The sheer number of New York spas and treatments can make it difficult to decide. Take time to determine your priorities before booking.
New York City or State of New York Spa
It's easy to find a hotel spa in the heart of New York City. Many major hotels, like the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, the Four Seasons Hotel in Times Square, or The Peninsula on Fifth Avenue, offer luxurious spa treatments for business and leisure travelers who wish to stay overnight. Their spa services are also available for day trippers.
In Manhattan, it would be simple to stay at a budget hotel and pamper yourself by visiting any of New York's outstanding day spas. Bliss Spa is one well-known and respected name, as is Oasis Day spa, which bills itself as “affordable luxury.” Dorit Baxter Spa and Skin Care is a New York institution and reasonably priced as well.
Outside of the city, New York State also hosts many spas in romantic and scenic locales. The Finger Lakes region is known for fine wine and fabulous cuisine. The Mirbeau Inn and Spa in Skaneateles boasts award-winning dining and relaxing spa treatments in a charming French -inspired setting. The inn is noted for its beautiful gardens and warm hospitality.
One benefit of staying at a spa with accommodation is that meals, which are likely to be both healthy and appetizing, will be included, making it easy to budget for total costs.
Spa Visit for Health or Beauty
Visitors to a New York spa should also decide in advance what sort of treatments to book. Each spa has a speciality, such as Asian or European treatments, and the focus might be on health and wellness, strictly beauty or a combination of both.
Couples' Getaway or Girls' Weekend Spa Visit
Whether you are planning a couple’s retreat or girls’ get together will determine which spa to choose. Though most women will appreciate a picturesque setting, a girls’ weekend spa visit might be more fun in the city where other activities, such as shopping and sightseeing, are readily available.
A couple's retreat or honeymoon might be more suited to an out-of-town location, where the stresses of everyday can be left behind.
How to Find the Best Prices at a New York Spa
After deciding on which type of treatment, and before booking, check online for any special prices or package deals. Business hotels and city day spas might have lower prices on the weekends, whereas an out-of-town destination spa might charge less during the week.
Always phone and ask if there are any better offers, or if a little extra, like a manicure or free products, can be included in the deal. Be sure to mention if you are celebrating a special occasion, like a birthday, anniversary or honeymoon.
Visitors to any New York spa might be interested in reading more about the New York Wine & Culinary Center or the Taste of New York Restaurant, also in the Finger Lakes area.
Heather Zorzini - Heather Zorzini's stories, essays and photographs have appeared in the Globe and Mail, National Post, Toronto's NOW Magazine and ...
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