San Diego Experience

Artesia Day Spa & Salon

By Kevin Leap & Steven Persitza
Posted on Apr 15 2008
Last updated Apr 15 2008

A day at the spa is measured in many ways. The same venue can have a completely different outcome for one person to another, even for the same treatment. The initial greeting, the music, the lighting, the energy of a spa plays a tremendous part in the experience itself. To allow one self to relax and be taken away, physically and mentally is precious indeed. Well, allow Artesia Day Spa & Salon to do just that.

Lounge and Bar Area

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Located in the bustling Gaslamp District (just across form the Convention Center near the Gaslamp Hilton), Artesia takes you away from the bustle below and transports you to a better state of mind and being. Whether you’re there for a massage, a facial, a pedicure or a styling session, prepare to feel special within its soothing, yet bright walls. This is called being pampered and don’t we all love that.

The venue manages to compliment itself by feeling both spacious and intimate at the same time. Wide open spaces adorn the salon side with windows to the Gaslamp below. A comfortable lounge area greets you with beverages as you await your bliss. We were here for massages and body treatments so off to the inviting spa section we went. Almost the second you walked down the hallway you could feel the outside world being left behind, as soft lights and tranquil music ease your senses. Here again, the rooms were spaciously intimate. Our group sampled a variety of practices, including Stone Therapy, Swedish Massage and Body Polish.

The Stone Therapy turned out to be quite an amazing experience. Generally speaking, we tend to usually opt for a deep-tissue massage to ease the aches and pains of being physically active and, let’s admit it, the fine art of getting old. So we went into the stone treatment with a little uncertainty of what to expect. Imagine our smile when it turned out to be an incredibly relaxing experience. The masseuse utilizes heated basalt stones from volcanoes combined with cool marble stones from the ocean. The process involves the flat stones flowing over you, moving your muscles and connecting with your core. Several stones are placed on you at numerous changing body points, releasing their warmth even as the process continues. It was an amazing combination of body awareness coupled with a deep sense of relaxation. An absolute must to try.

The Swedish Massage was done to perfection. Again, we usually go for the sportier deep-tissue version but sometimes you just want to have your muscles pampered and soothed instead of working out knots. The Swedish massage did just that with its sublime scented oils and the masseuses measured handiwork. Ahhhh, you can just feel the tensions melting away.

Treatment Room

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The Body Polish is a treatment to rejuvenate your skin. You are placed on a large basin type table accompanied with fragrant flora and scents. Then you are scrubbed (or polished) from head to toe, peeling away older cells and allowing new, vibrant ones to surface. After the polish, you are showered with a barrage of water streams from numerous showerheads spraying down upon you, cleansing you, renewing you. Then you are flipped over and the process repeats itself. You will walk away literally dipped in lemongrass oils and your skin glowing from being awakened once again. Beware; it is not for the squeamish or those with sensitive skin, as the procedure is pretty rough on your epidermis but no more than the toxins of the outside world which it is trying to rectify.

Artesia is a full spa and salon, offering everything you could imagine in body maintenance and most procedures have a variety of style choices. The salon side offers men and women haircuts, accentuated with styling, coloring, waving and tinting. They even have special bride wedding package for that special day. Nail and foot care are available along with body waxing.

Whether you’re there to relax and float away in a blissful massage or be pampered and primped to look your best, Artesia Day Spa & Salon succeeds on all count. Walk-in’s are welcome and prices are appropriately set. You work hard right? So let them work just as hard to indulge you. Enjoy!

The good – is there really anything “bad” about a day at a spa? A great, friendly staff and comfortable surroundings.

The bad – It is a bit of a challenge to find but well worth the search

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Comments

Posted by Janice	April 16, 2008
Please don't call us "masseuses" We are massage therapists. Thanks.

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