Exhale Day Spas

Exhale day spas across the country offer soothing spa experiences, that are both familiar and unique. I noticed a few similarities between ones in NYC and LA.

A well-run luxury day spa knows that half of attracting new clients is sensory; what we see, hear and smell the first time we enter a day spa goes a long way in determining whether we stay or go. Calm hues and relaxing decor are often integrated into the overall look of high-end day spas, as well as a comfortable, inviting sofa and chair set-up in the foyer. A friendly, yet not overbearing greeter is something I've come to expect, even in busy spas and simple manicure storefronts. Exhale day spas, in several locations across the country, are certainly busy, but there is no way you'd confuse an Exhale spa with a mani-pedi joint. This popular spa is a genuine example of the high-end attention to detail that its affluent customers expect from a luxury spa experience.

Exhale day spas have a certain amount of uniformity between locations, in that the interiors are all vaguely Asian and Zen-inspired, with Roman antiques and other Mediterranean artifacts that are unique to each Exhale spa. Two locations in NYC both feature tropical grasses woven into room dividers and the walls themselves, whereas the Santa Monica location (being 2 blocks from the Pacific anyway) forgoes these topical touches in favor of more multicultural decor such as Buddhas and other statuary.

One aspect of Exhale day spas that I especially appreciated may seem trivial, but upon reflection I think it's pretty important, and indicative of how this spa can break away from the pack. The scent of lavender is so common that it's practically ubiquitous in day spas that feature aromatherapy. Exhale, on the other hand, has a light, calming scent that I had a hard time identifying. It smelled subtly tropical. The young woman at the front desk told me that it is derived mainly from eucalyptus, and is featured throughout all the rooms in the day spa. While Exhale does provide lavender among other scents for clients that opt for aromatherapy candles beside their saunas and baths, this delicate scent of eucalyptus was special, and refreshing.