Cleveland Spa and Massage

Marengo Luxury Spa resides within The Arcade—a retail oasis formerly known as "Cleveland's crystal palace." Founded in 1890, The Arcade rises five stories high, summiting at a glass ceiling that spans the area of a football field. On the way to Marengo Luxury Spa, patrons traverse Roman marble walkways and pass gilded carvings, iron balconies, and cast-iron griffins. Upon arrival, clients consult with a spa specialist who personalizes a treatment plan that may include massage therapy or treatments for skin, hair, or nails. Throughout appointments, clients enjoy a variety of refreshments including coffee and biscotti or herbal tea and blocks of tofu. Calling itself "a perfect sanctuary in which to retreat and discover a new you," Marengo Luxury Spa exudes the palatial ambiance of The Arcade itself.

Beyond their diverse lineup of hair and spa services, the beauty experts at Future Directions Hair Studio & Spa are committed to creating an active dialogue with their clients to send them home happy with the precise look that they envisioned. In inviting, softly lit treatment rooms, clients can luxuriate as spa technicians armed with Bioelements products administer signature facials to restore skin to its factory-fresh condition. In the salon area, comfy chairs lull clients into a state of relaxation as a style therapist listens to the hair's innermost hopes and dreams, snipping and combing a path to coiffure self-actualization. The hair experts tame rebellious manes with custom color, highlights, and keratin hair-straightening treatments administered with professional products from Aquage, Goldwell, Matrix, and Paul Mitchell. Put-upon paws can also be indulged with a tailored mani-pedi finished with a coat of OPI or Zoya polish.

Three times a week, Just U Relax's owner and principal massage therapist paid a 90-minute visit to one of her favorite clients, an elderly Italian woman who could barely speak a word of English. One day after a visit, the woman's daughter called and asked the massage therapist if she could come back again right away, saying her mother was not doing well. She arrived and set to work massaging her client's body, much of which had collapsed inward from a previous stroke. But instead of seeing the usual results, such as the woman's hands relaxing for a short time before tightening back into a bound position, the massage therapist saw her client maintain her peaceful composure. Then, this elderly Italian woman who could speak little English, let alone speak at all due to the effects of her stroke and Alzheimer's disease, looked at her massage therapist and said with perfect clarity, "Thank you." The woman's daughter called later, saying her mother died that evening, and that she wanted to say thank you for giving her mother such comfort before she passed. It was that moment that made the massage therapist realize she knew she could help people.

Raised by a cardiologist, the future owner of Just U Relax and her brother made a pact to go to medical school together, but when she found herself disenchanted by clinical environments and desiring a more hands-on approach to patient care, she explored massage therapy. Today, she and her team of licensed massage therapists at Just U Relax assess posture, gait, and occupational stress to customize bodywork for each client. The staff sees to guests' comfort in a variety of ways, including giving visitors warm robes and plush slippers, using massage tables with triple-cotton-padded tops, and playing relaxing music as aromatherapy wafts between rooms. Therapists also offer clients snacks such as fruit smoothies and granola bars. Additionally, each therapist is required to undergo at least three hours of training each month to learn new massage techniques and stay sharp.

Doctor of Chiropractic Abraham Medlong studies the latest advances in medical techniques and technologies to provide his patients with the most up-to-date care. He received his degree from Parker College of Chiropractic, where he learned how to conduct spinal adjustments, therapeutic massages, and release techniques. The doctor and his staff can root out and reduce pains associated with a variety of injuries including whiplash and herniated disks. They aim to make every patient feel healthy and renewed, just like a beloved vegan cookbook from the library.

The staff of Chi Energy Spa take a holistic approach to nail- and skincare, providing each client with complimentary consultations and showering them with one-on-one attention and personalized advice. During facials, aestheticians cleanse pores of dirt, oil, and all traces of competitive pie-eating, then give clients skin-type specific tips for at-home care. Facial and body waxing services smooth skin and give patrons perfectly arched brows to complement their face shapes. Chi Energy Spa’s nail technicians pamper fingers and toes with softening paraffin dips and colorful layers of OPI and chip-resistant CND Shellac UV3 nail polish. Massage therapists ease muscle tension with relaxation massages, which are followed by an accompanying foot soak to refresh feet sore from always being on-the-go or from walking to work atop hot coals.

At Tanya's Infinite Touch, the massage therapists call upon experience and training as they send clients on blissful breaks from mild aches and pains. Treatments such as the Swedish massage blend long strokes with gliding movements to sweep stress into the ether. In contrast, the couples massage grants friends, partners, or two-man street-paving crews the chance to relax and rejuvenate, together.