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Welcome to Vogue’s first-ever spa guide—a compendium of the 100 best spas worldwide, pulling from the expertise of our global editors. There is a lot out there in the world of wellness, and we are here to sort the cryo from the cold plunge, the infrared light treatment from the IV infusion. Or if your path is a more holistic one—there’s something for you here, as well.
Why go here?
Vegas can be somewhat taxing on the body, if you’re doing it right (which, to my mind, means prime rib, giant fruity cocktails, and a whole lot of secondhand smoke inhaled on the casino floor). For that reason alone, the Waldorf Astoria spa feels like a refuge from the over-the-top, ultra-gilded bacchanal of the rest of the city. The hotel and spa are definitely on the fancy side, but there’s a welcome calmness to that poshness—after you’ve spent days gambling, tanning, and eating and drinking whatever strikes your fancy. The fact that it’s located high atop the famed Las Vegas Strip doesn’t hurt, either. Who knew this kind of peace could be found in the middle of Sin City?
What’s the vibe?
The Waldorf Astoria looks very different than most of the hotels on the Strip. Sailing into its clean, well-appointed white lobby and taking the elevator up to a spa so silent that you could hear a pin drop can be a very welcome experience. The spa’s employees and masseuses are incredibly friendly and welcoming, and small touches—like ice-doused towels before sauna time and plus-size robes for visitors, like myself, who don’t fit into the standard-issue ones—go a long way in creating the spa’s luxe-yet-homey environment. I’m still thinking fondly about the heated marble slab I lay on to receive my hammam treatment, TBH; is there a way I can get one for my home?
The history?
There are Waldorf Astoria spas at several of the hotel chain’s other locations (including a deluxe La Prairie location in Beverly Hills and one we tested in Amsterdam), and the Vegas location is in keeping with the brand’s reputation for luxury; the hotel and spa have been drawing visitors for almost 15 years yet still feel modern enough to captivate Vegas first-timers.
What should you try?
Don’t leave Vegas without sampling the Waldorf Astoria’s signature hammam experience, which is based on the Turkish tradition of hammam bathing and includes a 15-minute steam, followed by a long, luxurious scrub-down, and a final hot-and-cold rinse. (I opted to end on “cold,” knowing my banya-going Russian ancestors would disapprove from the afterlife if I couldn’t handle it. Luckily, the shock of cold felt unbelievably energizing after spending an hour in a room so steamy that I could barely even make out the shape of the friend getting scrubbed down next to me.) I also heard raves about the “Heart of Romance” couples-massage package from the amorous couple in the elevator who had just received theirs, for what it’s worth.
How environmentally friendly is it?
The Waldorf Astoria has been named one of the most sustainable luxury hotels in Vegas; it’s certified gold with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), and its smoke-free policy is (quite literally) a breath of fresh air compared to many Vegas hotels’ policies of allowing smoking on the casino floor.
Who can go?
Appointments are open to anyone through the Waldorf Astoria spa site.
Booking details for The Spa at the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas
Address: 3752 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89158
Read more from Vogue’s Global Spa Guide.
