Day Spa 2004 Awards, Top Package

ith so many day spas vying for the same clientele, it's becoming more important to distinguish our day spa from those around us," says Rhana Pytell, owner. "One of the ways we do this is with our Banya, a yin-and-yang signature treatment that promises even seasoned clients a new spa experience."

"In Finland and Russia, people take a hot sauna or sit in a steamy cave, and then jump into the frigid Baltic or roll in the snow to detoxify and stimulate their immune systems. We've turned this healthful ritual into a luxurious, invigorating spa service," says Pytell. Done in a treatment suite that's equipped with a wet-and-dry Finnish sauna and shower, the Banya begins with a 25- to 50-minute sports massage that concentrates on the main muscles of the back, legs and glutes. The therapist delivers a tapotement treatment—a gentle, brisk tapping motion using eucalyptus branches—to stimulate the lymph system and then she applies a honey-mango cleanser all over the body. The client's feet and legs are cooled with an ice-cold footbath before she enters a cool shower. The client then lies on a massage table for the finishing ouches: a peppermint oil scalp massage and a sage-and-citrus facial moisturizer. It's an invigorating spa experience that also serves to relax and pamper the client. Lovely! (Full-body massage, Banya and aromatherapy facial take two hours; cost is $235.)