“It focuses on the injury, whether it be the hamstrings, calves, or back,” she says. (For a specific sports or deep-tissue Massage Fusion session, she suggests massage therapists Ramon and Sara S.) Sanders, the spa director at Wellbridge Athletic Club & Spa, recommends Wellbridge’s 35-minute focused massage ($45). Boyd at ara suggests the 50- or 80-minute Massage Fusion ($95 to $135), a customizable session. If your ailments are simply strained muscles and achy joints, though, many spas suggest sports and deep-tissue massages. “A lot of our guests come in from Siteman Cancer Center, and we always make sure we understand based on their needs, what they can or cannot do,” says Kathleen Fuller, the Four Seasons’ spa director. If you’re recovering from a terrible illness or serious surgery, don’t go to a spa without a note from your doctor that specifies exactly what services you’re allowed to get. If you’re suffering from migraines, sign up for a headache massage ($45) at Ginger Bay. Looking for a simple escape? “If a client comes in to relax and falls asleep during their session, we let them sleep,” says Wellbridge’s Sanders. If you have aches from arthritis, ask for an arthritis-relief wrap ($75) at Vitality Unlimited Spa ( ). Too much partying the night before? Boyd suggests ara’s Turkish Delight ($150 for 80 minutes), a ritual based on skin-care practices in Turkish bathhouses. “It is unfair for the next client, who is on time, to lose some of their services,” says Pilcher at The Face & The Body.
Most spas request you turn off the ringer. “I tell people, ‘When you lie on that bed, just take a deep breath and let go,’” says Andree Sanders at Wellbridge Athletic Club & Spa ( ). “Bring a book, a swimsuit, and order lunch,” says Boyd at ara.
If you’re getting a massage, drink plenty of water beforehand. If you’re going to be late, call-as soon as possible. The express facial ($70) includes cleansing with a Clarisonic Pro, exfoliation with steam, and application of a skin-calming mask. If full-body massages aren’t your thing, then try a facial, suggests Erin Mulder of Spa WingHaven Medical Day Spa ( ). The healing stone massage (starting at $115 for 60 minutes) is also a good bet warm basalt stones are set on the body to promote relaxation and calmness. General manager Kris Akers suggests the spa’s therapeutic massage (starting at $55 for 25 minutes), a full-body treatment that helps alleviate tension. And its Total Body Relaxation and Sleep Massage ($160 for 80 minutes) involves a 50-minute relaxation massage-followed by a 20-minute nap.Īs you start the holiday shopping season, take a break between Plaza Frontenac’s stores at Stonewater Spa & Boutique ( ). Louis ( /stlouis) uses ancient chakra-balancing techniques to clear your mind and still your emotions. “For six to eight hours, you get a full massage, mud wrap, facial, nails, hair, and lunch.” In addition to a full-body massage, the Chakrassage treatment ($195 for 80 minutes) at the Spa & Salon at the Four Seasons Hotel St. If you’re able to dedicate an entire day to a spa visit, “definitely go for the Ultimate Spa Day package,” says Judy Pilcher of The Face & The Body ( f ). A three-in-one cleansing experience, the spa’s 80-minute signature facial ($140) also includes hand and foot treatments. Have a busy schedule? Susan Boyd, spa director of ara, the spa at Ameristar Casino ( ), suggests an 80-minute aroma fusion massage ($145) with the Dream Weaver ($45), a hot-oil treatment and scalp massage. Two area Aveda spas, Ginger Bay Salon and Spa ( ) and The Salon & Spa at The Chase Park Plaza ( ), offer the Stress-Fix massage ($57 to $127), a combination of Swedish and deep-tissue massage, reflexology, and guided meditation. Whatever the reason, you could probably use some stress relief.
You stayed up all night helping your kid finish his science project. Here’s a handful of local options, whatever the reason for a visit. Treatments can soothe stressed nerves, mark a special occasion, or lift the spirits of the downhearted. From their perfumed air to terry-cloth robes, heated massage tables to warmed oils, spas can be the ultimate indulgence. Since then, a number of similar establishments have cropped up.
Louisans’ spines when she opened The Face & The Body, the region’s first full-service spa with an emphasis on skin care. Nearly 35 years ago, Peggy Mitchusson sent shivers of delight down St.