Dreams of a white Christmas have come and gone, and now you’re left with a different yearning-one that involves escaping from the inhospitable, relentlessly gray days of Chicago’s seemingly infinite winter.
If neither Curaao nor Cal-a-Vie is in the cards, not to worry. Blissful worlds where the air is balmy and the loudest noise is that of a splashing waterfall may be as close as the day spa in your local shopping center or health club.
Day spas have sprung up across the country, billing themselves as urban retreats for over-taxed Baby Boomers. A rarity five years ago, about 600 day spas now are in operation in the U.S., according to Stephanie Matolyak of Spa-Finders (800-ALLSPAS), a New York-based spa referral and reservations agency that has expanded to include day spas. These mini-oases are the fastest growing segment of the spa industry, and Spa-Finders estimates that they will continue to multiply at the rate of 10 percent a year.
There’s no official tab on the number of day spas in the Chicago area, but they’ve clearly gained a firm foothold in both the city and suburbs. Many are extensions of pre-existing hair salons; others are tucked inside health clubs; some of the newest stand on their own. At least two major day spas are scheduled to open in the River North neighborhood this year, including a four-story Mario Tricoci spa complex on West Huron Street.
Driving the surge in day spas are time-pressed people–namely, the Baby Boomers–who do too much.
“Their success is attributable to demographics-the fact that a lot of Baby Boomers with disposable income are under a lot of stress and are willing to spend money to stay younger and feel younger,” says Barbara Salomone, founder of the Conservatory of Esthetics in Des Plaines, a school that trains estheticians in giving herbal wraps, mud treatments and other necessities of the spa world.
Spas have expanded beyond the realm of the rich and cloistered by repositioning themselves as less about self-indulgent pampering and more about wellness. This takes spas back to their original purpose; the word “spa” comes from the name of a town in Belgium celebrated for its restorative mineral springs. The health focus also helps spas attract more men to what has been an overwhelmingly female domain.
“People are realizing, `Yes, I need to take care of myself,’ ” says Cheryl Tricoci, co-owner of the eight Mario Tricoci day spas in the Chicago area.
As dozens of salons add “spa” to their name, it’s easy to come away with a muddled impression of what constitutes a day spa. And no wonder. Not even industry experts are unanimous in their definitions. Most maintain that a genuine day spa offers some sort of water treatment–ideally, a hydrotherapy tub, a specially designed tub with dozens of jets that represents an investment of more than $12,000. Many day spas skip the tub, but they should at least have a dedicated wet room for mud treatments and such. The room should have drains in the floor and some type of shower, whether it’s a stall in a corner of the room or a series of nozzles suspended over the treatment table, known as a Vichy shower in spa-speak.
“If you’re a hair salon sticking a facial table in back of the shampoo area, that’s not a day spa,” says Richel D’Ambra, a Philadelphia salon owner who heads the day spa committee for the International Spa and Fitness Association, a trade group.
“Everybody is becoming a `me-too’ spa,” says Frank Gironda, who recently opened a 5,000-square-foot day spa above his salon in Wheaton. “So many places are calling themselves day spas and they’re not.”
In light of all this confusion, a guide to some of the top pampering spots around the Chicago area seemed in order. For those who need more than a quick fix, we’ve also included several destination spas that could be visited for a weekend. To come up with our list, we interviewed a dozen industry insiders (some active spa-goers themselves) in search of places where things are done right. Where you check in rather than sign in. Where a comfy robe and herbal tea are standard procedure. Where chirping birds and sitar strings on the sound system help transport you to another world.
With the explosion of day spas in the area, this list is by no means comprehensive. And not all of these choices meet the strict definition of day spas, but all are dedicated to making people feel good in their skin.
A GUIDE TO SPAS: CITY, SUBURBS AND A LITTLE BEYOND
Getting the works
These are havens of hedonism, where clients can choose from elaborate menus of treatments. They all have wet rooms for mud and seaweed treatments, and many also feature hydrotherapy tubs or special spa showers.
Mario Tricoci, 675 Mall Dr., Schaumburg (847-619-7400); 5501 Illinois Highway 31, Crystal Lake (815-477-7887); 999 W. Dundee Rd., Arlington Heights (847-398-2070); 277 E. Ontario St., Chicago (312-915-0960); Tower Crossing, Naperville (630-955-0050); Old Orchard Center, Skokie (847-568-1000); Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook (630-572-0500); 15451 S. 94th Ave., Orland Park (708-403-4434). Open daily. Sample prices: $50 for a basic facial, $70 for a mud wrap.
The undisputed king of the Midwest day spa scene, Tricoci offers plenty of pampering in his eight area salons with day spas. This year, he plans to add a day spa to his Bloomingdale salon and, in downtown Chicago, open a four-story, 10,000 square-foot spa complex in River North-the Tricoci day spa on Ontario Street is minuscule compared with the temples of beauty he operates in the suburbs. The largest spas are in Schaumburg and Orland Park.
All of the larger day spas are entirely separate from the salons-some are even on a different floor to ensure a serene environment. The decor varies from one to the next, but the ambience is always luxe. Locker rooms, terrycloth robes, a plush lounge and an eating area are standard. All but the Chicago location offer wet rooms and hydrotherapy tubs. Cheryl Tricoci, co-owner of the spas and Mario’s wife, is particularly fond of the water massage therapy-a half hour in the hydrotherapy tub is followed by an hour-long massage ($100). Size does have its drawbacks, however; some clients complain of receiving impersonal treatment.
City:
Urban Oasis, 12 W. Maple St., 3rd floor (312-587-3500). Open daily. Sample prices: $65 for a one-hour massage, $50 for a mineral mud wrap.
Once inside this pristine haven of calm, you’re greeted by soothing music and a receptionist who politely asks you to leave your shoes at the door. An Asian aesthetic permeates the sisal-like carpets and simple furnishings, creating a gender-neutral environment that makes both men and women feel comfortable. Seven styles of massage are listed on the menu, including a pregnancy massage that uses a special table enabling expectant mothers to lie face down. A recent expansion has increased the size and services to include facials, mineral mud wraps and salt glows. Finish off your visit with one of three types of special spa showers.
Michael Anthony Hair Salon & Day Spa, 1001 W. North Ave. (312-649-0707). Open Tuesday through Sunday. Sample prices: $60 for a one-hour massage and $170 for a men’s day consisting of a massage, body polish, herbal wrap and pedicure.
More than half of Michael Anthony’s 5,000-square-foot space is devoted to the five treatments rooms, locker rooms and cafe area that make up the day spa. In the wet room, an esthetician hoses off body treatments such as mud or seaweed, and there are special spa showers in each locker room. Anthony constantly updates and expands his facilities, and he has plans to add another floor to the spa.
Nancy’s Best Little Hair House and Day Spa, 624 W. 31st St. (312-225-5664). Open Monday through Saturday. Sample prices: $45 for a basic facial, $55 for a pedicure combined with a half hour of reflexology.
Once you get past the purple spangles on this Bridgeport salon’s sign and through the local neighborhood salon, you’ll be astounded to find a two-story day spa in back. Trade in your shoes for flip-flops, head for your locker and lose yourself in the sounds of the trickling fountain near the pedicure station. There’s a good assortment of body treatments that use Vichy showers to remove the mud or algae. Extra amenities: a sauna and private Swiss showers that have multiple nozzles down the wall.
Suburbs:
The Spa at Syd Simons, 28 S. Evergreen, Evergreen Center, Arlington Heights (847-259-9111). Open daily. Sample prices: $45 for a facial, $40 for a body polish.
The 4,000-square-foot Arlington Heights location is the most complete day spa of the individually owned Syd Simons skin-care studios, offering hydrotherapy tub treatments along with facials, massages and seaweed wraps (no hair services). Owner Mary Ann Graffeo, who has been in the business for 30 years and has run a full day spa for the
last eight, takes a serious approach to skin care and stress relief. She may not offer some of the niceties such as lockers, but she does offer privacy (even manicures are done in individual rooms) and personal attention.
Frank Gironda Salon & Spa, 21 Town Square, Wheaton (630-653-5700). Open daily. Sample prices: $55 for a basic facial, $65 for a hydrotherapy tub massage.
After checking in at the bustling reception area next to the hair salon, you take an elevator up to another world. The doors open, and before you can wonder where to go, your esthetician greets you by name and leads you to the locker room where a cotton robe and slippers await. Prior to providing certain services, such as the hydrotherapy tub, the esthetician sits you down in the cafe and offers cheese, crackers and juice so you won’t become lightheaded during the treatment. This 5,000-square-foot day spa, which opened in December, is spotless, and the service menu is extensive, ranging from a five-phase herbology facial ($70) to a full-body paraffin wrap ($90).
James Joseph Salon & Spa, 18 E. 1st St., Hinsdale (630-325-1800). Open Tuesday through Saturday. Sample prices: $65 for a 90-minute facial, $45 for a back treatment with mud.
In his year-old day spa, James Joseph pays attention to details, creating a calm setting with candles, soft music and aromatherapy. There are lockers and a wet room where you can succumb to a detoxifying body mask.
A Matter of Style, 114 N. Marion St., Oak Park (708-524-5151). Open Monday through Saturday. Sample prices: $50 for a men’s facial, $70 for a one-hour spa sampler combining a facial mask, body exfoliation and a massage.
Owner Mickey Baer set out to create an “environmentally sensitive” salon and day spa, where aerosol sprays are avoided and enormous exhaust fans keep the air free of typical salon odors. On the second floor, a 2,000-square-foot day spa includes ergonomic seating at the nail stations, locker rooms and a wet room equipped with a Vichy shower and a heat lamp over the table.
Skin emporiums
The emphasis is first and foremost on skin care. Most of these started out as traditional skin-care salons; they’ve added other services. They tend to be smaller than full-fledged day spas; they may not have locker rooms, but most have showers. Some don’t offer hair services, which makes them all the more serene.
City:
Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon, 717 N. Michigan Ave., third floor (entrance on Superior), (312-988-9191). Open daily. Sample prices: $60 for a basic facial, $105 for the Red Door Body Essentials package consisting of a massage, facial and manicure.
Elizabeth Arden has updated its spa facilities and services. The spacious, hushed environment is distinctly well-heeled, yet even commoners report that they’re treated like royalty. There’s no wet room, but a shower is available. The robes are of waffled cotton, the chandeliers are crystal and the cafe area overlooks Michigan Avenue. Need we say more?
The Garden Salon of Beauty, 55 E. Superior St., 2nd floor, Chicago (312-642-6114). Open Monday through Saturday. Sample prices: $60 for a 75-minute exfoliating facial, $55 for a seaweed mud wrap.
Opened six years ago by veterans of Elizabeth Arden after the Red Door on Michigan Avenue closed, the Garden Salon quickly earned a reputation for impeccable facials and manicures. The light and airy salon lives up to its name: White wicker furniture is upholstered in floral prints and live plants are scattered throughout. There’s no wet room, but there is a shower. The seaweed wrap involves an extra treat-while you’re lying there covered with mud, a certified massage therapist gives you a 30-minute foot massage.
Bettye O., 5200 S. Harper Ave. (773-752-3600). Open Tuesday through Saturday. Sample prices: $50 for a basic facial and $60 for a one-hour massage.
Located for 17 years in a vintage building in Harper Court, Bettye Odom is a well-established purveyor of fine European skin treatments, from mineral baths to algae wraps. Among the highlights of her Royal Treatment package ($300) are a massage, aromatherapy facial, body polish, manicure and pedicure; lunch also is included.
Suburbs:
Estee Lauder Spa, inside Marshall Field’s at Old Orchard, Skokie (847-329-2772). Open daily. Sample prices: $60 for a facial and $185 for a day that includes a facial, massage, manicure and pedicure.
This cream-and-gold retreat will make you forget you’re inside a department store. The pedicure stations are as regal as a palace throne and heat lamps warm the treatment tables. Full-body services are somewhat limited and you’ll have to walk to the shower after a seaweed wrap, but the overall atmosphere is luxury personified. Clients checking in for the day are offered a choice of spa lunches in the cafe area.
Deborah Davis Day Spa, 131 N. Addison Ave., Elmhurst (630-834-4111). Open Tuesday through Saturday. Sample prices: $50 for a one-hour facial or massage.
Davis and her husband opened a skin-care salon more than eight years ago. Last year, they relocated to a 100-year-old building in downtown Elmhurst and expanded their space to 1,200 square feet. The emphasis here is on skin care, makeup and massage-they don’t do hair or nails, but do offer day packages where clients visit a neighboring salon for those services. Fans rave about Davis’ facials (particularly one geared to acne). There’s no shower or wet room, although she does offer body scrubs and a seaweed body mud wrap.
Brenda Bendel Ltd., at Teddie Kossof’s Salon and Spa, 281 Waukegan Rd., Northfield (847-501-4050). Open Monday through Saturday. Sample prices: $55 for a one-hour facial, $65 for a sea salt and papaya body scrub.
Located on the lower level of Teddie Kossof’s, a one-stop beautifying center that offers everything from cosmetic dentistry to a tailoring shop, Bendel has carved out a niche by offering warm, caring attention for 17 years. A gas fireplace warms the reception area, which fronts three rooms for facials and two for massage. There’s no wet room, but a Swiss shower is available to wash off seaweed and mud treatments. For nails or a bite to eat, you’ll have to trade in your robe for street clothes and head upstairs.
Renu Body Spa & Skin Care Center, 829 Waukegan Rd., Deerfield (847-940-9727). Open Monday through Saturday. Sample prices: $45 for a one-hour facial, $90 for a 45-minute duo massage administered by two therapists simultaneously.
“We always try to combine pampering with beautifying,” says owner Anna Pamula of her eight-year-old operation. Treasured by regulars for the homey, nurturing atmosphere, Renu inhabits a two-story Victorian house. There’s a strong emphasis on facials, and Pamula has recently incorporated ayurvedic techniques into some of her skin treatments.
Tranquility, 123 W. Main St., second floor, Barrington (847-382-6001). Open Monday through Saturday. Sample prices: $50 for a one-hour massage, $20 for a hydrotherapy bath.
If owner Angela Smith’s caring attitude isn’t enough to lure you into this 11-year-old salon and day spa, the rhapsodic tributes to Maura’s massages and Maxine’s two-hour facial ($80) certainly will. This is an unhurried environment, with one room for facials and a suite that links the massage room to the hydrotherapy tub. You’ll find a changing room but no lockers. Nor is there a shower, though Smith plans to add one this year.
The Bod Day Spa, 1046 Sterling Ave., Flossmoor (708-799-7727). Open daily. Sample prices: $50 for a one-hour massage, $30 for a loofah scrub.
This 2 1/2-year-old day spa across from the train station devotes itself to skin and body treatments (no hair services). In the two-story brick building are three treatment rooms where you can indulge in a reflexology massage, an aromatherapy wrap or an exfoliation treatment done with a blend of Chinese herbs. There’s no wet room, shower or locker room. But a $45 “basic” facial lasts 90 minutes.
Hair salons with day spas
These are hair salons that have added spa services but don’t have the amenities of a full day spa.
Michael Thomas, 346 Half Day Rd. in Woodland Commons, Buffalo Grove (847-913-5555). Closed Mondays. Sample prices: $55 for a 75-minute facial, $55 for a 75-minute shiatsu massage.
At 1,500 square feet, the day spa facilities here are the largest in the chain, at least until the Libertyville location opens in the spring (the Chicago salon at 1 E. Delaware St. offers the same treatment services in three rooms off of the main salon). There is a shower, but no locker room or wet room. Treatments are limited by current industry standards, but many devotees swear by the salon’s top-notch estheticians.
Health club spas
Their gender-neutral environment makes them a perfect spa introduction for men. Many health clubs offer massages and manicures; these go into spa pampering. At clubs listed, spa services are available to the public.
City:
New Heights Spa, inside the Athletic Club Illinois Center, 211 N. Stetson Ave., (312-616-1087, ext. 314). Open daily. Sample prices (club members pay a lower rate): $60 for a 50-minute massage, $40 for a 25-minute Turkish salt glow.
Prices include use of the club for the day; you can scale the climbing wall before submitting to a Turkish salt glow or a reflexology treatment. To extend your visit, take advantage of the steam room and sauna. There are wet rooms and a private hydrotherapy tub in each locker room, but they’re only curtained off, not walled off, from a communal whirlpool. For food, you can visit the restaurant in the health club.
Suburbs:
Spa de LaCour, 2211 Waukegan Rd., Bannockburn (847-236-1907). Open Monday through Saturday. Sample prices: $50 for a one-hour massage or facial.
Lenny LaCour’s 2,500-square-foot day spa within the Bannockburn Club offers hydrotherapy tubs, algae wraps and hair services in an intimate setting. A sports package ($135) combines nutritional counseling with a personal training session, massage and facial. There’s no separate eating area in the spa. Bonus: Child-care is available for $2 an hour per child in the Kids Club, which is outfitted with everything from a computer to a jungle gym.
Skin savers
They may lack some of the bells and whistles of the new day spas, but these six skin-care salons in downtown Chicago have earned their stripes. They’re best known for their European facials. Some have showers and most offer waxing, massages and limited body treatments.
Anna-Kay Skin Care Salon, 100 E. Walton St., third floor (312-944-8500). Open daily. $55 for a one-hour facial.
Elizabeth Adam Salon, 70 E. Walton St., second floor, (312-642-6899). Open Tuesday through Saturday. $55 for a 90-minute facial.
Face & Facial, 104 E. Oak St., second floor (312-951-5151). Open Tuesday through Saturday. $61 for a one-hour facial.
Georgette Klinger, Water Tower Place, 835 N. Michigan Ave., third floor, (312-787-4300). Open daily. $72 for a one-hour facial.
Ilona, 45 E. Oak St. (312-337-7161). Open Monday through Saturday. $65 for a one-hour facial.
Rodica, 845 N. Michigan Ave., ninth floor, Professional Suites at Water Tower Place (312-527-1459). Open Tuesday through Saturday. $60 for a 90-minute facial.
Getting away: weekend spas
When a day spa isn’t enough and you don’t have time for a week away at a destination spa, your best bet may be a spa closer to home. The spas listed are doable in a weekend or in some cases a long weekend. The spas fall into two categories. Destination spas are self-contained places that normally include exercise, low-fat meals, pampering treatments and seminars in nutrition and stress management. Prices generally include all meals and a limited number of treatments.
Resort spas are just one of the recreational options available at a resort hotel. They usually contain a health club and offer pampering treatments. You can purchase a spa package that includes the room and a set number of services, or you can simply book a room and try a facial on an a la carte basis. These spas are very busy on weekends, so book your treatments before you go.
Fontana Spa at the Abbey on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Highway 67, Fontana, Wis. (800-SPA-1000). Sample rates (per person, double occupancy). The Spa Escape package costs $244.95 on weekends through April 30 and includes two nights’ accommodations, several meals, access to all spa facilities and three specified treatments. An all-inclusive, five-night program costs $1,323.24. Without a package, spa admission costs $22.50 a day.
The Fontana is a successful hybrid between a destination and a resort spa. You can check in for a week or reserve a room at The Abbey and visit the spa for a day. The 35,000-square-foot spa is an unheralded treasure, especially when you consider that it’s only 90 minutes from downtown Chicago. The atmosphere is tranquil; the selection of 33 treatments is impressive; workout facilities are pleasant; and the staff is well-trained.
The indoor pool/whirlpool area-surrounded by glass and set under a wooden dome-provides an ideal lounging area for couples. Its ambience will take you away from winter.
Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, 7036 Grand Geneva Way at Wisconsin Highway 50 East and U.S. Highway 12, Lake Geneva, Wis. (800-558-3417). Sample rates: A Bed & Breakfast Package costs $279 per couple and includes a two-night stay, breakfasts and daily spa admission. Non-package spa admission costs $10. Note: Spa treatment prices reflect a 17 percent service charge.
When this resort was the Playboy Club, and then the Americana, the spa building across from the main lobby was a tennis and racquetball center. Nearly 2 1/2 years ago, it was converted into a 40,000-square-foot spa. Working within an existing structure means that the layout isn’t ideal. It’s missing a tranquil area for men and women to hang out together (lounge areas are located in each locker room); you have to go outdoors to get from the hotel to the spa.
All that said, the Grand Geneva offers an excellent resort spa experience. The extensive renovations at the resort have paid off, resulting in comfortable rooms and above-average food. At the spa, a health-club atmosphere prevails. Fitness classes cover the latest trends from Spinning to yoga. In the workout room, each treadmill and stationary bike sports its own headset, which you can tune into various TV channels or a CD.
The menu of pampering treatments offers an excellent variety (no hair services). Try the 90-minute Grand Facial ($92), which begins with a scalp massage and just gets better. The 30-minute Oriental Herbal Body Treatment ($43) is another winner. You’re rubbed down with a mixture of Chinese herbs, wrapped into a cocoon of towels and herb-steeped sheets, and while you sweat out toxins, the esthetician massages your scalp and face.
Interlaken Resort & Country Spa, W4240 Wisconsin Highway 50, Lake Geneva, Wis. (800-225-5558). Sample rates: Winter room rates generally start at $49 and $69. A $79.50 Stress-Buster package offers four treatments, including a 40-minute massage, 25-minute facial and an herbal wrap.
Interlaken offers a budget-priced option to other Lake Geneva resorts. The recently renovated Country Spa on the hotel’s lower level will not provide a full spa experience, but it is a convenient way for guests to sample a few services. Treatments include massages, herbal wraps, facials and hydrotherapy tubs as well as hair and nail services.
The Heartland Spa, Kam Lake Estate, RR 1, Gilman, Ill. (800-545-4853). Sample rates: $378 per room a night for two people, including meals and exercise programs. A weekend package includes one massage per person; a five-night program, four massages and a facial.
A true destination spa set on a 32-acre estate about 80 miles south of Chicago, the Heartland offers a combination of exercise, pampering treatments, lectures and healthy meals for up to 28 guests. The emphasis is on stress reduction and exercise. The spa services are high quality, if somewhat short on variety. Meals and snacks add up to 1,200 calories a day for women and 1,500 for men. The rooms are not equipped with TVs or telephones. The spa provides all of your workout and loungewear.
Aveda Spa Retreat, 1015 Cascade St. Osceola, Wis. (800-283-3202). Sample rates: $575 per person double occupancy for the two-day spa package, including two nights’ lodging, all meals and an array of services. A five-day package costs $1,235.
Although the Aveda Spa Retreat is about an eight-hour drive from Chicago, you can fly to Minneapolis and drive one hour north to get to this 15-room destination spa. Open since 1990, the spa is set on a wooded, restored turn-of-the-century estate on 400 acres in the St. Croix River Valley. Services incorporate the pure plant and flower essences that are the backbone of Aveda’s skin and hair products. The food is gourmet organic. Except for a morning stretch class, there are no fitness classes, although guests are encouraged to go hiking, canoeing, cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing.
Indian Oak Resort & Spa, 558 Indian Boundary Road, Chesterton, Ind. (800-552-4232). Sample rates: $242.50 per person double occupancy for a Two-Night Salon & Spa Retreat that includes weekend lodging, several meals, a facial, massage and more.
A resort spa close to the Indiana Dunes, Indian Oak offers a fitness center overlooking Lake Chubb, exercise classes, hiking trails, a steam room, sauna and an above-average array of day spa services. Treatments include facials, aromatherapy massages, loofah scrubs, mud body masks and hydrotherapy baths.
The Raj, 1734 Jasmine Ave., Fairfield, Iowa (800-248-9050). A three-day package, including room, most treatments, meals and seminars, costs $1,611.
Set amid Iowa’s rolling farmland 50 miles southwest of Iowa City, the Raj is a luxury Maharishi Ayur-Veda health center with 18 rooms. It’s dedicated to the principles of this ancient holistic therapy, which aims to restore balance to the mind and body. A three-day rejuvenation treatment begins with an evaluation by a physician trained in Maharishi Ayur-Veda (followers consider it a purer form of ayurveda) who will prescribe treatments involving internal and external cleansing and balancing. Favorites are the herbalized oil massage done by two technicians simultaneously and a relaxation treatment in which oil is poured across your forehead. Meals are gourmet vegetarian and follow ayurvedic principles. Yoga is integral; exercise equipment is available. For an an idea of The Raj’s commitment to individual attention, the staff-to-guest ratio is at least 2-to-1.
