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SPA HOPPING ceramic trays and bowls and luxury Italian linens. Softly lit, the whole room glowed like a sunrise. Margarita studied my completed guest consultation questionnaire, taking great care to discuss my aching lower back, my tightly knotted shoulders and the toxins that had built up in my system. Consultation over, I sank into a plush leather chair while Margarita gently placed my feet into a warm bath of mineral sea salt (to soften calluses) and fresh ginger (to detoxify and refresh). Each foot was carefully exfoliated with a paste made from apricot seeds, then soothed with a gentle massage using apricot kernel oil. I was then led to my treatment bed, and what followed was a blissful blur: a Dead Sea salt and essential-oil body exfoliation; an ESPA facial that featured anti-gravity facial massage to encourage toxin drainage and the penetration of the premium holistic British creams; and the literal topper: a head massage incorporating a luscious combination of different types of mud for conditioning, apricot kernel oil for nourishing the follicles and spearmint for focusing the mind. My final treatment concluded, I lingered in the women's relaxation room, with its linen-dressed 26 DAYSPA | FEBRUARY 2014 Spacious, luxe beds, chenille throws, personal sound treatment rooms systems and screens created from allow for elaborate translucent art. "People don't want wellness rituals. to leave the lounge," says spa director Enid Fernandez. "They're always asking if they can take a bed or a pillow home!" Some 70% of the Peninsula Spa's clients are New Yorkers who come in at night or on weekends to do exactly what I did: escape from a city that runs on fast-forward. "New York is a place of stress," neatly sums up Margarita. "When you're busy all the time, you react in the body. Many of our wellness clients understand that a regular massage and wellness retreat is not so much a luxury as a necessity." NO HAT TRICK Fusing European concepts with Asian and ayurvedic philosophies, the Peninsula Spa encourages all guests to arrive at least 30 minutes early to enjoy its Thermal Suite, a range of heating and cooling experiences designed to cleanse the skin and relax the mind and body. Highlights include the aromatherapy steam room, a sauna and an ice fountain set against the backdrop of a dazzling, 24-karat-gold-tiled mosaic.