When real estate developer and preservationist John Dewberry decided to transform the beleaguered L. Mendel Rivers Federal Building into a destination hotel, located in the heart of the nation’s number one destination city, he infused luxury and quiet restraint into every detail. The result: The Dewberry Charleston, the signature hotel in the developer’s growing collection. Determined to raise the bar in luxury accommodations in the Holy City, Dewberry decided to pull out all the stops when it came to creating the ultimate spa experience.
To ensure a fresh, inspired approach to the day spa’s design and services, Dewberry turned to fellow Atlanta entrepreneur Lydia Mondavi, of the legendary Napa Valley wine family. Mondavi is a fifth-generation Atlantan with ancestral ties to South Carolina’s Rutledge family. Early in her career, she worked in the marketing department of Ralph Lauren Cosmetics; later, she founded 29 Cosmetics, a brand that takes advantage of the strong antioxidant power of grape seeds. Mondavi’s vast experience and expertise in the beauty industry has helped her create a luxury day spa experience that is next to none. With a focus on every detail, her unique spa design is already legendary for its ability to sooth the body, mind and spirit.
When clients enter the day spa, located on the hotel’s second floor, a knowledgeable receptionist greets them warmly and reviews the services they are scheduled to receive. In fact, this person doubles as a personal concierge. Not only is she well-versed on the spa’s many offerings, she can also offer insights on what to see and do in the historic city of Charleston. While her clients relax and disengage from the outside world, she can secure dinner reservations for them, inside or outside of the hotel.
Once clients step beyond the reception area, they are enveloped in a fresh, subtle fragrance that comes from the cypress-paneled walls. This distinctive scent mingles with the gentle sound of water flowing from a fountain. (The cypress walls are inspired by those in John Dewberry’s Charleston carriage house, while the fountain is reminiscent of one in his walled garden.) Here, clients begin their personal journeys from the stress of daily life to complete euphoria.
After wrapping themselves in lush robes, clients are invited to stretch out in the relaxation room on a chaise lounge designed by Mondavi for maximum comfort. Here they can indulge in a light fruit snack, sip refreshing fruit-infused water or enjoy a cup of the spa’s signature dewberry tea. Indigenous to South Carolina, dewberries are akin to blackberries, packing the same antioxidant punch, whether consumed as delicious tea or through tea-soaked towels used in various treatments.
The Dewberry Spa has five treatment rooms, each appointed with heated water beds layered with fine linens. Rooms are equipped to deliver a full array of spa services—facials, massages, body treatments, hair and scalp treatments, and custom additions—so clients can relax while skilled technicians rotate in and out, as needed. Temperature and music selections can be customized for a personalized experience. The spa also offers manicures and other nail services at a full-service nail center adjacent to the treatment area.
Dedicated to providing the best services in Charleston, the spa’s accomplished therapists and technicians are trained to meet the Dewberry’s exacting standards.
The Dewberry Spa is open to guests of the hotel and locals seven days a week. The spa also offers gift certificates, the perfect present for any occasion.
Patra Taylor is a full-time freelance writer in Mount Pleasant. Find out more at patrataylor.com.
