First, it's important to note WHY each is considered "green."
The Still Point prides itself on holistic treatments that use eco-friendly, locally-sourced and organic materials. Facials may include fresh fruit from the spa's onsite garden, local honey, or lines like The Body Deli, known for using only natural materials. The building itself is not LEED certified, but the spa does use sustainable practices wherever possible, including state-of-the-art pedicure bowls, bamboo sheets, and a commitment to recycling.
Nusta is the nation's first LEED Gold certified green spa building. Energy is sourced from renewable sources, construction materials are recycled or natural, and fabrics used in the waiting room are made from natural sources. While the treatments use organic ingredients or natural ingredients where possible, including their own Nusta-branded line, the lines are not chosen solely on the basis of being organic, local, or eco-friendly.
Still, each spa makes a determined commitment to "green" living. Deacon applauds them, as we'd always rather visit an environmentally conscious spa - after all, if one makes an effort to live, eat and practice green behavior, shouldn't they spa the same way?
But ultimately, it comes down to the treatments, because no matter how good for the environment we're being, it's still costing us green to go green. So, in the interest of comparison, we booked each spa's signature treatment with an owner.
Treatment | Therapist | Cost | Time | Green Factor | Overall Rating | |
The Still Point | 4.5 / 5 pawprints | |||||
Nusta | 4/ 5 pawprints |
The Still Point:
We began with a brief tour of the new space, just down the street from the old location. The spa is now located in a chic antique home, boasting a spacious wraparound porch, onsite garden, and generally homey feel. Score one for ambiance. The onsite boutique boasts a selection of "can't find them anywhere else" organic products, plus locally-made jewelery and non-toxic nail polishes. The waiting area is small - just a bench - but reception offers tea and water, plus a selection of current magazines. There's no "zen den" feeling here - natural light streamed in and played upon the white curtains ruffled by the late afternoon breeze As I was visiting for a single treatment, I wasn't offered a robe, but they area available for those securing multiple appointments. The treatment room was small and located near the front door of the spa - while I originally worried about noise, I don't recall hearing so much as a peep during the entire treatment. The music is relaxing, yet not New Agey - a soothing blend of reggae-pop. Other rooms, upstairs, offer a larger space. But the bed - oh, the bed. The sheets, a bamboo blend, where so soft and comfortable that I nearly wished I had a twin mattress to place them on back home, the padding was plush and the blankets were soft and warm, even though the bed itself wasn't heated. The treatment itself was a blend of the expected - extractions are never pleasurable - and the unique. The sonic microdermabrasion was barely noticeable, minus the noise, not at all like the rough diamond-tip treatments I'd experienced in the past. Thorough neck, arm and shoulder massages relaxed me to a state of near sleep, while a scalp massage was among the better I've had. The local honey mask, while pleasant smelling, hasn't appeared to do much for my face several days later, but my skin when I left the spa was smooth and glowing, not in need of any additional makeup.
Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars for the spa's eco-focused bent and top-notch treatments. While we would love to see amenities like a steam room, plush relaxation lounge or robes, the effort put in to source impossible-to-find-elsewhere organic lines and find truly talented therapists outweigh those negatives. Given our add-ons, the facial was pricey (next time, we'll forego the honey) but the results are already apparent in our smoother, glowing skin. Plus, we're a sucker for a good scalp massage, even if we did leave in need of a good shower. We'll return to Sara in a heartbeat. Downside - we would have loved shower facilities if we were headed to an evening engagement, it's a drive from our Arlington home. If only they opened a location in Virginia ...
Nusta:
After a brief tour of the spa from Brad, I were escorted to a spacious locker room where we were invited to change into a robe and spa shoes. I loved the changing area, which boasted separate shower facilities, coded lockers (no pesky keys) and plenty of products to help us refresh our makeup post-treatment. We waited in a plush area surrounded by current magazines and were escorted into a spacious spa room with mood lighting that changed from red to green to yellow to blue and back again. The spa bed was one of the less plush I've experienced - the sheets felt old and nearly scratchy, the mattress hard, rather than plush, and not heated. Brad queried what areas needed focus and we began the treatment. His skill was obvious from the get-go, and we loved his deep, flowing strokes that felt penetrating but not painful. However, perhaps due to the nature of his branded "Interpretive Touch" modality, I wasn't thrilled by the fact that he kept shaking my limbs and body throughout the massage. It may have been meant to get me to relax, but it was just plain jarring. I'd also specifically addressed soreness in our arms and didn't notice any concentrated effort on that area. Still, we emerged 50 minutes later relaxed and significantly less tight. Still, I slept like a baby that evening, and next day, I was sore (more from second day workout soreness than the massage) but significantly less tight.
Overall Rating: Four out of Five paws. While the massage itself was quite good, many of the paw rating points come from the amenities offered at the spa, which are rare in a city environment. At $200 for 50 minutes, the treatment itself was seriously overpriced - for that cost, we expect a full resort spa environment, boasting a sauna, steam, pool or other amount of "goodies," or a significantly longer treatment at another area spa.
*These treatments were given gratis, but this pup's opinion is his own.
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