Spa Finder Announces 2007 Spa Finder Readers’ Choice Awards Winners

Awards Reveal Spa-Goers’ Favorite Spas on Six Continents and 23 Nations/Regions Worldwide; Spa-Goers’ Also Name Their Top Spas for a Range of Specific Features and Offerings

New York, NY – September 18th, 2007 – Spa Finder, Inc., the global spa resource, today announced the winners of its 2007 Readers’ Choice Awards, revealing spa-goers’ favorite spas in the world – by continent and region – as well as their top picks for the best spas in 23 specific categories. Based on thousands of votes submitted by Spafinder.com visitors and readers of Luxury SpaFinder Magazine, the awards represent the most complete consumer assessment of the global spa market.

Now in its fifth year, the Spa Finder Readers’ Choice Awards has elicited more reader votes with each passing year, and 2007 saw the most dramatic increase to date, with a major upsurge in international votes and more than twice as many votes overall compared to a year ago. In all, ballots were cast for 1,500+ different spa properties worldwide (a number made all the more impressive given that voters were asked to only cast ballots for stay spas they’ve personally visited within the past three years).

“Our Readers’ Choice Awards have become the industry’s premier awards program – a sort of ‘Academy Awards’ for spas,” said Spa Finder, Inc. President Susie Ellis. “Given how many people voted this year and how many different spas were considered, this is a huge honor for all of our 2007 winners.”

Following are Spa Finder readers’ and web visitors’ favorite spas in the world, by continent and country/region, according to this year’s vote tallies. Reflecting the growth of spa participation worldwide, 23 nations/regions and every habitable continent on the globe are now represented.

Crystal Award Winners – Favorite Spas in the World (by Continent)

Africa	Four Seasons Resort Sharm el Sheikh, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
Asia	Chiva-Som, Hua Hin, Thailand
Australia	Spa Chakra Hayman, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland
Europe	Fonteverde Natural Spa Resort, San Casciano dei Bagni, Italy
North America	Miraval, Life in Balance, Tucson (Arizona), United States

Favorite Spas by Country/Region

Austria	Rogner-Bad Blumau Hotel & Spa, Bad Blumau
Brazil	Kurotel Longevity Center and Spa, Gramado
Canada	Ste. Anne’s Country Inn & Spa, Grafton, Ontario
Caribbean	The BodyHoliday at LeSport, St. Lucia
Central America	Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort, La Fortuna, Costa Rica
China	The Peninsula Spa by ESPA, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Czech Republic	Mandarin Oriental, Prague
France	Evian Royal Resort, Evian
Germany	Brenner’s Park-Hotel & Spa, Baden-Baden
Greece	Blue Palace Resort & Spa, Elounda, Crete
India	Ananda in the Himalayas, Tehri Garhwai, Uttaranchai
Indonesia	Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay, Bali
Ireland	ESPA at the g hotel, Galway
Japan	Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo
The Maldives	One&Only at Reethi Rah, North Malé Atoll
Mexico	Rancho La Puerta, Tecate
Middle East	Talise Spa at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
S. Pacific Islands	InterContinental Resort and Spa Moorea, Moorea, French Polynesia
Southeast Asia	Banyan Tree Phuket, Phuket, Thailand
Switzerland	Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa, Interlaken
Thailand	Chiva-Som, Hua Hin
United Kingdom	Champneys at Tring Health Resort, Wigginton, Tring, Hertfordshire
United States	Miraval, Life in Balance, Tucson (Arizona), United States

Readers Also Name “Best” Spas for 23 Specific Spa Offerings
To help spa consumers identify the best spas for their unique goals, Spa Finder also asked its readers and web visitors to name their picks for the best spas in 23 specific categories – from “best accommodations” and “best cuisine,” to “best for men” and “best urban hotel spa.” One of the new categories for ’07 is “best spa brand,” reflecting a sharpening industry focus on branding and how important spa brands (as opposed to individual spa properties) have become for consumers.

A complete listing of Reader’s Choice Award winners is featured in Spa Finder’s 2008 Global Spa Finder, the definitive worldwide spa directory, and can be viewed at: http://www.spafinder.com/spaguide/readerschoice/2007

Awards Ceremonies to Take Place November 1st 2007
Spa Finder Readers’ Choice Awards will be formally presented during an invitation-only gathering at New York’s Vanderbilt Hall, Grand Central Terminal on November 1st, 2007, as part of Spa Finder’s “The Spa Experience 2007,” a public sampling of 60+ elite spas from around the globe.