10 Best Spas in Metro Phoenix

Between 9-to-5 jobs, adult sport leagues, and what binge watching can do to your lower back, you're likely due for some pampering. Fortunately, there's a simple solution for unloading all that stress and strain: the spa.

When shelling out big bucks to get your mind and body in balance, it pays to know which spas give out the special treatment. Fortunately, we know a few. Make that 10.

Sanctuary Spa
5700 East McDonald Drive in Paradise Valley
480-948-2100

The aptly named Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa, an Asian-inspired retreat, is perched above the city, secluded in thick bamboo, and features a reflecting pond and zen meditation garden. The Eastern-style services include tok sen vibration therapy ($255), reiki healing ($165), sabai foot massage ($165), and luk pra kope herbal massage ($320). A new feature premiering summer 2016 is the Spa House, a private mountain home sleeping up to 16 and including massage tables, a movement studio, and a 350-square-foot private patio. A Spa Concierge and Sensei in Residence are at the ready, plus exclusive Spa House classes.

Joya Scottsdale Spa in Arizona
4949 East Lincoln Drive in Paradise Valley
480-627-3020

The Joya Spa at the Montelucia Resort in Paradise Valley is a Hammam-inspired luxury spa featuring strong Moroccan influences combined with New Age treatments and age-old customs. The spa is named after the night-blooming cactus flower near its entrance, and offers numerous services, including massages and facials, infused with its signature scent. At Joya Spa, you can get everything from your run-of-the-mill pampering to cupping ($195), IV therapy ($155), and hypnotherapy ($159).

The Spa at Camelback Inn
5402 East Lincoln Drive in Scottsdale
480-596-7040

The spa at the Camelback Inn is all about simplicity. Having removed any cheesy gimmicks about spirituality, the planets aligning, or the haziness of your aura, the Camelback Inn's spa can focus all its energy on making its clients feel completely relaxed. Since the spa is tucked away against the backdrop of Mummy Mountain, it makes sense that it offers some desert-style services like the Desert Nectar Honey Wrap ($155), Sonoran Rose Facial ($160), and Native Hot Stone Massage ($165).

Spa Avania
7500 East Doubletree Ranch Road in Scottsdale
480-483-5558

It’s all about the “science of time” at Spa Avania – part of the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch – which means they’ve designed their spa experience to tick along with the body’s internal clock. Spa Avania spans nearly three acres, and it’ll have to in order to fit the French Celtic Mineral Pool, state-of-the-art fitness center, and the Himalayan Salt Room. Sign up for a 60-minute Herbal Poultice Massage ($165), a 90-minute Sacred Nature Facial ($225), or a 60-minute Desert Essence Body Wrap ($165).

Well & Being Spa
7575 East Princess Drive in Scottsdale
480-585-4848

The size of the Fairmont Princess in Scottsdale can be a bit daunting, but if you can navigate your way to the Well & Being at Willow Stream, your journey will be well worth it. This resort spa puts equal emphasis on physical and mental well being, with fitness classes like Aerial Hammock Yoga ($55 daily access fee, additional $8 for aerial yoga). It also offers pampering treatments including massages, facials, body wraps, body scrubs, hydrotherapy baths, and a detoxifying mud bar. Spa at The Boulders
34631 North Tom Darlington Drive, Carefree
480-488-9009

For those spa-goers who really want to get away from it all, we can't think of a better destination than The Boulders in Carefree. This Waldorf Astoria Resort is set in the serene outskirts of the Phoenix, making its 33,000-square-foot spa the perfect spot to relax and rejuvenate. The spa draws influence from its scenic desert surroundings and offers such signature treatments as the Turquoise Wrap ($210), Luminous Brightening Facial ($220), and Desert Zen Signature Massage ($145).

Jurlique Spa
4925 North Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale
480-945-7666

FireSky Resort, a Kimpton Boutique Hotel, is home to the all-natural Jurlique Spa in Scottsdale. This holistic spa aims to set itself apart from the many other retreats by using products that are hypo-allergenic, pH balanced, environmentally friendly, free of animal byproducts and testing, and contain certified organic herbs and plant-derived ingredients. Some of Jurlique's signature treatments include the FireSky Stone Massage ($190), Close Your Eyes Bath ($45), Orange Blossom Body Ritual ($190), and Signature Revitalizing Facial ($140), which makes use of the spa's Herbal Recovery line.

VH Spa at Hotel Valley Ho
6850 East Main Street in Scottsdale
480-421-7777

Valley Ho's VH Spa for Vitality + Health offers some of the most affordable spa treatments you'll find in Scottsdale, with weekly, monthly, and seasonal deals. VH Spa's eclectic collection of services include the LomiLomi Massage ($125 to $185), Coffeeberry Yoga Facial ($125), and the Moroccanoil Hydrating Treatment ($125) – a head-to-toe exfoliation, hair masque, and signature Moroccanoil hair treatment for them tresses. Needless to say, the spa treatments at this midcentury hotel are anything but outdated.

Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa
2502 East Camelback Road
602-553-8800

Biltmore Fashion Park is home to fine shopping, fine dining, and, thanks to the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa, fine treatment. This upscale day spa has been an industry icon since 1910, giving it serious street cred in the quality of its spa services. Behind the Red Door, tired shoppers can opt for a little pampering pick-me-up or an all-day escape with treatments like the Elizabeth Arden Signature Massage ($125 to $175), Phyto-Organic Marine Facial ($145), or the olive oil-infused Signature Stress Melter Ritual ($225).

Alvadora Spa
5200 East Camelback Road
602-977-6400

When you put a spa inside the prestigious Royal Palms Resort, expectations are set high. But the Alvadora Spa does not disappoint. This Mediterranean oasis offers luxury amenities like Vichy showers, private courtyards, an eight-foot waterfall, and a fitness center. Guests of the spa can indulge in services like the Destination Earth Salt Glow ($150), the Alvadora Citrus Grove Facial ($210), and a wide variety of couples' massages.

Editor's note: This post has been updated from its original version, which first appeared in December 2013.