Originally published in the Summer + Fall 2017 issue.
Getaways are an essential element of wellness, and the St. Julien Hotel & Spa in Boulder have created a vegan-friendly package for a Front Range retreat that is nourishing and revitalizing.
The Very Vegan Package includes overnight accommodation in one of the St. Julien’s comfortable and chic guests rooms, as well as a speciality spa treatment, craft libations, and food and beverage credit that can be used for the Vegan Friday buffet.
Arrive and head to the award-winning spa for “The Pampered Vegan” treatment. The session begins with a a vegan body scrub using 100-percent organic sunflower oil and finely ground sugar, followed by a full-body massage with a custom essential oil blend, and completed with a warm scalp massage.
“We have a wild lime scalp and hair oil that is 100-percent vegan,” said Sukhama Tutoni, licensed massaged therapist at the spa. “It’s primarily avocado oil with organic wild lime and some other essential citrus oils in there. So it’s very cleansing and clearing, and it has the high essential fatty acids because of the avocado oil. It’s really a deluxe treatment.”
Once you’ve indulged in all the spa facilities, start happy hour with a Cruisin’ in Rio vegan cocktail. It’s a refreshing drink crafted with Novo Fogo Cachaca, Aperol, passionfruit, lime and bitters.
Do your best to plan your visit to land on a Friday. The Vegan Friday lunch buffet is locally renowned (expect a wait if you don’t have a reservation). This once-a-week event highlights an ever-changing spread of entirely vegan dishes.
Pastry chef Mark Metzger makes a large spread of completely vegan sweets, and his flavors and textures don’t skip a beat.
“We replace every animal element with a natural element,” he says of how to prepare the vegan pastries. “Once you figure out the balance and the science behind it, it’s actually really simple and a lot of fun.”
“Once you figure out the balance and the science behind it, it’s actually really simple and a lot of fun.”
Rates start at $459 and vary based on room type, hotel occupancy and availability. Additional treatments can be purchased through the spa for $145 per treatment. www.stjulien.com
Based in Vail, Colorado, Kim Fuller is a freelance writer, editor and photojournalist, as well as a yoga teacher, legacy ambassador for Lululemon Athletica Vail, and co-founder of In Your Element, a yoga and outdoor adventure company. When Kim is not diligently writing and editing in her mountain nook, teaching yoga around town or finding a new adventure, find Kim at a local cafe or craft brewery, where she enjoys the more indulgent side of inspiration.
