Have a Heart—Go to the Spa!

Hollywood may be gearing up to walk the red carpet this month, but the Spa at the Four Seasons St. Louis rolls out the red for another reason—to benefit the American Heart Association for Heart Awareness Month.

For the third year now, the facility is hosting its popular “Spa for Heart” event from 5:30-8 p.m. on February 10. For the price of a $50 ticket (half of which goes to Go Red for Women, a campaign dedicated to eliminating heart disease and stroke, two top killers of American women), female guests are invited to enjoy a night of socializing, healthy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, as well as mini-facials, makeup applications, express manicures and hand and chair massages.

Those who make additional donations at the event will be eligible for prizes including a night in the hotel’s presidential suite, a fitness membership and several spa packages. The event is rising in popularity; last year 40 women attended, and 51 tickets have already been sold for this week’s party.

Four Seasons’ director of marketing, Melissa Lorenz, happens to sit on the board of the St. Louis chapter of Go Red for Women. She was inspired to create the event because of spas’ naturally heart-focused initiatives. “Most treatments are designed to benefit the circulatory system and ease guests’ stress, lowering blood pressure,” she says, “so we figured ours was an ideal place to celebrate heart health awareness.”

It’s also a beautiful space in which to do so. Spa staff coordinates its Valentine’s décor with “Heart Month” observance, so the facility is conveniently awash in red floral arrangements and stylings. In addition, the hotel keeps a large, rotating spotlight outfitted to its roof. During February, its themed, crimson tide spreads the message of heart awareness throughout the entire downtown St. Louis area.

The hotel staff begins publicizing the event shortly after the New Year. Email blasts to all past hotel and spa guests, social media reminders, local press coverage and in-spa signage invite all St. Louis women to the heart-focused party. “A lot of attendees come because there’s been a lot of heart disease in their families, so it can be emotional,” Lorenz says.

She adds that this year, the event’s publicity campaign seemed to also resonate with men, many of whom bought tickets for female colleagues and friends. “It’s so rewarding to see everyone doing their part to stop this deadly killer in its tracks,” she says.

Does your facility observe American Heart Awareness Month? We’d love to hear about it! Write to [email protected]—K. O’Reilly