Leaving the heat of the sauna, I step outside, dappled sunlight filtering through the trees, warming my face. Soft musical notes fill the air as I meander along the foliage-lined pathway through the quiet Water Garden, a collection of water features — a hot plunge, a cold plunge and a soothing Vitality Pool — inspired by Florida’s natural springs. I pass alcoves with comfy seating and vow to return, book in hand.

Luck is on my side: At the time of my visit, I am the only one in the Water Garden. I spot wet footprints but do not see anyone else. I have discovered a private oasis, for the time being. Creating my own water therapy circuit, I alternate between the hot and cold plunges, submerging my body in the heat and quickly dipping into the cold. On my last go-round, I summon my courage and submerge myself up to my shoulders in the cold plunge, a chilling 58 degrees Fahrenheit, for a solid minute.

© Conrad Orlando

Wrapping into a robe, I smile to myself as I pad back to the Serenity Lounge to meet my spa therapist, pleased with my small victory. I intentionally arrived at Conrad Spa Orlando well ahead of my treatment to take my time and really enjoy the Water Garden and, indeed, all of the amenities the spa offers its guests, including sauna and steam rooms. The carefully curated Spa Library’s shelves are lined with a selection of titles ranging from sleep to botanicals, mental health to holistic wellness and more to read wherever guests find themselves getting comfy.

Perusing the spa menu, I had a hard time choosing a treatment — so many enticing options! In the end, I opted for the 80-minute Blanket of Calm, using sound and breathwork to enhance a body, face and scalp massage.

After she collects me from the Serenity Lounge and while reviewing the treatment in our private room prior to starting, Trish, my therapist, asks if I would like to include an aura cleansing at the beginning and crystals to remove bad energy and attract the good. “Absolutely,” I reply.

© Conrad Orlando

Before the aura cleansing, Trish begins the Blanket of Calm treatment by asking me to deeply inhale and exhale five times, explaining the breathwork serves as a type of meditation to gently reset our bodies and minds. By the fifth breath, I can feel myself floating away, the scents of cardamom and bitter orange enveloping my body through massage.

Before I know it, our 80 minutes are up and it is time for me to leave the warm embrace of the treatment room. Walking out, I peek inside the room across the hall; Trish told me it is one of the spa’s wet rooms used for body treatments like scrubs. Thinking back to the spa menu, I recall an impressive selection of body treatments such as the Florida Orange Blossom Body Polish and Organic Seaweed Wrap.

Inspired by the waters that flow throughout Florida, the spa offers a variety of water-based therapies performed in private spaces
tucked away in the Water Garden, including the Florida Springs Mineral Bath using mineral-rich water from local springs; Aromatic Flower Bathing blending the scents of native flora and bath salts; and a Sound Healing Bath during which vibrations from Himalayan singing bowls flow through the water to invoke a sense of complete relaxation.

Guests who would like to incorporate more wellness into their stays at Conrad Orlando can reserve one of the four Wellness Guest Rooms adjacent to the Water Garden. Designed to inspire relaxation, rejuvenation and recovery, each of these rooms features advanced wellness technology and amenities to support mindful movement, restful sleep and overall vitality. Loftie Lamps simulate natural sunrises and sunsets to help with melatonin production, while Loftie Clocks feature meditations and soundscapes to help guests fall into a deep sleep. In-room workouts are a breeze with Technogym Movement Kits, complete with exercise mats, foam rollers, mobility balls and power bands. Or use the hotel’s state-of-the-art fitness center, just upstairs. Guests staying in the Wellness Rooms also enjoy direct access to the Water Garden throughout their stays, accessible by way of private, key-access lanais.

Conrad Spa Orlando’s Recovery Cove, just off the spa lobby, features Harmonic Wellness Loungers, zero-gravity chairs using quantum harmonic sound waves and guided meditation to relax the parasympathetic nervous system. The cove proves a terrific option for those short on time or new to spa-ing.

Conrad Spa Orlando is open to the public, offering complimentary parking to day spa guests.