Queen for a Day at Spa Oceana

With an intricate tile mosaic from Israel beneath my feet and an opulent ruby glass chandelier above my head, I feel like I'm paying a visit to royalty when I step inside the Spa Oceana at the Don CeSar Beach Resort, a Loews Hotel.

A smiling host greets me with a warm "Welcome to Spa Oceana” and pours me a refreshing glass of natural fruit elixir, and I realize I'm the one wearing the crown. The historic pink palace gracing the white-sand shores of St. Pete Beach has long offered high-end spa services, but its new 11,000-square-foot, three-story spa and salon now offers an even higher level of luxury along with treatments and products you won't find anywhere else.

An extended wing of the historic Mediterranean Revival resort, the new spa blends so seamlessly with the original beach hotel you'd think it had always been there. It also has more of a beach aura than its smaller predecessor. Large windows allow views of the blue surf as a masseuse works her magic in one of 16 treatment rooms. You can also have your massage in the spa's rooftop garden overlooking the beach – or on the beach itself.

Signature treatments incorporate rich products containing elements from the sea. For instance, the Spa Oceana Signature Vie Ritual uses the luxurious French product line with a seashore plant extract. Hydrotherapies include traces of tropical coastal and ocean plants, putting new twists on ancient rituals, such as a thalassotherapy bath.

In keeping with high-end spa trends, Spa Oceana also offers 24K golden mineral treatments. My favorite new feature is a futuristic-looking thermal capsule that cocoons and transports you through various environs including bath, steam, artificial sunlight and a Vichy shower. As spa director Yarlin Faurer says, "You finish feeling 10 years younger.”

To complete the youthful look, I stop by the salon, where Kérastase products brighten the hair and beach sand and sea salts smooth the feet and hands. For a final glow, Kerry, a make-up specialist, applies light Franché mineral-based cosmetics. A touch here, a dab there and a new lipstick color, and I'm ready to rule the night.

If You Go:
Don CeSar Beach Resort, 866-728-2206, www.doncesar.com