Trellis, The Spa at the Houstonian Hotel, Houston Texas

Overall Impression : Trellis, Houston ’s large and luxurious entry into the burgeoning spa market was every bit as soothing and relaxing as we had hoped. The Mediterranean style Trellis building was stylish and tranquil inside and out. After a brief wait at the reception desk, we passed beyond the arrival area and were enchanted with the quiet and bright feel inside the building. As we made our way to prepare for our half day’s worth of treatments, the ambiance, enhanced by a floating pool and Japanese style stream, wooed us. We encountered spotless and well appointed ladies locker rooms including a steam room and a Jacuzzi.

We were glad we arrived a half an hour early. We took advantage of the extra time to explore and relax around the facility before our treatments. At the appointed hour a therapist led us upstairs where we received excellent treatments. Prior to and in between treatments we enjoyed a few quiet moments lounging by the floating pool downstairs. During the treatments, the staff were amenable to conversation though not intrusive and experienced enough to understand when we wanted to just unwind and when an exchange was welcome. They were knowledgeable and answered questions readily. We enjoyed a delicious and well served cold meal in the upstairs lounge while in the company of several ladies who were also lunching between treatments. We look forward to repeat visits to Trellis.

Handicapped Access There were elevators and handicap restroom facilities available.Spa management requested guests inform their appointment coordinators and service providers of any health problems to ensure the treatments could be specialized for their particular needs.

Location Adjacent to The Houstonian Hotel & Club near the Galleria area

Number Of Staff There were 75 full time employees including a management team, guest service coordinators, spa attendants and the following licensed professionals: shampoo technicians, hair stylists, nail technicians, estheticians and massage/body therapists

Owned The Redstone Companies (the parent company of The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa)

Size Trellis was housed in a 17,000 square foot two story u-shaped building.

Spa Director : Angie Day

Treatment Rooms There were 19 treatments rooms including eight for body treatments, six for facials, two for couples (each including two treatment tables, couples showers and tubs), one VIP room, one Vichy shower room and one hydrotherapy room. There were also six hairstyling stations, seven manicure and four pedicure stations, locker rooms with steam room and Jacuzzi, indoor co-ed float pool, upstairs lounge with fireplace, and rooms for pre and post treatment relaxation.

Treatments Available Massages, facials, hydrotherapy, Vichy , hair services, body treatments, nail services and professional make-up. Custom services for: Men, couples, mothers to be, teens and special occasions.

Year Opened-Renovated 2003

Special Training After meeting the necessary licensing and certification requirements to perform massage, face, nail and hair services, the staff received additional on-the-job Trellis standard’s training. According to Angie, the spa director, “We prefer a minimum of two years experience for our estheticians, massage therapists, hair stylists and nail technicians. Spa industry experience is a plus. Our extensive interview process is team based and includes several interviews as well as the delivery of three back-to-back services.”

Trellis in-house training included product knowledge training and a combination of several group and one-on-one hands-on training sessions with the spa’s lead supervisor and management representatives prior to performing all the services.

Common Areas The exterior of the two-story Mediterranean style building was covered with salmon colored stucco. The u-shaped building surrounded a small courtyard and a natural garden environment which could be seen through large windows located throughout the spa.When the weather was good, guests could take advantage of the outdoor patio seating that overlooked the wooded 18 acre property. The indoor float pool extended the width of the first floor of the spa encouraging guests to float weightlessly.Outside the second story of Trellis, there was a balcony overlooking The Houstonian’s lush landscape.

Reception Excellent. After finding our names in the computer system and learning what treatments we were scheduled for, the young attendant showed us the way to the ladies locker room. She handed us copies of the schedule which included the treatment types, times and names of the staff assigned to us.

Food And Restaurants We had a break in between treatments during which the spa staff served us a tasty and freshly made cold lunch. We enjoyed our lunch sitting in cushy chairs in front of a large fire in the second floor lobby lounge. The ambiance was relaxing and we had a pleasant lunch, which enhanced the overall spa experience . Staff pre-arranged lunches and dinners were delivered to guests from the nearby Center Court Café located at The Houstonian Fitness Club.

Amenities Bath robes, slippers, hair spray, deodorant, combs, brushes, Trellis bottled water, shampoo, conditioner, body scrub, razors, feminine items, and disposable undergarments.

Facilities Co-ed float pool; men and women’s Jacuzzi and steam room; short and full length wooden lockers; two outdoor patios with lounge furniture; and a peaceful tranquility room with oversized chaise lounges and fireplace.

Pool Indoor co-ed float pool

Lockers And Bathrooms The women’s locker room had three private restrooms and the Men’s locker room had two. Each private restroom included a sink, shower, towels and amenities.

Other Visitors had to cancel appointments, which were secured with a credit card, more than 24 hours in advance. Trellis charged clients in full for cancellations made with less notice. The staff recommended their guests make appointments two weeks in advance to ensure availability of treatments and schedules. Trellis was a recipient of the 2004 Mobil Four-Star Award for Hotel & Resorts Spas (one of two spas in Texas ).

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Review October 2004

Number Of Treatments Three

Treatments Experienced Our Aromatherapy 50-minute Massage (we chose the Deep Tissue technique) was wonderful. Olga, the therapist had strong and gentle hands. She identified sore and tender spots and soothed some of the aches away using a soft scented essential oil blend. Crina’s 50-minute Aromaplasty Facial for all skin types included a 100 percent natural blended herb cocktail which helped hydrate our skin. Bertha’s Prestige Pedicure featuring a clay mast and pressure point massage placed the final touches on a wonderful spa visit.

Would You Return? Yes