Regardless of whether you're looking to pamper your loved ones or seek shelter from the holiday storm, these seasonal treatments are sure to leave you glowing far longer than a sugar cookie high:
Nob Hill Spa
No one needs an excuse to visit the Nob Hill Spa at the iconic Huntington Hotel, but we’ll give you one anyway. The spa recently completed work on their new Zen Room, available to all spa customers before and after treatments. Previously a yoga studio, the new space offers cushioned lounges, plush pillows and soft blankets for those looking for a little more peace and quiet after your massage or facial. My masseuse used Wonder Rub (a natural Judith Jackson analgesic balm that topically eases aches and pains) on my sore quads and hamstrings to complement her soothing massage. $140 for 50 minutes; 1075 California St., 415-474-5400, nobhillspa.com
The Spa at Sports Club/LA
If incessant holiday music isn’t your thing and you prefer instead to celebrate the season in a subtle way, sign yourself up for a Peppermint Twist Body Wrap at the swanky downtown gym's spa. First, you’ll be exfoliated with a gentle scrub and then wiped clean before being enveloped in a layer of light peppermint lotion. Your therapist will finish you off with a soothing massage. Just the right dose of holiday cheer, if you ask us. $99 for 50 minutes; 747 Market St., 415-633-3990, sportsclubla.com
SenSpa
If you feel the need to retreat to somewhere far away from the madness of Union Square, look no further than this Presidio day spa housed in refurbished army barracks. Though best known for their signature blend of Eastern Medicine and Western technology, it's the Cocomint Swizzle Massage that has me hooked. After secretly considering licking my arm when the therapist applied the chocolate-mint sugar scrub, it was onto a quick in-room rain shower followed by a 50-minute custom pressure massage. Yes, you'll have to return to the real world eventually, but not before you fuel up on dried fruit, nuts and hot tea in the lounge. $170 for 70 minutes; 1161 Gorgas Ave., 415-441-1777, senspa.com
Zaza Nail Spa
Reward your feet for trampling your competition at Jeremys for that last pair of $300 Choos across the street at Zaza, where they're serving up Pumpkin Spice Pedicures with gratis wine or hot cocoa. Packed with beta carotene and enzymes, this yummy treatment (which includes a massage, exfoliation and polish) promises to draw out impurities and breathe some much needed life into your tired soles. $39, 543 2nd St., 415-495-6292, zazanailspa.com
