Three Hours in Atlanta are Pure Bliss

It feels like ages since I’ve been alone. Truly alone, without a husband or child that needs something from me. And I’ve been craving, like many women, some true “alone time.”

When my best friend suggested a trip to Atlanta for a concert and some girl-bonding, the first thing I did (after deafening her with my resounding “Yes!”), was to book some serious quiet time at Atlanta’s newest and hippest spa, Bliss.

An offshoot of the well-known New York spa, Bliss Atlanta just opened in March 2008. A bit smaller and cozier than some of the other locations (which range from Soho to San Francisco), it is luxuriously ensconced on the lower level of the W Hotel Atlanta Midtown.

After arriving by taxi at the sleek hotel, a concierge whisked my bag away (even though I was staying at another hotel in town), and sent me down the curving stairwell. The cool grey walls gave way to an overwhelmingly calm-inducing blue oasis.

If you’re familiar with the large line of Bliss skincare, hair care, and cellulite-banishing products, you’ve no doubt noticed their sky blue and cloud-themed packaging, which is carried throughout to define the spa’s atmosphere.

My flight had arrived early – a wonder in and of itself – and I was thrilled to have an hour or so to enjoy the amenities at Bliss Atlanta before my scheduled appointments. I passed the time in the small steam room, which might have been more calming with dimmed lights and quieter music. Then wrapped in a soft white robe, I read gossip magazines in the lounge while enjoying hot tea and an odd, but satisfying, assortment of olives, brownies, cheese cubes and cucumber slices.

The relaxation continued with my Blissage75 – a head to toe massage that truly led me off to Never-Never-Land. As I wavered between complete relaxation and unconsciousness, my male therapist addressed all the major problem areas I had mentioned, and others I had not.

The room was small and calming, a single orchid floating in a bowl highlighted by a pinpoint light. My table was warm to the touch, and the blanket and sheet had just enough weight to bring comfort. Only the occasional squeaking of a cabinet door or unintentional slamming of a drawer drew my attention back to the present.