Fort Worth Gets a New Relaxation Retreat, and Dallas is About to Add Another

Fort Worth’s Crockett Row has a new relaxation retreat. Opened earlier this month, the award-winning Texas day spa, Hiatus Spa + Retreat, made Cowtown its sixth location. The spa will also soon be opening a second Dallas location at The Hill.

Designed by Karen Kopicki of Kopicki Design, the new 5,000 square foot Fort Worth spa includes 14 treatment rooms, a nail therapy lounge, relaxation area and separate men’s and women’s dressing rooms. Along with classic spa treatments such as the Signature Massage, facials and mani-pedis, Hiatus is offering a new HydraFacial with three different options. Other unique options include The Kindred Spirits, a couples massage and Monthly Retreat, which is a hybrid massage, scrub and Vichy shower treatment.

On a chilly October morning, I entered the spa retreat to see what all the fuss was about. I’m not so great at relaxing activities, as my mind tends to wander. But, I recently added mediating to my daily routine and wanted to see how my mindfulness exercises would apply to a spa day. I’ve only had one other full body massage in my life on a trip in the Dominican Republic last year. So, I thought I’d try out the Signature Massage.

As soon as I put on my robe and sandals, I headed into the therapy lounge. There is cucumber water and hot tea to sip on while you wait. My masseuse greeted me in a quiet, calming voice then took me back to the treatment room. She immediately took off my sandals and filled a little foot bath with warm water.

This was the first time I’d ever experienced someone else wash my feet for me (except for pedicures) and I spent probably 10 minutes of my massage wondering why they did this. So they don’t have to deal with people’s stinky feet for an hour, they disguise it as part of the treatment, was what I came up with.

Next, I was offered whiffs of three aromatherapies and chose whichever one made me feel most relaxed. I was then asked if I wanted to leave feeling energized, grounded or relaxed. I went with grounded because that sounded like a good medium for 11 am on a Tuesday. As soon as I was lying face down, all I could think about was how I was going to relax.

The process of relaxing to me has always been a mind game that I must work very hard at, even though I know that’s just not how it works. But eventually the calming music was playing, the massage began and all was well. And I would say that I left feeling a little wobbly, but mostly, grounded.

Hiatus Spa + Retreat is now open in Fort Worth at 2859 Crockett Street.