• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK WOMEN COME FIRST

Every day we're serving Black women deeply. Come get a plate of goodness! Sign up for daily content and exclusive offers you'll love!

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and that you have read our Privacy Policy
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · Travel

Because...Self Care! How to Plan the Perfect Girlfriends Wellness Staycation

Because…Self Care! How to Plan the Perfect Girlfriends Wellness Staycation
By Kimberly Wilson · Updated October 23, 2020
If you’re anything like me, then you love to do it big for your birthday (or any celebratory affair for that matter). But as turning 31 loomed over me, I decided I was done with the days of bottle service in the club, party buses throughout the city, and extravagant affairs that didn’t really leave me as fulfilled as just spending some downtime and good laughs with my closest girlfriends. I’m sure we can all relate to the fact that scheduling a few days away with your girls is good for the soul. That’s why a girlfriend’s wellness staycation was the best thing to satisfy my need to celebrate, enjoy a bit of luxury, but also not be left with a hefty receipt following all of my birthday festivities. And the best part about it is, it doesn’t require a lot of time or money if you plan it right. With staycations, you get to save the hassle that comes with the booking of air tickets, last-minute packing, currency exchange, the mad airport dash, planning of leave, complex itinerary planning and so on. So once I decided on my theme, I was sold. Here’s how I planned a wellness girls’ weekend in New York City, and how you can too, anywhere in the world.   Where If your budget allows and you want the true “vacation” experience, seek out a nice room or suite, at a hotel such as the Embassy Suites Midtown Manhattan (or any Embassy Suites brand hotel). Staying in a hotel automatically puts you in a vacation frame of mind, but it’s not as expensive as having to dish out a lot of cash when you’re abroad, once you tack on all of the additional out of town expenses. For me, the location was perfect — it’s in the heart of New York City, and close to Times Square, which meant almost everything you need is walkable. The hotel has gorgeous decor (neutrals mostly, but lots of textures to help keep it cozy) and the most inviting lobby as soon as you walk inside. We checked into our King Bed studio rooms on a Saturday night, popped some bottles of Empower Cocktails and Courvoisier to kick off the evening, and then went down to the SkyLawn Terrace to continue our drinks in their rooftop space.  We ordered in that night from their menu and spent our dinner laughing and spilling all kinds of tea to one another — it seriously felt like home! The guest rooms were spacious and comfortable — with tons of space, a mini-fridge, and an oversized bathroom, with plenty of vanity space for all of the girls to get ready for the night in. So when choosing your location, make sure it has all of the amenities and needs that will fill what you are trying to accomplish for your staycation weekend? Have a lot of girls coming? Maybe, you’ll need a suite. Want to be able to cook? Make sure there is a kitchen. Want to have drinks flowing all night? Make sure there’s a bar (or an option to BYOB). Your location is the most critical component in planning, that’s why for me, the Embassy Suites was perfect.   What When planning a staycation, it is important to abandon your typical routine. The idea is that you’re being a tourist in your own city. A good way to start is to plan a visit to at least one place you’ve never been to during your staycation.  This could be a new restaurant, museum, local attraction, spa or whatever you want. Chances are, you may discover a new favorite place right in your own backyard. For us, since our weekend was wellness-themed, we opted for Sojo Spa Club, a luxury Korean bath spa, just outside of the city featuring a rooftop infinity pool and breathtaking views of NYC. We spent the day here before checking into our humble abodes at the Embassy Suites, and it couldn’t have been a more perfect afternoon. Later, we continued our wellness-themed night, by pampered in-suite massages, and games such as For The Culture and Black Card Revoked. We laughed and played games until the wee hours of the morning, but called it quits around 2 AM, because a boot camp was waiting for us in the morning. We arose the next morning by 10 AM, ready to start the day. Because we’re a black girl group that loves the peace of mind and tranquility, a medication was the first thing on the agenda the next morning, before an intense workout in the hotel’s fitness center led by trainer and health coach Thomas Boatswain of JTW Fit. The icing on the weekend was brunch, where we toasted not only to my birthday but one another’s accomplishments.   Who Perhaps the most simple aspect of your staycation planning is deciding who all will be attending. When deciding on the crew, make sure you invite your closest girlfriends, who also are the ones who leave the drama at the door. Your weekend should be filled with good vibes, good laughs, good food and good conversation. If you do it right, your weekend will feel just as good as a week-long celebration out of the country.
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now