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Spa Profile: Verbena Spa at Austin Proper Hotel

Verbena Spa is a holistic getaway located at Austin Proper Hotel in downtown Austin.

Verbena Spa is a holistic getaway located at Austin Proper Hotel in downtown Austin, TX. The serene design by Kelly Wearstler interiors is influenced by the natural beauty of Texas with an emphasis on warm colors and textures throughout the space. It also features locally made glass tile artworks by local artist Claire Bresette, coral-hued tables by Texan ceramicist Paul Schneider, and custom wall covers inspired by vintage documents to provide guests with a transportive experience away from the busy city.

The spa joins the hotel’s robust offering of wellness and fitness experiences including an on-site Saracen Gym, private reformer pilates classes, weekly rooftop yoga classes, a sound bath series and a collection of virtual yoga classes created exclusively for Austin Proper Hotel guests only.

The spa menu includes massages, facials and body treatments to restore physical well-being with a singular Texas touch, ranging from a tequila-inspired body scrub and massage to a Gua Sha facial and more.

We caught up with Jasmine Samano, the Spa Director, to learn more about Verbena Spa’s unique offerings.

Kelly Wearstler Interiors created a serene design influenced by the surrounding natural beauty of Texas, with an emphasis on warm colors and textures throughout the space.

Why You’ll Love It: The small gestures at Verbena Spa make the biggest impact on our guest experience. The impeccable design details from Kelly Wearstler resonate throughout the spa and create a calming experience. We have hired many talented therapists that customize each spa treatment in a way that our guests feel both pampered and restored and in just the first few weeks of opening, we had already seen guests requesting to return to see their "favorite" therapists.

Verbena Spa’s restorative waiting room where guests can enjoy complimentary spa water, chlorophyll shots and baked goods, and CBD botanical tea service by Hello Goldie.

Key Features: We recommend guests come in for a workout prior to their massage or facial to make use of our state-of-the-art gym, then use the steam room, which is infused with penetrating eucalyptus and pine, with evasive subterranean undertones, followed by an infused shower, before being picked up by their therapist for their treatment.

Locally made glass tile artworks by Austin-based artist Claire Bresette, coral-hued tables by Texan ceramicist Paul Schneider and custom wallcovers inspired by vintage documents offer a transportive experience from downtown Austin’s bustling energy.

Bonus: There's no real special bonus to note, all guests are treated to the same relaxation experience regardless of their treatment selection.

Insider’s Tip: Our treatments are designed to cater to Austinites who love the fitness, plentiful outdoor activities and hustle and bustle our city provides, but who are seeking ways to unwind and pamper themselves from time to time. Guests of the spa can take advantage of our state-of-the-art fitness center before any treatment, which features pilates reformers, Peloton bikes, Mirror classes and more. We also offer our hotel guests access to a wide variety of wellness and fitness classes, such as private pilates classes, rooftop yoga, energizing HIIT classes and more, which offer a perfect complement to our re-energizing spa treatments.

Complementing Austin Proper’s robust wellness and fitness offerings, Verbena Spa offers a menu of massage, facial and body treatments to restore physical wellbeing, with a singular Texas touch.

Spa Snacks: Our Spa Honor Bar was designed with the intention to detoxify and help alleviate any stresses of the day. We offer a signature iced tea, Verbena Lemon with natural barberry syrup infused with CBD, Rosemary Cucumber Water to help detoxify the skin, chlorophyll detox water to help liver function after those fun Austin night outings, Hello Goldie Smitten hot tea to help set your intention and bring calm to your day, and lastly, some vegan blueberry muffins for that healthy indulgence.

Spa products include Monastery, Saint Jane Beauty and Zents, among others.

Splurge Treatment: Building your own spa package a la carte, starting with a private HIIT class, enter the steam room, followed with a 90-minute Sports Massage with CBD, break for some lunch at La Piscina pool side, then come back for a 75-minute Gua Sha Facial.

Verbena Spa incorporates a variety of healing ingredients into treatments including the healing agave plant and sustainable and organic essential oils that are custom made for the spa.

Unique Treatment: Tequila: The Proper Way. Tequila is a favorite here in Austin, and when researching tequila, I found there were health benefits that can be used not only orally but topically. When used moderately tequila can aid digestion, calm the nervous system, and relax the mind. I wanted to steer away from the margarita kind of tequila, but look at it through a mindfulness aspect. I teamed up with founder of Rootfoot, Laura Huth, who helped curate a special oil for this treatment - Ancients, blue agave in its purest tequila form as fermented and distilled by Lalo tequila. My vision with this "treatment" is to take the guest on a journey through the desert of Texas where they will be able to set an intention to detox for the 90 or 120 minutes, commune with the blue agave, and finishing your journey with a smudge of Palo Santo burning to clear out any negative energy that may not be serving you.

Insider’s Favorite: Depends on the day, the mood I am in, but one can never wrong with a Proper Massage.

The swimming pool at Austin Proper Hotel.

Featured Products: Antara Organics, Monastery, Namari, Saint Jane Beauty, Rootfoot, and Zents.

For more information, visit the website and follow on Instagram: @austinproperhotel

[Photos courtesy of Austin Proper/Chase Daniels/The Ingalls]

Austin Proper Hotel

500 W 2nd Street

Austin, TX 78701

512-628-1500

Email: atxp.verbenaspa@properhotel.com