The Best Pedicure in Austin (that I’ve had so far….)

This past Sunday, I had the best manicure / pedicure that I’ve ever had.  I had the service at Hiatus Spa + Retreat, a spa concept headquartered in Dallas, but with a location on the ground floor of the Gables on West 5th – just a hop-skip-and-a-jump away from Downtown Austin.

The whole experience there is top-notch from beginning to end, actually – but the actual service is just different enough from the other places that I think it deserves to be called the best.

There are two things that make it different than any other manicure / pedicure I’ve every had.  The first thing is the zero gravity chair.

Zero Gravity Chair:  The manicurist told me this type of chair was designed by NASA.  I’m serious. While I don’t believe NASA was envisioning a bunch of ladies getting pedicures when they designed this chair, I’m still impressed that my comfort was so scientifically considered by the spa.

And, the chair is very, very comfortable.  After your foot-wash (at Hiatus Spa, every service I’ve ever gotten begins with a foot-wash, even facials), the aesthetician reclines the chair ALL THE WAY back, and it really, truly is soooooo relaxing.

The second thing that’s a little different is the mandatory relaxation.

Mandatory Relaxation:  When I came in for the service, I came all loaded-up with my iPad because I was going to be productive during my service (why can’t the modern American woman ever just take a minute without trying to get something done?….another post for another time, I guess), and catch up on emails, blog, and do some other psuedo-productive utter non-sense. Before I even sat down, I started unloading my bag.  When my aesthetician saw what was going on, she basically put the smack down on me.  She said, “No – during this service, you’ll have an eye mask on, will be fully reclined, and will go to sleep. And then you’ll wake up to pretty hands and feet.”

So, there you have it.  Just those two things alone really, really enhanced my experience.  And, I’m certainly willing to take suggestions on other places to try, (feel free to put them in the comments) – but until I try something better – I stand firm by my pronouncement that Hiatus gives the best manicure + pedicure in Austin.