VegasChatter

VegasChatter: What would a perfect post-race day at the spa look like?

Ella Stimpson: Start with a facial to restore hydration to your tired skin, ease into a gentle massage to soothe tired and stressed muscles, step into our cool water hydrotherapy pools to cool down those overworked legs, and finish with a foot restoring pedicure.

VC: What's a good quickie refresher treatment for someone who doesn't have a lot of time but still needs to relax?

ES: If you are pressed for time your best bet is our daily use pass ($25) which gives you access to our unsurpassed hydrotherapy area. In just 30 minutes you can do our entire Six Step Water Transformation Circuit on your own to great benefit.

This starts with a warm shower to remove dead skin cells. You would then proceed to our aromatic steam room for five minutes to relax your muscles and clear the respiratory system. Then next is our dry sauna where for five minutes you would relax in the dryer air to boost your circulation and eliminate toxins.

Our fourth step kind of shakes up the heat therapy with a cooler five-minute soak in our cool soak pool which reduces muscle inflammation and returns oxygen to the organs.

Next is the larger, very luxurious warm whirlpool soak for 10 minutes where you activate the jets and you and your muscles finally reach a fuller stage of relaxation where joint pain is lessened and your stress levels start to melt.

Finally, to bring you and your body back to the working world, take a brief three to four-minute dip in our cold plunge where your blood will be redirected to your organs and your body returns to homeostasis. (Ed. Note: We've tried this circuit before and it is seriously rejuvenating. The cool soak pool is our favorite, after the dry sauna of course.)

VC: Now, what's a seriously deep relief massage or body treatment that marathoners should take advantage of when the race is over? Some marathoners might be too sore to endure a massage. Any suggestions for that?

ES: The key to a successful marathon recovery are actually three things:

1. Allow yourself more sleep than before the race.
2. Resume a well-balanced and nutritious diet.
3. Make a conscious effort to rehydrate your body.

Very deep tissue massage work can not only be painful after a marathon but it can be difficult to stay hydrated enough to endure both the post race dehydration and the extra water your body needs to process toxins after deep tissue work.

So, with an eye on the first critical step to recover, more sleep, I recommend a deeply relaxing but lighter touch aromatherapy massage with essential oils specifically designed to help you relax and sleep more deeply. Relax, eat well and drink plenty of water so that your body can heal itself.

VC: What is the most popular type of treatment at the Wynn and Encore spas during a normal Vegas weekend?

ES: Our most popular treatment by far is our Good Luck Ritual ($250.) It not only feels fabulous but is built to balance you in such a way that even if you don't win at the tables or choose not to play, you will feel like a winner.

The key is our use of the five elements of Feng Shui, a traditional Eastern art practiced to achieve health, wealth, prosperity, happiness and harmony. This head to toe ritual includes a personally tailored 50-minute massage combined with heated Thai herbal massage pillows, a luxurious bamboo lemongrass and peppermint foot treatment, ultra-moisturizing lemon verbena hand therapy, and a relaxing wild lime botanical scalp treatment - 80 minutes of pure bliss.

Thanks Ella! To find our more about The Spa at Encore, head to the Encore Spa website.