Well + Away Holiday Gifting 2019: The Ultimate Wellness Gift Guide

Welcome to the gifts we can’t wait to give this year:

For the Health-nut Who Needs A Day Off

Nobu Go Facial, Caesars Palace (Las Vegas)

Source: Caesars Palace

Launched to celebrate Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace’s five-year anniversary, the 100-minute Nobu Go Facial combines five luxury spa experiences in one over-the-top treatment. Meaning “five” in Japanese, the Go Facial starts with a VR meditation experience (yup), then moves into a hydrating facial treatment that includes a gold face mask and topical Botox called the “Cinderella Lift”, followed by masks on hands and feet, and finishing with a full-body moisturizer application.

Ultra-Fractional Treatment, Skin Laundry (Multiple Locations)

Source: Skin Laundry

Best known for its signature, no-down-time, 15-minute laser and light facial, Skin Laundry has stepped it up this month with a high octane (but still no down-time) Ultra Fractional Facial. The new laser facial is a non-ablative fractional resurfacing laser that does all the things we like lasers to do: target pigmentation, reverse sun-damage and improve texture through stimulating collagen. Post-laser, medical-grade serums customized for skin type are applied.

Balance Wellness Package, Four Seasons Westlake (Westlake Village)

Source: Four Seasons Westlake Village

The Four Seasons Westlake Village property is just outside of LA city limits, but feels like a far-flung resort. The spa itself is adjacent to a full-scale medical wellness clinic that shares the grounds with the hotel, so naturally its treatments are going to pamper in a clinically sound way. A 225-minute Balance package includes a 50-minute Tranquility massage, a 50-minute Signature Facial, a 50-minute Ginger Lime Sugar Glow scrub and a 30-minute Classic Manicure and 45-minute Pedicure.

Sugar Peppermint Scrub and Wrap, Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel (Los Angeles)

Source: Beverly Wilshire Hotel

This 90-minute, signature Sugar Peppermint Scrub and Wrap is basically the Beverly Hills, 60-minute spa version of Christmas. Starting with a cooling, whipped sugar peppermint scrub, a hydrating peppermint butter wrap is applied to the body, followed by a scalp massage and application of a rich, firming body lotion.

For the Hostess

Natural Wine Subscription, Dry Farm Wines

Source: Dry Farm Wines

For those of us who drink, nothing beats a delicious wine that happens to be llow-sugar, toxin-free and naturally made. All of the wines included in Dry Farm Wines’ subscriptions are biodynamic, organic, sustainably produced and small-batch. Gift a monthly subscription that include monthly shipments of six wines, selected from small producers around the world.

Champagne Eric Philippe Extra Brut, Tayson Pierce Estate Wines

Source: Tayson Pierce Estate Wines

The Champagne Eric Philippe is produced by renowned single-estate producer Tayson Pierce Estate Wines, and contains 93% less added sugar than most commercially available extra brut bottlings. As far as calories go, it can take two glasses of dry Champagne to equal of the calorie count one glass of non-sparkling wine, perfect for making room for a second slice of pie.

For the ‘Always on the go’ City Dweller

Grocery Delivery Gift Card, Hungryroot

Source: Hungryroot

The best non meal-kit-meal-kit of them all. Why? Each meal takes only ten minutes to prep, sauces come prepared (and nearly all are vegan-friendly), and there is so much less packaging than those guilt-inflicting, first-wave kits. Each week, depending on the size of subscription, Hungryroot curates a selection of meals and snacks or desserts for the week ahead. Upon delivery, you can visit the site to review recipes and in ten minutes be treated to super-easy, healthy and yummy meals for two.

Healthy Meals in a Cup, Daily Harvest

Source: Daily Harvest

Daily Harvest’s single-serve, meal kits in a cup range from superfood smoothies to warming soups to hearty grain bowls. All meals arrive frozen, with meal ingredients prepped and ready to be warmed or blended into filling vegan meal on-the-go. This season’s new items include a limited edition Chocolate and Peppermint CBD Latte, and a new, gift-able ‘Gift a Nine Box’.

For the Beauty-obsessed

Carte Blush Membership, Blushington

Source: Blushington

Blushington’s unlimited makeup application service is called Carte Blush, and includes your standard full-face makeup application, plus decadent add-ons including airbrush foundation and lashes at no charge. The Carte Blush membership now also includes dry hairstyling, making it the handiest beauty hack since DryBar launched.

UFO by FOREO

Source: Foreo

We are obsessed with FOREO’s crazy combination of Korean sheet mask and infrared light therapy. The UFO device is a hockey-puck shaped little device, inside of which can be placed a series of single-use, mini Korean-designed sheet mask formulations. The FOREO app reads the mask and determines which combination of red and blue lights, heating and cooling cycles and T-Sonic pulsations are most appropriate for that type of mask, then it starts whirring away and 90 seconds late, DIY spa treatment complete .

For Anyone

A Massage at The NOW

Source: The NOW

LA ‘everyday-luxe’ massage studio The NOW offers the best way to chill out, in a jiff. For anyone on your list who is not within stone’s throw of The NOW studios, the brand now ships their dreamy, chill Cali vibes candles, new body oils and lotion nationally. This is the gift of turning a home bathroom into a chic little LA sanctuary.

The Five Best Cold Weather Hotels Anywhere

Source: @Balmoral

As long as I’m not driving anywhere, I love a cold, gray, rainy day. At home, I turn on the fire, brew up a hot cacao and dig into the latest self-care-ish book I’ve been meaning to tuck into. This evening, I will be doing just that: whipping up a Buddha bowl in my air fryer alongside that hot cacao, courtesy of this handy Well + Good roundup, cracking open the gorgeous Lonny Home book and parking myself right in front of the fireplace. What’s even better than a cozy night in is a cozy night in some of the coziest hotels I’ve visited. Think plush couches, massive fireplaces, endless horizons and warm vibes. Here are the five hotels I wish I could transport myself to right now, rain, book, and all. 

Source: @CentralHotelogCafe

Central Hotel & Cafe, Copenhagen, Denmark

This tiny hotel is as teeny as my teeny tiny dorm room was once upon a time. At just 12 square meters it’s certainly one of the smallest hotels anywhere. It’s coziness factor, or hygge as the Danes might say, comes from dark wood details and rich emerald wallpaper. The sole guest-room room on-property contains a double bed and sits above a cafe. A lovely sound system, views of the neighborhood bustle outside and Geismar linens make this a perfect cozy stay for a happy shut-in.

Source: @Sohohousenewyork

Soho House, New York, New York

Sitting just above the members’ areas, Soho House New York’s 24 guestrooms, categorized as small, medium or large are all cold-weather friendly, with residential-feeling, bleached wood flooring and paneling, oversized armchairs, a fully stocked bar cart and massive and beautifully tiled showers. The coziest rooms might be the property’s Medium Rooms, with plush seating areas, high ceilings and, most importantly, a claw-footed bathtub smack in the middle of the room. If a fireplace is what you’re after, pop downstairs to the private members’ club restaurant and bar area (hotel guests have access as if they were a member, and can bring one guest) and grab a table right in front of the roaring, wood-burning fireplace.

Source: @Balmoral

Balmoral, Edinburgh, Scotland

With almost 200 days of rain each year, there’s more than a 50% chance that if you’re booking the Balmoral even in May that you’ll get a gray day, perfect for cuddling up inside. Opened in 1902, and renovated with contemporary finishes in 2018, modern creature comforts like heated bathroom floors meet old world detail like intricate plasterwork and a massive clocktower. Fireplaces throughout the property are lit 24/7 during holiday time, and the daily breakfast buffet and famed afternoon tea in the Palm Court are vegan-friendly, making it way too easy to never step foot outside after check-in.

Lough Eske Castle, Donegal, Ireland

Dating from the 15th century, Lough Eske stands apart from the other castle-hotels in the region that often feel awkwardly split between time periods - with stately bones but mismatched furnishings. Not so at Lough Eske, which is the castle-hotel of our winter wonderland dreams. Multiple fireplaces, tapestry-covered walls, reading nooks and soaring ceilings make the public spaces the real draw here. The property’s 43 acres of manicured gardens and walking paths (bundle up!) make for a beautiful afternoon meander when clutching a mug of hot coffee. 

Source: @pjhavel

Tutka Bay Lodge, Tutka Bay, Alaska

Located at the entrance of a seven-mile fjord, accessible only by float plane or local water taxi, Tutka Bay Lodge is one of the most customized, high-touch luxury lodge experiences anywhere. Just six cabins onsite (some with wood-burning fireplaces that can be lit as part of turn-down), and a truly world-class culinary program mean that your version of a five-star, cozy af, off-the-grid experience with some of the best food you’ll ever have are just what they do. There is nothing like sitting in the outdoor hot tub after a day of privately guided hiking, looking at the stars, with nobody and no light pollution for miles.