A New York City Health and Beauty Blog

Getting Personal: A day at Equinox Spa in New York City

Equinox Spa in Manhattam, NYC

The holidays were so amazing this year, I honestly could not have asked for anything more. On New Year’s Eve I celebrated Noche Buena with my family and then Christmas Day with my in-laws. And while I’m not at all a religious person, I do enjoy most holidays because they bring everyone closer and people are generally in better moods. The season is beautiful but hectic, especially when you’re entertaining at home. For the past week I’ve been running around picking up gifts, mailing cards and picking up items for dinner and I’m such a procrastinator and almost always wait until the last-minute. But this holiday season it wasn’t all about the gifts, just really great times with my loved ones.

For the past eight Christmas holidays my wife and I have spoiled one another with gifts and of course birthdays, valentines days, anniversaries and the like are filled with sparkly baubles, weekend getaways and lots of wine. And after eight years with the same person how many more material things can you give each other? So my wife and I decided that we would get one another one gift and that we would focus the holiday on our boys. Well my wife, Jay, totally had me fooled. She surprised me on Christmas morning with spa gift card for Equinox Spa. You see she remembered that I said “the best facial that I ever had been at Equinox” and that was so special that she listened to what I had to say-instead of just staring at my boobs. 🙂

tea and relaxation at equinox spa

Jay knows how much I love Equinox not only because it’s my gym but also because I consider it my Temple of Well-being. There is such a dedication to customer service, the facilities are always impeccably clean and the staff is great. Plus I’m in love with their eucalyptus steam rooms! I wanted to relax a bit before my spa appointment so I made sure to arrive thirty minutes before my appointment. The lounge is very zen and there is nothing like sipping on some herbal tea, listening to ambient music and relaxing with the latest Gotham Mag before getting a massage.

I enjoyed a facial and a Swedish massage and I even let the masseuse massage my feet. I hate my feet being touched. Yes, weird but true, my feet are ticklish and I’m not a fan of getting pedicures. In this case I made an exception, relaxed and enjoyed the masseuse working all of the kinks out of my back. My facial was even more enjoyable, especially the fact that my face was steamed for most of the facial. Using steam helps to free dead skin cells, dirt and bacteria. It also helps to moisturize the skin and allow the skin to better absorb the products used; plus it feels really good. Spending time at the spa was a welcome distraction after all of the holiday madness. How did you unwind after the holidays?

Ultimate Luxury Gym: Equinox Fitness

equinox fitness

As some people may know Equinox Fitness has been called The Best Gym in the U.S. by Fitness Magazine and also America’s Healthiest Gym.

Equinox is also the fitness home to some very well-known celebrities like Mischa Barton, Hillary Swank, Matt Damon, Renee Zellwegger and even President Barack Obama. And the Equinox slogan is “It’s Not Fitness. It’s Life.” So after hearing all the hoopla about the gym I decided to check it out myself and see why Equinox Fitness is known as a serene retreat to its many members.

I decided to take in a spa treatment and opted for the Equinox Day Spa located in the Equinox Gym on 63rd Street in Manhattan.  I arrived about 15 minutes late for my appointment and had to reschedule the same day (2 hours later) or I would be charged the entire cost of the facial ($145). My fault, no the spas so I decided to workout for a little while until it was time for my new appointment and I took in a spin class to pass the time. An enthusiastic instructor ran the class but the music kept cutting off so it really disrupted the swing of things. The class was intense and I felt that I got a pretty good cardio workout and overall it was enjoyable. After my workout I took a shower and relaxed in the steam room for a little while before my spa treatment. The locker room was very clean, lots of towels everyone and the showers were stocked with Kiehl’s products (shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and lotion). Overall I was impressed with the size, cleanliness of the facility and the professionalism of the staff.

When it was time for my facial I proceeded to go downstairs where I relaxed in a Zen like lounge with fresh fruit, ice-tea and ice water with lemon. My esthetician was very knowledgeable and asked lots of questions to get a better assessment of my skins needs. She even recommended a different facial than the one that I originally booked because she felt that it would better address my skin care concerns. I eventually opted for the “Purifying Deep Cleansing Facial” which included exfoliation with a gentle lactic acid peel, extraction and a calming clarify mask. The extraction part was a bit uncomfortable (as expected) but the results were amazing. After my treatment was complete my face was clear and as smooth and soft as a baby’s bottom. This was certainly one of the best facials that I’ve ever had.

This gym has plenty of luxe amenities to choose from including:

  • Lap pool
  • Jacuzzi
  • Sauna
  • Steam Room
  • Juice Bar
  • Cafe
  • Full-service spa
  • Complimentary Kiehl’s products
  • Complimentary towel service
  • Eucalyptus towels

So after having a pretty positive experience I headed to the membership office to speak with representative about joining the gym (which gives members 10% off spa services). There were two options to choose from: A one-location membership or an All Access membership (all the US gyms). Since I rarely travel to any of the cities where they have other gyms I inquired about the 63rd Street location, which was $173/month plus a $595 initiation fee (the initiation fee would be waived if I joined with a friend – a special going on at the time). If I chose the All Access membership the monthly fee would be $175/month (only a $2 difference in price, which I assume was to get potential members to lean towards the All Access membership). There are other locations that are less expensive (the ones without pools) and some that are closed on the weekends.

Overall I would have to say that this is the nicest gyms that I have even been in. The gym is spacious (4 floors), has plenty of equipment, tons of classes, friendly staff, and ultra modern facilities and hey there’s even an iPhone app for the gym members (where they can reserve stationary bikes and check in to the facility). Although the membership price is a bit steep (more than all other NYC gyms), you truly get what you pay for in terms of service and amenities. Equinox Fitness gets 4 out of 5 stars.

UPDATE: 5/21/2010

I just joined Equinox All Access so that I can work out in any of their clubs nationwide. This is one of the best investments in my health that I’ve made. The facilities are top-notch and the staff is always friends – I couldn’t be happier.