By Jennifer Amato
Staff Writer
For a touch of New York luxury closer to home, look no further than high-end spas in the area.
“We have a little bit of everything. [It’s] like a New York City atmosphere in a local suburban area,” said Tasha Masi, general manger of Avanti Day Resort in Manalapan. “We try to have the best of the best, new services.”
Avanti offers a combination of spa, salon, nail, waxing, teeth whitening, body therapy, bridal and social gathering services that are top notch, as the owner travels to Europe to bring back only the highest quality products, Masi said.
There is also a complimentary cappuccino bar, luncheon selections and an extended boutique.
In terms of the spa, the Razul Signature Experience is the most exclusive, as Avanti is the first and only spa on the East Coast to offer such a service, Masi said.
Inspired by the ancient cleansing rituals of ancient harems, the Razul Chamber is a private room that releases soft rain onto indulging partakers. Couples apply different colored wet earths to specific parts of the body, and then shower in the multi-jet standing Vichy shower, followed by a massage and flotation ritual.
Sea of Senses offers body wraps performed on a special flotation bed that suspends the body in warm water while staying totally dry to create a womb-like feeling.
Rain Forest Vichy is considered a therapeutic rainforest, as nine showerheads pulsate down like raindrops.
Ionithermie involves the use of a hand-held device that transmits two gentle forms of low-level stimuli through a clay body mask.
For slimming treatments, Thermofango uses a brown algae rich in iodine to stimulate increased metabolism; algae body bandages are potassium rich and sodium poor; and Lypossage Massage Modality combats cellulite and bulges.
Ear candling uses long tapered cones to remove earwax using convection and magnetic attraction.
The massages are “fabulous” as well, Masi said, because they are all conducted on a heated water table.
“It’s a whole different experience compared to a traditional, contemporary massage bed,” she said.
The Paradise Companion Ritual for two people starts with self-exfoliation in the Vichy Shower, followed by a floatation ritual and half-hour massage.
The Royal Thai Massage is a combination of a natural herbal treatment, heat therapy, massage and aromatherapy.
Lomi Lomi is a unique healing massage handed down through generations of Hawaiian families, freeing energy flow through wave-like strokes and gentle stretching.
The Balinese Four Hand Massage offers synchronized strokes by two therapists simultaneously.
Skin treatments include age-defying therapy using Vita Cura Opti Lift serum; microdermabrasion; revitalization using carboxitherapy, which produces an explosion of oxygen; diffusion of blotchiness and epidermal irritation using decongestive lymphatic massage; citrus peel facials; a Magnetic Ritual that balances chakras with gems, followed by the application of mud and diamond dust; and the Natura Bisse Diamond White Facial, which incorporates melanin-inhibiting ingredients to diminish the appearance of hyperpigmentation and acne scars.
IPL treatments using pulsed-light technology are used for hair removal, wrinkle treatment, skin tightening and vascular and pigmented lesions.
Since Avanti presents itself as family-oriented, Masi noted that men are welcome to enjoy the spa services as well.
She said nail services, facials and hair removal are popular choices, as well as the Chairman’s Massage, which uses a topical analgesic to target specific muscle groups to prevent injury and enhance recovery while also improving physical performance.
“We make it feel like it’s not just a woman-thing,” Masi said.
Masi likened trying only one service to a “drive-through spa,” and suggested taking advantage of various full-day packages.
“Put that one day aside. … If you really spend the time … sitting and doing nothing, sometimes it eases your mind,” she said.
For those looking for health and wellness benefits besides just pure relaxation, Masi suggested a massage or facial, or time spent in the sauna, because “stress is a big factor that leads to a lot of illnesses.”
“The first thing people look at – they see your face,” she said. “You just feel that glow. Taking care of [yourself], you feel like you can breathe.”
More so than just the essence of the spa, Masi said the personal attention each employee provides a client is exceptional.
“Overall, it’s 110 percent customer service from the moment you call to the moment you leave,” she said.
“We listen to how your lifestyle is, and what you want to get out of your experience here.
“You’re coming into our house.”
She encourages clients to come an hour or more before their appointment to relax, have some coffee and enjoy quiet time in the suite.
“You’re not just booking a massage. You’re booking an experience. You’re booking a session to speak to that therapist about what is going on in your life,” Masi said.
For more information on Avanti Day Resort, call 732-780-0222 or visit avantidayresort.com.
Contact Jennifer Amato at [email protected].