The Spa at Four Seasons restores your body and soul in a posh new space Downtown

The Spa at the newly opened Four Seasons Hotel Seattle offers everything one would expect from a luxury hotel: posh environs, excellent service, treatments that stretch beyond the ordinary -- and prices to match.

The interior of the Spa is elegantly understated. It features neutral earth tones and natural elements such as basalt rock, glass tiles and warm candlelight. It's a serene environment that gives the subtle impression of the outdoors.

Attention to comfort and architectural detail is most pronounced in the changing areas. They're luxurious marble and tile affairs, spacious, bright and full of thoughtful amenities such as hair products and lotions. My favorite feature is the eucalyptus-scented and generously sized steam room with curved marble seating. The moist heat is a delicious place to rejuvenate, either pre- or post-treatment.

Take advantage of the peaceful relaxation lounge, where the wavy carpet pattern imitates meandering rivers. Sink into a roomy chair, sip water faintly flavored with cucumber, nibble healthy fruit-nut snacks and forget you're minutes from the bustle of Pike Place Market. (While the alcoved candle-lit wall is nice, it lacks a fireplace, essential for feeling cozy on the many cool, gray Seattle days.)

The most difficult choice you'll have to make is picking a treatment. The spa menu is thoughtfully and eclectically designed, with treatments that combine traditional, modern and ancient elements from Native American and Asian to Ayurvedic practices. Pamper or rejuvenate your body, face, nails and skin with massages, manicures, pedicures, facials, body treatments, soaks or waxing. Most treatments liberally use essential oils, from tension-relieving Wintergreen to comforting Cypress (great for wintertime imbalances).

Among the most interesting offerings are the Rainbow Body-Chakra Balancing Massage with special essential oils, which focuses on the seven energy centers within the body (50-80 minutes; $150-$195), and the Northwest Passage body treatment with a lavender oil bath, Vichy shower, head, scalp and full body massage, plus a seaweed wrap and foot massage.

If your wallet is flush, go for one of the packages or signature treatments. Try the Emerald Rain (80 minutes, $240), a treatment using a variety of essential oils along the spine to release blockages, followed by a detoxifying massage. Each scent will send you deeper into a blissful state of relaxation.

Couples may want to indulge in a treatment they can share together, such as the Pacific Duet massage (50-110 minutes; $250-$510) in the spa's romantic treatment suite for couples, which boasts spectacular water views and a fireplace.

Take time afterwards to enjoy lunch in the ART cafe below, with quintessential urban views of Puget Sound, complete with water, mountains and industrial smoke stacks. The Pacific Northwest menu uses ingredients fresh from Pike Place Market in smart and delicious combinations. Many dishes are light enough so you don't feel weighed down after your uplifting treatment.

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