In a city full of wellness experiences that blur the line between self-care and instagram ops, Surya Spa at the Proper Hotel manages to feel both over-the-top luxurious and authentic. The Kelly Wearstler-designed space, with its henna-hued Zellige tiles and undulating walls, is home to what might be California’s most serious approach to Ayurvedic treatments.
The signature four-handed Abhyanga massage – where two therapists use roughly two bottles’ worth of herbalized oil on your body – feels less like a standard spa treatment and more like a ritual from another century. But it’s the multi-day Panchakarma programs that can make Surya literally life-changing. These intensive detox experiences, lasting anywhere from 3 to 28 days, combine everything from custom massages and sound baths to surprisingly delicious Ayurvedic meals featuring their famous almond-flour bread (trust us, you’ll want the recipe), under the guidance of Martha Soffer, considered one of America’s top Ayurvedic practitioners.
This isn’t your typical hotel spa experience. Here you’ll find ancient treatments targeting everything from fertility to brain fog, making it the rare luxury wellness experience that delivers substance along with its style. On your way out, raid the spa shop for their collagen cream (the richest we’ve tried) and bath soaks that turn your home tub into a mini-retreat.