New year, Renewed You

With each new year comes new aspirations, new beginnings and a desire for a renewed spirit. Spa Gaucin at The St. Regis Monarch Beach promises a most exceptional escape in the new year for guests looking for a revitalized mind, spirit and body.Under the direction of new spa director Darcie DeBartelo, who previously worked at The St. Regis Princeville Resort, the renowned five-star Mediterranean spa is offering signature treatments, such as the Ultimate Beauty with the Wellness Facial and Stone Facial Massage as well as an uncompromising vision for health and well-being. The Gaucin Citrus and Herb manicure and pedicure are also spa pleasures that await guests.

“I am honored to have been chosen to lead the talented spa and salon teams at The St. Regis Monarch Beach,” DeBartelo says. “Together, we will continue to elevate the luxury spa and salon experience for our discerning clientele.”

The award-winning Spa Gaucin, aptly named after the charming European village of Gaucin on the southern tip of Spain, offers guests a full-service experience with the sanctuary of 24 spa treatment rooms, tranquility of a spa lap pool with underwater music, energized ambiance of the fitness center and organic fare of Spa Gaucin Café, crafted by Executive Chef Frederic Castan.

“Whether guests are looking for just a little advice or looking for a complete makeover of health and beauty rituals, we are here to assist them completely,” DeBartelo says.

Positive Start

Begin the new season and a new year with a ritual tossing of a medallion into the Well of Desires to symbolically leave your cares behind and start anew. Toss your medallion, and then prepare for an effortless experience.

“As we transition from summer to fall to winter, so does our need for our beauty and fitness rituals,” DeBartelo says. “This is a great time to visit the spa and have one of our staff help guests assess their current needs. We can assist with everything from evaluating one’s current skin care rituals to choosing new fall makeup colors and scheduling therapeutic massages.”

Spa Gaucin recently launched a new spa menu and two new, favorite treatments that are all inclusive: the Costa Del Sol, a complete body ritual from head to toe, as well as the Ultimate Beauty treatment, the creme de la creme of facial services that includes a hand and foot massage and scalp treatment.

The Costa Del Sol
Signature Experience exudes the Mediterranean essence of Spa Gaucin. This head-to-toe, two-hour retreat captivates with influences of the Mediterranean Coast.

The experience begins with a nourishing hair treatment featuring Moroccan mint argon oil paired with a soothing scalp massage. Next, guests are invited to release tensions with a soothing, full body, restorative massage. Finally, enticing aromatics of red currant and orange blossom indulge the senses as hands and feet are gently exfoliated, wrapped and treated to reflexology. Guests are certain to feel refreshed after the Costa Del Sol all-inclusive spa treatment.

The Ultimate Beauty, also a Spa Gaucin Signature Experience, lets you indulge in a full retreat with its comprehensive spa journey. DeBartelo explains that the treatment begins with a scalp massage, in which the hair is enriched with

Moroccan mint argan oil.

Next, guests enjoy the Wellness Facial that is tailored to your skin’s needs. The facial is enhanced by Spa Gaucin’s soothing Stone Facial Massage to reduce aggravations and improve the skin’s tone.

Finally, hands and feet are gently exfoliated and detoxified with an organic blend of salts from the four corners of the earth. The treatment concludes with a comforting massage to the hands and feet with grapeseed body butter to gently awaken guest from the two-hour Spa Gaucin experience.

Choosing the Ultimate Beauty is indeed an exquisite way to enter the new year relaxed and with a mindful presence.

Fitness Inspired

A blissful, energized start to any day while staying at The St. Regis Monarch Beach is  enjoying a beautiful, scenic bluff hike at the resort. DeBartelo says that one of her favorite things to do is taking the two-hour hike. “There are amazing views of the Southern California coastline, and if you’re just lucky enough, you may even see some whales or dolphins along the way,” she says.

Fitness for the new year comes in many forms at the resort, from coastal hikes to skilled trainers. Spa Gaucin offers one-on-one professional fitness trainers who can evaluate a guest’s current fitness routine and design custom regimens. When booking a personal training session, you receive a 75-minute session that can be tailored to your needs following a consultation.

You may also opt for a fitness class where you can increase your heart rate with a wide-range of fitness offerings, including core conditioning, detox vinyasa flow, yoga-lates (yoga and Pilates), morning meditation and gentle flow yoga. The fitness classes are complimentary to resort guests and the fitness center is outfitted with contemporary Precor and Technogym fitness equipment, and of course, the refreshing outdoor lap pool with underwater music.

Soul Food

Spa Gaucin not only helps guests feel good on the outside but also on the inside. Spa Gaucin Café features traditional Mediterranean fare that is complementary to a wellness lifestyle. Executive Chef Frederic Castan at The St. Regis Monarch Beach explains why the choice of Mediterranean cuisine and how its organic ingredients are perfect for those who are health conscious.

“Mediterranean cuisine is what I like to prepare the most, being from the South of France, and of course, the flavor and style of cuisine goes wonderfully with the resort,” Castan says. “Mediterranean cuisine is known to be among the most healthy cuisine in the world, using organic fresh local produces, fruits, olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs and a minimum of butter or cream.

“The style of food uses citrus in sauces, and vinaigrette and garnishes bring flavorful taste to dishes while also benefiting the body with vitamins and minerals,” he adds.

The Spa Gaucin Café menu offers light cuisine that’s lower in calories. “At the beginning of the year, most people take the resolution to exercise every day and to eat healthy, but often this resolution subsides,” Castan says. “I don’t think we should be on a strict diet to be healthier, but focus more on eating the right foods in moderate portions. This helps keep a healthy lifestyle.”

Specific types of foods Castan prepares for the spa menu includes sustainable seafood, natural meat and poultry and fruits and vegetables that are grown without pesticides. His vision is to replace all processed products and use handcrafted dressings.

“We need to keep a good balance in our daily food, using more grains, brown rice and less sugar,” he shares. He promises these quality culinary choices will bring improved health and energy—and even change your mood for the better.

Whether you need a pick-me-up or desire to create a more wellness-focused lifestyle, Spa Gaucin can help you achieve your aspirations for a better, healthier you. Combining spa, fitness and fare, the experience is aimed to create a sanctuary of indulgence and relaxation.

A Day at Spa Gaucin

To fully experience Spa Gaucin, set aside the entire day to renew and refresh at your leisure in the luxurious 30,000-square-foot retreat.

• When you book a treatment at Spa Gaucin or at The Salon at The St. Regis Monarch Beach, you’re invited to enjoy the luxurious spa facilities all day. Reserve your time by calling 949-234-3367.

• Arrive early before your treatment so that you can check in to Spa Gaucin without any rush.

• Allow time to enjoy the aromatherapy sauna, eucalyptus-infused steam room and the whirlpool with a cascading waterfall before your treatment. These spa experiences will warm the muscles before a massage, open the pores before a facial and purify the body.

• You can also opt for a complimentary fitness class before your treatments or relax  in one of the peaceful and private tranquility lounges after your treatments (there is a co-ed Tranquility Lounge as well as private men’s and women’s relaxation areas with complimentary tea and amenities for guests).

• Take a refreshing swim in the adults-only, 25-yard, three-lane lap pool with an underwater sound system.

• Nourish your body at the Spa Gaucin Café for a fresh, healthy and delicious Mediterranean experience.

• Shop the Spa Gaucin boutique for latest styles as well as indulgent skin and body products.