An insiders top three Spa Week recommendations

Last week, the intrepid marketers at Spa Week announced the participating spas taking part in Spring 2010 Spa Week in NYC, taking place from April 12 – April 18.

For those who don’t know, Spa Week is a huge promotion where participating spas in several major metropolitan areas offer certain treatments for $50. I think it’s a marketing tactic gone awry, but loads of people seem to dig it.

Now is a great time to revisit last year’s post on getting the most out of Spa Week.  Since I have worked my share of insanity inducing Spa Week promos, you will find some knowledgeable tips on getting through the madness, including best time to book a treatment, questions to ask at booking about therapist change over, etc.

What struck me this year is that some of the usual suspects are missing. My old spa is not participating this year (probably still reeling from the Groupon offer, poor things) and there are a few other notable absences. And some return spas are not offering anything with much of a wow factor. A mani-pedi is nice, but not as nice as full body massage or proper facial.

It costs participating spas a few thousand bucks to be a part of this, and with services at such a steep discount, I don’t think it pays for itself. And I am sure that spas need to watch their expenses right now. And, frankly, there are very few repeat clients from Spa Week. There are web sites and forums dedicated to those who only get their spa fixes during Spa Week’s two discount weeks a year.

So, from the list of spas and their services offered in NYC, here are my recommendations for your  best beauty bang for 50 bucks:

• Exhale, at both their Central Park South and Upper East Side locations, is offering a choice of two 60 minute treatments–their Fusion Massage or their True Facial. I have always wanted to try Exhale. They have a great holistic philosophy and the treatments are supposed to be tremendous. Since their prices are usually pretty steep, an offer on these signature services is a fantastic way to check them out.

• Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Plaza is offering a choice of two 45 minute treatments, but the Vinotherapy Spa Facial has my attention (the other is a pedicure, but you can go to Dashing Diva for a lot less). I generally like Caudalie products, and have been curious about their spa. While I am turned off by the 45 minute time limit, I still think it could be money well spent.

• Great Jones Spa is a Spa Week perennial. I am not terribly impressed with their $50 offerings this time around (blow out, mani-pedi or Brazilian bikini wax) but all services include access to their Water Room, and I am a  sucker for plunge pools and steam rooms. Since access usually costs $50 (if you don’t spend $100 or more on services), you can look at the treatments as a fun perk and spend a relaxing few hours chilling out in the thermal hot tub.*

Hope you have a great Spa Week experience. Let me know where you decide to book!

*Note, I do not recommend getting a Brazilian and then diving into the Water Room. With a service as invasive as Brazilian, where there is a good chance that you are bleeding and your skin is open, I don’t recommend communal bathing immediately after. Plus you may irritate your skin from super hot water. I am not questioning Great Jones’ sanitation, I am sure they are compliant, but I think it’s way too risky. Unless the water is chlorinated, but that could also irritate freshly waxed skin.