Oakley to Oversee New “Wellness Lifestyle” Approach for Old Edwards Inn and Spa

(Highlands, NC) Old Edwards Hospitality Group announces the appointment of Debra Oakley as Spa Director for The Spa at Old Edwards. The appointment of Oakley coincides with The Spa receiving a Four-Star rating from Mobil Travel Guide. Oakley comes to The Spa with nine years of experience at Four- and Five-Diamond Properties. She most recently worked at Palmetto Bluff in Hilton Head, SC where—as part of the pre-opening Executive Committee of the first East coast Auberge Resort—she was responsible for overseeing completion of the 9,000 square foot spa.

Old Edwards Inn and Spa President Richard Delany says, “We are so excited about Debra’s arrival and we are extremely lucky to have someone of her caliber joining our team at Old Edwards. Debra has extensive experience in the luxury spa business working at some of the top facilities in the country.”

Oakley says, “I look forward to developing the Old Edwards spa program with the types of leading edge treatments and products that would be expected from the Old Edwards brand. I’ve inherited an extremely skilled and talented staff here—and spectacular facility—and look forward to the enormous creative energy that we will continue to foster through wellness strategies, training and ongoing workshops.”

Some of those strategies include the firming up of Old Edwards current spa and wellness offerings into a lifestyle approach to wellness management—including the full spectrum of nutrition, fitness and stress management practices. The programs will extend to the Old Edwards Fitness Members and guests as well as the new members of the private Old Edwards Club. These will include golf improvement sessions through specifically targeted yoga, massage and other disciplines.

Debra Oakley holds an MS in Nutrition from the New York University. Prior to working at Palmetto Bluff, Oakley worked at the Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, FL, The Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, DC and the Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner, VA.

For more information about The Spa at Old Edwards, contact Debra Oakley at 828-787-2572 (doakley@oldedwardsinn.com) or the Spa Concierge at 828-787-2542. To learn more about Old Edwards Inn and Spa, visit www.oldedwardsinn.com or call 828-526-8008.

About Old Edwards Inn and Spa: (www.oldedwardsinn.com) Old Edwards Inn and Spa is Condé Nast Johansens Most Excellent Inn in the USA and Canada for 2008. The Four-Star, Four-Diamond resort is located at 445 Main Street in Highlands, NC. The resort includes The Old Edwards Club, a private club that features a professionally designed golf course, heated mineral pool, tennis courts, a fitness center, clubhouse and pro shop. Also included in the Old Edwards Experience are a world-class Spa, Madison’s Restaurant and Wine Garden, The Farm at Old Edwards special events and wedding facility, Acorn’s and Acorn’s Annex upscale retail shops, The Rib Shack and Sports Corner. Madison’s Restaurant and Wine Garden has been a Wine Spectator “Award of Excellence” winner every year since 2005.