Chuan Spa at The Langham, Chicago

"It's easy to instantly unwind at this urban escape, situated on the fourth floor of the Langham Hotel . Guests receive a warm greeting upon arrival, then are guided to a comfortable waiting area to complete a treatment questionnaire before hitting the locker rooms, where a pool, hot tub, and heated loungers (surrounded by epic skyline views) await. The team here takes a holistic approach to wellness, embracing traditional Chinese medicine philosophies and principles of Wu Xing (encompassing the elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water). Once greeted, guests are asked about their current lifestyle and treatment goals, and services are customized accordingly, incorporating modern comforts and ancient therapeutic practices. There’s an impressive menu of offerings, from facials and herbal salt scrubs to mud wraps, hand and foot therapies, and body massages (and then those that incorporate a few of the aforementioned, such as the Chuan Tao of Detox—a head-to-toe exfoliation followed by a marine algae wrap and acupressure massage)." - Nicole Schnitzler