Beauty Retreat: Living The Life of Riley at The Surrey Hotel's Cornelia Spa in NYC

Some women will do anything for shoes and diamonds. I’m like that with massages. I am one hurtin’ momma. I lug either a baby and/or a baby bag most days and my almost 3 year-old still wants to be picked up. So my back is generally a mess. Give me an hour of face-down time with someones hands working out the kinks in my back and well, I’m all yours. My husband’s lame 2 minute ‘massages’ just don’t cut it. When the opportunity to try a massage at The Surrey Hotel’s luxurious Cornelia Spa literally dropped into my lap from the heavens above, I moved my day around to accommodate a last-minute massage a couple of Friday’s ago. Located just off Madison Ave. (on 76th St.) on the Upper East Side, Cornelia Spa is located within the prestigious Surrey Hotel. This intimate pied’a terre style spa has been designed to exceed even the finickiest and highest of expectations. The bar has been set pretty high.

While the spa offers luxury treatments such as The Reparative Caviar and Oxygen Quench Facial, The Champagne and Pearl Sugar Glow Body Treatment, and The Purist: A Dual Detoxification Treatment, I went with a straight-up massage, of course. As soon as I arrived, I was warmly greeted by my therapist who lead me back fully clothed, I might add, to my very own massage suite. I entered a room that was as big as my living room with a window sofa, an armoire and a massage table. Not only was it beautifully decorated, it came with it’s own bathroom suite. Now if you live in NYC you appreciate this much space to yourself, even if only for an hour or two. However, at this point I was already plotting out how I was going to move in! Before I was told to disrobe and hang my clothes in my armoire I was given a small spoon of honey. This Corenelia Signature Honey Ritual is something I have never experienced before. Honey is believed to be an ancient healing remedy  that also provides antibacterial, digestive and sensory benefits. It also tastes yummy. Take note; this is artisanal honey, not the kind that comes out of a plastic bear. My massage was beyond awesome and while I would like to tell you the details, I have to admit…I fell asleep. What can I say? I was apparently pretty darn tired. I do remember my therapist asked about the pressure I desired for my Swedish-style massage and delivered in spades. If I fall asleep it’s generally a good sign.

I took my time getting dressed because I just didn’t want to leave! However, once I exited the room I was lead to the Relaxation Library to ahem, relax, sip water or tea and nosh on a bit of refreshing sorbet until I was ready to reenter the hustle and bustle waiting outside. The intimate and comfortable room not only contains a large collection of hand-picked coffee table books dedicated to art, design, fashion, decor, travel, beauty and botanicals, but is where I found the Mini Botanical Tasting Bar which serves tasty treats including lavender glazed cookies, almonds doused with sea salt Artfully crafted by the Cornelia chef. It was nice to be treated like a queen, if only for a few hours. Everyone deserves some special treatment and TLC every now and then, don’t you agree? Corneila Spa at The Surrey Hotel (New York’s only Relais & Chateaux hotel property) 20 East 76th Street  New York, NY 10021 Hours: Sunday – Friday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. & Saturday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Telephone: (646) 358-3600 Website: corneliaspaatthesurrey.com – Lauren Dimet Waters Photo Credit: Chelsea Curtis/Robb Report Disclosure: Services received for review.