Station Casinos opened Green Valley Ranch Resort, Casino & Spa in 2001, a few years before I moved to Las Vegas. In those early years, it had a reputation as a luxury neighborhood resort, and I was invited to a couple bachelorette parties at the spa — though I didn’t attend them — cementing my mental image of it as a swanky spot for girlfriend staycations. After spending a spa day there over the holidays, I’d say yeah, that’s accurate.
Ambience
The spa has its own parking lot off Carnegie Street, and you should use it. The wellness complex — the spa building, which is connected to the salon, fitness area, and outdoor spa pool — is separated from the main casino by a small vineyard, creating a getaway illusion. The spa building itself is modern, clean, and well-appointed, encompassing two stories of changing areas, lounges, whirlpools, wet and dry saunas, and treatment rooms, with both women’s- and men’s-only, as well as some coed, areas. Customers can access all this with any booking, and locals get a 20-percent discount. This may explain why, the day I visited, the women’s area was filled with small groups chatting in the whirlpool and kicking back in the saunas. It cast a relaxing, convivial vibe over what might otherwise be a rarefied space.
Treatment
I chose the 80-minute custom scrub and massage ($285 pre-discount), to get a diverse experience. My aesthetician, Roxanne, was low-key in her preparation, inviting me to choose the scent of products she’d use, briefly surveying my massage preferences, and then outlining how the treatment would proceed. She was attentive throughout, and I appreciated that she remembered my sensitivities, down to the smallest detail (painful arthritis in the base of my left thumb).
For the scrub, Roxanne used firm, repetitive gestures to spread the gritty paste over my body,, rub it in and then sweep it off. It turned out to be much more therapeutic than the massage, which was serviceable, yet unremarkable. Still, the room and bed were warm and quiet, and the hot shower washing the scrub from my skin felt like a rebirth.
Result
My only regret was that I didn’t arrive a couple hours before my treatment, so that I could enjoy the whirlpool and sauna beforehand. Afterward, freshly exfoliated and moisturized head to toe, I couldn’t do much other than lounge in my robe and enjoy snacks from the buffet. But I’ll be back, and next time, I’m bringing friends.
