Location, Location
Twin Cities / Metro
*This archived article was originally published in Fall 2005.
 Solimar Wellness Spa
By Fran Howard
Take care of yourself and the people who make your company prosper. That’s becoming the new motto of today’s more health-conscious business. “In terms of corporate outings or reward packages, companies are opting for wellness choices rather than a day on the boat,” says Sara Jane Wickoren, director of marketing for Solimar Wellness Spa in Eagan. Long gone are the days of the prime rib lunch meeting with scotch and soda chasers. Today’s corporate meeting might just as easily be held at a spa with everyone snacking on fresh fruit between customized spa services.
Spalon Montage, with its three locations in the metro area, has hosted the Women’s Pro Golf Tour three years in a row now. “And a growing number of companies are adding spa services as alternatives to tee times,” says Mitchell Wherley, part owner of the company and president of Spalon Montage’s Chanhassen location. Groups routinely making use of metro area spas include dental and medical offices, publishing companies, pharmaceutical companies, and out-of-town tour groups.
Here are five metro-area spas, which love to accommodate groups, that can rent out the entire spa or a portion of it for a day, half-day, evening or weekend. All five spas recommend that groups book at least one month in advance, with up to three months notice for major holidays, and all five provide either on-site catering or catering from some of the area’s best and healthiest restaurants
Just For Me
A log cabin retreat set in historic Stillwater, Just For Me is an ideal choice for even the most reluctant of spa-goers. Handmade knotty pine furniture, cushy leather couches and a stone fireplace transport guests into the serenity of the North Woods. A spa, fitness center and salon all rolled into one, Just For Me can accommodate small- to medium-sized groups and will customize spa and fitness packages. Adjacent to the spa, the fitness center has cardio and weight-training equipment, as well as personal trainers and a lap pool. A six-chair combination pedicure/manicure room is an ideal setting for creative problem-solving session. Facilities also include four massage rooms, four facial rooms, two hot tubs and a Vichy shower. The separate salon area features eight stations. In keeping with the Minnesota ambiance, chicken and wild rice soup can be served in the spa’s North Woods-style lunchroom.
- Meeting room: Yes, accommodates up to 20
- Hot treatment: Vichy water massage
- Square feet: 4,000 for spa alone
- Corporate discounts: Will consider
- Parking: Ample on- and off-street parking
- Alcohol: No
- Local amenities: Walking distance to historic downtown Stillwater and the scenic St. Croix River
Deb O’Brien
Manager Group and Corporate Bookings
Just For Me
110 S. Greeley Street, Stillwater
651-439-4662
www.justformespa.com
Solimar Wellness Spa
Walk through the double door, crackled-glass entrance to Solimar Wellness Spa and troubles melt away. The “aahhhh” experience is exactly what this wellness spa wants to accomplish. Arranged with feng shui principles in mind, “The Oasis” gathering room utilizes the principle of three as well as the softness of curved lines. The two-year-old spa likes to refer to corporate group bookings as “well days” and notes that companies are starting to see the practical value in rewarding employees with spa sessions. Upon request, Terry Clements, director of wellness can lead group stress-reduction workshops, where participants learn how to avoid multi-tasking while they practice minute-to-minute mindfulness. The calming, Zen-like atmosphere of Solimar can help groups express their beauty and creativity from the inside out. Solimar has five massage rooms, three facial treatment rooms, two steam showers, a pedicure room for three, two manicure and hair treatment stations, and complimentary makeup touch-ups.
- Meeting room: Yes, with media service and capacity for up to 15.
- Hot treatment: Hydrotherapy detoxification soaks with color and light therapy
- Square feet: 4,200
- Corporate discount: Customized packages with free add-ons for up to 30
- Parking: Off-street for 100-plus vehicles
- Alcohol: Okay to bring if renting entire spa
- Local amenities: Close to 494 strip, Mall of America, and the Minnesota Zoo
Cindy Nelson
Director of Operations
Solimar Wellness Spa
1121 Town Centre Drive, Suite 105, Eagan
651-686-6686
www.solimarspa.com
 The Marsh
Set on six acres adjacent to a 250-acre protected marsh, The Marsh has it all. This spa can handle any size group. One of the area’s oldest spas, The Marsh is the only one with an on-site full-service restaurant. The Marsh Restaurant provides a breathtaking view of the protected marsh and provides a full range of choices, from healthy salads to gourmet entrees to delectable desserts. A wellness center that focuses on fitness and balance, The Marsh strives to inspire healthy attitudes toward life as it integrates a serene setting with fitness and nurturing. The full fitness center has a lap pool, exercise studio, personal trainers, Pilates-certified instructors, as well as yoga, meditation, conditioning, kickboxing, step and cardio classes. Spa facilities include four massage rooms, two facial rooms, a Vichy shower, two pedicure and two manicure stations.
- Meeting room: Yes, eight rooms with media services that accommodate between eight and 300
- Hot treatment: Body polish and wrap
- Square feet: 67,000
- Corporate discounts: Yes, on both spa and fitness services
- Parking: Off-street, with 200-plus stalls
- Alcohol: Wine and beer available on site
- Local amenities: Lake Minnetonka, upscale downtown Wayzata, and historic downtown Excelsior
Reiner VanGordon
Conference and Catering Manager
The Marsh
15000 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka
952-935-2202
www.themarsh.com
Spalon Montage
Half spa, half salon, Spalon Montage’s newly expanded Chanhassen location will open in late September. The very urban, slightly contemporary look is modeled after Spalon Montage’s Woodbury prototype. This warm, lush spa tries to avoid the trendy, focusing instead on well-proven décor and therapies. In business for 15 years, Spalon Montage first opened in Edina. The Chanhassen location can service up to 25 with its four massage rooms, four facial rooms and four pedicure stations, 20 salon-service stations, and six nail stations. All three locations accommodate groups and specialize in advanced facials and body treatments.
- Meeting room: No
- Parking: Off-street, 200-plus stalls
- Square feet: 7,500
- Hot treatment: Hot and cold stone massage
- Corporate discounts: Will consider
- Local amenities: Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, upscale shopping, Mystic Lake Casino and Canterbury Downs
- Alcohol: No
Denise Mwesigwa
Package and Group Coordinator
Spalon Montage
600 Market Street, Suite 270, Chanhassen
952-915-2900
www.spalon.com
The Day Spa
Owned by Diane Cook and her daughter Kim Heim, The Day Spa in Edina knows skin care and when your group leaves, it will, too. The elegant yet unpretentious spa carries five lines of skin care. Its fun, girl-oriented boutique sells everything from high-heeled flip flops to reading glasses. A floral carpet, crystal chandelier and window sheers give The Day Spa a soft, slightly European flair. To show their appreciation and support of successful women, Cook and Heim host a fund-raiser each fall for WomenVenture in which a group of professional women rent out the spa for the night and The Day Spa donates its services. All proceeds go to WomenVenture, an organization providing support for women growing a business, finding a new job or starting a new career path. The mother-daughter team has been in business for 16 years, 12 years at the Edina location, and will open a second spa in Burnsville this October called Teenspa. The Day Spa can host groups as large as 35 with its 10 manicure stations, two makeup stations, five facial rooms, four massage rooms, a pedicure room with six whirlpool stations, and two steam rooms. Men definitely welcome!
- Meeting room: No
- Hot treatment: All-natural, aromatherapy and hot stone foot massage pedicures
- Square feet: 3,400
- Corporate discounts: Free add-ons
- Parking: Off-street, 200-plus stalls
- Alcohol: No
- Local amenities: Close to Southdale, the Galleria, Sheraton Bloomington, Sofitel Minneapolis and Mall of America
Diane Cook
Group Coordinator
The Day Spa
Centennial Lakes Plaza
7575 France Ave, Edina
952-830-0100
www.adayatthespa.com
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