(Photo: Trinette Reed/Glow Images)
Let’s face it: Traveling can be stressful. Whether you need to relax, recharge or detox, these attitude-free Chicago spa treatments offer a unique take on wellness while traveling.
Detox Pedicure at Allyu Spa River North
Get your “om” on at the Allyu Spa River North, where incense wafts through the light-filled reception area and seasonal treatments abound. The one-hour detox pedicure, for example, will have your toes and tummy ready for sunny days. First, sip a cup of nettle tea to detoxify and encourage good kidney function as your feet soften and relax in the Himalayan pink salt bath. Then, after a careful pedicure, your feet are swathed in an exfoliating and purifying volcanic clay wrap. Myrrh and sandalwood oils — used in the reflexology-inspired foot massage ritual — sooth and smooth, and Zoya non-toxic nail polish means no disturbing chemical smells mar the essential oil aromatherapy.
The details: Detox pedicure: $75. All treatment information is available online.
Russian Platza at Red Square
Sweat, scrub and soak it off at one of the country’s oldest bathhouses, built in 1906. Completely rehabbed and reopened in 2011, Red Square in Wicker Park (Chicago’s Brooklyn) is a popular spot for a steam, with separate female and male banya-style sauna/steam rooms and tubs plus a co-ed area for socializing. The traditional Russian sequence begins with the banya sauna, where watermelon-sized boulders are heated and doused with water for an experience Russians believe is the perfect balance between the drier Finnish sauna and the steamier Turkish hammam. When you can’t take it anymore, try the cold plunge pool before the platza treatment, where an attendant soaps and scrubs you with a handheld birch broom as you relax on a special bed. Finally, either revive yourself with caviar and a Moscow Mule in the spa’s Russian restaurant, or head upstairs for a massage.
The details: A Traditional Platza costs $30, while a more extensive Signature Platza costs $55.
The Player at 316 Club Barber Spa
This clubby man cave near the iconic Chicago Board of Trade offers a relaxing pause in a packed day. At 316 Club Barber Spa, indulge in special treatments like The Player — a massaging shampoo, haircut and style while getting nails clipped and groomed. Next, hot towels soften tough beards and calm busy minds before an old-fashioned shave. Then sink into the leather barber’s chair, complementary drink in hand, and catch up on the latest sports and financial news via well-placed flat screen TVs as you get your shoes shined.
The details: The full Player treatment costs $69.
MoroccanOil Hydrating Hammam Experience at the Spa at JW
The brand new spa in the JW Marriott Chicago brings 20,000 square feet of relaxation to the Daniel Burnham-designed former Continental & Commercial National Bank building, which recently underwent a nearly $400 million restoration. You’ll feel restored, too, after imbibing in the MoroccanOil Hydrating Hammam Experience, a detox treatment involving exfoliation and aromatherapy techniques using luxurious MoroccanOil Fleur d’Oranger products. If you’re short on time, choose from the “Short But Sweet Collection” of 25-minute services. Executive Chef Michael Reich has developed bento box–inspired healthy meals to satisfy post-treatment munchies.
The details: The 80-minute MoroccanOil Hydrating Hammam Experience costs $230.
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