How to spa weekend?
January 23, 2024 9:58 AM Subscribe
You and a friend go for a spa weekend. Which spa do you go to? How much do you plan to spend all in (for travel, overnight and treatments)? How much travel for a spa weekend...like a few hours drive? a plane ride? What treatments do you plan to get (massage? manicure? pedicure? facial? other?).
What is your rough plan from check-in to check-out? (like the order of meals, lounging, massage and other treatments, classes/exercise/yoga, pool, hot tub, sauna, steam room, etc)?
What clothes do you bring?
What is your rough plan from check-in to check-out? (like the order of meals, lounging, massage and other treatments, classes/exercise/yoga, pool, hot tub, sauna, steam room, etc)?
What clothes do you bring?
Best answer: Something within a 2-3 hours drive.
Plan to spend $200-300/night per person for accommodations.
Probably each get 1 or 2 treatments at $100-200 each.
Hot tubs/saunas/steam rooms and onsite yoga classes included. Ideally somewhere with hiking/biking/skiing as well, and a restaurant/cafe serving healthy food onsite.
Arrive Friday, soaking/steaming dinner and bed. Treatments and yoga and activities and soaking/steaming Saturday. Breakfast and head home Monday.
posted by amaire at 11:26 AM on January 23, 2024 [3 favorites]
Plan to spend $200-300/night per person for accommodations.
Probably each get 1 or 2 treatments at $100-200 each.
Hot tubs/saunas/steam rooms and onsite yoga classes included. Ideally somewhere with hiking/biking/skiing as well, and a restaurant/cafe serving healthy food onsite.
Arrive Friday, soaking/steaming dinner and bed. Treatments and yoga and activities and soaking/steaming Saturday. Breakfast and head home Monday.
posted by amaire at 11:26 AM on January 23, 2024 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I'd go for a weekend at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago which has an attached spa. Their fire and ice massage from eveyln was the best I've ever had and I've had a lot (one at the Mandarin Oriental in Miami was close, but also much more expensive). I would book that massage and maybe the hydro treatment. Spa treatments would last about four hours and cost $500 ish with tip. I'd spend time before and after in their steam rooms and spas.
If I had the budget I'd go back the next day for pedicures.
There's food options in the hotel that are fine. The hotel is reasonably priced on weekends (the parking is a pain). I'd bring.
Other options I can personally recommend: la paloma in Tucson Az; MGM Grand casino spa in Detroit (seriously, it's like being in a whole weird non-detroit space); the fairmont in Mont Tremblant (but not during ski season, unless you ski), the napa valley lodge in Yontville.
Those are all hotels with day spas, rather than real retreats, but for the money and the flexibility, I'd go for that. The AZ and CA spas have gorgeous outdoor pools.
posted by dpx.mfx at 11:46 AM on January 23, 2024 [3 favorites]
If I had the budget I'd go back the next day for pedicures.
There's food options in the hotel that are fine. The hotel is reasonably priced on weekends (the parking is a pain). I'd bring.
Other options I can personally recommend: la paloma in Tucson Az; MGM Grand casino spa in Detroit (seriously, it's like being in a whole weird non-detroit space); the fairmont in Mont Tremblant (but not during ski season, unless you ski), the napa valley lodge in Yontville.
Those are all hotels with day spas, rather than real retreats, but for the money and the flexibility, I'd go for that. The AZ and CA spas have gorgeous outdoor pools.
posted by dpx.mfx at 11:46 AM on January 23, 2024 [3 favorites]
Talk clearly about your expectations and remember you don't have to do every single thing together. My friend and I will go to the spa together, and get the mani/pedi together and then she heads off for all the activities like massages and yoga while I get a haircut a step above my usual and head for poolside with a drink until we meet back up for dinner.
posted by beaning at 2:14 PM on January 23, 2024 [3 favorites]
posted by beaning at 2:14 PM on January 23, 2024 [3 favorites]
Best answer: For me a spa day or spa weekend shouldn't be too over-planned, because that's not relaxing at all!
I usually do spa days rather than spa weekends, but my personal ideal spa weekend involves: being somewhere pretty and comfortable, a couple scheduled treatments, access to spa facilities (hot tub, sauna, etc.) when I'm not getting a scheduled treatment, getting some delicious food, one or mayyybe two Go Out and Do Something activities, and lots of free time for lounging and reading.
Treatments are going to vary widely by personal preference, though most people want massages. Many spas have packages so you don't have to think too hard about it, and sometimes they're even slightly discounted. A common package is a facial, a massage, and some sort of add-on treatment like aromatherapy, body scrub, or scalp treatment.
It sounds like you may be new to spas, so I'll share something that surprised me when I first started going to spas: you'd mentioned mani-pedis, and many spas offer them, but they're often much lower-quality than a mani-pedi you'd get at your home salon, while being much more expensive. It's also not great for nail polish to soak in water the day or two after being applied, it messes it up much more quickly. So I'd recommend getting something like a foot massage or hand treatment instead of a manicure or pedicure, unless there's a specific reason to get your nails painted while you're there. And if you do get your nails painted and need them to stay pretty for a few days, try to give it a full 24 hours before soaking in the hot tub or pool.
Re: travel and cost, it depends on my goal. Traveling somewhere far away just for a spa weekend doesn't make a lot of sense to me (unless it's some sort of super-amazing world-renowned magical spa), because travel itself isn't relaxing for me and I'd rather spend the money on the spa stuff and food, not the flight. But if I'm traveling somewhere I want to travel to, and have other things planned, I'll probably go much lighter on the spa activities. In all cases, factor tips into your budget, as they are expected (this is US-specific advice).
Re: clothes, check spa policies, but most are going to require swimsuits in communal hot tubs & pools, so I bring one of those (or two, if I'm going to be there long enough to need to let one dry while using another). Otherwise just comfortable clothes appropriate for the weather and any planned activities, and something nice to wear to dinner. You can expect the hotel/spa to provide robes and slippers. If someone needs a size other than S, M, L, or XL (for example, I need an XXL robe, and a friend of mine needs an XS one), let them know ahead of time so they can have it ready for you. And if there's long hair, bring hair ties!
For a real-world example, I have a special celebration weekend with my partner coming up and I wasn't thinking of it as a "spa weekend" but I think it counts. This is what we have planned:
Friday - Drive to a nice hotel & spa in a quaint town about half an hour away, settle in, enjoy time together, have a nice dinner somewhere nearby
Saturday - Spend some time in town, then back to the hotel to enjoy the hot tub and sauna, get massages, lounge in our room or on the grounds, have a nice dinner at the hotel restaurant
Sunday - Room service breakfast, spend most of the day doing a fun outdoor activity, go back to the hotel and enjoy the hot tub and sauna, lounge in our room or on the grounds, then have a nice dinner nearby
Monday - Breakfast in town, check out, drive home
posted by rhiannonstone at 3:06 PM on January 23, 2024
I usually do spa days rather than spa weekends, but my personal ideal spa weekend involves: being somewhere pretty and comfortable, a couple scheduled treatments, access to spa facilities (hot tub, sauna, etc.) when I'm not getting a scheduled treatment, getting some delicious food, one or mayyybe two Go Out and Do Something activities, and lots of free time for lounging and reading.
Treatments are going to vary widely by personal preference, though most people want massages. Many spas have packages so you don't have to think too hard about it, and sometimes they're even slightly discounted. A common package is a facial, a massage, and some sort of add-on treatment like aromatherapy, body scrub, or scalp treatment.
It sounds like you may be new to spas, so I'll share something that surprised me when I first started going to spas: you'd mentioned mani-pedis, and many spas offer them, but they're often much lower-quality than a mani-pedi you'd get at your home salon, while being much more expensive. It's also not great for nail polish to soak in water the day or two after being applied, it messes it up much more quickly. So I'd recommend getting something like a foot massage or hand treatment instead of a manicure or pedicure, unless there's a specific reason to get your nails painted while you're there. And if you do get your nails painted and need them to stay pretty for a few days, try to give it a full 24 hours before soaking in the hot tub or pool.
Re: travel and cost, it depends on my goal. Traveling somewhere far away just for a spa weekend doesn't make a lot of sense to me (unless it's some sort of super-amazing world-renowned magical spa), because travel itself isn't relaxing for me and I'd rather spend the money on the spa stuff and food, not the flight. But if I'm traveling somewhere I want to travel to, and have other things planned, I'll probably go much lighter on the spa activities. In all cases, factor tips into your budget, as they are expected (this is US-specific advice).
Re: clothes, check spa policies, but most are going to require swimsuits in communal hot tubs & pools, so I bring one of those (or two, if I'm going to be there long enough to need to let one dry while using another). Otherwise just comfortable clothes appropriate for the weather and any planned activities, and something nice to wear to dinner. You can expect the hotel/spa to provide robes and slippers. If someone needs a size other than S, M, L, or XL (for example, I need an XXL robe, and a friend of mine needs an XS one), let them know ahead of time so they can have it ready for you. And if there's long hair, bring hair ties!
For a real-world example, I have a special celebration weekend with my partner coming up and I wasn't thinking of it as a "spa weekend" but I think it counts. This is what we have planned:
Friday - Drive to a nice hotel & spa in a quaint town about half an hour away, settle in, enjoy time together, have a nice dinner somewhere nearby
Saturday - Spend some time in town, then back to the hotel to enjoy the hot tub and sauna, get massages, lounge in our room or on the grounds, have a nice dinner at the hotel restaurant
Sunday - Room service breakfast, spend most of the day doing a fun outdoor activity, go back to the hotel and enjoy the hot tub and sauna, lounge in our room or on the grounds, then have a nice dinner nearby
Monday - Breakfast in town, check out, drive home
posted by rhiannonstone at 3:06 PM on January 23, 2024
Best answer: I love a day trip to Sojo in Edgewater, NJ, across from Manhattan. Plan for a deluxe body scrub.
posted by wherestheeraser at 4:11 PM on January 23, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by wherestheeraser at 4:11 PM on January 23, 2024 [1 favorite]
Best answer: The sort of destination spa that has a sequence of events around dining/activities/etc will often have a coordinator that will set up your itinerary for the day. Ste Anne’s, for example, does this. I did one activity and one treatment at my day at Ste. Annes and I felt rushed. The best part of the experience is the pool.
The price guide in this thread feels a bit low. There is sometimes a reverse economy to spa services. A quality hotel spa, for example, will charge more per hour for each individual service, but will make up for it in superior access to pool/hot tub/sauna/change room/other amenity. Prices also vary greatly by location. So yes, you might spend $300 for 90 minutes of services at the Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver, but you will make up for it looking out over the mountains from the hot tub. Use fewer services and do more lounging, you’ll feel just as relaxed at the end of the day. Spas are also priced better and less crowded mid week.
I think it makes a lot of sense to organize a weekend at a fancy hotel with a fantastic pool and access to the spa. You only need one or two organized spa treatment, and never the mani-pedi as stated above. Do other relaxing spa-adjacent activities to complete your trip.
posted by shock muppet at 5:09 PM on January 23, 2024
The price guide in this thread feels a bit low. There is sometimes a reverse economy to spa services. A quality hotel spa, for example, will charge more per hour for each individual service, but will make up for it in superior access to pool/hot tub/sauna/change room/other amenity. Prices also vary greatly by location. So yes, you might spend $300 for 90 minutes of services at the Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver, but you will make up for it looking out over the mountains from the hot tub. Use fewer services and do more lounging, you’ll feel just as relaxed at the end of the day. Spas are also priced better and less crowded mid week.
I think it makes a lot of sense to organize a weekend at a fancy hotel with a fantastic pool and access to the spa. You only need one or two organized spa treatment, and never the mani-pedi as stated above. Do other relaxing spa-adjacent activities to complete your trip.
posted by shock muppet at 5:09 PM on January 23, 2024
Best answer: I take an annual trip with three close friends. All have children of different ages, and I have none. This means that depending on family needs, each person shows up at a different time, and may not stay the entire weekend. But everyone is generally there for the bulk of Saturday.
We book the same house in a spa-town and have been doing this for so many years that we have a rough plan of:
Friday: Two guests arrive early afternoon, graze on snacks, drink wine, listen to music and relax. Maybe go out to dinner.
Saturday: Two more guests arrive in morning. Walk around in town, looking at various shops, boutiques, palm/tarot readings. Possibly get a light lunch and a cocktail. Go to spa where each person gets at minimum two services and we are generally there for 3 hours or more. Services we get include: eucalyptus steam room, aromatherapy body wrap, facial, massages of varying lengths, mani/pedi.
Saturday late afternoon/ evening: return to the house for napping, reading, chatting, music, dancing, wine. I make dinner (usually shrimp and grits, as is the tradition).
Sunday: We usually have some sort of elaborate breakfast. We all chip in on cleaining up the house and head on our separate ways around noon.
posted by JennyJupiter at 5:24 PM on January 23, 2024 [1 favorite]
We book the same house in a spa-town and have been doing this for so many years that we have a rough plan of:
Friday: Two guests arrive early afternoon, graze on snacks, drink wine, listen to music and relax. Maybe go out to dinner.
Saturday: Two more guests arrive in morning. Walk around in town, looking at various shops, boutiques, palm/tarot readings. Possibly get a light lunch and a cocktail. Go to spa where each person gets at minimum two services and we are generally there for 3 hours or more. Services we get include: eucalyptus steam room, aromatherapy body wrap, facial, massages of varying lengths, mani/pedi.
Saturday late afternoon/ evening: return to the house for napping, reading, chatting, music, dancing, wine. I make dinner (usually shrimp and grits, as is the tradition).
Sunday: We usually have some sort of elaborate breakfast. We all chip in on cleaining up the house and head on our separate ways around noon.
posted by JennyJupiter at 5:24 PM on January 23, 2024 [1 favorite]
I would add that there is considerable international variation in what a spa-break means. The experiences you might have in, say Finland, Turkey, Thailand, Hungary, Brazil and France - would differ quite a lot in terms of treatments, scenery, food, and context. So - it is also possible to arrange trips to such places that are centered around these experiences.
posted by rongorongo at 10:57 PM on January 23, 2024
posted by rongorongo at 10:57 PM on January 23, 2024
Best answer: i love a spa situation.
here in la, i’ll go to a korean spa with a girlfriend or solo, book a scrub and bring toiletries and headphones and a good book. i’ll shower. soak, get scrubbed, comb in hair treat at put it up, sauna, lay in the salt room/ on the warm jade, soak some more, shower one more time, moisturize, hydrate, and go home blissfully.
or we drive out to glen ivy, ladies will get a massage and or facial, or maybe just the bare minimum day pass to the spa to use the springs and soaking tub and mud room. we usually eat before going, snack there and get dinner on the way back
into the city- it’s just a day trip.
i’ve done weekends structured just like Jennyjupiter and it works well for everyone. and i’ve also done specific spa outings in cities while traveling (biologique recherche facial in paris, hammam in turkiye, 10000 waves in new mexico) and they have been incredible (and well researched- i nerd out).
i’m a nailphile, and agree to always pass on a general spa mani pedi, unless they have a specialist in house- they are mediocre and overpriced.
posted by beignet at 7:51 PM on January 24, 2024
here in la, i’ll go to a korean spa with a girlfriend or solo, book a scrub and bring toiletries and headphones and a good book. i’ll shower. soak, get scrubbed, comb in hair treat at put it up, sauna, lay in the salt room/ on the warm jade, soak some more, shower one more time, moisturize, hydrate, and go home blissfully.
or we drive out to glen ivy, ladies will get a massage and or facial, or maybe just the bare minimum day pass to the spa to use the springs and soaking tub and mud room. we usually eat before going, snack there and get dinner on the way back
into the city- it’s just a day trip.
i’ve done weekends structured just like Jennyjupiter and it works well for everyone. and i’ve also done specific spa outings in cities while traveling (biologique recherche facial in paris, hammam in turkiye, 10000 waves in new mexico) and they have been incredible (and well researched- i nerd out).
i’m a nailphile, and agree to always pass on a general spa mani pedi, unless they have a specialist in house- they are mediocre and overpriced.
posted by beignet at 7:51 PM on January 24, 2024
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