Star Treatment on the Sunset Strip

Upon passing through the doors of the Sunset Tower Hotel, we could immediately recognize why, in 1947, Truman Capote wrote that this was a "very posh establishment." Now restored to its original 1920s Art Deco glory, the Sunset Strip landmark is also home to the Argyle Salon & Spa, located on the lower level. Unlike the hotel lobby, which oozes turn-of-the-century charm, the salon/spa has more of a sleek, modern vibe.

Despite being larger than our post-college apartment in NYC, we were stunned to learn that our treatment "suite" was actually the Argyle's smallest; all of the other suites are built to accommodate couples' treatments. Each one is designed to feel like a luxury hotel room, and we were invited to lounge around for a while before our massage. We decided not to turn on the plasma television for fear of spoiling the calm, and instead sank into an enormous bathtub to fully stretch our legs.

Our massage therapist Daniel introduced himself as an expert in reflexology and proceeded to knead and tenderize our aching muscles; we felt the stress of the week slipping happily away. Post massage, we were invited to visit the Argyle's private Hammam, or Turkish Bath, which is sort of a do-it-yourself body scrub meets steam room featuring custom-blended oils, emollients and scrub brushes. But since we were already so thoroughly relaxed, we opted instead for a much-needed eyebrow wax in the salon, emerging from the Argyle feeling like a 1920s movie starlet.

Review originally published 7/3/2008.