Spas,
like the people who visit them, come in all shapes and
sizes. There are day spas, destination resort spas,
and our favorite, the hotel spa. What could be better
than a stay in a luxury hotel that features the ultimate
amenity: a spa. There’s no need to get in your
car and hit the busy streets once you’re done
luxuriating. Simply wander back to your room for a bit
of room service or a nap. With so many hotel spas on
offer, it can feel impossible to choose. Let us help
with our selective list of the very best.
There
is a very specific requirement for urban spas—they
must, above all else, be an oasis, a means of escape
from the city crowds. This sanctuary-like quality at
The Spa at the Carlton Club in Chicago has been enhanced with a $2.5 million, turn-of-the-millennium
renovation. The 11th floor spa has treatments for everyone
(couples, teens, moms-to-be). For kneading those cares
away? Try the combination deep tissue/aromatherapy The
Carlton Club Signature Massage.
COLORADO
SPRINGS, CO
___________________________
THE SPA AT THE BROADMOOR: The
Broadmoor Hotel
The
Rocky Mountain setting alone is enough to set this spa
apart. But even without the dramatic backdrop, it still
stands out. It recently reopened following a revamp
by über architect TAG Galyean, and among its new
features are massage and facial rooms adorned with Venetian
chandeliers, and a pair of $100,000 SilverTag Serenity
Showers, whose computers customize the 18 shower heads
to your body shape and water pressure preference. Outstanding
treatment: the Signature Harmonic Hot Stone Massage,
which uses sound waves to clear out the noise in your
head so you can simply relax and enjoy.
Hidden
within the hotel's fitness center, The Spa at The Biltmore
feels a little bit like a secret club. You ring a bell
for entry, and are ushered into the sanctuary of all
sanctuaries—a waiting area whose pillowed sofas
and subtle golden lighting brings to mind the earthier,
Moroccan works of Matisse. All the requisite treatments
are offered, and then some. Those who believe the luxury
should never end will appreciate the seven-hour Biltmore
Ultimate Package, which includes a body polish, signature
massage, facial, manicure, pedicure, make up and hair
styling.
Like
everything else in the state of Texas, Trellis is super-sized.
This 17,000-square-foot, U-shaped Houston spa surrounds a tranquil garden courtyard and features
an indoor float pool the width of its first floor. Treatment
rooms include VIP, couples and Vichy shower. Most popular,
though, are the hydrotherapy rooms—water is the
emphasized element here. Among the favorite hydrotherapy
treatments are the Sea Satin Exfoliation and Sea Glow
Exfoliating Massage. Upstairs is a lounge with a fireplace
for between-treatment lazing.
Why
go all the way to Hawaii just to lay inside a window-less treatment room? Opened
in December 2003, the magnificent Spa Without Walls
features 10 al fresco Waterfall Massage Hales, tucked
away amid waterfalls, streams and lily ponds. Two of
the hales are tiered out over the water, and you can
gaze through windows in the floors to koi below. The
five oceanfront treatment cabanas boast Pacific views.
For a local experience, go for the Hawaii’s Big
Island Vanilla Coffee Exfoliation treatment.
In
a city that never sleeps, it can be hard to find a place
to retreat. Because of its location, The Spa at Four
Seasons has an intrinsic advantage. The hotel itself
is set above the Las
Vegas crowds (quite literally atop the Mandalay
Bay resort), so just arriving here means you’ve
already escaped. The spa is simply icing on the cake.
In typical Four Seasons style, the little things make
all the difference—take in the fragrance of the
rose petals scattered on the floor as you settle in
for a JAMU massage (an intoxicating blend of Hindu,
Chinese and European techniques). Another favorite is
the hot stone Zen Garden Massage.
When it comes to luxe spa pampering, the residents of Los
Angeles can be very demanding. They have choices
aplenty, and they know how to weed out the best from
the rest. At the top of our picks in this area: The
Ritz-Carlton Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel
& Spa in tony Pasadena. In this soothing setting
in the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley, the spa
offers treatments inspired by Carita—La Maison
de Beaute, Paris. The Color Clay Envelopment uses yin
and yang lotions to balance your body’s energy
flow. And Nirvana, which blends the Shirodhara ayurvedic
treatment and the Bindi cleansing treatment, will take
you to … where else? … paradise.
MANCHESTER VILLAGE, VT ___________________________
AVANYU SPA: The
Equinox
At
Avanyu Spa (the name is a Tewa Native American word
for a mythical water serpent), it’s all about
the sweetest thing. We’re talking sugar. To be
precise: pure maple sugar. The perennially popular signature
Maple Leaf Scrub uses a blend of pure vegetable oils
and maple sugar, rich in natural anti-oxidants and essential
minerals. Running a close second are treatments made
from Red Clover, which is the state flower. And while
the setting is rustic, as are the exposed beams sheltering
the lap pool, this place is the last word in luxury.
NEW YORK, NY ___________________________
THE SPA AT MANDARIN ORIENTAL, NEW YORK:Mandarin
Oriental New York
At
the 35th floor The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, New
York it’s the details that enchant. The couples
suite features a Chinese bed to lounge on after treatments.
An amethyst crystal sits in an almost altar-like setting
in the iridescent Amethyst Steam Room. And the VIP Spa
Suite has its own changing room, steam sauna and fireplace.
As for the public spaces, they have their own charms:
there’s an Oriental-style Tea House, stone Jacuzzi
and lounge chairs for lazing, separated from one another
by golden drapery. The lap pool offers a panoramic view
of the Hudson River.
SAN
FRANCISCO, CA ___________________________
THE NOB HILL SPA:The
Huntington
Guaranteed
to keep your heart in San
Francisco, the feng shui-designed The Nob Hill Spa
is inspired by the eclectic moods of the city’s
many neighborhoods. Japanese, Chinese, Italian and Victorian
influences have been tastefully blended, while a thoroughly
urban accent is the indoor infinity pool that boasts
sweeping views of downtown through floor-to-ceiling
windows. For fun, indulge in the Patio Pedicure, offered
on the rooftop patio. As your tootsies are pampered,
you’re invited to sit back, gaze out over the
city and sip Perrier Jouët.
Your first vacation as a married couple is a big one! Our list of Top 10 Honeymoon Hotels will help you find a romantic getaway that is relaxing, intimate and memorable.
There
is a very specific requirement for urban spas—they
must, above all else, be an oasis, a means of escape
from the city crowds. This sanctuary-like quality at
The Spa at the Carlton Club in 
The
Rocky Mountain setting alone is enough to set this spa
apart. But even without the dramatic backdrop, it still
stands out. It recently reopened following a revamp
by über architect TAG Galyean, and among its new
features are massage and facial rooms adorned with Venetian
chandeliers, and a pair of $100,000 SilverTag Serenity
Showers, whose computers customize the 18 shower heads
to your body shape and water pressure preference. Outstanding
treatment: the Signature Harmonic Hot Stone Massage,
which uses sound waves to clear out the noise in your
head so you can simply relax and enjoy.
Hidden
within the hotel's fitness center, The Spa at The Biltmore
feels a little bit like a secret club. You ring a bell
for entry, and are ushered into the sanctuary of all
sanctuaries—a waiting area whose pillowed sofas
and subtle golden lighting brings to mind the earthier,
Moroccan works of Matisse. All the requisite treatments
are offered, and then some. Those who believe the luxury
should never end will appreciate the seven-hour Biltmore
Ultimate Package, which includes a body polish, signature
massage, facial, manicure, pedicure, make up and hair
styling.
Like
everything else in the state of Texas, Trellis is super-sized.
This 17,000-square-foot, U-shaped 
Why
go all the way to 
In
a city that never sleeps, it can be hard to find a place
to retreat. Because of its location, The Spa at Four
Seasons has an intrinsic advantage. The hotel itself
is set above the 
When it comes to luxe spa pampering, the residents of 
At
Avanyu Spa (the name is a Tewa Native American word
for a mythical water serpent), it’s all about
the sweetest thing. We’re talking sugar. To be
precise: pure maple sugar. The perennially popular signature
Maple Leaf Scrub uses a blend of pure vegetable oils
and maple sugar, rich in natural anti-oxidants and essential
minerals. Running a close second are treatments made
from Red Clover, which is the state flower. And while
the setting is rustic, as are the exposed beams sheltering
the lap pool, this place is the last word in luxury.
At
the 35th floor The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, 
Guaranteed
to keep your heart in 
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Your first vacation as a married couple is a big one! Our list of Top 10 Honeymoon Hotels will help you find a romantic getaway that is relaxing, intimate and memorable.
