Hawks Cay: Sensual Scrub, Delectable Dining and Playful Dolphins

Hawks Cay Beach

Oh my gosh! I almost feel guilty talking about this experience. However, I recently encountered the ultimate indulgence, and the best part: zero fat grams and no calories. Just mix some tangy Key Lime juice with a mojito’s cool refreshing mint to create a killer concoction. No alcohol necessary; simply add essentials oils and slather over the body.

My skin drank in vast quantities of the soothing emollients during the signature spa body treatment – a Key Lime mojito scrub from Calm Waters Spa at Hawks Cay. You see, I purposely stopped by Duck Key on my way to Islamorada, when returning from Key West. The small 60-acre island is home to the famed Hawks Cay Resort. But, little did I know I was in for such a sensual and scentual treat.

After leaving Key West and driving sixty miles, hubby Jay and I arrived at Hawks Cay.  We stopped to enjoy a tasty, casual lunch served on the pool terrace. (Loved my grilled veggie sandwich.) We watched cars cross a bridge over the Key’s shimmery turquoise water, caught guests snoozing on the chaise lounges and visualized ourselves enjoying the resort’s beachy natural lagoon.

Rest and Relaxation on the Pool Deck

I meandered down to the Dolphin Connection, an ocean-fed saltwater arena, to watch the afternoon feeding. Hawks Cay Resort is the only hotel or resort in the continental United States that features an on-site dolphin research facility. And better yet, guests have the unique opportunity to encounter bottlenoses’ in their natural environment. The Dolphin Connection program is home to a pod of smiling (yes, that’s how I see them) and highly-intelligent creatures. You can choose to jump in the water for a hands-on encounter, spend three hours as if an assistant trainer or simply stand on the dock and admire their aerial tricks.

A Dolphin Flips

I got to thinking about my family and imaging an absolutely top notch vacation.  This seemed an ideal spot to bring the grandkids and their parents—and that was before I discovered the resort offered child and teen programs and a kid’s waterpark.

Camp Hawk,  for boys and girls ages 5 through 12, offers a full (or half) day of activities, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., including nature trail hikes, pool games, snorkeling in the lagoon, scavenger hunts, crafts, stories and a kid-friendly snack and lunch. On Friday and Saturday nights, young guests can join the Kids Night Out for more fun and parental relaxation.

Hawks Cay Waterpark

AquaJam is a three-day wet-and-wild adventure camp for teens ages 12 through 17.  Enrollees explore the Keys with like-minded peers, by kayaking, snorkeling, sailing and fishing.

Lodging choices include the resort hotel or the villas which offer the comforts of home in a two-story townhouse. The furnished deck and balcony of each villa make ideal locations for a late breakfast or cocktail hour to view a sunset.

But, I’d heard about the award-winning spa, the heavenly Calm Waters Spa, and I entered to escape. My treatment began in a candlelit room where I lay face down on a warm towel. Now, imagine a slow, tepid water drip on your back, not a Chinese water torture test, but a soft warm drizzle like a rainforest shower. That alone was pleasurable enough, but my therapist, Janet, began to scrub me with minty mojito sugar, a nourishing mixture to exfoliate and rejuvenate my dry skin. The amazing part–she did this while I continued to enjoy the warm waterfall on my body.

Janet methodically rubbed my legs, arms and back, while the Vichy shower (a bar with multiple shower heads) rinsed me and damp towels kept me comfortably warm.  Once I was scrubbed, lime scented oil was applied to hydrate my skin and allowed to soak in.  I was cocooned in hot blankets and my hair was washed and shampooed with Key Lime infused conditioners.  I chose to leave the conditioner on during my wrap for lasting results.  My eyes were then covered with a mask and I lay like a mummy, wrapped and confined in a face up position. Aaaah- how deliciously decadent.

I rested like this for 15-20 minutes with soothing birdsong music before the final unwrap.  My skin felt silky, almost like my baby grand-daughter’s. Well…maybe not that soft, but a lot smoother and fuller than usual.  My husband even noticed, saying I looked refreshed and kissably tender.

Hawks Cay Lobby

I would gladly return to Hawks Cay anytime and insist on staying longer than a few hours.  I’d truly love to treat my family.  I know each and every member would find something exhilarating to occupy their days: scuba, kiteboarding, chartering a boat, fishing, kayaking, beach combing, snorkeling, playing in the kid’s pirate pool, the spa, dining in various restaurants or just relaxing in the ocean breeze.  Hawks Cay is a first class resort, a place of barefoot elegance and one that promotes full-fledged memorable fun. Cheers- it certainly gave me something to talk about. Now, anyone for a real mojito?

Hidden Calm at Hyatt Regency Bonaventure, Weston, Florida

Garden at Hyatt Regency Bonaventure

A Hotel Review

The glitz and glam of Miami’s South Beach don’t jive with my style, but the lush tropical foliage and clean chic decor at Hyatt Regency Bonaventure sure do. The hotel felt like a shimmering green oasis, distant from city and suburbia. The minute my husband and I arrived I kicked off my shoes and put my feet up, basking in warm afternoon sun on our private patio. Don’t know why, but the heated glow sure feels therapeutic.

I peeked into the Elizabeth Arden red door spa, wishing I had time for a treatment.  When I saw the yoga room I was ready drop into a down dog pose.  The room was built from honey-colored wood with a window at one end overlooking a garden waterfall.  Totally zen.  Next door was the most fab red leather Pilates Studio I’ve ever seen.

Pilates room in red door lifestyle spa

This being South Florida, a stop at the outdoor bar for a mojito was in order. My husband joined me and we moved inside to dine. On the way back to our room, I snapped this photo of the illuminated water.

Illuminated pool

The Suite

In our suite we enjoyed a kingsize bedroom, full kitchen and living room hiding the flat screen TV in a decorative armoire.  The lavish bathroom was about the size of most European hotel rooms.  Cinnamon colored marble and tile filled the space offering a private toilet and bidet, separate shower and tub, plus a spacious room-for-two sink area.  We slept well amid a bounty of pillows and fine Egyptian cotton sheets.

British colonial style bedroom

After a breakfast buffet including made-to-order eggs, we were off for Key West. The first night on the road, a relaxing interlude away from work and the busy world.  I recommend skipping the fast-paced Miami scene and choosing to stay in the serene Hyatt Bonaventure.

*************

If you go:  The AAA-rated Four Diamond hotel is located 15 miles from the Fort Lauderdale International Airport off Interstate 75.  The Conference Center offers over 60,000 square feet of meeting place within the 23-acre certified Green Lodging property.  In addition to the spa, guests have access to first-rate tennis and championship golf facilities.

Hyatt Regency Bonaventure Conference Center & Spa

250 Racquet Club Road, Weston, Florida  33326

954-616-1234/ 800 327-8090

Website: http://bonaventure.hyatt.com

Stopping by Longfellow’s Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Massachusetts

On a crisp, rainy September afternoon I pulled up to the bucolic Wayside Inn, in Sudbury, Massachusetts. The sign post near the road boasts “food, drink and lodging for man, woman and beast.” I hoped I didn’t fit into the last category.

As soon as I entered, a warm welcoming aura enveloped me. The scent of smoky wood burning fireplaces mixed with the aroma of fresh baked bread and pies. The candlelight tavern bustled with activity, as it has for almost 300 years. Patrons were sitting at wooden tables enjoying meals and conversation. A bride and her wedding party stood near the entrance. Waiters and waitresses scooted about with food and drink trays.

The old tap room (part of the original building) overflowed with laughter from guests standing at the colonial cage bar. A cage- bar was standard in 18th-century taverns, used to secure the house whiskey, rum and wine from lodgers unknown to the innkeeper.

Eight guest rooms lined a wing on the second floor; my room, number seven, rested at the end of the hall. The space was small and rustic, authentic to the colonial era. An antique double bed covered with a white spread filled the room. Two windows were draped with tab curtains. A wooden chair sat in the corner and an armoire awaited guest’s clothing. The end table featured a framed print of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and the private bath included standard modern fixtures.

Sadly I did not fully experience the Inn’s New England hospitality as family commitments kept me elsewhere. Nonetheless, I relished a good night’s sleep in a place with much ambiance and history.

The following morning I awoke before dawn, hastily dressing for my 6:30 AM ride to the airport. Everyone else was asleep except for a friendly night watchman, who offered me a cup of coffee and a brief history of the place.

Seems the Wayside is the oldest operating tavern in the US on one of the oldest commissioned roads. David Howe opened the establishment in 1716 as Howe’s Inn, offering provisions for men, their horses and cattle. The renovated old barn rests across the road.

Tradition says Colonel Ezekiel Howe changed the name to The Red Horse, when he succeeded his father in 1746. Colonel Howe led Sudbury farmers to Concord on April 19, 1775, the famous battle that started the Revolutionary War.

After Longfellow published “The Tales of a Wayside Inn’ in 1863, The Red Horse became known as Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, as it remains today.

In 1923, auto maker Henry Ford bought the Inn with the intention of creating a living museum of Americana. The property passed through several trusts and is presently administrated by a non-paid board of trustees dedicated to preserving the historic house and surrounding acreage. All of the Inn’s revenue is used for maintenance and restoration.

I highly recommend Longfellow’s Inn as a way to support cultural heritage and experience the days of Paul Revere and Sam Adams.

If you go:

The town of Sudbury lies close to Lexington and Concord, suburbs of Boston. Visitors find many colonial sites and museums in the area, as well as the birthplaces of early American poets and authors.

The Inn’s multiple-roomed restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serves traditional Yankee fare like Clam Chowder and pot roast.

Make reservations early for one of just ten guest rooms, all individually decorated with country antiques and discreet wireless Internet access. Breakfast included. Single occupancy $104-125, double occupancy $125-175. www.waysideinn.org, 978 443-1776.

Next Page »