Spa Hollywood

5780 Swift Road

927-2635

www.shhhhh.net

Although it sits on a busy corner, once you're tucked away into the back rooms of Spa Hollywood you feel miles from the madding crowd. The spa offers a variety of facials, massages, pedicures, aromatherapy treatments and scrubs for both men and women in its facility, which also is home to a salon. (Some packages come with a champagne lunch!)

The Colony Spa

1620 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Longboat Key

9941) 383-6464 ext. 2752

www.colonybeachresort.com

Yes, this spa is at the famous tennis resort, The Colony Beach Resort on Longboat Key, but the public is welcome to step in for treatments, too. As usual at this fine resort, everything is first class: treatments include artic algae body treatment, cranialsacral therapy to a special stone therapy called Scent of the Earth Aroma done with "healing" Sedona volcanic rock. A nice touch is the separate areas for men and women-no lounging in robes in front of the opposite sex.

The Little Day Spa

200 S. Washington Blvd., Suite 6

(941) 363-9455

www.thelittledayspa.com

Attorneys and courthouse folks, rejoice and de-stress! This cozy downtown spa, owned by Wayne Wolff, a massage therapist, and his wife Maureen, a skin care therapist, is located near Towles Court just across U.S. 301 from the Terrace Building and the Sarasota County Judicial Center. The spa provides a lot in its tiny space, including several kinds of massage, facials, manicures and pedicures, using Dermalogica products.

The Met Day Spa & Salon

35 South Blvd. of the Presidents

(941) 388-1772

There is no doubt you're in for a day or even just an hour of absolute bliss when you take the elevator to this upscale spa above The Met Fashion House on St. Armands Circle. Everything in this beautiful spa is designed with absolute luxury, privacy and well-being in mind. Popular with vacationers and locals, it's the crème de la creme of Sarasota day spas.

The Parlor Salon & Day Spa

8383 S. Tamiami Trail

Sarasota

(941) 923-9801

From its Square South location adjacent to Sarasota Square Mall, the Parlor offers clients several nail, hair, skin and massage treatments (everything from Swedish and Thai to Shiatsu and pregnancy massages). Staff members here are independent, so to book an appointment, call the spa for a list of names and numbers.

The Wild Orchid Artistic Salon and Day Spa

935 N. Beneva Road

(941) 365-5273

There are nail stations up front and hair stylists off to the side, but friendly owner Linda Tran says her customers have asked for spa services so she's providing them. Located at Sarasota Commons by Manhattan Bagel, Wild Orchid includes two facial rooms and private pedicure room, and will soon be adding a massage room as well. It's not luxurious, but Tran's smile makes everyone feel like a million bucks.

ZèSe

217 Avenida Madera

Siesta Key

(941) 346-1675

ZèSe has made a name for itself by offering services well into the nights of every full moon. Once a month, its sophisticated and spiritual clientele gather by candlelight for refreshments and bodily indulgences. During the day, this small-ish spa, directly across from The Broken Egg restaurant on Siesta Key, offers all manner of massage, wraps, Botox and hair, nail and skin care. Book early for the "Full Moon Experience."

POLISH PERFECT

A body polish at the Met.

By Kay Kipling

If someone had described "body polish" to me beforehand, I might have backed out. The thought of lying naked (but for a few discreetly placed towels) on a massage table as someone scrubbed my entire body with salt from the Dead Sea sounds a bit, well, intimidating. But some people inspire confidence, and massage therapist Sasa Armor at The Met is one of them.

My polish took place in the Met's wet room-basically a huge walk-in shower that contains a "wet" massage table, a Vichy shower, which is a line of ceiling shower nozzles that moves sideways and up and down, and a king-sized hose that looks appropriate for a fire hall.

As I lay face down, Armor sprayed me with warm water and then, using a salt-and-citrus concoction, began rubbing my feet with short, strong, invigorating strokes, working her way up to my neck. Even if any inhibitions had remained, I'd lost the will power to sustain them. I was in a blissful, purely sensory state. At some point, I remember being blasted by the "fire" hose and then, way in the distance, hearing Armor telling me she was going to leave the room while the Vichy shower, placed strategically over my backbone, worked its magic. If you've ever wanted to lie down in your shower at home while hot water beat down on your body you'll get the picture.