Coco’s Day Spa & Salon

The Colonnade,

Sawgrass Mills

12801 W. Sunrise Blvd.,

Sunrise

954-514-0911

Lowdown: If you come to The Colonnade, it’s probably not for a facial but for some sharply discounted Cole Haan shoes.

But as you meander around the shops — Valentino, Burberry, Neiman’s Last Call — you will pass by Coco’s Day Spa & Salon, open for a year.

And, at first blush, you will probably assume that the place is more salon than spa. You will be right. There are 16 hair stations, and room for eight concurrent manicures and four pedicures.

But on the opposite side of the wall is a hushed, long, orange-tinted hallway leading to five treatment rooms where you can get a hot stone massage, body polish or teen facial.

Treatment rooms tend to the generic, but do have ample space and CD players.

Spa director Moshe ”Coco” Bitton has two spas by the same name at Aventura Mall. Although this one bears his name as well, he is not the owner, he said. The adjoining boutique sells all manner of hair products, and some makeup and jewelry, too.

Most of Bitton’s clients are European tourists or American snowbirds. It’s not easy these days to sell a spa service to a cost-conscious public, he said.

”That’s really a luxury item,” said Bitton, originally from Tel Aviv. “People come because it makes you feel good for a very reasonable price.”

Sound-muffling materials were used to construct the spa side of the business, so the hair dryers shouldn’t disturb you while you’re winding down from retail therapy.

Said Bitton, “It’s very private over there.”

Neighborhood: Sawgrass Mills is a sprawling, dizzying retail complex. A road circles the stores, but it’s easy to get confused as the stores are often too far away to discern their names.

Coco’s is between Rainforest Cafe and St. John Knits.

If you aren’t very familiar with Sawgrass Mills, call before you go and ask for directions directly from manager Monique Joshua.

Vibe: Sequestered and calm — once you leave the salon side. There’s no lounge, but a couch being shipped from Italy will be placed at the end of the hallway.

Highlights:Dermalogica products are used for all facials, and there’s a range of massage modalities. A Reflexology Pedicure sounds divine ($65 and up). The Oxygen Therapy Facial is said to improve fine lines and dryness ($100 for 50 minutes). And Bitton swears by the HotRock Massage ($100 for 50 minutes). In a Bamboo Massage, bamboo sticks are rolled over the body, and a hand massage is also incorporated ($115 for 50 minutes).

Full Article & Credits