While I’m always happy to visit a spa, there are moments when my body truly begs for rest and renewal. That happened on a late October trip to Los Angeles, despite having been to a spa only a couple of weeks earlier.
Here’s the context: I had just returned from a seven-day whirlwind through Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Casablanca and arrived home late after a long drive from Washington Dulles International Airport. I worked the next day and then left for Los Angeles the following day for two consecutive days of events. To complicate matters, I had picked up an illness on my previous trip and was still recovering from the lingering fatigue. By the time I checked in for a two-night stay at the urban sanctuary that is Montage Beverly Hills, I was ready for a pause.
Even though I was in town for work, my stay felt indulgent. My executive suite was generous and inviting, with a spacious living area that made it easy to curl up on the couch or collapse into the king-sized bed. The suite included one and a half bathrooms, a living room, bedroom and a walk-in closet large enough to rival some hotel rooms—enough space to truly unwind between meetings.
I had two meals outdoors at Montage Beverly Hills’ reimagined Georgie restaurant, Geoffrey Zakarian’s concept named for his child. Georgie recently received updates to both décor and menu and now serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with indoor and outdoor seating. The hotel also offers additional dining options such as The Rooftop Grill and in-room dining.
Treatment room © MONTAGE BEVERLY HILLS
My spa appointment at Spa Montage Beverly Hills was the highlight. I booked a 90-minute Elements of Wellness Signature Therapy at the hotel’s 20,000-square-foot spa, which also hosts the West Coast location for L.Raphael Genéve and offers advanced skincare, anti-aging treatments and a full range of services. The spa’s Spanish Colonial Revival–inspired décor sets a calm tone and the amenities include facial and body therapies, couples treatments, nail services, organic options, a fitness center with classes, a boutique and the Kim Vo Salon.
The Elements of Wellness treatments are performed by Spa Master Therapists who complete extensive training to customize sessions to each guest’s needs. Through a thorough consultation, therapists design bespoke treatments that aim to restore balance, rejuvenate the body and calm the mind.
For my 90-minute session, the therapist blended techniques to create a personalized experience focused on relief and renewal. The treatment combined classical massage methods, aromatherapy, gentle connective tissue work and balancing reflexology. Aromatic oils completed the experience, creating a calming, restorative ritual intended to ease stress, relieve aches, support immunity and restore energy.
Before my visit I completed a Personal Lifestyle Profile that highlighted my trouble spots and guided my therapist’s approach. I had been dealing with chronic sinus congestion and pain, upper-body tension from heavy travel bags, and an irritated Morton’s neuroma in my right foot that had been causing numbness and discomfort in the weeks leading up to treatment.
Given those issues, the session focused on my upper back, feet and head/neck/scalp. During reflexology on my foot, my therapist could feel the pain in the affected area and explained that foot reflexology can be closely connected to sinus relief; addressing one area can benefit the other.
The 90 minutes felt deeply restorative. That extra half hour made the difference between a standard treatment and an indulgent reset—I drifted in and out of sleep for much of the session. In the days afterward I noticed clearer sinuses and reduced pressure I hadn’t felt in months. I also slept more soundly that night than I had in weeks, likely aided by the spa work and the hotel’s comfortable bedding.
I left the spa feeling light and calm, and the benefits lingered for weeks. The tailored approach, skilled therapists and tranquil surroundings turned a busy trip into a much-needed opportunity to recover and recharge.
SPA MONTAGE BEVERLY HILLS
Montage Beverly Hills
225 N. Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
tel 310 860 7840
montagehotels.com