It was week two of a two-week jaunt around the world. I started in New York, visited İstanbul and Cappadocia, traveled to and overnighted in Los Angeles, and was now in Las Vegas, readying for three days of a travel trade show. My Monday arrival with my Los Angeles-based colleague, Rafie Iannello, coincided with her birthday — and what better way to pamper the birthday girl and relax my jet-lagged mind and body than with an afternoon at the spa? In a city like Las Vegas, which offers top-notch health and wellness outlets, there’s no shortage of options, but we had our sights set on Spa at The LINQ.

The LINQ opened in late 2014 as the newest hot spot on the famed Strip, and it’s attuned to the needs and wants of a hipper, savvier traveler, offering a boardwalk-style, outdoor promenade full of stores, restaurants, entertainment outlets and the High Roller — a 550-foot-tall Ferris wheel boasting prime views of the city’s bright lights. Rafie and I embarked on a 30-minute ride in one of the High Roller’s bar cars the following night, enjoying the vistas with a happy hour cocktail and catching the buzz of one of Las Vegas Boulevard’s newest highlights.

There’s no shortage of other nightlife, dining, shopping, casino and entertainment options available at The LINQ, but that day, after a bit of a delay departing Los Angeles, we focused solely on kicking back at the property’s spa.

What makes Spa at The LINQ stand out from the other luxury spas lining the Strip? For us, it was both the unique treatment we indulged in — Alaskan Glacial Mud wraps, using raw, hand-carved glacial mud from the Copper River Delta in Alaska — and the Himalayan salt therapy cave, the only one of its kind in Las Vegas.

A treatment room © Spa at The LINQ

Spa at The LINQ is spa-going with an edge. Unique features give it just a little something extra. For instance, the spa forgoes the ubiquitous music you hear in other spas in favor of jazz or the patron’s own music, which can play through the treatment room speakers. Aromatherapy is part of every service at no extra cost, with spa-goers choosing the scent for their experience. Each visit begins with a personal tour, and with treatments of $50 or more, visitors can use the salt cave, whirlpools, eucalyptus steam rooms and single-sex lounges. (Day passes are also on offer for a reasonable $20.) Harmonize Water Bar, a tea selection and zero-gravity lounge chairs are added benefits. A 24-hour fitness center and salon and retail services round out the extensive offerings.

I must admit, most of my experience was a bit of a blur. But in this case, that is not a bad thing. After my preceding whirlwind of a week and even a bit of extra hustle and bustle traveling into Las Vegas that morning, I was at the peak of exhaustion yet also amped up. As a person who can rarely turn her mind off and just “be,” for me to say it is a blur means I actually achieved that desired state. I left the spa well-rested and ready to conquer three busy days and three more flights. My spa visit could not have been more perfectly timed to recharge me.

The spa décor incorporates a muted palette of geometric shapes. The purple lighting in the guest lounge gives the area a mellow but hip feel, and the red glow of the salt cave has a calming effect. The colors and décor mimic the desired vibe.

Salt cave © Spa at The LINQ

Our therapists found us lounging in fluffy robes in the relaxation room and escorted us to separate treatment rooms. I always enjoy partaking in a spa’s signature treatment, and my Alaskan Glacial Mud Wrap was a standout. The mud from the Copper River Delta is among the most mineral-rich clays in the world, helping to detox and smooth the skin. The 50-minute treatment started with a gentle, exfoliating brushing of my body followed by the warm wrap and ending with a massage. Glacial mud is used to promote anti-aging and to allow skin to retain moisture, and mine was extra-soft for days to follow.

Suffering from chronic sinus issues which tend to be exacerbated by flights, I was especially eager to spend 45 minutes in the salt cave, used for centuries to help with congestion, asthma and other respiratory conditions. Immediately upon entering, I could taste the salt on my lips. I ran my fingers along the misshapen salt crystals of the wall and left slight footprints in the salt dust on the floor as I settled in. Rafie and I reconvened here post-treatment, relaxing on Z-shaped loungers.

We had the cave to ourselves, enjoying both the therapeutic benefits of the atmosphere and some good, old-fashioned girl talk.

Spa at The LINQ

The LINQ Hotel & Casino
3535 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
tel 702 794 3242
caesars.com