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Le Petite Retreat Day Spa

Sometimes going to a spa isn’t as relaxing as you’d like. Sometimes there are just too many people, too much foot traffic. If you’re looking for a truly relaxed spa experience in a more intimate setting than, say, Burke Williams (no offense, Burke Williams; I like you just fine), Le Petite Retreat Day Spa in Larchmont Village might just be the spot.

While Le Petite Retreat is small, it doesn’t skimp on amenities. The robes are über comfy, the communal waiting room is cozy (fireplace, fountain, complimentary drinks and snacks), and the treatment rooms are appropriately relaxing. I got the signature Jade Stone Massage Therapy treatment, which incorporates the use of rubbing alternating hot and cold jade stones over your body with Swedish, Shiatsu, Thai and deep tissue massage. The hot stones relax your muscles, and the cold stones help reduce inflammation. This is no wussy massage; the therapist, who was about half my size, worked me over! But that just meant I left feeling totally relaxed.

Le Petite Retreat offers all kinds of facials (including a caviar serum), scrubs (Ionic Detox Foot Bath, anyone?) and even eyelash extensions. The spa also caters to couples with various couples treatments and a champagne bath for two as an add on, where you’ll lounge in a copper tub surrounded by flickering candles sipping champagne. Not bad, huh?

I originally wrote about this place for Gilt City. Maybe if you’re lucky you’ll find another deal for Le Petite Retreat soon!

If you’ve been following my Twitter and Facebook page feeds, then you already know that I recently spent a weekend in Las Vegas with Lindsay of LAist, Esther of estarLA and Caroline of Caroline on Crack, and that we stayed at the Aria Hotel & Casino. The property was a breath of fresh air in many ways, and not just because of the vanilla scent that’s pumped in. Aria seems to attract a more mature, yet still hip, clientele, which makes getting around a lot more pleasant than it is at many other hotels in the area (i.e., the douchey factor is a lot lower). The decor is modern but low-key (The Cosmopolitan it is not), but there’s still a nightclub and a daytime pool club for partying types. All this made for a relaxing and fun stay.

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Recess Nail Spa. From Green L.A. Girl.

I recently checked out Recess Nail Spa, an environmentally friendly nail salon not far from the Beverly Center, and came away impressed. For one thing, the space is huge — it looked about three times the size of a typical nail salon — and it was much more luxurious, with plush chairs and flat screen TVs. Aside from actual spas, I have never seen a dedicated nail salon look so nice.

I got a manicure and pedicure, courtesy of a gift card I won at The Fashion Frontline launch party. I got the the Basic Manicure, which includes a mani, hot towels and massage, and the Basic Pedicure, which includes a pedi, scrub, hot towels and massage. I had two people working on me at the same time, and both did a great job. I chose a pink-coral color from SpaRitual, which according to its website, is a vegan nail polish line free of synthetic dyes. I’ve noticed that the color doesn’t chip as much as it wears away from the tips. Recess also carries Zoya, which is free of toluene, formaldehyde, phthalates and camphor. You also get your choice of lotion for your massage, with scents that are sweet, spicy or citrusy.

I was also happy with the service. Even though I came in without an appointment less than an hour before closing time, the salon accommodated me and didn’t make me feel rushed at all.

Through the end of August, the salon is offering a special on the Basic Manicure for $20 and the Basic Pedicure for $30. If you want to save $5, just forgo the hot towels. I’ve had similar manis at actual spas (and even ones that weren’t as good) for much more. This is a great deal. I just may have to make this a regular part of my beauty regimen!

Going to the desert usually isn’t my idea of a good time. I don’t like long drives, and heat doesn’t sit well with me. So I hesitated at first when the opportunity to spend a weekend in Indian Wells, Calif., presented itself because that’s, like, past Palm Springs.

You see, I was invited by the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa, a Marriott property, to stay a night and experience its restaurants, Sirocco and CAVA. I wasn’t sure about the desert location as I knew very little about Indian Wells other than a big tennis tournament happens there every year, but then I saw this on the hotel’s website

and immediately changed my mind. Indian Wells, here I come!

In this post I’ll discuss the hotel property, and in a subsequent post I’ll feature the resort’s food, so stay tuned.

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