The Spa at Grand Traverse

The Grand Traverse Spa, which opened in 1999, is tasteful and welcoming with a sage green color palette throughout. Piped-in Native American-sounding flute music helps set a relaxing vibe. The massage and hydrotherapy rooms are located on the basement level, and they are appropriately dim, tastefully decorated, and the beds all had candles lit and waiting on them. All of the staff members we encountered were friendly and professional. We'd hope to score a foot massage and ease our aching arches, but couldn't get one because it's not on the spa menu. Our second-choice express pedicure was pricey -- $52 with an included 18 percent gratuity for what amounted to 25 minutes of soaking your feet and getting your toenails painted. But the vibrating roller-back heated chair was a welcome respite after a busy day.