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It's easy enough to simply show up at a
spa and expect to be wowed. After all,
it's not just the decor that's gotten
sophisticated. The prolific pace of spa
openings has inspired equally eloquent
spa treatment menus, elaborate
facilities and fresh ways of making you
feel whole again. The flip side of this
new world of choices is that finding
your way through them all can be
daunting and almost contrary to your
objectives. Not to worry: The good news
is that the rules of the game have
remained pretty basic. Regardless of the
setting — whether super luxurious or
cheerfully modest — it's entirely
possible (and, in fact, required) for
you to be positively transformed by your
spa visit. Here's how.
Go Often.
Honestly, there's nothing more
enlightening than experience. Learn what
you like, what heals and nurtures your
body and soul. The actual act of
visiting a spa is truly the only way to
discover what works for you. The more
you try, the more you will learn what
you like (and don't like) and each visit
can increase your ability to reap its
benefits. In a way, this one simple idea
impacts all of the tips and tricks of
the trade that follow as it represents a
commitment to your well-being. If you
can figure out a way to afford it —
monetarily, time-wise or spiritually —
monthly, quarterly or biannual visits
can change your life into a healthful,
vibrant event.
Frequency can also help you define the
outcome of your session. Do you tend to
want to curl up for a nap afterward or
do you leave invigorated? Is a deluxe
body treatment the only way you can
sanely face a big night out? These are
reasonable issues to consider. We're all
quite different. Only you will know you.
Ask Questions.
If you're trying a spa for the first
time, you may want to find out what
extras they have to offer, especially
steam/sauna options that will help rid
you of toxins and tension before and
after. If it's a local spa, you may even
want to pop in beforehand for a visit
and make sure the decor is soothing for
you. (One woman's rococo splendor is
someone else's nightmare.)
Next, inquire about the menu. It will
save both you and the spa
reception/booking agent a lot of time if
you have taken a moment to look at their
treatment menu online or as a brochure.
Make note of the things that interest
you and ask the booking agent if she
thinks any of these are right for you
based on your experience level,
preferences and health concerns (if
any). If you're getting no help from
this person, this may not be the spa for
you. These are nurturing environments.
And the best ones have well-trained
staff on hand to guide you through the
process and answer questions.
Understand Your Treatment.
Knowledge is indeed a powerful tool when
leveraged on spa treatments. Being
informed about how a certain therapy may
be able to affect you (whether in the
sense of pure relaxation or for getting
over a particularly harrowing party
season) can deepen your session — both
emotionally and physiologically.
Understanding the cultural background to
a service can enrich it as well.
Javanese lulur, for example, is offered
on many spa menus now but its origins
are nearly sacred, having been a ritual
reserved for the 40 days leading up to a
young woman's wedding. The spices and
textures all have meaning, as does the
sequence of therapies. Even if you're
not a bride-to-be, the beauty of its
history can embellish the experience
with exoticism, romance and respect.
Other treatments, such as a seaweed bath
and algae wrap, are detoxifying
therapies that can disturb your physical
equilibrium as they strive to eliminate
toxins from your system. This isn't to
say one should avoid powerful
treatments. On the contrary; use them
wisely and understand some of the ways
to support their effects afterward. A
wise therapist will advise you of
follow-up behavior — be it not drinking
alcohol for the evening or taking a hot
soak and a nap immediately after.
Drink Water.
It's crucial to drink plenty of it
before, during and after your visit.
Water hydrates the body's tissues on a
cellular level, prompting the system to
cleanse itself and function with
fluidity. Just as you would want to
hydrate before a workout, well-watered
muscles (including those of the face)
respond better to the activating
pressures of massage, allowing the
therapist to work more deeply.
Sufficient hydration also encourages the
removal of toxins. Flushing your system
will reward you with compliments on how
great your skin looks, how well rested
you seem, etc. Drink up.
Eat Lightly.
The days preceding your visit can help
prepare you mentally and physically for
your treatment. Cutting back on (or
eliminating) sugar, caffeine and alcohol
and hard to digest foods like red meat
will prime your system to detoxify with
ease. You're also likely to feel
lighter, happier about your body and
more in tune with yourself. Plus, it
increases the likelihood of your
"staying clean" afterward, to extend the
bliss of your visit and more fully reap
its rewards.
Take Your Time.
Visiting a spa means you're taking time
out for yourself. (Even if you're going
with a friend or lover, the therapy is
yours alone.) Allow for plenty of time
before and after your booking in order
to transition from your real world to
the spa world. Taking the time to unwind
and slow down before your appointment
will make your visit more pleasant
(mind) and more beneficial (body). And,
with most spas running like clockwork
with no more than 10 minutes between
sessions to allow for prepping the room
for the next client, every minute
counts. When you're late, spas can't
afford to give you that time at the
other end of your treatment, which means
you've just taken your 50-minute massage
down to a 40-minute session. Suffice it
to say, your body would have loved to
soak up the extra attention.
Ample time before your scheduled
treatment also allows you to use a spa's
steam and other preparatory facilities,
helping you to relax before you hit the
table. In the case of heat therapies
like steam, sauna or whirlpool, giving
yourself a minimum of 15 minutes to
indulge will begin relaxing your muscles
(for deeper massage penetration),
revving circulation and quieting your
mind.
Speak Up.
Like good sex, a good spa session
requires that you communicate what you
like — or at least don't like. It could
be pressure, music, conversation, scent,
temperature … don't accept what you
don't want. You are in charge.
I learned this particular lesson the
hard way having suffered a Watsu
treatment (which involves floating in
the arms of your therapist) with someone
who had clearly just eaten onions for
lunch. I said nothing but was distracted
the entire time by the odor. What a
waste. The smart thing to do would have
been to say something then and there. It
may have required rescheduling (onion
breath doesn't disappear instantly), but
I was at a resort and could easily have
come back that evening. Instead, I spoke
to the spa manager afterward to prevent
it from happening to another timid soul.
Unfortunately, bringing these issues up
after the fact leaves the spa without
many options to make things better for
you.
Although it's common courtesy to avoid
aggressive communication, in a spa it is
particularly unproductive. You may well
be disrupting the perfectly peaceful
experience of fellow patrons who were
wise enough to get what they wanted.
Consider the cause and effect of your
comments; most therapists really are
doing their best. One need not dismiss
the entire spa out of hand; sometimes we
have simply been paired with the wrong
person. It's also possible we weren't
willing to let someone please us either.
Make a Gender Choice.
I hear fewer and fewer spas ask clients
about their preference for a male or
female therapist. But some of us simply
are more at ease with one gender or the
other. (Authentic Ayurvedic treatments
in India are traditionally administered
by the same gender for energetic
reasons.) Keep in mind that therapists
are not in the business of assessing
your thighs, cellulite or unshaved legs.
Their job is to unwind your muscles,
refresh your skin or give you a moment
of peace. Talent comes in all shapes,
sizes and genders. In the end, this
decision is really just another aspect
of the "go often" rule; follow it, and
you'll find out what you like.
Pay in Advance.
By dealing with finances up front, you
can just drift out afterward. Allowing a
15 percent tip is fair to include in
advance (although some spas include it
in the cost of the service), but you may
want to have extra bills on hand to say
"thank you" for an extraordinary
experience. You can simply leave the
money in an envelope with the front desk
on your way out.
This method also eliminates the stress
of sales pitches while you're trying to
relax. As interested in a new skincare
regimen as you may be, it is within
reason to ask your therapist to note her
recommendations in writing and give them
to you when you leave. This way you can
consider purchases calmly following the
session or at another time when you'd
rather shop.
Learn to Relax.
Relaxing the muscles and settling the
mind are a great assist to your
therapist. Even if you're dead tired
when you hit the table, it's not always
easy to relax (although practicing the
first tip — spa often — can help free
you of any anxiety or unease). Various
mind-over-matter techniques like deep
breathing and visualization come in
handy and help bodywork go deeper.
Relaxing helps keep your mind in your
body or at least in the room.
Focusing on one's breath is the essence
of meditation, as well as the apex of
many forms of exercise. In addition, to
help nervous or newly arrived clients,
many spas are now weaving guided
visualization directly in with the
treatment/massage. In some cases it's
basic training, but in others it really
is a mechanism to help you become
present … not rushing through the
airport or replaying a frustrating
conversation through your mind. It can
also assist in the healing process.
Stay Calm.
Unless you're someone who finds massage
or any other spa treatment
super-energizing, you may not want to
plan a strenuous day or host a dinner
party for 10 afterward; savor the moment
and let the healing sink in.
This is especially worth noting if
you're going in for something
detoxifying. I made that mistake once
after a phenomenal Ayurvedic afternoon.
I spoiled it all within an hour (another
bad move — I had to rush after relaxing)
by drinking sake at a sushi dinner
party. Because my system was so open and
especially reactive to "toxins," I was
knocked out for days. Granted, I had no
idea how powerful the treatment was
going to be and should have been advised
beforehand by the spa, but playing it
safe and laying low would have been wise
regardless.
Book in Advance.
It is all too common to look forward to
spa-ing on a trip but find the spa fully
booked upon arrival. Call ahead. (The
telephone is still far more reliable for
appointments than online systems.) This
is truly one of the only ways to get the
time, therapy and results you want, and
it's especially crucial if you're
traveling and want to enjoy a spa
treatment at your hotel.
I'm certainly not one to talk — I can
barely commit to a dinner date with
friends more than a day or two in
advance. But in order to get the most
out of your spa investment — in time,
dollars and well-being — advance booking
puts you a lot closer to success.
Planning ahead allows you to book the
therapist you want, the time of day you
want and the treatment you want. Plus,
you'll be able to plan your own time
(food, exercise, fun) around it.
An unscientific survey of spas reveals
that most people appear to prefer
spa-ing later in the day, with the end
of the week — especially Friday and
Saturday — being the busiest. Cruise
ship spas do most of their business
between ports and in the late afternoon
before formal dinners. If you'd like to
be in a crowd or jostle for an
appointment, you can follow this
timetable. But if you're more of a loner
when seeking serenity, use this
information to your advantage.
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