A Luxuriously Healthy Weekend in Miami Beach
By: Michael Nassar
 | The Mud Lounge at The Standard in Miami
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Miami Beach is famous for its sizzling nightlife, but a host of new spas are placing the emphasis squarely on wellness. Dangling off the Atlantic coast, South Beach (or SoBe) has been luring visitors to its white sands and magnificent blue waters since it first burst onto the social scene in the 1920s, with successive generations discovering it anew and claiming it as their own. But don't be deterred by the crop of buffed and bronzed hedonists that descended when Ricky Martin swayed his hips in praise of la vida loca: The new wave of pioneers are upon us, and they're all about livin' the healthy life. STAY Gansevoort South Hotel, Spa and Residences Although there are plenty of places in Miami Beach to party (such as Gansevoort South Hotel, Spa and Residences, where the rooftop pool is always a scene), those seeking peace and quiet have no shortage of options. In fact even at the Gansevoort, in-room yoga mats and spacious private balconies overlooking the ocean make morning sun salutations easy, and fitness guru David Barton offers a gym alongside his first-ever spa downstairs.
Book it: Gansevoort South Hotel, Spa and Residences, 2377 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, (305) 604-1000, from $395 per night The Regent Bal Harbour Away from the buzz, on the northern tip of the strip, The Regent Bal Harbour is just a quick ride to the action, but you'll likely be content to stay put and admire the multimillion-dollar art collection.
Book it: The Regent Bal Harbour, 10295 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour, (800) 545-4000, from $325 per night  | David Barton Gym & Spa
in the Gansevoort
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Fontainebleau Once the king of Miami Beach and still an architectural landmark, the Fontainebleau has recaptured its heyday with the help of a recent $1 billion expansion and renovation that included a 40,000-square-foot two-story spa focused on deeply healing thermal therapies.
Book it: Fontainebleau Miami Beach, 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, (305) 538-2000, from $289 per night Traymore Hotel Opening in winter 2010, the entire Traymore Hotel will be an Exhale spa: All 85 guestrooms will be spa suites, and when you leave your room you'll want to try out the rooftop hammam or celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein's seafood restaurant. Wherever you are in the hotel, wellness remains the focus. EAT The dining scene is as over-the-top as the club scene in Miami Beach, but thankfully the area's "see and be seen" vibe lends itself to nutritious eats. Gourmet Carrot Delicious vegan, vegetarian, and kosher fare sans dairy (the restaurant offers soy versions of milk and cheese) has drawn crowds to the Gourmet Carrot for more than a decade; grab one of the tables on the tree-lined sidewalk for a breath of fresh air.
Go: Gourmet Carrot, 959 West Ave., Miami Beach, (305) 534-4211; serving lunch and dinner, entrees from $10 Escopazzo Seeking more upscale fare? Head to Escopazzo, an organic restaurant with a loyal celeb following where linguine of zucchini with vegan pesto demonstrates that health-conscious needn't be boring.
Go: Escopazzo, 1311 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, (305) 674-9450; serving dinner only, entrees from $32 Go-Go Indulge in Miami's Latin flair without the calories at hole-in-the-wall Go-Go, where light and flaky whole-wheat (on request) empanadas are stuffed with tasty vegetarian fillings.
Go: Go-Go, 926 Alton Rd., Miami Beach, (305) 673-3137; serving lunch and dinner, entrees from $10 Pita Pit And if you do find yourself out enjoying the Miami nightlife, head to Pita Pit for late-night noshing without the grease: Greek salads and pitas are the stars here.
Go: Pita Pit, 16323 SW 88th St., Miami Beach, (305) 388-7740; serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, open until 3 a.m., entrees from $5 SPA The Standard Spa Sets the standard for hotel spas in Miami with a laid-back and playful approach to DIY hydrotherapy. A communal outdoor Mud Lounge overlooks Biscayne Bay and turns the art of getting dirty into sociable fun while the Turkish Hamam Rub and Scrub ($75, 30 minutes) in the coed hammam will leave you squeaky clean.
Spa: The Standard Spa, The Standard Miami, 40 Island Ave., Miami Beach, (305) 673-1717, from $150 per night The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Miami If luxurious privacy is more your taste, look no further than The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Miami. Across the bay in Miami's burgeoning downtown cultural area, Mandarin's highly personalized and restorative time-based Journeys (from $290, 110 minutes) are about getting exactly what you want rather than what's printed on a menu.
Spa: The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Miami, 500 Brickell Key Dr., Miami, (305) 913-8288, from $249 per night  | The Spa at The Setai in Miami
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The Spa at The Setai Back at the beach, The Setai is an opulent hulk of a resort—its saving grace is The Spa at The Setai with its expansive treatment rooms overlooking the water and a winning Ancient Balinese Massage ($235, 90 minutes).
Spa: The Spa at The Setai, 2001 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, (305) 520 6000, from $850 per night Agua at Delano Hotel The Alice-in-Wonderland atmos-phere of the Philippe Starck–designed Delano is nowhere more evident than in the billowing gauze curtains and cloudlike embrace of the rooftop Agua spa, where the signature Agua Milk and Honey body treatment ($140, 60 minutes) blends organic sesame oil and warm honey with milk to nourish and hydrate the skin.
Spa: Agua, Delano Hotel, 1685 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, (305) 672-2000, from $525 per night Uhma Spa & Shop The lone day spa holdout among the frenzy of hotel and resort spas is eco-chic Uhma Spa & Shop, where the fused traditions of Ayurveda, aromatherapy, and various indigenous cultures create an organic personalized experience that's far from the crowds and anything but ordinary.
Spa: Uhma Spa & Shop, 726 6th St., Miami Beach, (305) 695-0996 Canyon Ranch Wellness Spa, Canyon Ranch Miami Beach And while the area's first true destination spa has just debuted courtesy of Canyon Ranch, you'll need to be an overnight guest to sample the extravagant facilities—most notably Aquavana, a European-inspired 5,000-square-foot oasis of hydrotherapy (sauna, cold mist room, experiential showers, and more) in the Canyon Ranch Wellness Spa.
Spa: Canyon Ranch Wellness Spa, Canyon Ranch Miami Beach, 6801 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, (800) 742-9000 PLAY Synergy Center for Yoga and the Healing Arts If you're looking for yoga, gather on the sand at Third Street and Collins Avenue for a class run by Synergy Center for Yoga and the Healing Arts. Whether you're a novice or an experienced practitioner, yoga on the beach is an altogether different experience. Twice-daily classes are open to all levels by donation ($5 requested), just don't forget to bring a big beach towel.
Yoga: Synergy Center for Yoga and the Healing Arts, 8701 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, (305) 866-1650 Key Biscayne Also near the water, but away from the sand, Key Biscayne is Miami's secret jewel—a haven for wildlife and an ideal location for a leisurely bike ride ($15 per day from Mangrove Cycles). It's also the best place to view Miami's legendary sunsets.
Bike: Mangrove Cycles, 260 Crandon Blvd., #6, Key Biscayne, (305) 361-5555 More Sunny Getaways:
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