Relax overlooking the Pacific Ocean at the Island Spa Catalina in Avalon.
Just a 15-minute helicopter ride, an hour ferry ride, or a leisurely sail from Long Beach rests the beautiful paradise Catalina Island, a popular getaway now made even more appealing thanks to the new 15,000-square foot Island Spa Catalina. Located in the historic El Encanto building in Avalon, the pièce de résistance of the gracious space is its top-floor vista deck overlooking million-dollar views of the Pacific—the perfect spot to relax with a glass of champagne. That is, if you can tear yourself away from the two-story Silver Peaks treatment suite—the most luxurious of the nine treatment rooms—after a Sage Stone Purification Ritual or a massage, facial, or body treatment of your choosing. The spa also offers a wellness café (Encanto Cafe), a welcoming courtyard, and a soaking pool.
A short walk down the promenade, the Descanso Beach Club is readying for its spring 2015 debut. Like the spa, it is owned by the Santa Catalina Island Company. The club’s centerpiece is the 13,000-square foot clubhouse; this is an integral part of an ongoing $8 million renovation. On the ground floor, Descanso Fresh, a gourmet espresso bar and ice cream shop, will serve fresh-made pizza, bakery goods, ice cream, and coffee drinks. Waterfront presidential beach cabanas furnished in teak with a refrigerator and flat-screen TV are available for rent. Start planning now for that summer soirée!
Island Spa Catalina
877-778-6454
163 Crescent Ave, Avalon, CA 90704
Marina Chetner is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles.
Marina Chetner is a Los Angeles-based Australian freelance writer.