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Review content:
Hidden behind the Inwood theater is the pusher of my newest addiction: Hiatus Crackhouse for the Pamper-Deprived. Fronted by an innocuous little Aveda store, merely part those heavy velvet drapes and find yourself sucked into an alternate Universe: dim, serene, peaceful.
You cannot know from the outside how lovely this spa is, or how Zen it feels. Given your choice of tea or refreshing cucumber water, you are lead into a petite dressing room and given a robe, slippers, and access to a locker to store your belongings. There are shower facilities and free Aveda products to use should you so desire. Once you are changed, you move to a waiting area draped with sheer fabrics and lovely chandeliers, to relax or read a periodical until your therapist is ready to see you. I have received two 50-minute massages so far, and the massage rooms are really a treat. You are offered a ritual foot bath, in which your feet are washed in a large tub after being gently scrubbed, free of charge. The massage tables are warmed tables, which feels SO luxurious to climb onto. The Aveda scent of your choice is mixed into the warm oil, and then you are massaged from head to toe until, in my case, you are snoring unattractively and oblivious to the world. Seriously: I was so relaxed after my first massage that I literally stumbled out into the light afterwards.
Tip: REBECCA HIGGINS. Trust me. I saw another therapist on my second visit who did a great job (Tiffany), and SSB visited with Jeff and had nothing but good things to say, but Rebecca is my girl from here on out, because that literally was the best, most intuitive massage I have ever received.
I also received an 80-minute long mani/pedi retreat on my first visit, which was another decadant experience, including a "zero-gravity" chair, which, well, is actually the opposite of zero-gravity, and thus extremely difficult to explain (I actually felt MORE gravitational pull when it was tilted into place, but surprisingly that was terrifically relaxing, as if you are melting into the chair).
Things to consider:
1.) Join the h-circle Platinum club if you want to pamper yourself with regular massages or mani/pedis! This is absolutely the cheapest way to be pampered, and it is SO WORTH IT. Each month, you are charged $59. You can then schedule a service from a menu of 5 "core" services (including the 50-min massage and the 80-min mani/pedi retreat). If you prefer, you can wait for 2 monthly charges to accumulate and use these at the same time (i.e., you can get a massage monthly, or you can get, say, a massage and mani/pedi one month, and then two months later, get a massage and facial, etc.). They also have a "Gold" club and a "Wedding" version- check the web site for details. Bonus: You can choose any OTHER core services at ANY TIME for only $59!!! This is a HUGE discount. Other H-circle perks: 10% off retail, priority booking, friend discounts, and free birthday add-on's! Seriously. HOOK THIS UP.
2.) Keep your eyes peeled for Groupons! I purchased one a week ago for SSB, and it was $59 for a core service (he received a massage), PLUS this time you got your initiation fee waived if you joined the h-circle (a $39 value), AND he got a free purefume in the scent of his choice. Awesome! And yes, this spa is appropriate for men as well, and they even offer a couples massage room if you so desire! Hell-O, Valentine's Day present!
3.) If you check out their Facebook page and 'like' it, you can receive the inside scoop on deals and monthly specials. For example, until August 18, 2011, you can get the h-circle initiaion fee waived with their FB deal.
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