offers rejuvenating facials using the Academie Scientific product line, as well as treatments for hair and nail care.
To book your next treatment at the Ritz Carlton Spa, dial tel. 876-518-0117 or 876-953-2800.
Ritz-Carlton guests dial the Spa on ext. 4507.
