LVA staff are all far too busy to lounge around in hot tubs, so for this answer we turned to travel writer and spa aficionado par excellence, Ken Van Vechten, who demonstrates admirably that pampering isn't just for the ladies.
The JW Marriott Las Vegas' Aquae Sulis Spa is named after the Roman goddess of water, whose vestige shows in the amenities: coed whirlpool, steam, and sauna; sex-segregated ritual rooms with hot and cold plunges, inundating waterfall showers, warm float pool, and additional steam and sauna areas. And she might've been the goddess of equality, too, since the facilities are mirrored on each side, and that ain't always the case at spas. There's also a spa patrons-only swimming pool with built-in hydrotherapy alcoves.
Superlatives are thrown about way too easily, but this is the best spa, from personnel to environment to facilities to treatments to value, in Vegas; go for the 80-minute "Fire & Ice" ($180), combining massage techniques and a bracing curative spin on the old hot-stone gig with alternating applications of stones heated and iced, or the how-the-hell-did-she-know-from-touching-my-foot-that-my-left-cheek-hurts? mystique of reflexology ($110 — and if no time is specified it means the treatment is the "standard" 50-minute variant). The full complement of body, facial, and massage therapies is offered and for the truly inspired, there's a state-of-the-art fitness center — with huge windows that look out to the hydrotherapy pool — offering health and wellness programs. Right. Oh, and they also sell some really great scrubs and cremes in the shop.
The Palms Spa is a standard recommendation for friends/spa neophytes and the tip has worked like a charm every time; this spa has about the lowest intimidation factor in town and that works out well for some folks. The facilities are complete, yet not overwhelming when it comes to decoration or size. The staff and clientele are typically younger and a bit more talkative and outgoing than the folks you'll find at most spas and there's little hint of pretension — just the occasional Hollywood wannabe who attempts to impress with her Clooney's-hairdresser-told-my-trainer shtick. And the workout facilities appear to be used with a bit more vigor that most spas'. Whether that's a function of patron vitality—the joint has a relatively young demographic — or trying to drive out the demon hangover, I'm not sure.
The Palms offers a long but not exhaustive list of services, so if you're looking for an Icelandic lava dust and Lapland lichen exfoliation, look elsewhere. Shiatsu at 135 bucks might just be the best muscle work-over treatment in the house, and shiatsu's simply a great therapy, anytime, anywhere. Check the resort's Web site for specials and package deals, and if you've ever struggled with that perplexing question — no, NOT "what's the $20 'trick,'" rather "what should I do with the Palms' half-off-up-to-$50 coupon in the LVA Pocketbook of Values?" — the spa is your answer.
While some spas go for the frill factor, a look or an air that exists for what seems like the sole and express purpose of making sure you don't somehow "miss" the facility, the Ritz-Carlton Spa at Lake Las Vegas is built around tranquility. Yes, all spas should be soothing and calming, but all aren't; sometimes there's too much hustle 'n bustle, noise or just 'tude because of whose name is in bas-relief over the door.
The Ritz-Carlton's spa is centered on a private courtyard, which is a killer spot to read a book or just veg in the sun between treatments. The resort's main pool is adjoining, with a fantastic view of the hotel and Lake Las Vegas, and a second lake-style pool sits behind the spa. A fitness center, salon, and boutique round out the amenities.
