The royal treatment, royalty feel

Chaos with construction, traffic and temporary sidewalks on 20th Street between L and M streets make it hard to feel relaxed while entering Nusta Spa. But, as soon as the door is closed behind you, you can feel relaxed and relieved.

A luxurious and sophisticated atmosphere greets you when you enter the spa. A warm welcome in the small reception area starts your spa experience, followed by the impact of the large changing room where you find everything you need to feel “ready” for your treatment.

Did the warm weather dehydrate you on your way to the spa? Nusta Spa offers beverages before and after your treatment. Flavored fresh water, juices and sodas are available, as well as wine and champagne during the weekends.

“We take care of our customers,” said Tonia Briscoe, spa director at Nusta Spa. “It is all about the clients.”

Different massages are offered after your needs at the spa. Do you want a “traditional Swedish massage,” “deep tissues massage” or a “sports massage”? You choose yourself to make your spa experience ultimate for you. If you want you can even combine different massage treatments to give your body maximum relaxation. You can get a massage from 25 to 110 minutes, and the prices start on $60.

Body treatments are available from $45 and the menu describes various care services such as a “Hair and Scalp Rescue” with a Camellia oil blend, a “Super Scrub” with Dead Sea salts, a body peel with a combination of alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids and a “Full Body Detox.”

Nusta Spa will also give you several facial treatments, peeling masks and nail care in form of both manicures and pedicures if you want. According to Briscoe, 30 percent of the spa’s clients are men and 70 percent women.

Don’t want to feel relaxed by yourself? At this spa you are welcome to share your treatment with a special friend during a “couples massage.” Or why not invite all your friends for a group event and combine your social life with relaxation?

As the first spa ever to do so, Nusta Spa was accepted into the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design in 2005, because the spa was created only with renewable and recycled materials. Most of the products used in the different treatments are made out of organic, botanic or natural ingredients, which makes the spa environmentally friendly.

“Nusta,” which means “royalty” in the South American language Quechua, certainly lives up to its name. Entering the Spa you are welcomed as a royalty; getting your services you are treated as a royalty and leaving the spa you feel like royalty.

You don’t even have to have a tiara on your head to achieve that feeling.

The spa’s phone number is 202-530-5700 and its website is www.nustaspa.com .