Planet Beach Spray and Spa, Houston

A wildly successful alternative to traditional day spas—its more than 200 locations span the globe—Planet Beach Spray & Spa is a futuristic relaxation station where state-of-the-art machines administer all the spa and tanning services. These friendly automatons sometimes function like familiar treatments; for instance, The Luminous facial, a light-based service, delivers blemish-busting results similar to those of a conventional facial. But other equipment maps out new spa territory entirely. This is the case with the Hydro-Derma Fusion chamber, which moisturizes the whole body with nutrient-rich steam in order to offset the effects of a dry climate. Other machines whiten teeth, spray tan skin, and massage muscles.

Planet Beach operates on a gym-style membership system, meaning that members purchase packages or pay flat monthly rates. As members spend more time at the spa, they get to know the helpful assistants who are always on hand to demonstrate how to use the equipment for best results.