Bliss Scottsdale at the W Hotel

I’ve been waiting for this little nugget of Bliss since I first heard it was swinging our way more than two years ago. In fact, I wrote a little ditty about it. Wanna hear it? Here it goes.

An Ode to Bliss: Oh sassy little BlissGirl. You with your beguiling smile and your cutesy treatment names like Hot off the Stresses and Quadruple Thighpass. You have eluded us for far too long, spreading your Glamour Gloved fingers to London, San Francisco and Chicago. We have devotedly decorated our vanities with your Fat Girl Slim cellulite cream and your dreamy Plum Plum Body Butter but have yet to press our eager tushies into your plush pedi loungers or taste of your ultra chic treatment rooms. But oh how our ears piqued with excitement at the news that you will soon grace us with your adorable presence. While we wait the many months it will take to construct your hip halls, we promise to diligently pour over your catalogs, soak in tubs overflowing with your Vanilla Bergamot Bubbling Bath and practice our spa etiquette (yes, PLEASE, may I have the hot paraffin pack with my massage) until you arrive.

So I have a long way to go in my ode-writing career but the good news is, Bliss has arrived. And it was with great excitement that I finally got to step foot inside a Bliss of our very own. My first happy bit of news to pass on was that the spa was easy to find. Far too many times I’ve wandered the property of some sprawling resort trying to sniff out its hidden spa. But the Bliss entrance is hard to miss once you turn south off Camelback Road onto Buckboard. I slipped into a parking space in the trendy bar district just a few paces from the front door. A fellow spa girl met me there and we squealed with excitement over the cute white seats padded with faux turf that guarded the street entrance door. In we went only to be met by an equally excited staff (the spa was only weeks old) and shelves lined with the happy Bliss products.

After checking in and getting a quick tour, we were off to the women’s lounge. By Scottsdale resort spa standards, Bliss is best classified as a boutique spa in that the changing and waiting areas are intimate, cozy and close quarters for more than say, five people. The lounge has two large showers with grass tiled floors where you can take a rain shower or transform the space into a private steam room. We donned our super soft, microfiber white robes and Bliss blue Havaianas flips and plopped onto the couch in the waiting area. Tons of juicy magazines were hidden under a coffee table, which doubled as the spa’s signature brownie buffet. Tiny bites of Phoenix’s-own Wicked Bakery brownies were flanked by cheese, crackers, olives, thinly sliced cucumbers and a fruit bowl with fresh oranges. I popped a few olives in my mouth before I was whisked off to a treatment room by my friendly, fresh-faced aesthetician, Kerry. On my way, I was struck by the subtle but creative way that the cloud designs and sky hues created a happy vibe that was audibly enhanced by the upbeat jingles piped through the sound speakers.

The treatment room was clean, crisp, and softly lit with all skincare products and tools hidden out of sight. The service I chose was the Triple Oxygen Treatment, a 75-minute deep cleansing facial that comes with the works including a fruit acid wash, exfoliation, skin analysis, extractions, several heavenly scented masks and a final oxygen spray. Kerry was as skilled as they come (and is an eyebrow-shaping fanatic having formerly worked with Anastasia Beverly Hills) and did an outstanding job of sandwiching intensive skincare therapies between relaxing interludes of hand, arm, foot and scalp massages. Intensely scented, warm eucalyptus washcloths was another nice touch. Results from the facial were truly amazing overall, and I could see and feel a real improvement in my skin. I was tickled sky blue by my visit to Bliss and left with a fresh face and a light, happy outlook. Welcome to Scottsdale Miss Bliss!