Name of Spa: One Spa at Shutters on the Beach, Santa Monica
Type of Spa: Hotel Spa
Set right on the sun-drenched shores of the Pacific Ocean, this casually elegant beachfront hotel has dreamy views, great food and a nice, small spa.
The Setting at Shutters on the Beach: Just step outside the hotel and you’re on the beach. The historic Santa Monica Pier and great shopping are just a short walk up the beach.
One Spa at Shutters on the Beach: This 7,000 square foot spa, one of the best spas in Los Angeles, is designed around a nautical theme, with portholes in the treatment rooms and a charming shell-lined quiet room. The treatments are designed by Ole Henriksen, a skin-care specialist with a celebrity client list including Renee Zellweger and Charlize Theron. While One Spa is used by guests, it also has a separate street entrance for locals who treat it as their day spa.
Treatments at One Spa at Shutters on the Beach: Body treatments that get your skin buffed and beach-ready are a specialty here. I tried the “Sea You Whenever,” ($185 for 80 minutes), which included a body scrub, Vichy shower, warm moor mud body mask, and Shirodhara treatment. I was deeply impressed by the skills of my therapist, Craig, who once worked on Communist party officials at an exclusive resort in Moscow. First, he asked if I needed any massage, then skillfully incorporated it throughout the body treatment. (Normally, a body treatment is just considered an “application” of product.) After being covered with warm mud and wrapped up like a baked potato, he poured warm oil onto the part of my forehead known as the “third eye,” an Ayurveda treatment that felt FABULOUS. The only thing missing was an application of some oil or lotion at the end of the treatment. A Swedish or deep tissue massage are $110 for fifty minutes.
Accommodations at Shutters on the Beach: The feel is luxury beach house, with 186 guest rooms and 12 suites. Sliding shuttered doors open to the balmy ocean breeze. The magnificent pool offers gorgeous views of the ocean, and judging by the number of deck chairs, this is where people spend most of their time.
Food at Shutters on the Beach Don’t miss dining at One Pico, an 85-seat restaurant with windows that open onto scenes of the endless shimmering sea, rollerbladers, and the crazy turrets and roller coaster of the nearby Santa Monica Pier. A lunchtime favorite for spa-goers is the Cobb Salad with Grilled Chicken Breast, Avocado, Bacon and Blue Cheese ($20) or the Seared Ahi Tuna Salad Nicoise ($24).
Rates at Shutters on the Beach: Rooms start at $380 per night for a double, and $895 per night for a suite.
What’s Special at Shutters on the Beach: The beachfront location and the skill of the therapists.
What Could Be Better: The spa requires a walk through the gym from the changing room to the treatment rooms.
Bottom Line: This spa is for you if you want an airy, ocean-side hotel with time by the pool and terrific dining.
This spa is not for you if want a structured fitness component, with lots of classes.
Contact Info: Shutters on the Beach, One Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, California, 90405, 1-310-458-0030 www.shuttersonthebeach.com
