Encore Boston Harbor Spa

The spa at EncoreBoston Harbor offers a palatial spread, with an attentive staff, tech-forward iPad sign-in capabilities, a lush waiting area complete with gigantic geodes and complimentary treats and teas for indulging until your aesthetician greets you.

The best part? There are several T3 hair dryers in the gorgeous bathroom and locker area, not your standard Conair model typical of most hotels. It’s the same dryer I swear by, and I’m a beauty writer. To me, that’s special. It powers up like a dream and dries your hair in half the time. I’ve never considered fully blowing out my hair in a public space until I saw the spa’s amenities at the Encore Boston Harbor. The extremely cushy slippers, which accompany the spa’s plush robe, were also a treat.

As for the treatment, my masseuse, Angie, was fantastic. I indulged in the spa’s Custom Massage ($250). This allowed me to personalize my experience by choosing from a few techniques and areas of focus. I opted for a stress-relieving full-body massage with medium-to-firm pressure — 60 minutes of bliss.

Just in time for winter, the spa currently offers a seasonal treatment called the Moisture & Musclease Body Care Ritual ($385, 120 minutes). It’s designed to revive dull skin while releasing muscle tension during colder weather. The treatment starts with dry body brushing to brighten and prepare the skin. Then, there’s an application of a warm mineral-rich seaweed serum infused with Japanese Ume Plum extract and sea fennel massaged into the body to work tight muscles and to deeply seal in moisture for a silky, satin body finish. It’s finished off with a pampering body experience, a relaxing scalp massage and then a hands and feet massage using a gotu kola healing balm to moisturize and replenish lost hydration.