There's no overestimating Las Vegas's powers of reinvention. Every now and then, it takes on a new persona that's completely counter to its last one. When nongaming revenue began to eclipse gambling proceeds, several years ago, Vegas's marketing folk declared the naughtiest city on Earth a family town. Then Daniel Boulud, Joël Robuchon and Guy Savoy moved in, and it pronounced itself the nation's culinary capital.
Right now Vegas could be declared the City of Spas. Casino hotels on the Strip have always had their sanctuaries (the 55,000-square-foot spa at Bellagio, which most agree introduced real luxury to Las Vegas, is the paradigm), but until recently, the town wasn't so focused on well-being. The current generation of spas are destinations unto themselves and, like every business in Vegas, are turning their specialty into a cutthroat industry, with each fresh venture more high-concept than the last. Here's a look at the newest and most noteworthy.
Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars Palace
The spa: Last fall saw the unveiling of Qua, a 50,000-square-foot ode to excess worthy of Caligula, with several Roman-inspired baths — including a tepidarium, a caldarium and a frigidarium — and a Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis (four swimming pools and two whirlpools surrounded by marble statues). Insiders know to bring a book and read in the laconium, a relaxing mosaic-walled space heated to not quite sauna level. Much of the fun comes from wandering through the warren of stone-floored rooms and taking seriously the ancient ritual of bathing.
Who goes: Scarlett Johansson; assorted bachelorette parties.
Don't miss: The Arctic Ice Room, where snow falls from the ceiling.
Dress code: Bling and a bathrobe.
Treatment to try: The fifty-minute hot-stone massage, for aligning energy and balancing chakras ($275).
Only in Vegas: The Crystal Body Art Room, where you can be adorned with Swarovski crystals (from $130); see Dress Code, above. 866-782-0655;
quabathsandspa.com.
The Spa at Red Rock, at Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa
The spa:Launched in April 2006, the resort is ten miles west of the Strip, close to the stunning 197,000-acre Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The decor channels both the canyon — through stacked sandstone brick, backlit onyx and ebony — and vintage Las Vegas, in the three million-plus crystals dripping from the light fixtures. The intimate spa has clubby red and chocolate-colored furnishings and opens onto a massive outdoor pool patio. But what really sets it apart is its extensive adventure program, offering such activities as biking, horseback riding and kayaking.
Who goes: Sting, Kate Bosworth and gorgeous locals; hard-core travelers who've "done" the Strip.
Don't miss: An Ashiatsu massage, in which therapists knead you with their feet while supporting themselves on bars suspended from the ceiling ($190).
Dress code: Sass and Bide jeans, which, if you don't already own them, can be purchased at the hotel's Talulah G boutique.
Treatment to try: A hydrating full-body wrap (this is the desert, after all), including an exfoliating scrub and a massage ($190).
Only in Vegas: A guided rock-climbing excursion in Red Rock Canyon, one of the top destinations in the country for the sport ($386 for two).
866-363-2872;
redrocklasvegas.com.
Canyon Ranch SpaClub at the Venetian
The spa: Sequestered above the Venetian's ersatz canals, this 69,000-square-foot Canyon Ranch outpost is one of the best places to escape the Strip. The complex of treatment rooms, salons and a fitness center is built around a forty-foot climbing wall. The cavernous desert-hued space is more utilitarian than luxurious; on the other hand, this may be the only Vegas spa in which you always see people exercising. And if, after eight years, Canyon Ranch is showing its age, it will soon get a face-lift and expand to 130,000 square feet, which, management claims, will make it the world's biggest resort spa.
Who goes: The truly health-conscious and those pining for the Tucson and Lenox, Massachusetts, branches.
Don't miss: The café's superlative homemade granola.
Dress code: Yoga pants, natural fibers; skip the makeup.
Treatment to try: Euphoria, in the King's Bath, beginning with an aromatherapy scalp massage and warm botanical body mask, followed by a soak in a claw-foot copper tub that reduces you to pure goo and ending with a light body kneading (from $300).
Only in Vegas: The 18 Carats treatment includes a massage and a bath in water laced with real gold (from $265). 877-220-2688; canyonranch.com.
Bathhouse at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay
The spa: Mandalay Bay's hipper, nongaming younger sibling, THEhotel, together with its spa, Bathhouse, is where the beautiful people go. And it's also apparently where they work. The attractive spa therapists and clientele enhance the sanctuary's chic minimalism, which manifests in its sky-high slate walls and occasional pops of color, such as a fuchsia chair. Try an exotic treatment, such as a bath in black moor mud — available only to women — drawn by a tea-serving geishalike hostess ($65).
Who goes: Molly Sims and film- and music-industry types from Los Angeles.
Don't miss: The softest robes on record.
Treatment to try: One of the Quick-Fix Blends, a bath in water infused with essential West Indian cedar, neroli and mandarin oils ($65).
Only in Vegas: A body treatment with a creme brûlée-scented lotion (from $85).
877-632-9636; mandalaybay.com.
The Spa at Wynn Las Vegas
The spa: Day-trippers are welcome Sunday through Thursday, but the best way to experience the 45,000-square-foot spa at Wynn is on a Friday or Saturday, when it's reserved for hotel guests. The subdued peach, cream and gold rooms are as opulent as the rest of the Wynn.
Who goes: Gisele Bündchen and other stunning women, who, on a recent visit, felt compelled to lounge around the dressing room — sans robes.
Don't miss: The old-Hollywood glamour of the salon, with an adjoining barbershop for hot-lather shaves.
Treatment to try: The Rain Stone Ritual, in which your therapist applies nine essential oils — including oregano, thyme and marjoram, leaving you briefly smelling like a pizza but feeling amazing for days after — before delivering a full-body hot-stone massage ($220).
Only in Vegas: A Good Luck Ritual Massage, based on the five elements of feng shui and reputed to help at the tables ($250).
888-320-9966;
wynnlasvegas.com.
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