Nobu Residences Los Cabos Debuts New Esencia Spa And Wellness Center

When it comes to wellness, Los Cabos sits firmly on the map. This desert-meets-sea part of Mexico is known for its unique beauty offerings, from wellness retreats to next-level spas for health-conscious travelers.

The latest spa to join the arsenal of sparkling spas in Los Cabos is the Esencia Wellness Spa at the Nobu Residences Los Cabos, which aims to help guests detach from their busy, bustling lives. In an age where age-defying treatments are all the rage, they have massages, body treatments and facials at this Japanese-inspired spa.

Featuring 10 treatment rooms, the spa is set in their trademark minimalist Japanese design with bamboo touches. The spa offers treatments for those who need a deep tissue Swedish massage after a hard workout, or want to try out a dip in a Japanese Onsen pool. It has something for every wellness-seeker and beauty-conscious traveler.

Many of their options go beyond just relaxation or giving your skin a boost, they integrate mind-body therapies that will give you a prolonged touch of wellness long after you’ve left. The 2,200 square foot spa is inspired by nature, Japanese culture, and the ocean views, which helps heal the body from the scorching sun.

“This spa is rooted in a Japanese philosophy,” said Paola Mexia, the wellness spa manager of the Esencia Spa & Onsen at Nobu Residences Los Cabos.

“It’s inspired by an Onsen, which is all about the magnesium in the water and the volcanic rock that the Onsen is made of,” she said. “Everything is Japanese.”

Even though the Onsen is a Japanese spa staple, it’s hard to find in Mexico. The Onsen here has a magnesium-based filtration water which has numerous benefits for the body and skin, and it’s not only a mineral-rich hot spring, it’s used for beauty, too, adding to its health benefits.

In Japanese, the word “Onsen” means “hot spring.” It’s known as a well-being focused space for personal care, and this spa aims to be a “space of complete relaxation and rest,” says Mexia.

The Japanese Onsen is where water is used as a purification ritual for health and beauty. Nobu hopes to make it a unique, memorable experience inside their spa, which is made of oak wood and Indonesian black stone.

The spa officially opened last month, and the top highlight, according to Mexia, is heading straight to the Onsen. “I recommend doing the Onsen first, as it prepares your body for treatments, and relaxes the muscles,” she said.

Inside their treatment rooms, there are two double VIP cabins, and a relaxation room with Mind-Sync Harmonic Wellness Loungers for fans of guided meditation programs. The goal of the experience is that “you manage to leave the world that exists outside of you and reconnect with your inner being,” adds Mexia.

One treatment to book is the Essence of Omakase, a selection of three “multi-course” spa treatments, inspired by the Japanese notion of “chef’s choice.”

The Ki, or “Energize” treatment is popular, and starts with a dry sauna to relax the muscles. Guests then are led into a Japanese Silk full-body exfoliation that stimulates circulation, leaving your skin soft. They also offer hot stone massages, which is popular with the legs and back, as well as scalp treatments that leave you feeling refreshed.

Another popular treatement is their Nagomi Ritual, which is a floral foot bath with an oil-infused massage, facial cleanse, and body exfoliation. After your treatment, sit down into a Japanese-style chair, designed for the Sado tea ceremonies, and sip tea, as this is part of a long-held Japanese tradition.

The spa features three different types of facials, which range from 60 to 90 minutes, and the spa has three Reiki masters who do the treatments based on “what is needed for each guest,” said Mexia. “Everything is personalized, and our Reiki masters are known as healers.”

The spa has a sunny outdoor treatment room for nature lovers, which lets ample sun in. They also have a jacuzzi, steam and sauna areas, lounge, and a hydrotherapy area, as well as a fitness center with treadmills, bikes weights, and the latest cutting-edge machines. They even have a salon for those wanting a manicure and pedicure, as well as cut and color treatments, not to mention eyebrow treatments.

For facials, the spa uses products from EviDenS, a Parisian beauty brand founded by Charles Edouard Barthes that is inspired by Japanese culture. One highlight from the spa is an 80-minute facial that caters to help specific skin types, from oily to dry and sensitive skin. The goal of facials is to enhance self-love and confidence.

“We have a Nobu philosophy, and work with key words that have specific meanings from Japanese to English,” said Mexia. Take the “Ikigai” massage, which translates from a word that means “everything you love the most all together,” a phrase that is the inspiration for each treatment.

“Everything is made with heart, and all our treatments have meaning to them,” she said. “We want to bring to the guests the best of us.”