spa time

8 most indulgent spas to relax and recharge on a trip to Houston

It's fun to find new spas and treatments when you're traveling. Houston isn’t lacking in luxury spas ready to pamper weary road-warriors.

Each of these eight Houston day spas offers a serene and relaxing environment paired with highly skilled therapists and aestheticians who will teleport you to a comfortable and relaxing place. Book an appointment between meetings on your next business trip, or as a way to get the kinks out after a long drive from Dallas.

And if you’re looking for an excuse to book a spa appointment this summer, be sure to check out “Summer Spahh-tacular,” where guests can get various treatments for a cause (starting at the special price of $105), with $5 of each Summer Spahh-tacular booking benefits the Children’s Miracle Network, through August 31.

Pure Spa at Marriott Marquis Houston
1777 Walker St.; 346-229-2581
This luxury oasis on the sixth floor of the Marriott Marquis Houston has become one of Houston’s hottest spas. Pure Spa offers guests a wide array of luxury services including massages, unique body treatments, facials, hair styling, manicures and pedicures, makeup applications, and more.

Special spa service: The One + One 50-minute massage, where guests can unwind with a full-body aromatherapy massage, using a blend of essential oils and purposeful movements to stimulate circulation, promote deep relaxation, and restore the flow of energy throughout the body. Also try the Musclease Warming Mask and Massage, an 80-minute unique therapeutic experience, which includes an invigorating body brush exfoliation, healing mud mask back application, and full body massage, to ease aching and tense muscles.

Spa tip: Guests who book a minimum 50-minute spa treatment (excluding salon treatments) are granted access to the Parkview Terrace, home to the world’s only rooftop Texas shaped lazy river. Guys may like this spot too, with a full menu dedicated to “Gentleman’s Service.”

Hiatus Spa + Retreat
5740 San Felipe St. Suite 110; 713-470-0990
Billed as Houston’s only “monthly retreat,” this affordable and luxury day spa allows customers to enjoy unique body treatments that end with a specialty cocktail. Founded in Dallas in 2007, this Texas-born spa features 50-plus signature treatments with high-touch experiences and provides a fresh take on a full-service spa. All 60-minute services include a purifying foot soak ritual and signature hand and foot massage, along with customized aromatherapy. The brand’s personalized approach to wellness is driven by the belief that regular relaxation should be an empowering part of a healthy, happy lifestyle.

Special spa service: The Yours, Truly massage, customized to you and only you, The Perfectionist Facial, and The Kindred Spirits couples massage under a starlit room. Or, try the acclaimed Monthly Retreat — a hybrid massage, scrub, and Vichy shower treatment created each month with seasonal ingredients and finished with a handcrafted cocktail.

Trellis, The Spa at The Houstonian
111 Post Oak Ln.; 713-680-2626
This award-winning, Mediterranean-style, 17,000-square-foot luxury facility boasts 20 treatment rooms as well as hair and nail salons. The spa comes with state-of-the-art locker rooms complete with Jacuzzi and steam rooms, an indoor Float Pool, a Relaxation Lounge with fireplace, Tranquility Room, and even an outdoor patio and balcony for small group gatherings.

Special spa service: La Alternativa, a 50-minute, non-invasive facial designed to minimize expression lines and renew skin overall, or the Oxygen Body Treatment, a 50-minute exfoliating treatment that finishes with a dry oil application to reveal luminous and glowing skin for days.

Spa tip: Nestled in the iconic Houstonian hotel, Trellis is the only Forbes four-star spa in Houston.

Sanctuary Spa
1701 S. Shepherd St., Suite C; 713-622-7722
Known as Houston’s oldest day spa, this European spot has been serving self-care to Houstonians since 1984. Located between River Oaks and Montrose, Sanctuary provides customized wellness services and a top-notch customer experience. Expect massages and facials, as well as unique treatments such as G5 cellulite massage, micro-current anti-aging facial, LED light therapy, the Minkyti Facial, Yoni Steam, electrolysis, lash and brow tinting, and even microblading.

Special spa service: Brea’s Signature Restorative Facial (available in 45, 60 or 75-minute treatments), which uses specially designed techniques, this facial provides a rejuvenating blend of cleansing and exfoliation with a deep pore treatment, coupled with signature massage techniques to promote a completely relaxing experience. Or, try The Sporty, a two-hour service aimed at athletic types that includes infusion tub therapy, a 60-minute Sanctuary Signature Massage, and a Sports Pack enhancement.

Spa tip: Sanctuary Spa offers an amazing infusion tub service that allows the guest to soak in an aromatherapy bath made of nourishing seaweed and essential oil blends — based on an individual's need: stress relief, detox, or relief of aches and pains. The special cocoon-like tub (sort of like a jacuzzi) also has different settings that enhance the experience.

Four Seasons Houston
1300 Lamar St.; 713-652-6219
This spa, located inside of the Four Seasons Hotel Houston, offers Tata Harper skincare products, an all-natural skincare brand that uses 100 percent natural and non-toxic ingredients to deliver lasting results.

Special spa service: The Signature Hydrafacial, which offers a range of facial serums, vital nutrients, and extraction techniques to cleanse and hydrate your pores, with rapid and vibrant results. Or, try the Power Hour Massage: a 50-to-80-minute stimulating massage with revitalizing tonic oil (containing rosemary and mint) that will leave you feeling fresh, clear-headed, and ready to start the day (as early as 6 am for early risers).

Spa tip: Pool and fitness access is allowed to those who purchase an 80-minute treatment at the spa and complimentary valet parking is provided to spa guests.

Fiori
2613 Potomac Dr.; 713-244-0070
This luxury boutique spa has been one of the best-kept secrets for more than a decade. Providing nail services, facial services, and a broad range of luxurious massages, this extravagant Tuscan-inspired spa takes it up a level with first-class staff, spa décor, wine selections, boutique shopping — and even a full-course lunch option (which is catered and must be ordered in advance).This freestanding villa is meant to capture the charm and tranquility of the Italian countryside and has remained a Houston favorite thanks to amenities such as the outdoor mineral pool and fountains.

Special spa service: The Pick Me Up, a 100-minute firming and lifting full-body rejuvenating treatment that prevents and treats sagging skin, or the Four Hands Massage, a 50-minute full-body massage experience with two therapists working simultaneously to restore harmony and balance.

Spa tip: Fiori will soon be expanding to create even more room to embrace self-care.

ZaSpa at Hotel ZaZa
Memorial City: 9787 Katy Fwy; 713-860-4500
Museum District: 5701 S Main St.; 713-639-4566
Hotel ZaZa is known for their luxury and décor and likewise, the ZaSpa doesn’t disappoint. Now with two locations, guests in and outside the Loop can enjoy cozy and relaxing places to recharge and refresh with signature massages, facials, manicures, and pedicures. Hotel ZaZa Museum District offers guests newly added infrared saunas, offering multi-beneficial, detoxifying, and healing therapies.

Special spa service: Try signature treatments such as the Bella Vita Facial that incorporates microcurrent technology with Vitamin C and argan oil. Or, opt for the Romance Ritual, a side-by-side foot soak, sea salt scrub, hydrating shea butter body wrap, hot oil scalp massage, and full-body customized massage.

Spa tip: ZaSpa guests receive complimentary valet and are welcome to enjoy the pool at both hotels after spa treatments.

The Woodlands Spa at The Woodlands Resort
2301 N Millbend Dr., The Woodlands; 281-367-1100
Located 30 minutes from downtown Houston, The Woodlands Spa is well worth the drive, offering a wide range of nature-inspired spa treatments set in a relaxing and decadent environment. Whether you’re looking to relax and recharge or soothe and renew, this place has everything including a Eucalyptus steam room, dry sauna, and a whirlpool hot tub to bookend your spa treatments.

Special spa service: Go for a full day of luxury with the Enchanted Forest Experience, which offers a more-than-six-hour treatment that soothes and renews with a hot stone massage, age-defying Mother Nature facial, a scalp massage, Forest Oasis body nurturing treatment, and a Sweet Genius manicure and pedicure. Or, try The Forest Oasis signature treatment that begins with a dry-brush exfoliation to prepare the skin, followed by a soothing application of warm oils, and a gentle scrub to massage away dry cells. Relax in a warm cocoon while receiving a luxurious foot scrub and scalp massage, as well as a hydration soufflé

Spa tip: Following spa treatments, guests are invited to sit back and relax by the resort’s pool and lazy river in one of the brand-new luxury cabanas.

You and a partner can relax with a couples massage at Hiatus.

Courtesy photo

You and a partner can relax with a couples massage at Hiatus.

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Texas travel

9 vintage gas stations worth a stop on your next Texas road trip

Courtesy photo

Historic Phillips 66 station in McLean, Texas.

Forget Buc-ee’s, with its gleaming bathroom mirrors and enough packaged snacks to feed a small country. There are other, true "destination gas stations" that are the real road trip OG's, and they're worth a stop on your next trek around Texas.

With America’s legendary Route 66 celebrating its 100th birthday this year, old-school, landmark gas stations have re-emerged as trendy pit stops (natch!) for travelers. And there are many in Texas.

Some of the gas stations below have been converted into trendy cafes, some are protected historical sites, and some sit empty and awaiting their rebirth. From hidden gems in the hearts of big cities (including Dallas) to Art Deco wonders out west - including one on Route 66 itself - they'll have travelers channeling their inner adventurer to check out these road trip relics.

Good Luck Gas Station: Art Deco in Dallas
A few blocks away from the Mixmaster’s elevated freeways, you’ll spy a peculiar white tower with curved, stepped sides and retro-futuristic style. It’s the Good Luck Gas Station, built in 1939 by East Texas’ Good Luck Oil Company. Topping out at 35 feet tall, the Art Deco station features smooth, stucco walls and rounded corners. Its sleek, aerodynamic aesthetic evokes machine-age ocean liners and aeroplanes, and was inspired by a trip to the city’s Fair Park. The station sits vacant today and is a designated Dallas Landmark. 903 Cadiz St., Dallas.

Vintage photo of the Good Luck Gas Station in Dallas.Courtesy photo

Ellerbe Fine Foods: Fill up on farm-to-table fare in Fort Worth
Fort Worth’s Magnolia Avenue might be a foodie hotspot today, but it was once a workaday corridor with hardware stores, barbershops, and gas stations — including the 1920s relic that now houses Ellerbe. Built on a corner lot for quick access for motorists, the utilitarian brick building isn’t noted so much for its architecture as for the alchemy inside: award-winning fine dining in an intimate, sophisticated atmosphere. Grab a table on the patio to eat under the original canopy where gas attendants previously manned the pumps. You can still say fill ‘er up — but instead of diesel, you’ll get blackened red fish, pork beignets, and braised duck with black pepper dumplings. 1501 W Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth.

Ellerbe Fine Foods Ellerbe is a fine-dining destination in an old gas station in Fort Worth.Courtesy photo

Petrified Wood Gas Station: Prehistoric pit shop in Decatur
The story of this station in Decatur begins 100 million years ago: Trees fell in the forest (no one heard it), sediment covered them up, and the wood was slowly transformed into quartz. Fast-forward to 1935, when E. F. Boydston decided to plaster his eight-year-old station with petrified wood to make it stand out. It was a fashionable choice for the era. Excavators were unearthing mountains of the fossilized wood thanks to recent improvements in digging equipment, and people were incorporating the sturdy material in walls, in houses, and even in jewelry. The roadside stop also had a gift shop and a handful of one-room cabins, where the outlaws Bonnie and Clyde supposedly hid out (or so the story goes). Boydston’s descendants have lovingly restored the funky gas station, now home to the Whistle Stop Café. 904 US-287, Decatur.

Petrified Wood Station in Decatur.Courtesy photo

Humble Oil Service Station: From pumps to pups in San Antonio
With bright blue tiles and a decorative crest above the doorway, this 1930s station showcases the Spanish Revival style that was popular in the Southwest at the time. Humble Oil, a Texas company, aspired to create a sense of elegance and civility at its gas stations, which were once common across the state. They often added ornamental touches and zig-zag patterns, like the ones you’ll see here in San Antonio. You may also see pups running around: Lucy’s Doggy Daycare and Spa owns the old station and the building next door, and they use the space between as a dog run. 1019 S Laredo St., San Antonio.

Triangle Sinclair Station: Geometry on point in Snyder
Three-sided buildings are expensive to build, difficult to furnish, and oddly disorienting inside — and they’re absolutely charming, like this adorable triangular station in West Texas. When life gives you a three-sided lot, you make a triangular building, which is just what Sinclair Oil Company did here in Snyder back in 1935. Beautifully restored in the 2010s, it’s topped by a steep green pyramid roof that matches the shiny green dinosaur (Sinclair’s mascot) out front. Antique pumps under a separate, triangular canopy add to the appeal. 701 Coliseum Dr., Snyder, Texas.

Triangular Sinclair station.Courtesy photo

Magnolia Filling Station: Castroville Coffee House in Castroville
Once painted entirely orange inside, this old-fashioned outpost fuels locals in Castroville with fresh coffee and scratch-made pastries. Castroville is famously the “Little Alsace of Texas,” a one-time French settlement whose quaint historic buildings feature rustic wooden shutters and sloping mansard roofs. Flowerboxes and outdoor tables now fill the auto bays of the Hill Country station, which was built in the 1920s and still has its vintage pump. Enjoy the downhome ease along with creative libations like strawberry matcha tea and white chocolate lavender lattes. 1101 Fiorella St, Castroville.

Magnolia station in Castroville.Courtesy photo

Phillips 66 Station: Pretty panhandle pumps in McLean
Bucking the 1920s Art Deco fad in favor of Tudor Revival design, this charming 1929 cottage is cute-as-a-button with gabled roof and front chimney. Phillips Petroleum liked the cottagecore look so much that it became a common theme for their service stations. One of the oldest gas stations in Texas, it was restored in the 1990s with pops of red paint. Several early-20th Century antiques have been moved to the station, including a tow truck, an oil pump, two gas pumps, and an original Phillips 66 sign. But don’t expect to fill up; this throwback treasure is a historic site (and photo opp) only. 218 W First St, McLean, Texas.

The Gas Station: For horror fans in Bastrop
Have you ever wondered why so many horror movies are set in Texas? One of the craziest cult classics is 1976’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre — and the gas station/barbecue joint that the cannibals owned in the film is now open for lunch and dinner. Riding the dark tourism trend, the rickety pit stop in Bastrop was reborn in 2016 as a restaurant, gift shop, and overnight stay with a campsite and four rustic cabins (the blood-red walls are a nice touch).

There’s no human flesh on the meat-heavy menu, so you’ll have to settle for brisket nachos, beef chili, and smoked sausage. But you can mingle with other murder-movie lovers at lovely outdoor picnic tables. The Gas Station is easy to find — just look for the replica of the film’s creepy green van and the sign that says We Slaughter Barbecue. 1073 State Highway 304, Bastrop, Texas.

The Gas Station in Bastrop.Courtesy photo

Conoco Tower Station & U-Drop Inn Cafe: Route 66 icon in Shamrock
Drivers on Route 66 have stopped at this Art Deco masterpiece for decades to fill up their tanks and their bellies before continuing west toward the American Dream. One of the most photographed roadside attractions in Texas, the unique stopover was built in 1936 with green glazed tiles, geometric details, and neon lights to make sure you don’t miss it. If it looks familiar, that’s because it inspired the design of Ramone’s body shop in the Pixar movie Cars.

Beautifully restored and reopened as a restaurant and gift shop in 2021, the must-stop attraction now serves excellent brisket smoked on-site and classic diner eats like meatloaf and chicken-fried steak. Expect a line if you’re traveling during high season, especially if you want to sit in the booth where Elvis ate his bacon and eggs, pancakes, chocolate pie, and a double order of toast with his coffee and Pepsi. 105 E 12th St, Shamrock, Texas.

Conoco station in Shamrock.Courtesy photo

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