Chris Leavitt Dishes on His Million Dollar Listing Spas

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Chris Leavitt knows his spas. As arguably the most fabulous and fashionable realtor of Bravo's Million Dollar Listing Miami, which premiers every Wednesday at 9pm, this Manhattanite-turned-Miami mogul (he holds the record for the most expensive apartment sale in Florida's history) can tell you which spa houses the best Jacuzzi, who gives the best deep tissue in town, and which treatment tickles his fancy. Since we're in the midst of Miami Spa Month, he's revealed his five favorite picks in South Florida, even going so far as to include his ultimate go-to in West Palm Beach which, sadly, is not included in the special.

"It is so important to me to go to a fully comprehensive Spa. What I mean by comprehensive is a spa that has all the water features imaginable and one that really takes you away into an alternate universe. Isn't that the point anyway?"

Canyon Ranch has what is called "Aquavana"- it is like Disneyland for the spa goer. Each gender has a has a gigantic Jacuzzi, crystal steam room, Finnish sauna, and three rain showers that transport you from the rain forests in Costa Rica to a thunder storm to a cool fog by the press of a button. They have an igloo room to cool you off and an amazing herbal laconium room that literally melts the tension and stress out of your body within minutes. All their therapists go through rigorous training and screening, so anyone you get is amazing.

Elle Spa has a Jacuzzi, a cold plunge, a steam room and a sauna. I like to go from the hot Jacuzzi to the cold plunge and then to the steam and sauna and repeat a few times before I go in for my treatments. It really relaxes the muscles and gets me loosened up and makes my massage that much more amazing.

All the other spas in Miami just have steam and sauna and maybe a Jacuzzi if you are lucky. The Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne has all of that and an amazing therapist named Angel. It is worth the trip over to the Key.

If you want a really amazing massage and don't have time to spend in the water wonderlands mentioned above, then I recommend Carlos at The Aveda Spa at The Palms Hotel.

I have covered my top four spa picks in Miami, but my absolute favorite spa in the country is just one hour drive up the coast to Eau Spa in Palm Beach. This is Disneyland, Epcot Center and Animal Kingdom all wrapped into one for the spa goer. From the moment you arrive, you are greeted with Champagne and cupcakes and brought to a Wishing Well where you make a wish and set an intention for your day. You may then relax in the bath lounges and cabanas, or swing from the hanging chairs in the Self-Centered Garden before enjoying one of their decadent signature treatments, massages, facials, salon treatments and their unique Scrub & Polish Bar with custom-crafted body scrubs.
· Miami's 11 Most Luxurious Spas [Racked Miami]