Since Cahuilla Indians tapped into the area’s abundant hot mineral springs nearly two centuries ago, the desert has flourished as a place of physical and spiritual rejuvenation. Government surveys recorded the presence of natural hot pools in Palm Springs (eventually the site of Spa Resort Casino), as well as at the foot of two bunches of palms in Desert Hot Springs (now Two Bunch Palms Resort & Spa). Since the turn of the century, a steady stream of visitors have come to the valley for its healing waters.
MUSCLES
Hardcore athletes and weekend warriors benefit from the deep canyon therapeutic massage at Spa Las Palmas, which applies moderate to firm pressure while targeting layers of muscle tissue.
At PSYC (Palm Springs Yacht Club), a classic Swedish massage keeps it simple with long strokes kneading into the superficial layers of muscles, improving circulation, easing tension, and enhancing flexibility.
Fall in love with lomi lomi, a deep, euphoric massage offered by Miracle Springs Spa in Desert Hot Springs. This rapturous ancient Hawaiian technique leaves your muscles healed and soothed.
During Spa Esmeralda’s cocoa butter massage, enjoy a proprietary blend of oils and aloe that relieves muscle tension and leaves you luxuriously hydrated.
Get physical at Spa Desert Springs in JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa with a vigorous cryotherapy sports massage, which begins with thermal therapy and a self-heating mud to prepare the body for massage. Compression and cross-fiber friction warm and loosen muscles. Then a cooling herbal gel is applied to soothe aches and restore circulation.
SKIN
Nurture and repair your skin with treatments at desert resort spas, such as Agua Serena Spa’s champagne body sublime, in which champagne, grapes, sugar cane, citrus, and pumpkin create a hydrating wrap that refines your skin.
Miramonte Resort & Spa’s The Well Spa offers the Mediterranean massage using oils made from basil, orange, and lemon that rejuvenate the skin.
Hydrate and exfoliate with Spa La Quinta’s orange blossom special body facial — a citrus scrub, followed by a mist of orange blossom aromatherapy oil. Lotion massaged into the skin provides hydration and a gentle skin peel ends the treatment.
The island fresh scrub at Riviera Palm Springs’ SpaTerre uncovers smooth, glowing skin with gentle exfoliation derived from raw sugar crystals, coconut oil, and your choice of a tropical scent. Following a Vichy shower, a massage of body butter locks in moisture.
FACE
Enjoy almost three hours of bliss in The Spring Resort & Spa’s supreme epicuren enyzyme facial, followed by a detoxifying clay and sandalwood wrap, and a half-hour aromatherapy massage.
Enzyme-rich products stimulate collagen fibers to lift and tone skin during the lift facial at The Spa at Mission Hills. Emerge with restored firmness and elasticity.
Spa Desert Springs’ ultimate caviar treatment hydrates, lifts, firms, and smooths the skin with protein-heavy caviar and powerful antioxidants.
The real deal peel at Two Bunch Palms Resort & Spa uses fruit acids buffered with Vitamin C, which has the potential to take years off your appearance.
FEET
Give back to your unappreciated feet with a reflexology massage from Elements Spa at Hilton Palm Springs.
Agua Caliente Casino • Resort • Spa’s Sunstone Spa offers the sol to sole treatment — reflexology complemented by an exfoliating foot scrub and a moisture-rich warm towel wrap.
Estrella Spa’s foot and leg treatment includes a botanical foot soak, aromatic sea salt exfoliation, and rhythmical massage.
HEAD TO TOE
Sunstone Spa’s sun dance treatment combines a lemon and amber body scrub with a massage, followed by a conditioning hair and scalp wrap.
At Estrella Spa, the delight package indulges you and your partner with a 30-minute foot and leg treatment to smooth calluses and other imperfections with a botanical soak, aromatic sea salt exfoliation, and massage for calves and feet. A facial customized to your skin type and an hour-long massage follow.
El Morocco Inn & Spa’s Moroccan mystical ritual offers a two-hour massage combining spices, herbs, and flowers. It includes herbal dry brushing, warm towels, smoothing cool stones, purifying salt scrub, and royal foot treatment, ending with a light oil rubdown
and rejuvenating third-eye ritual.
At Spa Desert Springs, the shirodhara begins with warm oil poured over the center of your forehead (the “third eye”). Herbal-infused oils worked into the scalp condition hair follicles. Facial therapy gently cleanses and moisturizes. Finish with meditative hand and foot therapy.
Give your body the ultimate brush-off at Feel Good Spa at Ace Hotel & Swim Club with a brisk full-body exfoliation and finishing moisturizer.
Spa Spots
Agua Serena Spa
(Hyatt Grand Champions Resort)
44600 Indian Wells Ln., Indian Wells
1-760-674-4100; www.grandchampions.hyatt.com
El Morocco Inn & Spa
66810 E. Fourth St., Desert Hot Springs
1-760-288-2527; www.elmoroccoinn.com
Elements Spa (Hilton Palm Springs)
400 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs
1-760-318-8528; www.palmsprings.hilton.com
Estrella Spa (Viceroy Palm Springs)
415 S. Belardo Rd., Palm Springs
1-760-320-4117; www.viceroypalmsprings.com
Feel Good Spa (Ace Hotel & Swim Club)
701 E. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs
1-760.325.9900; www.acehotel.com
Spa Esmeralda (Esmeralda Resort & Spa)
44400 Indian Wells Ln., Indian Wells
1-760-773-4444; www.renaissanceesmeralda.com
Miracle Springs Spa
10625 Palm Dr., Desert Hot Springs
1-760-251-6000; www.miraclesprings.com
Palm Springs Yacht Club
(Parker Palm Springs)
4200 E. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs
1-760-770-5000; www.theparkerpalmsprings.com
Spa Desert Springs
(JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa)
74855 Country Club Dr., Palm Desert
1-760-341-1856; www.spa.desertspringsresort.com
Spa La Quinta
(La Quinta Resort & Club)
49499 Eisenhower Dr., La Quinta
1-760-527-7721; www.laquintaresort.com
Spa Las Palmas
(Rancho Las Palmas Resort)
41000 Bob Hope Dr., Rancho Mirage
1-877-843-7720; www.rancholaspalmas.com
SpaTerre (Riviera Palm Springs)
1600 N. Indian Canyon Dr., Palm Springs
1-760-327-8311; www.psriviera.com
The Spring Resort & Spa
12699 Reposo Way, Desert Hot Springs
1-760-251-6700. www.the-spring.com
Sunstone, the Spa
(Agua Caliente Casino • Resort • Spa)
32250 Bob Hope Dr., Rancho Mirage.
1-760-202-2121 or 1-888-999-1995
www.hotwatercasino.com
Two Bunch Palms Resort & Spa
67425 Two Bunch Palms Tr., Desert Hot Springs
1-760-329-8791; www.twobunchpalms.com
The Spa (Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa)
71333 Dinah Shore Dr., Rancho Mirage
1-760-809-9792; www.ultimateskinsuite.com
The Well Spa (Miramonte Resort & Spa)
45000 Indian Wells Ln., Indian Wells
1-760-341-2200; www.miramonteresort.com