Ladies, who says you need a romantic date to celebrate Valentine’s Day? Here are some ideas of what to do and where to go to have the ultimate girls’ day this February 14.

Pamper yourselves.
Get out of the house with a girls-only spa day. The spa at the Four Seasons in Washington DC has a special Valentine’s Day package called Kissed by the Sun that might be appropriate. Using ecofriendly and organic products, the grapefruit-themed treatment includes an exfoliating scrub, a Swedish or deep-tissue massage, and a moisturizing treatment. At the end of the 80-minute experience, you can enjoy a glass of fresh pink-grapefruit juice. The package costs $235.

Treatments at Chevy Chase’s Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon & Spa might be a good option if you want to pair a shopping trip with your spa day. Located near Mazza Gallerie and Chevy Chase Pavilion, the spa offers a range of services from facials and massages to waxing, hair, and makeup. You can purchase services à la carte or as bundle packages, such as the Ultimate Indulgence package, which includes a 50-minute hot-stone massage, a facial, a pedicure, a shampoo and blow dry, and makeup.

Ecofriendly fiends might like Nusta Spa (pronounced “NOO-stuh”) in downtown DC. Built with nontoxic, recycled materials, the space is sleek and modern, but the white treatment rooms can be color-customized to your taste depending on your mood, thanks to LED lighting. Other ecofriendly elements run throughout, from the product lines and packaging to the paper and ink at the front desk. The treatments are on the pricey side—$95 for a 50-minute facial and $50 for a 45-minute pedicure—but the service is top-notch, so it’s worth the splurge.

For other city or state Valentine spa getaways, check out our Find a Spa Valentine Spa Deal.

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The notion of a quick spa treatment may sound contradictory — after all, doesn’t rushing the experience defeat the purpose? Indeed, a leisurely spa visit is the best kind, but what’s really important is taking time out. When your schedule doesn’t permit the luxury of an entire afternoon — or even a whole hour — the expanding array of express treatments promises rewarding results in 30 minutes or less. Read more…

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The diary of a spa virgin
How a new spa made me feel like a new woman

I have lived a truly sheltered and deprived life.  Up until last Saturday, I had not yet experienced that rite of passage for a young woman that brings her to a fevered pitch of ecstasy and merriment, the spa day. 
Fortunately, for newcomers like me and veteran spa denizens, there is a new destination for luxury and indulgence just a hop, skip, and water taxi ride away from Old Town.  

What a perfect place for my maiden voyage into beauty bliss. 
Nestled in the Gaylord Hotel at National Harbor, lies Relache, French for “relax.”  
The chic French theme runs throughout the spa with shining marble floors, black and white sofas and cushions, and fragrant orchids adorning every surface.   The lobby where I arrive is grand, but not imposing.  

I am soon greeted by a chipper spa girl and ushered into the ladies locker room, which has every amenity one can possibly need. Blow dryers, tooth brushes, moisturizers, and even weight scales, which is probably the only thing I did not sample.  

This sure beats the heck out of the locker room at the office gym, I think. I am handed a plush robe (with pockets deep enough for a blackberry and/or cell) and get into my spa uniform.  

I am given a quick tour of the 20,000 square foot premises (for those of you like me unfamiliar with the spa scene, that’s big).  

First, the sauna and steam rooms. The steam room was a little small for my claustrophobic taste, but still clean and functional. The sauna is larger, and the best part is the lovely eucalyptus scent that is emitted with the steam. You feel as if you are in the middle of a sultry Australian forest.  
Sorry, no Koalas.  

Next, the VIP couples suite. A peaceful white room with breathtaking views of the Potomac and the harbor. Two small beds lie in the middle of the room for mothers and daughters, girlfriends, and newlyweds to enjoy the spa’s services together. Pampering loves company.  

Then, the main lounge area where you wait for your therapist or facialist to fetch you for your appointment. Another stunning view of the harbor and a place where you can chat with other spa visitors over a cup of herbal tea.  Although because the atmosphere is so tranquil and quiet, idle small talk seems inappropriate. 

My facialist, Jean Martini, arrives and we go to a small, dimly lit room for my facial. I tell her that this is my first time, and she is patient and reassuring. She answers all of my questions and explains each step of the hour long signature treatment. 
 

Like all the products used at Relache, the ones Jean employs are natural and organic with soothing aromatherapy elements. Indeed, most of the products one can purchase in the spa’s retail shop for home use. 

“The first thing people ask me is ‘Why do I need a facial,’” Jean tells me. She explains that our skin in constantly regenerating cells, leaving behind the old ones. Also, as people age they lose vital natural moisturizers like collagen that keep the skin supple and smooth.  

My facial removed the dead cells, deeply cleansed the under layers of my skin, and nourished my face leaving it luminous and healthy. 

The signature facial also includes a light facial and neck massage with a wonderful scented lavender oil, which Jean also used on my hands and feet. 

Now I know why this facial thing is so popular with my girlfriends. Yes, spas may be a girl’s best friend, but according to the spa director, Nelly Guerrero-Lent, boys can also benefit from Relache’s menu. “We have men come in all the time. I just had a gentleman come in this morning for a mani-pedi.” Yes, it is estimated that 25 percent of spa services in this country are performed on men. 

Just a few months old, Relache is trying to expand its audience to Alexandrians who may want to get away for the day with a trip to National Harbor.  “The people in Alexandria already know about the great shopping and restaurants here at the harbor-but they may not know about the great spa possibilities,” Guerrero-Lent explained.  Relache wants to promote the idea of a true spa day-a few hours of spaing, then lunch at Pienza (Gaylord’s fantastic Italian eatery) and some sightseeing and late afternoon cocktails to round out the experience. 

To lure more Alexandria spa lovers to Relache, the spa recently updated the price points for their luxurious services to make them more competitive with the average King Street salon. My signature facial and massage is now $130. A complete spa package called “the Versailles Indulgence” features massage, manicure, pedicure, facial, lunch, and your choice of shampoo, makeup lesson, or fitness class runs for $370.  
Even the most jaded of spa rats will not be disappointed by Relache. The service is friendly, the services affordable, and the ambience is elegant and sophisticated.  
I came in a skeptical spa virgin, but walked out a deflowered believer. 

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Spas Offer End-of-Year Stress Relief

Natural Body Spa & Shoppe / Washington DC Spas / Maryland Spas

She slowly moves her mouth to grin as she takes in the aroma and comfort of her surroundings, all the while wondering whether or not she is going to graduate on time.

The close of the school year can often yield anxiety and stress as students prepare for final exams and graduation, but tranquility and relaxation can be attained through reaching out to local spas in the Washington, D.C. area.

Store manager Jacki Barnett of Natural Body Spa and Shoppe said spa treatments are extremely effective in releasing stress, especially during pressure at the end of a semester.

“After being hunched over books and computers every day, it is important to take care of your body and let it unwind,” Barnett said. “Students looking to get massages and other treatments for the first time should come in and talk with a spa therapist first. They can look around the shop and get a feel for things. It is important to get treatments consistently for the best results. Over time, you will notice a change in stress level.”

The Natural Body Spa, located on 24th Street in Northwest D.C., specializes in waxing, skin care, full body massages and nail treatment for prices that students can afford. A 30-minute massage and facial starts at $50, and a pedicure/manicure spa treatment costs $75, but includes several amenities such as reclining massager armchairs.

The shop offers special services to men as well, from handling rough feet to coarse hands. For students looking to unwind together, the Natural Body Spa offers couples massages as well.

Gabrielle Monroe, a sophomore radio/TV/film major, enjoys the relaxation she gets from spa treatments.

“I don’t go to spas that often, but I have been before and massage truly do calm your body and mind,” Monroe said. “You feel well rested and your mood even changes. I went into a spa back home feeling really upset about an incident from earlier that day and left the spa with a new outlook on the incident. I haven’t tried any spas in D.C. yet, only because it seems like the prices would be steep.”

Fortunately, pricey spa treatments are not the only option in the metro area.

Students can also enjoy unique services at VIDA Fitness, where they can work up a sweat in the gym and then head to the steam rooms to unwind. Located near the Verizon Center at 601 F St., VIDA offers a blend of fitness and relaxation.

VIDA employee Dean Mote said, “The atmosphere is great in here. The staff is welcoming and the members are friendly. In fact, all of the staff knows each of the members by first name. You can have anybody give you a massage here, and you’ll feel better. We all just try to go overboard helping members, because it’s like a family here.”

VIDA’s services include sports massages starting at $90 and hot stone massages for $115, among others. A special deal on club membership is now being priced at $49, rather than the usual $199.

“It is really student-friendly here,” Mote continued. “It would be great to see more young people.”

Other great spas in the area include the Oriental Oasis in Northwest Washington, where body wraps, permanent make-up and hairstyling are all done under the same roof in an Asian-inspired shop. The Paris Alexander Skin & Body Wellness Spa specializes in healing and rejuvenating the mind and body, with affordable prices for high quality service.

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