A Spa So Fancy It Could Only Exist In New York

Spas can sometimes feel necessitated by special events. Visits to these wellness havens are typically reserved for things like birthdays, Mother's Day, or an anniversary. But, the new Spa Nalai at the Park Hyatt doesn't allow for occasion-specific restrictions like these.

Nalai offers its treatments on a first-come, first-served basis. Once a service is sold out, it won't be made available again, so each treatment has just a few weeks on the market. How exclusive is that? Because the spa operates in this limited manner, there's no point in waiting around for a fancy celebration to go. Nalai's treatment timetable is practically begging for you to book that much-deserved visit.

The thing is, when you walk into your private suite — yes, suite — complete with rain shower and killer views of Midtown Manhattan, it's hard to imagine a reason why you wouldn't come here. Nalai is luxe but not alienating. The staff is friendly but not fake. Did I mention the rain shower?

I went to Nalai for its featured "Haute Couture" treatment. Inspired by the brand's Le Spa at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme — and timed to coincide with Fashion Week — this experience is as Parisian as it gets. My aesthetician chose a sunflower-seed scrub that left my body feeling softer than I've ever known it to be. She followed up with a hot-stone massage, using jade. Plus, she gave me a facial (one that also used sunflower seeds) that left my face glowing — and it also put me to sleep. That's how good it was.

After the two-hour session, you can relax with an amuse bouche and a glass of Champagne. It's a finale enjoyed on your own private veranda, which overlooks one of the only cities where such a luxurious service could even exist.

Spa Nalai opens on August 19.