Healthy Habits
Wood says her on-repeat St. Pete beauty and wellness go-tos balance recovery and indulgence. As an avid tennis player who is on the court at least four times a week, her regular routine is focused on recovery to manage all that wear and tear. Northeast Park Shopping Center anchors her local wellness routine, where she visits MassageLuXe Spa for Swedish bodywork and attends hot yoga sessions at Crunch Fitness, led by Daiva Di Vito.
“Both hurt a little but in a really good way,” Wood offers.
Visit massageluxe.com and crunchfitness.com to learn more.
Face First
For more targeted skincare work, she turns to iConcierge, where her approach is fully customized through the medspa’s No Add-On Facial, featuring Epicutis products.
“My esthetician chooses the optimal glow-getters for exactly where I am in that moment,” Wood explains. “Do I need exfoliation? Hydration? A little of both? No matter the service, we wrap up with a cooling biocellulose mask and sculpting ice globes to reduce redness, ensuring I have the option to head straight out to dinner afterward.”
Visit iconciergemedspa.com to learn more.
Hair Apparent
Following a similar philosophy of maintenance, even her hair appointments include sensory wellness.
Wood recently started going to Leaf AVEDA for hair color, which she playfully refers to as “re-blonding.”
“Talk about an elevated salon experience. Not only has my hair never been healthier, but as soon as I check in, I’m given a menu of gratis add-on mini spa services to choose from. I always opt for the scalp massage, but toggle among the others,” Wood shares. “On my last visit, it was an aromatherapy treatment with one of the brand’s seven Chakra Balancing Pure-Fume Mists. I chose Wisdom, which targets the crown chakra with a heady mix of angelica and olibanum. So good!”
Visit leafavedasalonspa.com to learn more.
Local Knowledge
For visitors seeking a defining local spa experience, Wood recommends Spa Oceana at The Don CeSar.
“With 16 private rooms, it feels expansive, especially if you book one of the ‘Gulf view seaside’ treatment suites,” she explains. “A standout from the services menu is the Ocean Voyages collection, themed around the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans. They weave-in all manner of indigenous ingredients and inspirations, from the Hamsa Healing Ritual featuring Tibetan singing bowls and the Hawaiian Lomi Lomi Massage, to a sweet tea- and beach grass-infused body scrub.”
Visit doncesar.com to learn more.
Pleasure Trip
A short drive south, the Spa by JW at JW Marco Island Beach Resort offers an accessible and indulgent wellness getaway.
“Call me a super-fan,” Wood enthuses. “Tucked away in the north end of the resort, the sprawling 24,000-square-foot facility is home to not only umpteen treatment rooms, but a fully equipped fitness facility with its own separate pools and relaxation lounges–plural. Why have one pool and relaxation lounge when you can have several?”
She explains that the treatments and itineraries are booked around four main “end-goal-in-mind” concepts: Calm, Nourish, Invigorate and Renew. Signature offerings include the 50-minute DTR (Deeply Transformative Relaxation) massage and facials built around the BABOR skincare line, including the Rose Quartz Gua Sha Facial with HSR (High Skin Refiner), a lifting formula designed to address the visible signs of aging—specifically wrinkles and loss of firmness.
The surrounding natural beauty enhances the experience, creating a sense of restorative wellness that defines the overall vibe.
“You look out the treatment room window and all you see is sand and water,” she shares. “If that doesn’t say luxury spa setting, I don’t know what does.”
Visit spabyjwmarco.com to learn more.
Home Rules
At home, Wood’s spa philosophy is centered on water as a reset point.
“I make it my business to recharge in hot tubs, in both the one on my back patio and the smaller one in my guest bath,” she shares. “When I’m opting for an indoor soak, I like to play amateur bath salt mixologist. I have so many beloved brews, but my (pruney) hands-down favorite is the Deep Sleep Beauty Soak by UK wellness brand This Works. Another salt I seriously love is Kourtney x Barker Wellness Calm Magnesium Bath Flakes. These salts are formulated to ease tension, support recovery, promote overall well-being and are wildly relaxing.”
Visit us.thisworks.com and barkerwellness.com to learn more.
Far Flung Getaway
For a more ambitious escape, Wood points to Hacienda AltaGracia in Costa Rica, set in the mountains of Pérez Zeledón within the San José Province, a wildly lush and remote region threaded with coffee farms.
“It’s quite the trek from Florida and you’ll need to be okay with a short flight in a tiny prop plane to access the main property, which is stretched out over 18 acres,” she offers. “The 50-casita resort is, in a word, spectacular, but it’s the spa, especially the jaw-dropping Casa de Agua, that’s the true must-visit. It and the Estée Lauder Skin Longevity Institute are not to be missed.”
At its center, Casa de Agua serves as a sculptural spa environment defined by glass walls, elevated thermal design and immersive hydrotherapy spaces. The entire space feels designed around slowing the body down, from heated marble beds to mineral mud treatments that feel almost elemental. The Estée Lauder Skin Longevity Institute adds a modern counterpoint, offering “state-of-the-art facials” and marks the brand’s first such institute in the Americas.
Visit auberge.com/Altagracia to learn more.
Seasoned Perspective
Wood’s approach to self-care and spa culture is defined less by indulgence and more by intention.
“Resist the temptation to book back-to-back services. Instead, build downtime in your day. Whether you’re just lounging in the relaxation room, sipping cucumber-infused H20 or bouncing between the sauna, steam room and an icy plunge pool, really soak up that spa ambience,” she advises. “And leave your phone in your locker. If you want photos for social media, take them either before or after your treatments.”
Wood notes that there is no need to feel pressured to purchase the products used during services, but adds that if you truly loved a particular cream or essential oil, those small indulgences are an ideal way to bring the spa experience home.
