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Moments of Bliss

Each year, Experience Scottsdale profiles a selection of local celebrities, from restaurateurs and sports figures to artists and adventurers. We invite you to meet this year’s luminaries and find out what they have to say about living, working and enjoying life in Scottsdale.

"I love opening the spa in the morning, when everything is quiet," says Dzeneta Arslanovic, director of Spa Avania at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort. "I enjoy walking through the spa, looking at every little detail and making sure everything is ready for our guests to arrive. It's my meditation."

Morning also is the beginning of the body's three-part daily cycle of awakening, balancing and unwinding, upon which everything at Spa Avania is based. With more than 13 years in the spa industry, Arslanovic fully appreciates the uniqueness of this concept. "It begins with the architecture, including the cupolas and oculus that welcome in the natural light, as well as the music and water features that greet our guests.

"Then, every treatment we offer is customized to the time of day," Arslanovic continues. "If you request an Avania massage in the morning, your treatment room is open to the natural light, morning music is playing, and the massage technique is geared toward invigorating the body. You'll also enjoy citrusinfused water and lemongrass-chilled towels. For midday, we focus on establishing purity, boosting immunity and balance, and optimizing digestion. And, in the evening, the same massage is adjusted to relax your body and prepare it for sleep."

Spa Avania also treats guests to a French Celtic mineral pool, hot and cold plunges, and a new Metabolic Boot Camp, as well as a core line of skin- and body-care products that include indigenous Sonoran Desert ingredients like trehalose, a substance in cacti that boosts moisture retention in the skin.

"What makes me happy at the end of the day are all the smiles. I love seeing guests in such a state of total relaxation that they forget to put on their shoes. Having them enjoy every single moment of their stay and being able to make a difference in their day is a wonderful gift."