Joya Spa offers relaxing happy hour

InterContinental Montelucia Resort and Spa

Megan Finnerty
Metromix

The last time I wrote about the InterContinental Montelucia Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley, I was waxing philosophical about a gorgeous night spent wandering part of the 34-acre sprawling grounds, sipping cocktails at M Bar at Prado, the on-property restaurant, and enjoying a particularly glamorous-feeling date.

Since then, my affections for my date have subsequently cooled, but I am still smitten with the Montelucia.

I recently returned to the 31,000-square-foot Joya Spa, where on Thursdays it hosts the Valley's most buzz-worthy happy hour destination. (I owe this recommendation to friend and Arizona Spa Girl Lisa Kasanicky, whose Web site, ArizonaSpaGirls.com, is filled with lots of tips on how to mix your martinis with your manicures. We were at the launch of her new book, “The Complete Idiot's Guide to Girlfriend Getaways,” so this is a woman who knows what she's talking about when it comes to girly good times.

The elegant, Moroccan-themed spa offers two indulgent happy hour packages from 4 to 7 p.m. At the salon, under the direction of celebrity stylist Ray Issa, you can enjoy a shampoo, conditioning, blowout, petite manicure and a martini for $40. In the spa, a 25-minute mini treatment is $55.

Now, to do this right, you should take the entire day off to luxuriate in the full spa experience, including relaxing in the harem-esque quiet rooms and trying the Hammam hydrotherapy circuit, which includes a warming room with rosewater mist and a cold deluge.

But if you can't take off the whole day, Issa recommends showing up by 3:30 p.m. to make sure your name is on the list for the happy hour services, because availability is limited. While you're there, one of the most spectacular, can't-miss parts of the experience is reclining in one of the salon's full-body massage chairs. The black leather recliners work you over from head to toe, tapping, squishing, vibrating and kneading, making your body feel like jelly in a way you may have only experienced the last time you had three margaritas.

When you're done in the spa, I recommend wrapping up your night with a drink and a bite at M Bar. There, you can continue the spa vibe by ordering the Amate Picante martini, made with, among other things, organic tequila, cucumber and agave nectar.