The metropolitan area of the city is known as Chicagoland and hosts a vibrant selection of spas all competing for business
Chicago is known as the windy city, and if you’ve ever visited in the winter you’ll be able to relate. Wind, snow and ice are in abundance due to the prime location on the shoreline of Lake Michigan, but the weather has perhaps been a positive factor in the development of an amazing selection and variety of spa locations to allow the pursuit of warmer indoor activities. We visited a cross-section of Chicago spas, including a luxury hotel spa, a neighbourhood spa and yoga centre, a lifestyle-oriented hotel spa, and a popular, results-oriented day spa to get a taste for the options in this sophisticated and vibrant urban location.
Allyu
Slightly off the beaten track, but still in the downtown area, is a gem of a day spa – Allyu. Allyu means ‘community’ in South America’s Quechua language, and it’s an apt name. This large and successful spa does a fine job of walking the line between being a socially-conscious employer and delivering top-quality massage, skincare and nail services to a neighbourhood clientele.
The spa sits below an enormous office building, but with glass walls looking onto the Chicago River and its inviting retail area you quickly forget where you are. Allyu was created five years ago in a sustainable manner using local materials such as Wisconsin field stones and reclaimed barn wood.
The spa retails a wide selection of personal care and lifestyle items, including artwork, jewellery, crystals and semi-precious stones, homeopathic remedies, candles, the Epicuren skincare range and Zoya nail products. And to heighten the sense of nature, a parrot sits on a perch and presides over the area.
Guests are greeted by a friendly and smiling young woman dressed in long flowing clothes and in bare feet, who will invite you to a small nook where your own shoes are replaced with spa sandals.
The relaxation area features built-in corner seating and a lot of draped fabric which adds a cocooning feel, while a centrally located curtained cylinder is lit by a beam of light and provides a focal point for rest and reflection. From there, therapists escort you to one of the 10 treatment rooms, which are decorated in warm colours and with fine details such as elegant wooden doors with custom-designed handles and original artwork.
Clients change for services in the treatment room that each have beautifully appointed and uniquely designed bathrooms for pre- or post-service use. The nail room features manicure tables created from polished slabs of wood, rather than the typical plastic or laminate surfaces, and great care has obviously been taken to ensure that all furniture and finishes are of natural origin and beautiful to look at.
The staff of over 50 includes many long-time practitioners – as evidenced by their biographies on the website – who are fiercely passionate about their work, and many develop strong connections with clients. And while this spa doesn’t provide all the typical trappings of a luxury environment, or fabulous wet amenities, it more than makes up for this with an abundance of personality and offers clients the ability to try spa services in what feels like a socially conscious and environmentally-friendly manner.
Built-in corner seating surrounded by draped fabric is a standout design feature
Allyu summary
USP: Community orientation and the conscientious approach to client care
Target audience: For serious bodywork lovers
60-minute massage: us$90 (€74, £58)
Most impressed by: The passion and integrity of staff; and the customer journey/flow which promotes true relaxation
Room for improvement: Casual appearance of staff – you’re not sure if they’re an employee or guest!
Exhale Exhale, a day spa concept which combines core body workouts and spa services, was formed in 2003 and now has 18 sites in the US and one in the Caribbean. Each location, usually in an urban setting, has at least one movement studio, treatment rooms and nail and waxing services, fun retail areas and are decorated in an Asian-inspired neutral palette.
Evidently, Exhale spas offers a wide selection of programming that goes beyond the typical facial and massage fare. It’s clear that the main focus is to inspire clients to lead healthier more sustainable lives.
The Chicago Exhale is situated in high-rent shopping district and residential neighbourhood, perfect to stop by for a yoga class or manicure. With almost 100 classes a week, in one of two studios, there’s something for everyone. The Exhale signature programme is Core Fusion®, a barre-based workout which “combines core work with pilates, yoga, ballet and dance principles to stretch, tone and lengthen muscles like never before.”
There are 15 treatment rooms and standard facials are augmented with modern technology such as LED, micro-current and ultrasonic options. The Asian-inspired approach is apparent in body therapies which include tui na, shiatsu, acupuncture massage and cupping. One of the most impressive aspects of Exhale, however, is the variety of wellness-orientated programmes – from the six- and 12- week bridal boot camps to fertility programmes and nutrition coaching. The Six Week Core Evolution journey combines nutritional consultation and follow-up sessions, unlimited mind body classes and discounts on spa therapies and retail purchases to support your new lifestyle.
The staff are friendly and down-to-earth and are great at making guests feel immediately welcome. The retail area is fun to explore, and offers a wide assortment of yoga and athletic-wear, wellness-orientated items, and skin and bodycare products from companies including Tata Harper, Sircuit, Spa Ritual and 302 Skincare.
The spa, which has a subtle Asian décor, offers an impressive range of wellness programmes
Exhale summary
USP: Quality spa services and outstanding yoga schedules means guests can meet several needs at once
Target audience: Yoga devotees and lovers of the holistic approach
60-minute massage: US$130 (€106, £83)
Most impressed by: Breadth of wellness-orientated programming
Room for improvement: Crowded retail and reception area as classes begin and conclude
NoMI Spa, Park Hyatt The Park Hyatt in Chicago surprised the public by closing its acclaimed NoMI restaurant soon after receiving a Michelin star. But the restaurant, named after it’s location on North Michigan Avenue, reopened in mid 2011 as the centrepiece of a new lifestyle floor which also offers the NoMI-branded lounge, garden and spa.
This is a luxury hotel with a very comfortable feel, evidenced by the warm décor with its pops of colour and tactile wood, stone, and granite surfaces. The express elevator to the seventh floor opens at a central location, a short walk from an intimate spa lobby featuring a laptop and podium rather than a large front desk; small retail area with Aromatherapy Associates and Carita products; and a few seats, all in a grayish neutral palette.
With only two treatment suites nestled by a pool and fitness area, the NoMI spa is unique among hotel spas. Yet each spacious suite is well-equipped with a huge steam shower, sink, toilet and treatment space, along with abundant built-in storage. The focus is on customised treatments using seasonal ingredients and in a nod to the NoMI restaurant the minimal service menu features therapies arranged in starter, main course and accompaniment categories. In addition, each treatment includes an “artfully selected indulgent bite and a unique beverage to enhance and complement your chosen spa course.” Simplicity is clearly the order of the day and it has its benefits. Without having to decipher a long list of treatments, even choosing a therapy is relaxing.
The locker room, also with tactile finishes, has a steamroom and sauna by Kohler and an upbeat, funky soundtrack plays throughout, but the personal care product selection is limited. There’s no real lounge, instead there are interesting relaxation niches containing leather seats with scattered cushions and throws, small tables with reading materials and wall-mounted reading lights.
The friendly and welcoming therapists perform their treatments with enthusiasm, and where applicable, proffer a few products to smell and select for further customisation. To finish, guests receive a cup of tea and small, specially chosen, complementary amuse-bouche to end the treatment. To extend the spa time, guests can try out the lap pool, or enjoy a steam and shower in the locker room before or after their treatment, but lounging in the relaxation niches is really not an option. However, the spa size and design lends itself to discretion; without a spa lounge you’re not likely to run into anyone you know, or who knows you!
Treatments are customised using seasonal ingredients and are complemented with a light bite and unique beverage from the famous NoMI restaurant
The two spa suites are very spacious
NoMI Spa, Park Hyatt summary
USP: Customised approach; and the use of herbs, spices and botanicals
Target audience: Attracts a younger, hipper crowd
60-minute massage: us$160 (€131, £103)
Most impressed by: The simple menu and bespoke approach
Room for improvement: Needs a larger relaxation area
The Spa at Trump From the moment that you enter Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, you know you’re in an environment that caters to your every need. The doorman doesn’t just tell you where the elevator for the spa is, he escorts you to it. The elevator features a large spa button, and when the door opens on the 14th floor you’re surrounded by quiet luxury. If you’re not a hotel guest, the booking of a spa service affords you same day access to the indoor pool and fitness club area, creating a lovely urban getaway.
Thanks to a curving glass façade, all of the Technogym cardio equipment in the fitness area, faces out onto incredible views. Much more comprehensive than your typical hotel gym, Trump offers an impressive weekly class schedule, including core, pilates, strength training, yoga, group cycling, and aqua fitness options. Post-workout, you can relax in loungers around a heated indoor pool, also featuring beautiful views.
Next stop, the spacious locker room. The full-sized lockers offer a comfy robe and slippers, and there’s a choice of sauna, steam, or deluge shower by Kohler. Interestingly, the amenities include a large container of body cream, small mixing cups and scented oils so you can customise your own scent. Once robed and ready, the spa lounge is located after traversing another scenic corridor. Dark and quiet, the lounge has comfortable sofas and chairs and a refreshment bar with an uninspiring selection of tea, fresh apples and dried nuts. Adjacent are two smaller, private lounges, one of which even has a flat-screen television.
The treatment area features 11 large treatment rooms and a spacious corridor with a conveniently located bathroom, all decorated in a beige palette with accents of olive – the feeling is one of luxury, although the numbered doors break the spell. Treatments include facials from celebrity aesthetician Kate Somerville and the Ultimate Urban skin and body treatments which are exclusive to Trump Chicago.
All the staff are well-trained and gracious, although some might find their approach a little stiff and formal. To create a true spa getaway, you can book one of the 53 spa guestrooms, connected through an inner stairwell. These rooms are decorated in lighter hues than a standard guestroom, and include amenities such as a choice of different drinking water, yoga accessories and heated eye and neck pillows.
A glass façade allows for incredible views and the overall feeling of luxury is a pull for celebrity clients and socialites
The 11 large treatment rooms offer exclusive services
The Spa at Trump summary
USP: Outstanding location with great views; and the choice of amenities
Target audience: Celebrities, socialites and anyone desiring high-quality and discretion
60-minute massage: us$150 (€122, £96)
Most impressed by: Very well-trained, gracious staff; and terrific fitness area
QC New York, a luxury Italian day spa on Governors Island, will expand its offering this July by
adding an extra 15,000sq ft of space. This new area will feature sensory saunas, waterfalls, a
salt room, an ice room, a lavender room, a 142-seat bistro and a waterbed relaxation room.
The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) has released promising new research on the wellness real
estate market at its third-annual Wellness Real Estate & Communities Symposium in
Manhattan.
Paul Hawco, a seasoned figure in the international wellness industry, has assumed the role of
executive director – integrated wellbeing at independent, hospitality group Banyan Group.
The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee in the southeastern US state of Georgia is celebrating a
new milestone after unveiling its newly renovated 27,000sq ft destination spa.
Art’otel, Radisson’s contemporary art-inspired lifestyle hotel brand, has strengthened its
presence in London with a new hotel in Hoxton fusing art, design and hospitality.
Luxury hotel brand Aman, widely known for its strong spa focus, has just launched its much-
talked-about sister brand Janu in Tokyo – complete with a 4,000sq m urban wellness retreat.
Equinox, has teamed up with health platform, Function Health, to offer 100 comprehensive
laboratory tests, giving members vital insights into their internal health.
Spanish wellness brand SHA Wellness Clinic is busy preparing to bolster its wellness portfolio in
2026 with a hyper-exclusive island wellness enclave in AlJurf, UAE.
The historic Breakers Hotel in Long Beach, California, is set to reopen in mid-2024 as a
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts property after a significant restoration and redevelopment project.
The Bannatyne Group says it has officially bounced back from the pandemic, with both turnover
and profits restored to pre-2020 levels in 2023, according to its year-end results.
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