With countless nail and beauty salons, dry bars and day spas, Houston offers plenty if you want to indulge in self-care. Even so, Space City is not known for its destination spas, but The Spa at The Post Oak Hotel seeks to change that.
Within three months of its December 2018 debut, the 20,000-square-foot facility on the fifth floor of billionaire Tilman Fertitta’s ultra-luxurious The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston earned a coveted Five-Star rating from Forbes Travel Guide — one of only 31 spas in the country, and the only one in Texas, to receive that distinction.
Let’s take a step inside this newly minted oasis.
The Exclusivity
The pampering starts the minute you drive up to The Post Oak Hotel, where a valet will take your car and a doorman will usher you inside the property with a flourish. Crossing the luxe lobby — which boasts Calcutta marble flooring, a cascading Swarovski crystal chandelier made of more than 15,000 crystals and large-format canvases by American artist Frank Stella — you’ll enter a private elevator that takes you directly to the spa on the fifth floor.
The Service
Upon arrival at The Spa at The Post Oak, you are greeted by a receptionist, given a short survey to fill out and provided with a choice of refreshments before being escorted past the elegantly appointed spa shop stocked with three luxurious lines — Cinq Mondes (this is the only Texas spa to offer the French brand), Jacqueline Piotaz of Switzerland and Aromatherapy Associates of London — on the way to the spacious his-and-hers locker rooms.
The Quiet Lounge
The spa’s quiet lounge, where you can unwind before or after your service, is equipped with zero-gravity massage chairs, plush loungers (which beg for long naps) and thick blankets.
Attendants will serve freshly brewed teas from the spa’s exclusive menu; a selection of snacks, such as housemade collagen muffins, nuts or trail mix; and refreshing pours like coconut water and cold-pressed wellness juices that change daily.
The Treatment Rooms
There are seven treatment rooms, each of them spacious and decorated with beautiful textiles and art collected from around the world. Rooms are all Bluetooth enabled so you can choose your own playlist. Treatment beds are motorized and heated, with sumptuous, high-thread-count linens.
Of note is the couples’ massage suite, an elegant space more than double the size of a standard treatment room with its own en-suite Jacuzzi and steam shower.
The Treatments
An array of massage, facial and body services — hallmarks at any spa — are on the menu, but the rituals are what make this Five-Star spa stand out.
Developed in conjunction with French spa partner Cinq Mondes, the 120-minute Ritual of Five Worlds combines stretching with massage, an application of warm poultices made of Javanese herbs and a cranial acupressure and foot reflexology session administered by two therapists simultaneously.
Another exclusive offering, the In-Skin Ultimate Radiant Complexion Facial, is a transformative, six-in-one treatment (microdermabrasion, oxygen, LED lighting, radio frequency, electroporation and air massage) that’s only available in Texas at this Houston spa.
The Locker Rooms
Plush carpet, fresh flowers and a soothing neutral design palette wrap you in a cocoon of relaxation when you enter the private locker areas. There, you are assigned a locker, given appropriately sized slippers and provided with a super-soft spa robe for the duration of your stay.
Allow time to enjoy the wet facilities, which include a large Jacuzzi equipped with massaging hydro-jets for the neck, an aromatherapy steam room, a dry sauna, an ice fountain and hot stone day beds for lounging.
Showers also provide a multi-sensory experience with cold rain, Caribbean mist and Atlantic Ocean modes choreographed to corresponding colorful light sequences.
The Fitness Center
Lastly, the spa is connected via a private stairway to the hotel’s state-of-the-art gym. Featuring the latest in Technogym equipment, the facility also caters to cycle enthusiasts with two Peloton exercise bikes.
Personal training and yoga sessions can be arranged by appointment. Also, be on the lookout for a roster of pop-up classes.
