You can find several great spas in Vegas, but Canyon Ranch SpaClub stands out among those that top the list on the Strip. What makes Canyon Ranch unique is its focus on helping you achieve optimal health through spa, fitness, wellness and more.

Located on the third floor of The Palazzo and The Venetian hotels, Canyon Ranch has 134,000 square feet of space, including more than 100 treatment and service spaces. It’s making it one of the largest spas in North America.

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I had a chance to see the expansion at Canyon Ranch during the construction at that time, and knew this would be a special place.

Canyon Ranch Las Vegas added the Aquavana, Canyon Ranch Grill and expanded other services. Today, Canyon Ranch offers a full range of spa options to help you relax, rejuvenate and restore whenever you visit Vegas or extend your business stay. Of course, given that Vegas is one of the busiest meetings cities, I have returned to test out the spa.

Spa Services at Canyon Ranch

Canyon Ranch is one of the most extensive and fully equipped spas in Vegas, including the following services:

  • Spa treatments and packages
  • Fitness classes and activities
  • Health and wellness consultations
  • Canyon Ranch salon
  • Canyon Ranch healthy feet services (new)
  • Canon Ranch SpaClub dining
  • Canyon Ranch retail

A Canyon Ranch SpaClub Passport provides you with standard all-day access to the fitness center, fitness and mind-body classes — as well as the Aquavana (more on that below). The services are also available to you with the purchase of spa services. And, if you’re staying at The Venetian or The Palazzo, fitness access may already be included in the cost of reservation (so check with reservations to confirm).

The Aquavana at Canyon Ranch

The Aquavana experience is a complete European-inspired suite of thermal spa cabins, experiential showers (I enjoyed the tropical rain), cold rooms and aqua thermal bathing experiences. And I have to say Canyon Ranch’s Aquavana stands out as one of the best thermal treatment experiences designed to provide relief for muscles and joints and promoting deep relaxation.

The Aquavana includes a circuit of seven different options, and the following are accessed in the privacy of the men’s and women’s locker areas: The Crystal Steam Room (provides a cleansing aromatic steam environment with a large central crystal to inspire and focus meditation), Experiential Rains (invigorating, multi-sensory cooling showers), Finnish Sauna (classic dry-heat sauna environment lit by colored light), Herbal Laconium (gentle warming of the body through warm, herbal infused steam), HydroSpa (a whirlpool that is surrounded by thermal heated loungers).

Canyon Ranch also provides you with multiple tracks to use the Aquavana based on your goals. I particularly enjoyed the tropic experiential rain and whirlpool.

After this experience and/or after a specific spa treatment or service, there’s a co-ed space that’s part of the Aquavana, including the Conservatory (a relaxation space), The Wave Room (a multi-sensory experience simulating the look and feel of breaking waves under a domed canopy) and the Salt Grotto (sea air washes over heated benches set in intimate niches next to a bubbling fountain).

Have More Time? Add a Treatment or Service

Blissful Blends Massage

On my most recent visit, I experienced the blissful blends massage, which is the Canyon Ranch massage with a twist: a master aromatherapist works with you to blend an organic massage oil that helps you relax and achieve your goals from the treatment.

And that’s where the treatment begins. I chatted with the master aromatherapist about my goals (and I’m always looking to relax and eliminate the stress of the day). She entered a few selections into the computerized app and then we tested out various fragrance notes until we selected the one that seemed to work best. She even tweaked the formula in the process to create an eight ounce bottle for the therapist.

Then you’re ready for the massage. It’s the Canyon Ranch’s signature full-body massage (50 or 80-minutes) and the therapist adapts his or her treatment to target your needs. I have to admit that the aromatherapy that was targeted to my needs must have been working because I left feeling completely relaxed — and I only selected the 50-minute because of time constraints (and I prefer as much treatment time as possible, using defaulting to the longer treatments).

The best part of that you get to bring home the unused portion of the oil to use as you wish.

Gentleman’s Facial

Previously, I received a gentleman’s facial which includes a neck massage. My esthetician Martina greeted and guided me to the treatment room. After rounds of cleansing, exfoliating, extracting (ouch) and masking later, she gave me a recommended treatment plan.

Martina suggested that I wash daily with a Clarisonic in the shower and use the June Jacobs pumpkin peel enzyme twice a week (both great products she used as part of my service). The spa isn’t just for women — a men’s facial is extremely relaxing and leaves you with incredibly clean skin. Consider the alternative: rough and damaged looking skin that ages you… No thanks.

Reiki

A few years ago I experienced a Reiki treatment (rooted in Asian spiritual traditions, a Reiki master provides a session that harmonizes your body with nature’s energy flow). Reiki helps reduce stress and promotes relaxation by tapping into your life force. There are certainly many skeptics to Reiki, but I was able to briefly fall asleep during my session and felt it was very beneficial. Forget what the skeptics say about this treatment: schedule and experience one for yourself.

Canyon Ranch has dozens of options, as well as a salon and barber suite (which I’d like to try next time.) Whatever spa experience you want, it’s available at Canyon Ranch.

Canyon Ranch for Meetings and Events

It’s important to note that Canyon Ranch Grill is available for private events. But it’s also important to highlight that the nutritionists and technicians from Canyon Ranch have also served as experts and guest speakers at meetings and conventions held at The Palazzo, The Venetian and Sands. There are tremendous health and wellness benefits of spa services and treatments — Canyon Ranch is a leading pioneer that speaks to these issues in this industry.

The Verdict?
My recommendation is to plan for a half day: arrive an hour early, enjoy the Aquavana, move to the treatment waiting room, schedule a 50 or 80 minute session of your choice (or, better yet, schedule two services), relax in the Conservatory, check out the Canyon Ranch store and finish with a healthy meal at Canyon Ranch Grill. If you’re into fitness, start your program in the fitness center and climb the rock wall.

The Palazzo opened in December 2007, and Canyon Ranch SpaClub expanded in 2008 to provide access for both hotels. I’m looking forward to more visits when in Vegas.

Interested in learning more what you can at the mega hotel of the Venetian and Palazzo? Check out our feature that highlights what you can do at the Palazzo Las Vegas.

Have you visited Canyon Ranch in Las Vegas? Share your opinions and reviews here.