California Spa Guide: The Best Spas in Palo Alto

Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA. [Photo credit: Jorge Fernandez]

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto is the birthplace of many now-household tech names like Hewlett-Packard and Facebook. It’s also home to the illustrious Stanford University, whose sprawling campus features a blend of Romanesque and Mission Revival architecture, more than two dozen fountains, secluded pathways studded with California oak trees, and the outstanding (and free!) Cantor Art Center and B. Gerald Cantor Rodin Sculpture Garden, making it an ideal destination to visit on foot or by bike.

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Downtown, a mix of high-end shops and chic restaurants provide plenty of diversions for hardworking students, tech workers and visitors alike. Beyond Palo Alto’s bustling commercial districts lie bucolic swaths of open space, from grassy rolling hills to dense strands of redwood forests to the wild and windswept Pacific Ocean coast, all begging to be explored.

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With so much natural beauty to draw upon, along with a plethora of spas—from one-stop-shop day spas to a luxurious wellness retreat among the redwoods—Palo Alto and the surrounding area makes an ideal wellness destination. Check out our California spa guide to discover our top picks for the best spas in Palo Alto.

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Canyon Ranch Woodside

16350 Skyline Blvd, Woodside, CA 94062; (855) 277-8877

Nestled among the redwoods in Woodside about 10 miles West of Palo Alto, Canyon Ranch Woodside is a serene, all-inclusive retreat where guests can restore vitality, focus on self-care, and indulge in luxurious and restorative spa treatments.

While staying in one of the retreat’s elevated “treehouse rooms,” guests enjoy curated wellness experience featuring healthy and delicious meals crafted with local, organic produce and meat and sustainably caught seafood, along with daily activities ranging from yoga, Tai Chi, and sound bath sessions to guided hiking, mountain biking, and kayaking excursions.

Spa & Retreat Profile: Canyon Ranch Woodside

Canyon Ranch Woodside guests also get exclusive access to the retreat’s spa, with five treatment rooms, an indoor saline pool and whirlpool, steam room, dry salt wall sauna, zero-gravity loungers, and “labyrinth.”

The menu includes a variety of facials, body treatments, and massage therapies like the Candle Massage, where oud wood-and-vanilla scented candle “wax” that is rich in conditioning ingredients is poured and massaged into the skin.

The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley at East Palo Alto

2050 University Avenue, East Palo Alto, CA 94303; (650) 566-1200

Offering the sophisticated accommodations, gracious service and luxurious amenities expected from this world-class brand, the Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley at East Palo Alto provides easy access to Stanford University, Downtown Palo Alto, and the surrounding area’s many tech headquarters. The on-site restaurant Quattro, which overlooks a lush garden and terrace, features an all-day menu of elevated California cuisine.

Spa Profile: The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley at East Palo Alto

Offering an extensive menu of massages and facials, the hotel’s luxurious spa features a Himalayan salt sauna for pre- or post-service relaxation. Massage treatments include the California redwood-inspired Western Healing service featuring a combination of soothing, anti-aging essential oils to alleviate and reduce stress, and facial specialties include the Collagen Power Facial.

Utilizing Silicon-Valley developed Venn skincare products formulated with collagen-activating peptides, antioxidants and phyto-retinol, this supercharged facial is designed to boost elasticity and firmness, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, improve skin tone and plump the skin. Next to the spa, the rooftop pool deck features private cabanas.

LaBelle Day Spa & Salon

855 El Camino Real, Suites 95 & 33, Palo Alto, CA 94301; (650) 327-6964

Conveniently located in in Palo Alto’s posh Town & Country Shopping Center, LaBelle Day Spa & Salon is one-stop beauty and wellness destination founded by respected esthetician and product formulator Bella Schneider.

The extensive spa menu includes facials, hair removal, body treatments and massage, while the full-service salon offers cuts, color, styling, manicures and pedicures, makeup, permanent makeup and lash services.

Spa Profile: LaBelle Day Spa & Salons

Medspa services are also available, including injectables, fillers and hair restoration. Whether you go for a luxurious treatment like the 24-Carat Gold Facial, which features a lifting gold mask, or the signature moisturizing Shea Butter manicure, all services are provided in a clean, comfortable, welcoming environment.

The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Half Moon Bay

1 Miramontes Point Road, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019; 1 (888) 293-0524

Perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay offers elegant accommodations with a spectacular view (some rooms even have private terraces with firepits), as well as two championship golf courses. It’s the only resort of its caliber along this stretch of the California coast east of Silicon Valley, making it worth the 30-minute drive from Palo Alto for those looking for a luxurious seaside getaway or day visit.

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Upon arrival, guests usually make a beeline for the outdoor Ocean Terrace for cocktails and oysters by the firepit with ocean views. Also onsite: acclaimed seafood-focused restaurant Navio and The Conservatory, a more casual venue with a focus California cuisine.

Another must-visit locale at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay is the spa, which is open to day guests and features a robust menu of wellness, massage, facial and body treatments, along with a steam room, sauna, and whirlpool.

Spa Profile: The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Half Moon Bay

Standouts include the Coastal Lavender Indulgence 80, featuring a lavender-scented back and foot exfoliation and light massage designed to encourage a restful night’s sleep; as well as the HydraFacial, which includes lymphatic drainage and LED light therapy amenities. The indoor pool makes a nice spot to relax post-treatment.

Sense, A Rosewood Spa at Rosewood Sand Hill

2825 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025; (650) 561-1500

Sense, A Rosewood Spa’s serene setting at Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, about a mile from Stanford University in Palo Alto, merges relaxed California luxury with lush gardens and scenic mountain views. The spa offers a range of treatments including massages, manicure and pedicure services, facials, and body treatments.

Spa Profile: Sense, A Rosewood Spa at Rosewood Sand Hill

Signature services include the QMS Fire and Ice Facial, which features a warming cinnamon oil thermal-active revitalizing mask and an application of oceanic cooling algae; and the Evidens de Beaute Four Path Sensory massage, a personalized, head-to-toe treatment with four different wellness “paths” to choose from.

 Make sure to allow enough time to enjoy the spa’s onsite amenities: a eucalyptus steam room, sauna, outdoor hot tub, and indoor and outdoor relaxation areas.

Watercourse Way

165 Channing Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301; (650) 462-2000 

Since 1980, Watercourse Way has been enchanting guests with its Zenlike atmosphere inspired by the natural hot springs of Tassajara in Carmel Valley, private hot tub rooms and relaxing treatments, earning the spa many regional awards over the years.

In addition to massage, the spa offers a number of intriguing body treatments including the Ayurvedic Hot Oil and Himalayan Salt Ritual with CBD experiences; Eminence Organic facials; and specialty facials like the Oxygen and Vitamin C Enzyme Facials.

An absolute must while visiting Watercourse Way, however, is to book one of the eight private hot tub rooms. Each room is unique and offers slightly different amenities, from One Pine, which features a skylight, traditional wooden hot tub, cold plunge, sauna, shower, and resting area, to Nine Bats, which features a tiled hot tub under a “starlit” dome, steam shower, and cold plunge. Some of the rooms are adjoining, making them ideal for groups.

[Photos courtesy of spas and resorts]

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Lotus Abrams is a San Francisco Bay Area-based writer who has written articles on topics ranging from beauty and interior design to business and tech in her multiple-decade career. Her work has been published in Marin Magazine, Nailpro, Beauty Launchpad, Brit+Co, PUNCH, SoCal Design, SPACES, American Salon, Chicago Agent, and more. Follow her on Instagram: @lotusabrams_writes.