Founded by wife and husband team, Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas, Caudalíe revolutionized the spa world in 1999 when they introduced the first-ever Vinothérapie Spa in the heart of the Châteaux Smith Haut Lafitte vineyard (Bordeaux, France), harnessing the untapped, restorative power of grapes and grapevine polyphenols.
Rated the second best spa in the world by Travel & Leisure and “Hot Spot” by Condé Nast Traveler, the Caudalíe Vinothérapie Spa® is a world-renowned destination whose treatments and techniques were developed exclusively for their spas – a second which opened in the Piémont region of Italy in an 18th Century monastery, followed by a third in the Riojas region of Spain whose property was designed by acclaimed architect Frank Gehry.
With this unequivocal success, a fourth international property is openrd in the fall of 2008 at the iconic New York hotel, The Plaza. This landmark property houses the first Caudalíe
Vinothérapie Spa® in the United States, and be the first Caudalíe spa not located on a European vineyard. To that end, Caudalíe aims to bring the vineyard experience to an urban setting with several accoutrements reminiscent of the wineries and châteaux where the Caudalíe spas are found worldwide. These include:
Wine Lounge – A 800 sq ft. Wine Lounge stocked with artisanal and terroir-driven varietals from the I and French Spanish and Italian vineyards where Caudalíe Spas are located. But also other French wines, champagnes and American wines. This includes Château Smith Haut Lafitte, the family estate and vineyard of Caudalíe founder, Mathilde Thomas. The Lounge features and imposing wine cellar of wood and bissazza with 500 wine bottles, with a floor of slate grey tiles interspersed with elegant rugs and comfortable chairs and couches.
On-Site Sommelier – Caudalíe’s Wine Lounge will house a sommelier, Cliff Rames, to host wine tastings between treatments, as well as offer instructional wine classes. Wines will be sourced and rotated on a consistent basis and paired with regional tasting plates.
Bois Grillé – to further enhance the vineyard sensorial experience, founder Mathlide created a signature scent for the Caudalíe Spa at The Plaza in tandem with French perfumer and friend, Olivia Giacobetti Bois Grillé reflects the aroma of her family’s cooperage, the workshop where wine barrels are still hand-crafted in their ancient tradition.
White Oak staves are charred or toasted and emit sensual wafts of toasted bread, almond, vanilla and grounding, warm wood aromas.
Small Plates – Caudalíe founders, Mathilde and Bertrand, hand-selected favorite foods indigenous to the vineyard regions of France, Italy and Spain where additional Caudalíe spas are found. This menu of “small plates” will be available to guests and paired with select wines from the Caudalíe Wine Lounge.
The 8000 square foot Caudalíe Vinothérapie Spa® at The Plaza encompasses the signature design elements of all Caudalíe spas – warm precious wood, relaxing dark stones and symbolic vine sculptures for an intimate modern ambiance.
