Spa experiences of the past meant hopping up on a cold massage table, getting a rubdown for an hour, and heading on your way.  Not anymore!  Today the focus is on your total well-being instead of a quick fix for an achy muscle.  At this new generation of spas, you'll experience a tranquil ambiance complete with relaxation rooms and friendly staff who are willing to cater to your every whim.  Cutting edge treatments will rejuvenate, detoxify, deep cleanse, and even get you down and dirty with mud, seaweed, salt, and sugar. 

The best part of this new era of spas is that there’s something for everyone.  Today's spas are welcoming more men into their heavenly world by designing facilities and treatments specific for their unique needs and interests.  Even couples can spa together during side-by-side services.  Most spas also perform age-defying and cellulite-reducing treatments to help us grow old gracefully.  Besides the young at heart, spas also cater to teens by offering acne preventing facials and products that are pure yet affordable.

As services expand to include people of all ages, the popularity of spas continues to rise.  Spas are now offering more than just relaxation as they welcome groups ready to celebrate.  Spas are the trendy new locale to host bridal showers, bachelorette and birthday parties, wine tastings, and private networking events.

With all these new trends in the spa industry, we keep spa enthusiasts in the know through our online spa guide, LetsGoSpa.com.  We’ve been rubbed, scrubbed, waxed and wrapped at spas throughout the state as well as the top spas nationwide.  We discovered that you don’t have to travel far to experience the most cutting edge spa treatments; they can be found right here in Connecticut .  Here’s the inside scoop and can’t miss treatments at some of our favorite spas in Greater Hartford.

Bloom Day Spa (www.bloomdayspa.com)

220 Albany Turnpike, Canton , CT   860 693 3784

Vibe:  Warm, bright and refreshing.  Bloom is located in a quaint yellow house in the Canton Village shops.  As we walked through the door for the first time, we were greeted by a friendly “Hello Girls!” by the receptionist Debbie.  After that moment, we felt right at home at Bloom.  As we were given a tour of the spa, we felt a sense of calmness in every room including the ocean blue body treatment room and the pedicure room accented by orange sherbet colored towels with bright blooming pink flowers.

Bloom has a dining/relaxation room for breakfast, lunch, or afternoon tea; a stylish boutique; and offers Pilates and yoga classes.  Bloom welcomes special event parties (bridal, birthday, wine tasting); in fact we hosted our first LetsGoSpa party at Bloom and everyone had a great time.

Can’t Miss Treatment:  The pampering pedicure is the best deal at $30.   We felt like queens on our thrones in the heated leather pedicure chairs that recline and massage.  We sipped peppermint flavored tea and snacked on homemade brownies while our “tootsies” enjoyed the jets in the whirlpool tub.

The Edge:  Bloom’s friendly staff.  We actually witnessed one of the therapists hold an elderly customer’s hand and walk her out to her car.  Spa owners James and Marsha Roberts hope “that every guest leaves Bloom feeling their best, feeling relaxed, and above all feeling comfortable.”  And WOW, do they ever achieve their goal!

Headliners Salon and Spa (www.headlinersinc.com)

Rt. 195, Tolland , CT   860 870 1954

Vibe:  A luxurious spa that invokes relaxation from the moment you enter.  We were greeted by soft music and subtle, soothing scents.  We changed into a robe and slippers and stored our belongings safely in a locker in their dressing room.  Before our service, we were able to unwind in the elegant relaxation room with comfortable, oversized seating and plenty of snacks.  We even went back there after our services because we were so relaxed and weren’t ready to leave yet.  In fact, we tried every flavor of their tea and cleaned them out of Hershey’s kisses (they were too good to pass up)!   

Can’t Miss Treatment:  The detoxifying Moor Mud Body Wrap ($80).  Warm, thick mud was massaged onto our skin and then we were wrapped up in plastic and heated blankets.  The warmth helps the nutrient rich mud penetrate the pores.  We were then treated to an unbelievable scalp and facial massage that was just enough to help us doze off into a peaceful snooze.  Next was a rinse in their heated Swiss shower complete with five shower heads that encompass the entire body!  The treatment is topped off with a light massage using lotion specially designed for the mud treatment to continue the purification.

The Edge:  The Facilities.  The large relaxation room and tiled body treatment room complete with Swiss shower are unique for Connecticut Day Spas.  In addition, the staff is very experienced and caring.  Spa owner Dan Garvey trains his staff to be “welcoming and open to questions about the services”.  Everyone we encountered at Headliner’s made sure that we were having the best experience possible whether it was by frequently asking how we were feeling or if there was anything else they could get us.

Contours Salon and Day Spa (www.contoursdayspa.com)

Two Bestor Lane , Bloomfield , CT ;  860 243 0340

Vibe:  A large, modern hair salon with a small second floor devoted to the spa.  There is a waiting/relaxation area surrounded by four treatment rooms, all tastefully decorated with neutral crème colors and luscious plants.  The soothing music and clean, crisp décor were very comforting to us before we even started our services.

Can’t Miss Treatment:  The European Facial with Pumpkin Peel ($75).  There were lots of pleasant surprises.  One of the best was looking up and seeing a soothing mural of blue sky and white clouds painted on the ceiling.  We also liked the pumpkin scented enzyme peel that made our skin feel like new afterwards due to the hundreds of nutrients found in pumpkin.  Also, we enjoyed our massage services ($70 for 1 hour) as they were customized to meet our personal needs, whether it was deep tissue or a combination of techniques. 

The Edge:  Contour’s quality treatments and staff.  Owner Peter Marandino says their mission is to “continually improve on our spa services and products to meet our clients’ needs.”  We enjoy going back to experience their new services.

Green Tangerine Spa & Salon (www.greentangerinespa.com)

Shoppes at Farmington Valley in Canton , CT   860 693 8785

Shops at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor , CT   860 644 5343

Vibe:  An upbeat, retro hair salon that quickly converts to a serene, earthy spa sanctuary.  The Canton location is a full service spa equipped with lockers and changing room and a relaxation area with a soothing fountain.  They also boast the area’s first cutting edge Vichy-shower capsule, an enclosed steam filled massage bed with a pressurized water jet rinse designed to enhance body treatments.

Can’t Miss Treatment:  The Self-Renewal Facial.  This 90-minute customized facial ($110) is really a head to toe experience.  The service begins with a sniff test where you close your eyes and choose from a variety of scented aromatherapy oils.  The oils are used for a relaxing foot massage and upper body massage and are also infused into hot towels used to warm the body throughout the service.  More massage techniques were incorporated into the traditional facial routine to make for one of the most complete services we’ve ever had.

The Edge:  The complimentary foot ritual.  Spa Director Michelle Chase wants to allow her customers to unwind before their services.  Upon arrival, we changed into robes and were taken to the relaxation area to experience a warm foot soak while sipping organic tea.  It really was a great way to start our services. 

Lavender Fields Day Spa (www.lavenderfieldsdayspa.com)

1842 Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike, Southington , CT   860 276 9958

Vibe:  A small, cozy day spa with a modern touch.  The small size was perfect when we visited for a mother/daughter spa day since four of us had the spa all to ourselves.  We loved the dried lavender flowers accenting each room and pleasantly discovered other hints of lavender incorporated into the ambiance.

Can’t Miss Treatment:  The Facial.  Varieties range from cleansing, seaweed, hydra, alpha, and more ($60-75).  The aestheticians have a wonderful “bedside manner” that instantly made us trust our faces in their hands.  The heated facial bed and thick blankets were so comfortable that we never wanted to get up!

The Edge:  The Solarium.  It’s a relaxation haven enclosed by glass windows overlooking the forest and is decorated with luscious plants and earthy colors.  We were completely pampered as we sat down in the Solarium and the staff covered us with blankets and served us chamomile lavender tea.  We indulged in peanut butter and chocolate bon-bons before our service and were delighted to find a fully replenished stock of these heavenly treats by the time our service was over.

Shear Artistry Day Spa (www.shearartistrydayspa.com)

Riverdale Farms, Avon , CT   860 676 9667

Vibe:  An upscale hair salon with spa facilities.  Shear Artistry houses a one of a kind pedicure room with floor to ceiling murals and a treatment room with a steam shower infused with essential oils.

Can’t Miss Treatment:  The Chocolate Body Wrap (1 ½ hours for $115).  To call this treatment “sweet indulgence” probably doesn’t do it justice!  We first chose a theme for the treatment; chocolate mint, chocolate cake, or chocolate raspberry.  The chosen scent was infused into an invigorating steam shower to open the pores and then followed by chocolate scented mud massaged into the skin.  While wrapped in plastic and heated blankets, we were pampered with a mini facial, a soothing foot massage, and relaxing scalp massage.  No chocolate treatment would be complete without the box of Munson’s chocolates to enjoy at the conclusion of the service!

The Edge:  The details.  Shear Artistry proves that small details can make a big difference in the overall spa experience.  We were impressed with everything from the fresh rose petals sprinkled throughout the treatment rooms to being able to smell, feel, and actually taste the theme of our services!

Silvana’s Day Spa and Salon (www.silvanasdayspa.com)

102 East Main Street , Bristol , CT   860 589 7249

Vibe:  A neighborhood beauty salon that transformed to the likes of a destination spa as we passed through the elegant glass door to the spa.  The large facilities, updated technology and wide variety of services are similar to what we’ve become accustomed to at larger resort spas.

Can’t Miss Treatment:  The Vichy “Rain Massage” Therapy.  While lying on a cushioned table, this refreshing form of hydrotherapy uses six shower heads to massage your body from head to toe.  We thought this was the perfect way to start our tension relieving massage services.

The Edge:  Besides the Vichy Shower?  Silvana's is unique in offering separate men’s and women’s facilities with lockers, steam shower and dressing area.