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sir spa

AskMen's Top Cities for Men in the U.S.

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas, Spirits, Men's Style

Manhattan's skylight and city lights during the early evening.
AskMen
, the men's lifestyle site, has published a list of the Top 29 Cities to Live In for men. The AskMen experts ranked cities based on various criteria, including the percentage of university-educated women and lifestyle factors (such as the cost of a luxury automobile). Professional life factors were also considered, such as the number of vacation days guaranteed by law in each city.

Luxist and the Luxist Awards has featured many establishments located in each of the top ranking U.S. cities that made the AskMen list. Indeed, these cities are home to some of the country's best brew pubs, spas, dessert spots and places to go for a dip and play blackjack at the same time.

New York City (#1 on AskMen's List of the Top 29 Cities to Live In).

According to AskMen, there's no place on earth that makes men happier to be men than New York City. "The Big Apple is always reinventing itself and never fails to surprise us with what comes next," according to AskMen. "Since the financial crisis, the high-gloss bottle service bars have been replaced by cozy speakeasies, and designer tapas bars have been replaced by burgers and suckling pig, which is definitely a step in the right direction."

A Luxist Favorite: Spuyten Duyvil

Nominees for Best in Spas

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas


Best Day Spa
The first nominee has 20 locations around the world, its own line of take-home products and an attitude almost as refreshing as its spa treatments while the second nominee is a luxurious spa ensconced in a sumptuous hotel located in one of the most splendid cities in the world. The third nominee is widely recognized for revolutionizing the day spa, while stepping into the fourth us reminiscent of a sixteenth century Mediterranean villa, albeit in San Diego. The final nominee offers body treatments and skincare with techniques borrowed from European and Asian tradition with sweeping views of the Hong Kong Harbor.

Bliss
Dior Institute at the Plaza Athénée

Exhale
The Spa at The Grand del Mar
Peninsula Spa by Espa

Best Green Spa
The first nominee is a Napa Valley retreat that opened a year ago while the second, also in the California wine country takes green to a whole new level. The third nominee is in Australia, nestled in the middle of the world's oldest living rain forest, while the fourth is located more than 500 miles off the coast of East Africa, making it one of the world's most exclusive and secluded spas. The final nominee is located in Hawaii and is powered almost entirely by the energy soaked up by solar panels that adorn the roofs of nearly all of its structures.

Bardessono
Calistoga Ranch
Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa

Frégate Island Private
Sullivan Estate & SPA Retreat

Best Extended Stay Spa
The first nominee is the recipient of countless awards and accolades for its innovative approach to health, wellness and holistic and integrative care while the second offers different site-specific perks at each of its five locations. The third nominee offers all-inclusive stays that include airfare and is located in the mountains of Arizona. The fourth nominee dates back over 80 years and is located in a charming historic town 35 miles south of Santa Barbara and the final nominee is the original destination fitness resort and spa.

Canyon Ranch
Golden Door Spas
Miraval
Ojai Valley Inn & Spa
Rancho La Puerta

Best Men's Spa

The first nominee offers the best of ancient Asian relaxation techniques while the second is "comfortable and stylish" and "reassuringly masculine." The third nominee has earned the title of "El Primer Spa Masculino" in its native Buenos Aires. The fourth nominee has styled itself as a destination for a new generation of men and the final nominee, which is based in Chicago, has a distinct masculine feel to it, thanks to exposed brick walls, rich wood trim and a beer-stocked refrigerator.

Chuan Body and Soul
Gentlemen's Tonic
Markus for Men
Nickel Spa
Sir Spa

Best International Spa

The first nominee offers results-oriented programs and is located on the island of Capri in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The second nominee was built in the 17th century by Ferdinando I de' Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, in the Tuscan countryside while the third nominee is the only treetop spa in Polynesia. The fourth has long been a favorite retreat for Hollywood celebrities and savvy travelers alike since it originally opened in 1956. The final nominee is in Costa Rica amidst a lush rain forest setting complete with a thermal mineral river and a volcano.

Capri Palace Hotel & Spa

Fonteverde Natural Spa Resort
Marù Spa at Bora Bora Lagoon Resort & Spa
One&Only Palmilla
Tabacón Resort

Sir Spa: A Chicago Spa with a Masculine Touch

Filed under: Spas


Walk into Chicago's SIR Spa and one of the first things you'll find is a refrigerator stocked with beer. It's little things like this that make the establishment a Luxist nominee for best men's spa.

The 4,500 square-foot spa has a masculine feel to it, thanks to exposed brick walls and rich wood trim. Before and after treatments, guests can unwind in the relaxation lounge, complete with overstuffed leather recliners and a 50-inch plasma television. Many of the treatments are done in barbershop-style chairs along the lounge's wall.

At SIR, even the treatments themselves sound more like something you'd find in an auto repair shop than a spa – there's a "Hand and Foot Detail," code for manicure and pedicure. One of the most popular treatments is the "Tune-Up Massage," targeted at back, neck and shoulders to relieve chronic body pain (30 minutes: $55). The "Sports Massage" includes muscle stretching, compression and release therapy (60 minutes: $100; 90 minutes: $145; 120 minutes: $190).

The spa also offers a number of skin treatments for young and old. Freshen up your face with the "Face Firming Boost," which includes a collagen facial mask to fight wrinkles, or "Acne Treatment," which uses extractions and spot treatment to kill bacteria and heal scars. A variety of body hair trimming services are available as well. Ladies are allowed too – there's even a private treatment suite just for women.

Cast your vote for your favorite spa until March 31st. Winners will be announced on April 1.

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