Kickstarting Wellness Journeys at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
Celebrating Global Wellness Day with fellow editors and journalists at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.
After spending the better part of the past two years mostly at home due to the pandemic (which included having to celebrate Global Wellness Day virtually), I was beyond thrilled when I had the opportunity to spend Global Wellness Day 2022 in person at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.
Now in its 11th year, Global Wellness Day is celebrated around the world annually on the second Saturday of June. First established in 2012, Global Wellness Day was created in order to raise awareness and inspire everyone to lead healthier and happier lives. It’s also an important reminder for many us that are caught up in the stress of work and our daily lives to hit the pause button and give ourselves a chance to reset.
While Global Wellness is celebrated differently everywhere, the common thread shared is that all of the activities are complimentary and offered solely for the purpose of encouraging others to live well. Along with fellow editors and journalists, I was looking forward to a full day of wellness activities at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, which kicked off with a morning yoga class on the helipad led by Alo Yoga teacher Josh Kramer (@joshkrameryoga).
We began our morning with a yoga class on the hotel helipad taught by Alo Yoga teacher Josh Kramer.
Kramer was born and raised in Zimbabwe before moving to New Zealand, and these days is based in California, traveling around the world teaching and sharing his passion for yoga. His unique style blends Iyengar Yoga (focuses on structural alignment through poses) and Vinyasa flow (seamlessly transitioning from one posture to another in a fluid manner).
Surrounded by beautiful views of Los Angeles from all sides of the helipad, I couldn’t have been more inspired as I followed Kramer’s lead during his class. If you’re planning to host a private or corporate event at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, helipad yoga is among the group activity options. More info here.
After working up a good sweat and feeling nicely stretched from all of the yoga poses, we all made our way downstairs to enjoy fresh smoothies and juices at Culina Ristorante + Caffé with the Alo Yoga team, who gave us goodie bags with some of the brand’s latest haircare products, in addition to fitness swag.
Culina Ristorante + Caffé is an Italian-inspired eatery at the hotel and has an extensive menu that includes healthier offerings, some of which we got to sample during Global Wellness Day. My favorites included the Green Goddess Juice (kale, apple, celery, cucumber, melon, basil and mint) and the acai bowl with granola, goji berry, blueberry, banana, chia seeds, bee pollen, almonds and honey. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and you can view their different menus here.
Next we enjoyed an assortment of healthy snacks and beverages with the Alo Yoga team.
Next we headed to the pool area, where we lounged under umbrellas and enjoyed mini spa treatments including back and shoulder massages. The Spa at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills has recently added a new series of facial and body treatments to their menu. These have been carefully curated to target various skin concerns such as toning, sculpting and detoxifying, among others.
Spa Profile: The Spa at The Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
Treatments range from 50 to 110 minutes in length, with introductory prices starting at $295. They include:
Toning and Firming Body Sculpt Body Treatment: Created in collaboration with Hyperice partners and La Natura Botanicals, this body sculpting treatment leaves skin radiant, tight, and firm. A massage specialist utilizes a Hypervolt gun to break down fat cells. Guests will then be wrapped in an anti-inflammatory turmeric clay body mask that helps release water retention and skin pigmentation. The treatment concludes with a 60-minute lymphatic massage that helps reduce inflammation and lymphatic blockage, as well as improving the immune system. (110 minutes/$425)
Marine Algae Body Detox Body Treatment utilizes the skincare benefits and healing properties of marine algae, aiding with water retention, inflammation, and the release of unwanted toxins. The treatment begins with a Dead Sea salt body scrub followed by a body specialist cocooning guests in a healing marine algae clay body mask. The marine algae mask is absorbed into the pores to assist in releasing toxins from the body, and the treatment concludes with an application of hydrating plant-based vegan butter for brighter, rejuvenated skin. (80 minutes/ $395)
Garden Zen Body Renewal Treatment is a relaxing plant-based body treatment to restore the skin and calm the mind. The treatment begins with highly skilled professionals exfoliating the skin with an aromatic Dead Sea salt body scrub made with a blend of green tea, ginger, lemongrass, mandarin, and amber botanical oils to stimulate the skin and senses. Following the body polish, guests have the choice of a 60-minute Swedish or Deep Tissue Eastern Zen aromatherapy massage, leaving guests feeling radiant and rejuvenated. (80 minutes/$ 325)
MBR Gentleman's Facial helps repair the damage caused by daily shaving, skin sensitivity, dullness, aging, and the environmental impact of both city and outdoor living. To begin, a skin expert will examine the skin, treating and nourishing the face with the revolutionary MBR skincare line to stimulate the skin regeneration process. This treatment ends with a relaxing head, neck, and shoulder massage, as well as skincare advice on how to prevent razor burn and inflammation due to skin sensitivity. (50 minutes/$395)
MBR Liquid Surgery Facial is a non-invasive facial rejuvenation, combining state-of-the-art technology with revolutionary medical ingredients. Assistant Spa Manager Gilma Linares decided to bring back this facial, which is designed to transform the skin without discomfort or recovery time. The innovative treatment integrates six of the most requested applications in one system. This extraordinary Reverse-Aging Treatment deeply hydrates, regenerates the skin's cell functions, and stimulates the production of extracellular matrix molecules, crucial for defined skin contours. (110 minutes/$1,000)
Afterwards, we relaxed by indulging in mini spa treatments by the pool.
For lunch, we enjoyed a delicious and healthy plant-based meal prepared by the renowned Chef Matthew Kenney, whose high-end plant-centered cuisine can be found on menus at various Four Seasons properties including Los Angeles and Kuwait. The Folia menu is a collaborative launch where diners can sample entirely plant-based fine-dining dishes that are unique to the Four Seasons, which include vegan appetizers, entrees and desserts. One thing that sets Chef Kenney apart from others is how he focuses on the use of whole food, plant-based ingredients to create high-end dishes.
Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills’ Wellness Floor Caters to Health-Focused Guests
Our menu for lunch started with a refreshing melon gazpacho dish with jicama, avocado and black mint for the first course, followed by a chimichurri maitake entree with summer squash, aji Amarillo and crispy corn. For dessert, we enjoyed a sesame gelato topped with apricot, caramel and toasted coconut. Every dish was beautifully prepared and had multiple flavor profiles, and I could tell that a lot of time, thought and creativity had been put into each item.
Chef Kenney also discussed his journey in the industry and his plans to continue to make his mark on vegan cuisine. If you’re interested in trying his food at Four Seasons, learn more here.
We enjoyed a special plant-based lunch prepared by Chef Matthew Kenney.
Our first course was a melon gazpacho with jicama, avocado and black mint.
For dessert we were treated to sesame gelato topped with apricot, caramel and toasted coconut.
Our day concluded with a Hypno-Sound Bath healing session led by Altha, a team of sound healers who provide multi-sensorial and fully immersive sound meditation experiences. In Latin, altha means “high and elevated,” while in Old Greek it means “healing and wholesome.”
I’ve experienced sound baths before and always found them to be relaxing, but a hypnosis sound bath took my experience to an entirely different level. Upon sitting down, we were each cleansed with palo santo and provided our own comfortable space to lie down. In addition to Alo Yoga mats, we were provided meditation pillows, knit throw blankets, divine oil rollers and sage bundles.
After rubbing the oil on our temples and hands, we lied down with the pillows under our heads, eye masks on while nestled under the soft blankets, and closed our eyes. Brice Le Roux led the hypnosis while Altha’s team of sound healers played the alchemy bowls. His calming, soothing voice paired with the sound bowls was absolutely heavenly and transported me to another dimension. In addition to the bowls, the Altha team continued our melodic sound journey by incorporating flutes, hand drums, rain sticks (my personal favorite), shakers, rain sticks and chimes.
I drifted off into a state between sleep and being awake, and after the session had concluded, it was as if I had taken a power nap—I felt extremely refreshed and rejuvenated. If you’re interested in experiencing a Hypno Sound Bath or something similar, Altha does everything from corporate events and group retreats to animal sound baths. To book your next sound bath with them and to learn more, click here.
Our final activity of the day was a hypnosis sound healing led by Altha.
Experiencing Global Wellness Day at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills was a great reminder of how important the practice of self-care is to one’s physical and mental health. While Global Wellness Day occurs once a year, we should all make the effort to incorporate some aspect of wellness into our daily lives, whether it’s eating a healthy meal, practicing yoga or meditation, treating one’s self to a spa service, or whatever it is that helps you relax and contributes to your happiness.
The next Global Wellness Day will take place on June 10, 2023. For more information about Global Wellness Day, visit the website and follow on Instagram: @globalwellnessday.
To make a hotel or spa reservation at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, visit the website and follow on Instagram: @fslosangeles.
[Photos courtesy of The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills; select photos by Kamala Kirk]
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk