The treatment | Trifecta at VALEO Express Spa

For those of us who shove sandwiches in our faces while working at our desks, the idea of a lunch hour seems as antiquated as yearly bonuses. But most busy worker bees can spare the occasional 30-minute break—especially when that time can be spent getting three simultaneous spa treatments. That’s the idea behind the JW Marriott’s new VALEO Express Lounge (an extension of the full-service spa in the basement of the hotel) and its Trifecta service, in which you choose three treatments: WellPalms manicure, WellSoles pedicure (both start at $25), WellSkin facial (starts at $30), WellLocks rinse and blowout (starts at $45) or WellBody Thai and shiatsu massage (starts at $25). The Express Lounge is set up with five beds separated by hospital-style curtains in a narrow, light-filled room. Opting for the pedicure, manicure and massage, I lie down, fully clothed (I’m given a thin robe to cover my dress), on one of the beds. As one aesthetician massages mango- and peach-scented lotions and scrubs into my feet, another files and buffs my fingernails, and a masseuse works the kinks out of my neck, shoulders and back. Having three people attending to me makes me feel like Cleopatra, and therefore a little ridiculous, but after a while I’m able to chill and just go with it. Women who wear makeup, especially mascara, and have somewhere to go after the treatment should request the masseuse leave out the warm, wet towel that’s draped on your face, as well as the scalp massage. They feel great, but I’m left with Alice Cooper eyes and greasy hair. Luckily, adding on a blowout quickly rectified that. And did I mention the Lounge has a liquor license? Yep, you can sip a peach martini ($10) while waiting for your nails to dry. Like the long-forgotten lunch hour, the liquid lunch is a tradition due for a revival. TOC readers can get the Trifecta for $109 (normally $225) through June. 151 W Adams St (312-660-8250, jwmarriottchicago.com).