Olive 8's new Elaia spa is a green oasis in the center of the city

Elaia spa has opened in the Hyatt at Olive 8, Seattle's soon-to-be LEED-certified hotel -- the first hotel in the city to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

A member of the Green Spa Network, a nonprofit trade organization that promotes sustainable and eco-friendly practices in the spa industry, the 15,000-square-foot spa is committed to energy and water conservation, recycling, waste reduction, and the use of natural and organic products in their services.

Elaia (Greek for olive) features 12 treatment rooms with exquisite lighting that creates a warm, honeyed glow. Each room can accommodate multiple treatments, so there's no need for guests to shuffle from room to room for their next service. (A good thing, since the spa's hallway looks right onto the hotel's parking circle.)

Elaia's Market Fresh offerings are seasonally changing services that use fresh ingredients sourced from Washington state growers. Current Market Fresh treatments include a lavender mint scrub and a white lavender clay wrap ($120 each). Look forward to a cherry mint scrub and wrap in May.

Other treatments include the Elaia Signature massage, which uses certified organic olive oil from Oregon in a massage that blends Swedish and Thai techniques (60 minutes, $110). During the 75-minute Oxygen Glow facial ($175), vitamin-infused oxygen breathes new life into tired skin.

Careful attention to detail, such as customizable music, is apparent throughout the spa, though I did notice a kink or two to work out; I was assured by the spa manager that the incongruous bottle of Ajax I spied near the nail salon will be replaced by a non-chlorinated, environmentally friendly option.

Elaia's guests also have access to the hotel's whirlpool and 65-foot lap pool, which are purified through a saltwater system that eliminates the need for chlorine. You can hear music even underwater, and the pool is surrounded by huge windows that look out onto blossoming trees, reinforcing the feel of an oasis in the middle of the city.

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