The resort town of Palm Springs, California, is well-known for its luxury and wellness retreats. One of its first such facilities, The Spa at Spa Casino Resort, just kicked off its 50th anniversary year.

When it opened on January 21, 1960, The Spa—which predated the hotel by three years—offered $3 baths and $5 massages. While the facility can trace its roots back to a single bathhouse built on the property in the 1880s, the more elaborate spa seen today cost $3 million to build and incorporates 36 mineral tubs, 34 massage/treatment rooms and two outdoor mineral pools. The original water treatments have evolved to now include various stages, including steaming, sauna and eucalyptus inhalation.

To commemorate The Spa’s golden anniversary, festivities are appropriately retro. The “Sparty,” on January 21, will offer cocktails and finger foods in a ’60s style. Attendees will also have the chance to compete for best ’60s hairstyle or overall look, with prizes for the winners.

Special birthday packages for 2010 include:

• Taking of the Waters ($110), with a 50-minute massage or facial, mini-body polish, private mineral bath and 50th anniversary gift.
• Golden Celebration ($250), with a 50-minute massage, 50-minute facial, private mineral bath, spa lunch and 50th anniversary robe.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 at 6:20 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.