The best spas in NYC for men

Tucked in the basement of a nondescript West Village apartment building, this low-key retreat may be small, but the serenity it offers is inversely proportional to its size. Men in need of muscle work are in luck: Hey Man specializes in knot-melting massages ($40­­­–$120), offering five different styles—Swedish, deep tissue, hot stone, reflexology and tui na, an ancient Chinese technique said to improve blood and energy flow. If you need more than just the kinks in your shoulders attended to, you can bundle an hour-long rubdown with other treatments, such as a combo manicure-pedicure ($98) or a half-hour facial ($110). Or opt for a 60-minute body scrub that exfoliates your epidermis with honey and seaweed ($85), to slough off scaly, dead winter skin.

Since 1988, this hip men's grooming club has been spiffing up its largely financier clientele with its signature Full Service package: a combination haircut, manicure, shoe shine and hot-towel treatment ($65). In the more than two decades it's been around, John Allan's has expanded, both in terms of real estate (the chainlet has locations in Tribeca, Midtown East and the Financial District, within Saks Fifth Avenue and in Toronto, Chicago and Beverly Hills, California) and the scope of its offerings. All three stand-alone locales—each adorned with a rotating roster of artwork and equipped with billiard tables for shooting a spontaneous round of pool—offer rejuvenating rubdowns (choose from Swedish or deep-tissue techniques in 30- or 60-minute sessions, $55–$105), but if it's a cleansing facial ($78) you're after, you'll have to head downtown. Even if you're just popping in for a basic beard trim ($12), an attendant will wrap you in a jacket-style robe the moment you walk through the door and offer you a complimentary Sam Adams or cappuccino from the bar. 

Owner Anna Augustsson is legendary for her near-ouchless waxing, and she'll painlessly defuzz you, from your ears ($20) and shoulders ($15) right down to your back ($35) and legs ($70). But that isn't the only draw of her subterranean spa, located in the basement of plant store New York Topiary: Augustsson personally attends to every client herself, meaning you'll get all the individualized care you deserve as you receive such oddball treatments as wax-clearing ear candling ($50) or an ionic detox footbath ($65), which is said to draw toxins out through the feet. Less adventurous spagoers can choose from a more familiar trio of facials, including a deep-pore-cleansing variety ($110), a skin-conditioning lactic-acid peel ($110) and an express service that combines a basic facial with a manicure and pedicure in 90 minutes flat ($190).

The barber area of the steampunkish space is clearly for lads, with its pair of black-leather–and-chrome chairs and Sailor Jerry aesthetic. Schedule a Close Shavers Squadron service by the likes of master barber Justin Virgil, who'll slather your face with Close Shavers Shaving Formula 31–O preshave oil, followed by White Eagle shave cream and, finally, hot foam. Finish with a steamy eucalyptus-scented towel applied to your face for maximum whisker softening, followed by a postshave toner and a soothing mask and Facial Fuel moisturizer for a silky, smooth feeling ($55).

On first glance, this masculine space, warmly clad in sunny colors and light-wood flooring, is nothing more than a high-end barbershop: Weary bankers and businessmen gather around the marble bar to watch ESPN and CNBC on a pair of flatscreen TVs while quaffing gratis Sixpoint beers and waiting for their straight-razor shaves ($55), beard trims ($30) and clipper cuts ($35–$65). But the real treasure lies beneath the cutting-room floor: A pair of treatment nooks hidden in the basement level is where Truman's technicians deliver a limited menu of Swedish, deep-tissue and sports massages ($65–$150) that will leave you loopy with endorphins. Staying true to the shop's grooming roots, there's also a handful of deep-cleansing skin treatments, including a blackhead-extracting facial ($110) and a variation of the service specifically designed for the back ($110).

This clean, minimalist sanctuary may be located on a busy stretch of West 4th Street, but you'll feel like you're miles away from the bustle once you're inside the well-insulated, incense-scented space, full of guys getting manicures ($15) and pedicures ($32). Facials are a specialty here, with seven different types to choose from, including the deep-pore-scrubbing Le Sion Masculine facial ($148) and an exfoliating botanical version ($158). There's even a back-acne treatment ($168) to help banish those nasty pimples you can't quite reach with Clearasil pads. Should your extremities require a little TLC, the spa offers reflexology treatments ($50–$80), during which pressure is applied to targeted zones in the hands and feet to alleviate suffering in other parts of the body.