1. The Name
The Faena Hotel Miami Beach’s spa is called Tierra Santa which is Spanish for “holy land,” or “holy ground.” It also happens to be the name of Faena House Owner Alan Faena‘s estate in Punte del Este, Uruguay. A departure from most Asian-inspired spas, Tierra Santa borrows its ethos from South American healing techniques where shamans (healers) utilize energy work and spirits to repair both the body and soul. Order up the Tree of Life treatment with therapist Claudia for an age-old passport to bliss.
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2. That Arrangement Tho
Upon entering the spa, guests will notice a larger-than-life bouquet brimming with 700 roses at the reception desk. The bill for this beauty? A whopping $2,000 per week. You see, Alan is unequivocally obsessed with roses so this explains the spa’s rose-laden logo and the reason roses are omnipresent throughout the hotel — right down to the property’s signature cocktail, the Faena Spritzer.
3. …And that Chandelier!
The focal point of Tierra Santa is a titanic-sized chandelier. Comprised of kaleidoscopic fishing lures, the off-beat fixture exudes a down-to-earth vibe.
4. Pretty Poufs
Peppered throughout the Boho space, guests will spot embroidered poufs. Interior Designers Baz Luhrmann of Moulin Rouge fame, his wife, Catherine and Alan’s wife, Ximena, wanted the spa to radiate an authentically South American ambience. Each pouf’s colorful fabric is created by Argentine designer Carolina K. Carolina’s flowy frocks are up for grabs in the spa’s meticulously curated boutique (Read: You won’t find any bath bombs here).
5. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
As for those spiffy rubber sandals nestled inside each locker, Alan commissioned recycled plastic artist Barbara de Vries $25,000 to design the coral-colored slippers. It’s good to be green!
6. Treat Yo’ Self
As guests saunter into the wet area, they are beckoned to join in a ritual of shaving a soap sliver from an enormous block of soap. As for that clay-colored, soap. Alan’s wife Ximena hand-picked its scent which boasts heady notes of lavender, chamomile, white fir and cardamon.
7. A Miami Spa First
Tierra Santa is home to Miami’s first two-story hamam. Also of note? The toasty room’s pièce de résistance — a green-lit slab of Amazonite stone — emanates good vibes. It is believed the semi-precious stone symbolizes courage and balances both male and female energies.
8. Woolly Mammoth Views
The spa overlooks the Faena’s House crown jewel — a Damien Hirst sculpture entitled “Gone But Not Forgotten.” Coated in gold, the mammoth’s skeleton is priced at a whopping $18 million (yes, you read that right). The mammoth is enclosed in a hurricane-proof glass box and must be air conditioned, too. How Miami!
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