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Jeremy McCarthy is the Director of Spa Operations Development and Marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts and thelobby.com's expert on everything spa. He is currently on an "around the world" spa tour with Starwood and will be posting from his various destinations throughout the month. Today, he writes to us from the Heavenly Spa at the Westin Guangzhou in China, one of the newest members of the Starwood Spa Collection.

The new Heavenly Spa at the Westin Guangzhou is now open! The facilities are amazing, with beautiful water features at the entrance, unique wall coverings and luxuriously appointed treatment rooms, each one complete with a rack of Chinese chimes that indicate when your treatment is about to begin. And the treatments are exquisite, including a variety of traditional Chinese remedies, signature Heavenly Spa services, or the East meets West massage if you want to experience a blend from both hemispheres. But the best part of the spa is the friendly smiles from the staff, eager to practice their English while serving you a cup of herbal tea.

Jeremy McCarthy is the Director of Spa Operations Development and Marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts and thelobby.com's expert on everything spa.

One of my favorite vendors, Life is Good®, was also exhibiting at the International Spa Association’s annual conference last month. How can you not like a company based completely and entirely on optimism? The company was founded in 1994 by two brothers without business backgrounds who recognized the power of a simple reminder, “life is good.” They have subsequently built an empire out of sharing that message on t-shirts, hats, smokeless candles, fleece blankets and even water bottles.

They also host several festivals throughout the year which are sponsored by Four Points by Sheraton. You can find Life is Good® and other feel-good retail items in the Four Points by Sheraton online retail store. Another way to get more optimism in your life is to redeem SPG points for Life is Good® merchandise on SPG.com.

Jeremy McCarthy is the Director of Spa Operations Development and Marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts and thelobby.com's expert on everything spa. Throughout the upcoming week, he will be posting tales from Paris where he has just returned from the annual European Spa summit.

I’ve spent the past few days in Europe hearing from different European spa leaders on the state of the industry, the challenges we face and the ways to overcome them. Much like in the U.S., Europe is dealing with the rapid growth and demand of the spa industry. The clear message for spas is simple: the days of “if you build it they will come” are over. Spas need to be created in the right way and marketed in the right way to stand out amidst a sea of growing competition.

The European Spa Summit, hosted in Paris this October, focused on the importance of not only treating customers through their 5 physical senses, but also by considering an important 6th sense: “service.” While I do agree that service is of tantamount importance in the spa setting, I look at the senses as channels to deliver that service. That is why the new Heavenly Spa concept for Westin Hotels and Resorts was developed with 7 senses in mind. The five traditional, physical senses of sight, sound, taste, smell and touch, and then two additional senses, spirit and emotion. The spa, as an extension of our hotels, is an extension of the excellent customer service we provide. By considering all the senses, we can provide that service in different and deeper ways.

Starpicks is a truly international program, with great last-minute rates on some of the finest hotels and resorts in the world. With such a variety of experiences, it helps to dream big. For example, an impulsive jaunt to the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers in Bangkok might be just the thing to spice up the season. This exquisite property in Thailand's vibrant capital is located on the Chao Phraya River (River of Kings) and boasts amazing views of the river and a central location in the business district, convenient to the best sightseeing and shopping Thailand has to offer. The Royal Orchid Mandara Spa (a member of Starwood's Spa Collection) boasts nine treatment rooms, including three luxury river suites and one superior luxury suite that opens into an enclosed rooftop garden, complete with terrazzo plunge pool and herbal steam room. Guests won't go hungry either, with eight different restaurants and lounges to choose from, ranging from comfortable and modern Giorgio's, which serves Italian fare, to the elegant Thara Thong, which specializes in Thai cuisine. The Royal Orchid is considered one of Bangkok's premier hotels, and has been named to the Conde Nast "Gold List" for five consecutive years. Starpicks can make last-minute travel ideas come to life.

We've already mentioned The Phoenician, a AAA 5 Diamond winner, before. But the resort is now offering a special Spring Getaway that we thought was worth a mention. For $450 a night, guests get a superior guestroom and full access to the 22,000 square foot spa, the 17-hole golf course, nine swimming pools and much, much more. As for the rest of the hotel? The Phoenician's Terrace Dining Room is one of Zagat's Top 100 Hotel Restaurants, there are 11 lighted tennis courts, extensive hiking and bike trails and a mother-of-pearl tiled pool.

It's a great year to be a spa aficionado, as the Starwood Spa Collection welcomes 17 new premier-level members spas for 2007, including Starwood’s newest brand, Le Méridien. The Starwood Spa Collection features world-class spa resorts in 26 countries across six continents, representing the Le Méridien, Sheraton, St. Regis, Luxury Collection, Westin, and W Hotels brands.

Members will experience the ultimate in relaxation and rejuvenation at spas such as Le Spa at Le Méridien Khao Lak Beach & Spa Resort in Thailand (pictured); The Diocletian Spa at Le Méridien Lav in Croatia, and Lotus Spa & Health at Le Méridien St Julians in Malta.

Spas from the collection feature the finest facilities of the modern age combined with treatments with roots dating back for generations.

The Heavenly Spa at The Westin Beijing, Financial Street, for example, features modern hydro therapy influenced by ancient Chinese philosophy and offers a traditional Chinese massage with a history that dates back thousands of years.

Meanwhile, the Red Door Spa by Elizabeth Arden at The Westin La Paloma Resort in Tucson, Arizona, boasts cutting-edge facilities that include eucalyptus saunas, heated Jacuzzi, therapeutic steam rooms, and secluded relaxation rooms as well as treatments like the Red Door Signature Massage.

Every spa in the Starwood Spa Collection is built upon the seven pillars of well-being, setting an unprecedented standard of excellence in the spa experience with a focus on beauty, life balance, harmony, aqua, vitality, nature, and nutrition. The Starwood Spa Collection experience is a refreshing treat for body, mind, and spirit, and a welcome respite from the stresses of the modern world.