Spa time

These 9 luxe new hotel spas are palaces of pampering in Texas’ biggest cities

The lounge at the new Ritz-Carlton Spa in Las Colinas.

Photo courtesy of Ritz-Carlton

Sleek luxury hotels have been debuting at a dizzying pace in Texas' biggest cities in the last year. There's nothing more indulgent than arriving at a hotel and slipping upstairs for a soothing massage after a turbulent flight; nothing more celebratory than a bachelorette weekend away at a spa. Here are the nine hottest new spas at luxury hotels around Texas, all of which have opened (or reopened) in about the last 18 months. Bonus that a few new DFW hotels have must-visit bars, too.

Dallas-Fort Worth

The Ritz-Carlton Spa & Salon, Las Colinas
After a rebranding and refurbishing, the newly christened Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas hotel is ready to unveil its highly anticipated spa. According to a spokeswoman, the spa is targeting Saturday, May 4 for its grand debut. The 14,000-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Spa features 16 treatment rooms, including a couple’s suite and a full-service salon. (Watch the website for more information to come on services offered.) Spa packages range from two-hour treatments to full-day packages for total indulgence. The spa also features a wet and dry sauna, heated whirlpool, cold plunge pool, and a Vichy shower room – a power shower with six shower heads. The spa will welcome both hotel guests and dedicated spa-goers, 9 am-5 pm Tuesday-Saturday. 4150 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving, 972-717-2555.

The Spa and Salon at Loews Arlington
The swanky spa on the second floor of the new hotel in Arlington's Entertainment District opened February 13. The new pampering palace features six spa treatment rooms, including a dedicated Couple's Suite offering massages, facials, and body treatments; a co-ed Relaxation Lounge, and a specialty boutique. There's a full-service salon for manicures, pedicures, and hair styling to look camera-ready for Rangers' and Cowboys' games. The spa uses premium wellness products from Privai, Ultraceuticals, and Botanika Life in treatments, but the signature service is a Tequila Body Treatment, which incorporates Jose Cuervo Authentic Tequila with a detoxifying body brush exfoliation, hydrating body mask, and antioxidant-rich face, neck and shoulder massage ($200 for 50 minutes). The spa is open to hotel guests and the general public, 10 am-6 pm Sunday-Thursday and 8 am-8 pm Friday-Saturday. Check the website for a limited-time Spa Escape Package and several Mother's Day specials. 888 Nolan Ryan Expy., Arlington, 682-318-2810.

Loews Hotel in Arlington spa salon The spa and salon at the new Loews Hotel in Arlington. Photo courtesy of Loews Hotel in Arlington

Canyon Ranch Wellness Club + Spa at The Crescent, Fort Worth
Known worldwide as a premier destination spa, Canyon Ranch debuted its first Wellness Club in Fort Worth’s new Crescent Hotel in December 2023. While a membership affords some special perks, the club's luxurious spa and salon is open to both hotel guests and the public alike. A lengthy menu of services includes some high-tech facials and body treatments never before offered in Fort Worth. Among them: a multisensory Vichy table used as part of a CBD Wellness Ritual and Hungarian Mud Wrap Ritual (both $340-$350); and a Custom Ionixlight Facial, blending full-spectrum LED light with negative ion therapy, oxygen therapy, microdermabrasion, microcurrent, and ultrasound ($415-$425). Bonus: A day-pass to the spa affords access to the first-in-Fort Worth CR Vitality space, a state-of-the-art room offering infrared sauna, red light therapy, neuro stimulation, and more. The spa is open daily, 8 am-8 pm. 850 Van Cliburn Way, Fort Worth, 682-786-4656.

The multi-sensory Vichy table at Canyon Ranch.Photo courtesy of Canyon Ranch

Ash Spa, Bowie House, Fort Worth
Located on the second floor of Bowie House, the new Auberge Resorts Collection hotel in Fort Worth’s Cultural District, Ash Spa is “where the ashes of everyday life are gently swept away,” they promise. In keeping with the hotel’s Western-glam aesthetic, Ash is a tranquil space inspired by the barns of Texas and “all things wild and free,” with five treatment rooms, a sauna and steam room, fitness center, nail studio, boutique, relaxation lounge, and private access to an outdoor terrace. Experiences and treatments include water dancing, synergistic skin treatments, infrared therapy, and non-sleep deep rest massage. A signature treatment called Ashes includes compression, full-body lymphatic feathering, a targeted charcoal mask application, and advanced acupressure to promote relaxation (110 minutes, $355). A new-to-Fort Worth skin treatment called the Qi Beauty Facial incorporates 24k gold-covered micromagnets to move around subdermal fluids and promote recovery ($195-$275). The spa is open to visitors and hotel guests, 8:30 am-8:30 pm Thursday-Monday. 3700 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, 855-683-4092.

The Bowie House and its Ash Spa have a Western theme.Photo courtesy of Bowie House

Houston

Thompson Spa at Thompson Hotel, Houston
Thompson Houston, Houston’s newest luxury lifestyle hotel, opened its doors in February 2024 as an urban haven overlooking the lush Buffalo Bayou Park, with rare unobstructed views of downtown Houston’s skyline. The just-opened Thompson Spa fills an entire floor, with its six treatment suites plus indoor and outdoor relaxation areas, saunas, a salon, and a state-of-the-art 24-hour fitness center. Customizable treatments - available to both hotel guests and spa seekers - include massages, facials, body and hydration scrubs, men’s treatments, regenerative treatments, and more featuring products from Pietro Simone and Agent Nateur. Signature treatments include the Gold Aurum Radiance Infusion Facial, incorporating a 24-karat gold activation peel; and a Texas Starry Night Massage that uses CBD and essential oils to promote deep relaxation (check website for pricing). Hours are 10 am-6 pm Monday-Thursday, 10 am-7 pm Friday, 9 am-7 pm Saturday, and 10 am-5 pm Sunday. 1717 Allen Pkwy., Houston, 346-560-4150.

Thompson Hotel Spa Couples may utilize a dedicated treatment room at the Spa Thompson in Houston. Courtesy of The Thompson Hotel Houston

The Total You Medical Spa, Blossom Hotel, Houston
Open since March 1 in the two-year-old hotel in Houston’s Medical District, The Total You is not only a relaxing retreat inspired by Asian temple architecture, but a high-tech, cutting-edge med spa (a rare offering for a hotel). Available to both hotel guests and the public, The Total You offers a lengthy menu of services from classic facials and massages to medical aesthetics like fillers and body sculpting. Among the unique and cutting-edge services are ultra-hydrating IV drip therapy, stem cell-driven exosome treatments for skin and body rejuvenation, and easy platelet rich fibrin (EZ PRF) facials, which use plasma to smooth wrinkles for smoother, youthful-appearing skin. But for those who just want to indulge in some tranquility and self-care, a menu of massages starts at $155 for a 60-minute Classic Swedish. The second-floor spa has four massage and treatment suites, plus a large IV drip lounge. To celebrate the spa opening, Blossom Hotel Houston guests will receive an additional 15 percent off all spa services with proof of their activated key card through Labor Day (September 2). Open 10 am-6 pm daily. 7118 Bertner Ave, Houston, 713-940-1808.

The Total You Medical Spa, Blossom Hotel Houston The Total You spa takes design inspiration from Asian temples. Photo by Alex Montoya

San Antonio

The Spa Plaza, San Antonio
After months of anticipation, Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa, the city’s first Marriott Autograph Collection property, checked in its first guests in mid-January. Surrounded by lush gardens and greenery, the Spa Plaza is located in two beautifully re-imagined historic homes that date to the 1850s, the Elmendorf-Tyler House and The Staffel House. It features six treatment rooms, a Zen Lounge, and a Wellness Concierge. Treatments include massages, facials, and nail services, along with three "Immersion Packages" ($360-$790) that offer multiple treatments, plus tea service or a full lunch. Open 9 am-6 pm Tuesday-Saturday, 9 am-4 pm Sunday. 555 S Alamo St., San Antonio, 210-353-8016.

Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa opened in early January 2024. Photo courtesy of Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa

Austin

Away Spa, W Hotel, Austin
The W Austin's Away Spa underwent a complete refresh in 2023 and now features a new aesthetic, new menu of services, and new products. Away Spa is a go-to in Austin for massages, facials, body wrap treatments, manicures and pedicures, and other beauty services. Unique offerings include ashiatsu, cupping therapy, couple’s massages, oxygen facials, and a suite of other enhancements. All Away Spa guests receive complimentary valet at W Austin for three hours, and full access to Wet Deck and Fit, a full gym complete with Peloton, yoga studio, and Pilates reformer. Hours are 9 am-6 pm Sunday-Thursday, 9 am-7 pm Friday-Saturday. 200 Lavaca St., Austin, 512-542-3626.

W Austin Away Spa Away Spa's concierge can help you plan a full spa day with your squad. Photo courtesy of W Austin

Milk + Honey Spa, The Loren Loren at Ladybird Lake, Austin
The sweet boutique hotel The Loren didn't look to some swanky international brand for its wellness offerings; it partnered up with Milk + Honey, an acclaimed Austin-based spa (which has several locations outside the city). The entrance is actually across from the hotel, under a breezeway that faces South Riverside Drive and South Lamar Boulevard. (Don't worry, there's complimentary valet parking.) After a few deep breaths in the Relaxation Room, guests settle in for signature Milk + Honey facials, body polishes and wraps, and even medspa treatments like fillers and injectables. Open 8 am-9 pm Monday-Sunday. 1211 W. Riverside Dr., Ste. 200, Austin, 512-580-1182.

Loren hotel Austin The Loren at Lady Bird Lake features a location of Milk + Honey Spa. Courtesy of Loren Hotel

luxury spas hotels

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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