Kelly G.
Yelp
The entire experience at the Boutique Spa is pure luxury. There is no other way to say it. From the arrival at the Ritz Carlton Georgetown to the valet parking to check-in to the pre-appointment amenities to the actual service to the post-appointment amenities, this is the place to be for a complete zen experience.
I arrived at the Ritz Carlton Georgetown for my spa day only to find out I'd have complimentary valet parking. This is quite a bonus in and of itself and does not happen at another hotel based spa (think baby-blue). Not only that, there is free Wi-Fi inside the hotel for you to tidy up those few last minute emails before heading downstairs to the spa.
Once there and checked in, I was given a tour of the facility. Niiiiiice! Locker room, comfy robe, slippers, steam room, shower, shampoos, conditioners, hair spray, gels, lotions, combs, and even a dental kit (which you will need read on). Their waiting room is complete with coffee, tea, water (cucumber or lemon), and CHOCOLATES. Yes, you read correctly, chocolates. (Aw man! I'm here for a facial. That must be a conflict of interest somehow.)
As a spa client, you will also have access to the fitness center. If you arrive early enough, you can sweat out even more of the cares of the world prior to your zen experience in this small, but very useful fitness center. Complete with recumbent cycles, treadmills, and ellipticals; a cable machine, a few free weights, and a small area for floor work, this place even features headphones, newspapers, apples, cool-moist washcloths, towels, and equipment wipes. Now don't come here thinking you're going to train for the 2016 Summer Olympics, but do bring your workout gear for at least a quick cardio session and maybe a few bicep curls. Boy am I glad I did.
I timed things perfectly to include an indulgent shower before my service. Do this. Take advantage of the scrub, the body shampoo, the spray deodorant, the entire experience. (I didn't use the shampoo or conditioner this time, and you know why, but trust me, I will be pumping out multiple handfuls of that stuff on my next visit. Trust me.)
Early arrival is essential here. Evidence of this is the amount of time I had to spend experiencing this spa. I absolutely loved it. Especially this waiting room. Soft lighting, cushy chairs, and everyone is in a robe in here so don't feel underdressed. I had time for a tiny bit of tea and a chocolate before my appointment. Yesssss. Now, I am spa-ing.
The treatment room was just as dimly lit and zen as I had hoped and the facial started with my hands and forearms. My esthetician massaged a substance that must have come straight from heaven into my skin, covered them in plastic, and placed them in warming mitts. Can things get any more heavenly than this? Hm. Read on.
The attention to the details of my face on this one visit closely rivaled the cumulative attention I have given my face in my lifetime. Honey, yes. See I started off a neutrogena, ten-o-six, and oil of olay girl. As I got older and had a few dollars to spend, I went the popular department store face care route (it starts with a "C" and comes in a mint-green box). Now, I'm a tad bit (ahem) older and need to make sure I don't ever look it, so treating myself to getting "detailed" here is a natural next step. Natural is the only thing you will get at this spa. No harsh chemicals. No commercially available cleansers. No industrial strength scrubbers. The Boutique Spa at the Ritz Carlton Georgetown is all about organic, natural products. I had about a whole field of blueberries slathered on my face in the form of a cleanser. Then there was a strawberry, rice powder exfoliant and stone fruit elixir. All the while, the steam machine was keeping my pores open. There were a few extractions, but hey, that is natural, too. Cotton pads on expert fingertips gently get at anything these cleansers can't. There is an ionic light that zaps any microbes and at the end, there is a combination moisturizer - sunscreen that will leave your skin glowing for days.
Mine was. People kept telling me all week "you're glowing!" or "look at that glow" and one person asked me if I was pregnant because I was glowing. (Um, no!) Believe me, even I saw this mystical glow. People were not just pumping me up. My skin was beautiful! And it still is, today. I have decided to include this treatment as a part of my regular beauty regimen. You should, too.
I'm a fan of The Boutique Spa at the Ritz Carlton Georgetown. This is as good as it gets. Five stars!