Relaxin' In San Diego At The Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa

Located just across the road from the waves of Mission Beach in San Diego, California, The Catamaran Resort is a definite paradise getaway.

I was fortunate enough myself to get the chance to accompany our lucky winners of our BeingGirl.ca California PowerUp Spa Retreat contest, Marni and one of her best friends Kaitlyn, to the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa for a little sand, surf and spa.

The resort, with its 313 rooms and suites, has a great location: close to the beach, great shopping, SeaWorld, the world-famous San Diego Zoo, a ton of water and land sports—and best of all, it’s close to lots of sunshine!

We were greeted in the lobby by the lush, tropical greenery of the grounds—complete with their own wildlife (including a daily exotic bird show)—which continued throughout the resort. And the view from our balconies was unbelievable. We could see the calm bay waters, the entire resort area and the ocean waves. It didn’t take us long to spot the many surfers taking advantage of the crashing waters.

We spent most of our time lounging by the pool (which was salt water—so much better for your skin!), enjoying the warm weather, hot whirlpool and crazy-fun arcade. Marni may or may not have put me to shame on the dance arcade game—but it was my first time!

The main restaurant that hosted our hungry selves was named Atoll, and it offered us a wide selection for each meal—my favourite was their breakfast. The Atoll waffle, with berries, whipped cream and candied walnuts was to die for (although, probably not the healthiest of starts—but we were on vacation!!!)

While the girls were pampered with their teen facials, I enjoyed a very different kind of massage: Shiatsu/acupressure. Although not a traditional spa experience, I would most definitely recommend it to anyone in need of some serious relaxation—perfect before you head back to the books!

NOTE: My massage therapist suggested it’s a good idea to check the credentials of your service provider, before proceeding to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth. Lucky for me, she knew exactly what she was doing!

We also got a chance to try fresh air yoga, on our last morning in San Diego. Though, outside in their sun, it should probably just be called HOT YOGA. It’s a good thing the waves were near by to cool down in. But we did have to be careful when traipsing around in those waters; the waves were powerful enough to carry away your bikini top if you didn’t hang on.