At Ease: The Great Twin Cities Spa Guide 2009
We’ve been waxed, sculpted, softened, and primped (life is hard) in order to bring you this essential bit of knowledge: You don’t have to venture far to escape. We’ve rounded up the most innovative and undeniably relaxing day spas to put you on the path to bliss. How you get there—fanny facial, anyone?—is up to you.
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Ivy Spa Club
201 11th St. S.
Minneapolis
612-343-3131
ivyspaclub.com
Escape for a day (or two) to this high-style hotel spa, where a fitness center, steam room, and organic cuisine make it a destination—even for downtown dwellers.
Great For: romantic couple’s retreats, or invigorating body treatments that incorporate natural ingredients like avocado, ginger, or pine.
Top Service: The decadent Diamond Radiance Facial firms, tones, and brightens skin for a red-carpet-ready glow that lasts for days ($200).
ReVamp! Salonspa
2910 Hennepin Ave. S.
Minneapolis
612-341-0404
revampsalonspa.com
Baby boomers from across the country come to Christopher “The Makeover Guy” Hopkins’s Uptown salon for head-to-toe transformations.
Great For: group spa parties, if you’re not in the market for a mid-life makeover.
Top Service: The Oprah Makeover includes a haircut and color, eyebrow shaping, makeup application and lesson, and silhouette analysis to determine the most flattering clothing styles for your body ($300).
Extrados
4279 Sheridan Ave.
Minneapolis
612-920-0051
extrados.com
Exclusive product lines, innovative treatments (like a facial for, yes, your fanny), and sought-after stylists make this a top spot for the Cities’ well-heeled.
Great For: eyelash perms and eyelash extensions.
Top Service: A step-by-step eyebrow-shaping session with owner Leah Simon-Clark or one of her staffers will transform your face ($30 and up).
Five Two Six
526 Selby Ave.
St. Paul
651-222-3839
fivetwosixsalon.com
This Cathedral Hill salon, spa, and gallery is a hotbed of contemporary local art and a hot spot for the neighborhood’s fashion-forward beauty buffs.
Great For: unwinding with a hot stone massage after hitting the shops on Grand Avenue.
Top Service: the spa’s targeted, 20-minute MicroZone Treatments for a quick beauty fix (banish that breakout before a big night out) or facial in a flash ($25).
Bella on the Bay
474 Second St.
Excelsior
952-474-5005
bellaonthebay.com
In the warm and cozy confines of this renovated historic home in downtown Excelsior, you’ll never have to say you’re sorry for napping post-treatment in the serene relaxation room.
Great For: releasing stress and muscle tension with a Vichy hydrotherapy massage, in which seven shower sprays are applied to your chakras.
Top Service: The signature Belladone body-contouring treatment promises to shape figures and burn fat using massage and caffeine-enriched moisturizers ($125).
Denny Kemp Salon Spa
605 Central Ave. NE
Minneapolis
612-676-0300
dennykempsalon.com
A popular destination for well-groomed urbanites who appreciate Kemp’s scissor skills and modern art collection, which adorns his namesake salon-spa.
Great For: those looking for cool cuts and colors, and a short list of spa services, in a super-sleek setting.
Top Service: The Shu Uemura Art of Hair Ceremony, a traditional shiatsu-inspired scalp massage using custom-blended oils ($50 and up).
Solimar Wellness Spa
1121 Town Centre Dr.
Eagan
651-686-6686
solimarspa.com
Its generic, suburban office-park location belies this spa’s inviting interior and progressive service menu.
Great For: curling up by the fire with a cup of tea after one of the spa’s myriad massages—whether its Reiki or reflexology, couples or cranio-sacral.
Top Service: The Body and Soak Journey, which begins with a relaxing massage and ends with a soothing soak in a therapeutic hydrotherapy tub ($143).
Spalon Montage
Three metro locations: Edina, Chanhassen, and Woodbury
952-915-2900
spalon.com
Spalon devotees keep coming back to this posh place for the customer service, seasoned staff, and head-to-toe beauty offerings.
Great For: the whole family. From kid’s haircuts to mom’s manicure to dad’s “back attack” treatment, there’s something for everyone at this spa.
Top Service: The all-inclusive Perfect Facial starts with a stress-relieving back treatment before addressing dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles ($170).
