Whether it’s a manicure, mud bath or massage, LA girls know a good spa day can do wonders for the body and soul. Here are six of our favorites.
Clean beauty expert Christina Uzzardi recently opened a second Cheeks + Co facial studio in West Adams to expand her signature skin-enhancing treatments and spa experience. She offers a full range of massages, facials and detoxifying body wraps.
Arcona Studio
Located right off the Third Street Promenade, Arcona Studio is one of the spa in Los Angeles where A-list celebrities like Amber Valletta and Emily Deschanel go to get their glow on. Founder and esthetician Chanel Jenae is a skincare queen, with her own line of high-end products known as ARCONA, which is made up of natural ingredients, including plant lipids, oils and extracts, sea vegetables and vitamins, and naturally occurring antioxidants, such as cranberries and pomegranate.
Her curated 5 Step Regime is designed to balance and nourish skin. Each morning you can exfoliate, cleanse, hydrate and protect with these powerful skincare formulas infused with natural enzymes, antioxidants, botanical hydrators and pure, concentrated oils.
Originally founded by facialist Arcona Devan, who was renowned for her holistic East-meets-West face treatments (and reportedly had celebrity clients like Anjelica Huston and Diane Lane on speed dial), the spa recently moved from its Valley Village location to Beverly Hills and now offers everything from LED therapy to facial contouring to oxygen and enzyme facials. Its luxurious menu of organic and natural products are formulated using cold processing, chirally correct technology and small batch production, free of chemical stabilizers, sulfates, fragrances, dyes, petrochemicals, fillers and binders.
IntoMeSea
Located in one of LA’s upscale neighborhoods, Pause Studio is an experiential wellness spa that facilitates mental regeneration and physical healing. The zen space offers state-of-the-art treatments like floatation pods, cryotherapy, LED light therapy and infrared saunas. The menu also includes detoxifying and rejuvenating facials and body treatments. The studio is open to guests of all ages and is a great place to host a group retreat or bachelorette party.
IntoMeSea was founded by former massage therapist Jennifer Williams who discovered the power of flotation therapy and other wellness therapies to heal her own burn out. The spa combines quantum healing methods with energy, light and natural substances to create a transformative wellness experience. The state-of-the-art True Salt Float chamber, a Lucia Ndeg03 Light Experience that promotes hypnagogic states of deep introspection and Galactic Crystal Intention Tub Soaking are among the center’s most popular offerings. The sustainable facility was designed by environmental architect David Hertz and uses solar panels and a machine that pulls water from the atmosphere to power the floatation tanks, crystal tubs and showers.
The Ritz-Carlton Spa
The Ritz-Carlton Spa in downtown LA is a full-service salon and beauty boutique that's an urban oasis. The 8,000-square-foot spa is elegant, with private relaxation areas and a co-ed Sanctuary with saunas, eucalyptus steam rooms, cold plunge showers and a salon. It's also home to a luxurious couples suite and a rooftop pool.
The interior is awash in subdued tones of champagne and white, with gold and pewter accents. Gossamer beige curtains, cream-colored tufted lounge chairs and dressing table mirrors accentuate the feminine elegance.
The hotel is part of a larger entertainment complex known as LA Live, where you'll find sports stadiums (the Lakers and Clippers play next door at Staples Center) and a ton of restaurants and shopping. It's a good location for downtown business and leisure travelers, but you'll need to drive to get to the more culturally diverse areas of the city like the Arts District. The hotel is a member of the Virtuoso Luxury Collection, which means American Express Platinum members get a $100 property credit to spend at the spa and other hotels in the collection.
Hotel Bel-Air
Hotel Bel-Air is one of the city’s – and, indeed, the country’s – poshest hideaways. Tucked away from the roar of downtown Beverly Hills, this 12-acre retreat offers old-world charm and second-to-none luxury in a private garden setting.
The hotel’s 103 sophisticated rooms and suites mix Spanish Colonial and French Deco elements with modern comforts. Some have patios with fireplaces, and a few offer spa pools or hot tubs. Dining options include the elegant The Restaurant, which presents fresh California-Mediterranean fusion cuisine from Master Chef Wolfgang Puck.
The Dorchester Collection hotel is a short drive from LAX and the Wilshire/Western (LACMTA) station, and it’s easy to get around town on foot or by car. The property is also fully ADA-compliant and has accessible rooms, as well as lowered signage and entry door viewers in public areas, and closed-captioned televisions in guestrooms. Accessible bathrooms are spacious and feature grab bars, roll-in showers, and wheelchair-accessible sinks. Guests can enjoy an on-site fitness center, which features free weights, cardiovascular equipment, and yoga classes. The hotel is also home to a swan lake and a full-service spa.
Den Mother
Den Mother is a healing house devoted to a wiser form of wellness. Its services blend techniques from ancient cultures—including Ayurvedic bodywork, Japanese acupuncture, Chinese reflexology, Nordic bathing and Asian tea ceremony—in serene social spaces that help return you to yourself.
The plant-based restaurant component, also curated by the Butcher’s Daughter team, opened September 2. A plant-based menu has received positive reviews with visitors calling the ambiance “absolutely charming” and saying the food was “amazing.”
Fermented foods, including kombucha, are a focus for the menu, which has been designed to be healthful and approachable. Sawtelle Sake, a fully Californian producer, is on draft and local tea outlets like Huxbrook Tea and Wild Terra Apothecary are featured.
The space is meant to be a place for community and connection with others, so groups are welcome and there are plenty of cozy nooks to relax in. The spa is open Tuesday through Sunday. Walk-ins are welcome and reservations can be made via Resy. Services include foot baths, massages and a don’t-miss hot-cold circuit that goes from the sauna to the chilly cold plunge.
