THE BEST OF
DAY SPAS
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How does a
visit for a deep-tissue massage sound? A few
years ago that might have seemed like a little
too much of a luxury, but not anymore: The $11.2
billion spa industry more than doubled in revenue in
the past five years. And prices are on the rise too.
Some massages at New York's Mandarin Oriental, for
one, run a whopping $285. Sure, it includes 35th
floor views of Central Park and access to
Asian-themed reflecting pools, but you can get a
great rubdown for half that by visiting a smaller,
less-known spa.
But how do know what you're in for? First, ask how
long therapists have been treating clients; anything
less than three years and you should go elsewhere.
Also inquire about the staff-to-customer ratio:
There should be at least one staffer for every two
customers. Another test: Both the therapists and the
front desk staffers should be able to explain every
treatment, from Thai massage to microdermafusion, in
minute detail.
For our money, we like a place such as Exhale, a New
York-based spa soon expanding to Los Angeles and
Boston, where the staff-to-customer ration is 1 to 1
and therapists have an average 10 years' experience
(a massage that starts ar $110 for an hour). Under
the gentle pressure of our therapist's 20-plus years
of experience, the day's worries melt away. |
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