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Welcome to the second iteration of Vogue’s global spa guide, an index of the 100 best spas in the world, built from the expertise of our global editors and trusted contributors. There is a lot to choose from in the world of wellness, and no matter how far you’re planning to travel—from a subway ride to a trans-Atlantic flight—we want to make sure it’s worth the journey. Whatever your path, let us be your guide.
Why go here?
Why not? The central location, welcoming demeanor, and edited boutique all cultivates one of the most perfect escapes from the hustle of New York City, while still making you feel—that elusive urban quest!–that you’ve found the place to be. Despite the bouncer-doorman who seems consistently stationed at the front door, Rescue Spa is the kind of drop-by place that has become a mainstay for the downtown New Yorker. More than one beauty editor I know swears by their facials. The consensus among anyone who tries them is so universally glowing as to be almost suspicious. Just what are they using to scent the washcloths?
What’s the vibe?
Rescue Spa is somewhat unique in the landscape of high-end spas in New York City. While many of these places are either underground or stationed on the upper level of a high rise, Rescue Spa has a welcoming street-level facade. The boutique is so well-curated in fact that you might wander in unaware of the aesthetic magicians at work in the back quarter and in the level below.
Inside, Rescue Spa is an optic white, two-story emporium, with Byredo scents and Cire Trudon diffusers set up like petit fours on a cake tray, alongside an extensive but curated selection of skin care gadgets, products, and makeup. (“Do they carry it at Rescue Spa?” was the first question asked by a friend when I told her about a new red light mask I wanted her to try—the litmus test of utility.) Racks of cashmere robes and tasteful lingerie make up the back level of the boutique—a quiet luxury fever dream—while treatment rooms line the perimeter and occupy the basement space. It all has the field of a light and airy salon more than a cosseted or closed-off closet; that padded-room effect common in many a hotel spa is nowhere in sight here. If you’re the kind of person who enjoys a little light people-watching while you’re sipping an espresso pre-treatment, this is the kind of place for you.
What’s the history?
Rescue Spa is the baby of Danuta Mieloch, who arrived in the US from Poland (after training in Paris) more than 30 years ago and has quietly but steadily built up a devoted clientele. If you’re lucky enough to score an appointment with her, it is worth it. She’s like the kind but strictly Eastern European aunt who will give you all the life and skin-care advice you never knew you needed.
Mieloch opened her first outpost of Rescue Spa in 2004 in Philadelphia, where she set up shop on Rittenhouse Square in 2004 (rather than a quiet Main Line outpost) in order to cultivate a connection to the heart of the city. This is a spa that wants to be in the urban mix, but also add a layer of refinement. The Union Square location opened in 2017.
What should you try?
Rescue Spa is really known for its facials, and so you would be remiss if you only dipped your toes in the pedicure pools. On the day I visited, Mieloch massaged away my smile lines, and paused the facial part-way through, so that I could compare the treated side of my face to the other. The spa is set up to do all the lasers and the microcurrents its clients might request, but the emphasis here is on cleansing and massage.
It’s also worth trying the skin-care products developed by Mieloch herself, Danucera. The suite of products is fairly extensive, but it has been designed, Miehloch told me, to eliminate the guesswork: The products should work on all kinds of skin and taken together constitute a complete routine. I gave the products a good run—testing them for about four months—and I was pleased by the clean consistency of my skin.
What else do you need to know?
While you can walk in off the street, it’s definitely the kind of place where it’s time to make an appointment.
Who can go here?
Anyone can make an appointment.
Booking details for Rescue Spa
Address: 29 E 19th St, New York, NY 10003
Read more from Vogue’s Global Spa Guide.
