Luxist visited the recently renovated Surrey Hotel and its beautiful new day spa, Spa at the Surrey, on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

We sat down with Cheryl Jacobs, its Spa Director, who is a nationally acclaimed spa consultant, and discussed how people can create a spa-like sanctuary in their own home.

Jacobs told us how to create a relaxing and therapeutic bath. "The first thing people should buy are Epsom salts, which offer a variety of health benefits," she says. Epsom salts (also known as magnesium sulfate) can help to relieve aching muscles and flush toxins out of the body.

Another item worth investing in are therapeutic level essential oils, which can be used in conjunction with Epsom salts. The best oils are those that are purest in form and have not had fragrances or other chemicals added.

"The trick about doing a bath at home is that the Epsom salts should be placed under the water as it is running," says Jacobs. "But wait until the tub is filled and the water is no longer running before adding the therapeutic oils. The oils should then be smoothed out to get the real essence."