A few weeks ago, I received an invitation to visit the Spa at Trump Tower for a complimentary service. I am, never, ever one to turn down spa visits. Ever.

My family has taken annual week-long skiing trips my whole life. Both of my parents are huge ski bunnys and grew up frequenting the Poconos, which is like the East Coast equivalent of the ski hills in Wisconsin. When we lived in New York, that’s where we went skiing. One of the reasons my parents were super stoked to move to Arkansas was that it put us much closer to Colorado, the holy grail of American skiing. After we moved there every year we’d pick a different ski town; one year it was Beaver Creek, the next it was Steamboat. My parents were like kids in a candy store. Now we’ve settled upon Copper Mountain; let me rephrase that, my two brothers have settled upon Copper Mountain as their favorite, so we go there every year now. Each Disney-like ski town has their own unique spa operated by the resort company that owns the slopes. I was very privileged to have the opportunity to become well-acquainted with the varieties of luxury day spas at a young age. I know how lucky I am, and am infinitely grateful to have grown up with parents who worked hard to give my brothers and I amazing experiences. I was 10 or 11 when I had my first Swedish massage, and that was it. Eternal love was sparked. As the years went on I would beg my mom to buy me expensive spa treatments in place of equally-pricey lift tickets, something her athletic personality just couldn’t understand. She was happy to indulge me, and soon I was only skiing 3 of the 6 days. I love skiing, don’t get me wrong, but if given only one option I will usually choose the spa treatment.

Flash forward to last week, when I visited the Trump Spa for the first time. I was blown away by everything. The employees were knowledgeable and courteous, the environment was tranquility at its finest, and the views spectacular. I was there to receive a mani-pedi, the perfect spa treatment for fashionable women. Not everyone likes massages (crazy people) so mani-pedis are great middle-of-the-road experiences that everyone can generally enjoy. After filling out the spa intake forms I was offered the chance to change into a spa robe to receive my treatment, which I promptly accepted. Is there anything more ridiculously glamorous than changing into a spa robe to get a manicure in the middle of the day? The answer is no. The front desk manager gave me a tour of the entire spa, including a visit to the incredible 75-foot pool with soaring views of the city skyline.

The experience kicked off with a pedicure in their luxurious nail salon. My esthetician, Sylvana, was gentle and just perfectly talkative; like all good service providers, she knew the line between being friendly and being overly chatty. As would be expected, the entire experience was a giant step up from the nail salon on the corner I usually go to. The normal nail cleaning and maintenance was included of course, but as a bonus I received a SpaRitual sugar scrub and a premium body butter rub on my feet and lower legs.

ew gross, my feet!

Perhaps my favorite element of the experience was the quality of the foot bath. The tiny tub was full of clean & clear water, another dramatic change from the chemical-filled blue liquid at the corner shop. The temperature was perfectly hot, not too hot but just hot enough. The bubble jets were relaxing on my poor, tired feet!

At the end of the pedicure Sylvana asked me if I would like some warm tea. After she listed off a number of different choices I selected chamomile. What better beverage for a relaxing trip to the spa? I was led over to the manicure station where I was greeted by the two aloe plants you see below. Presentation is everything, and the Trump Spa nailed it on every level.

The manicure itself was quite thorough, as Sylvana worked to scrub off the horrible glitter nail polish I’d applied myself. I love the way glitter looks, but it’s a pain to remove. After the usual buffing and maintenance she gave me a lovely hand massage with SpaRitual body butter lotion, which was my favorite part (of course). Then she carefully and painstakingly applied the polish I’d selected – “Its My Year” by OPI’s Miss America collection. Seeing as how Donald Trump owns both the spa and the Miss America pageant system, I thought it was an appropriate choice. Plus I loved the play on words – in a lot of ways I feel like 2011 IS my year. I discovered the industry I’d love to start a career in is advertising and not fashion, I’ve learned to believe in myself, and I’ve learned that the sky is truly the limit in terms of what I want to achieve.

At the end of the manicure, Sylvana led me into the spa lounge. Low-lighting, decadent fabrics, and warm candles made for a rich environment perfect for what else but luxuriating? As a special guest, I was led into the private women’s lounge. The room had three plush sedans, a wide array of magazines, and soothing music. Waiting for my nails to dry in such a magnificent setting made me feel like the most important person in the world, which seems to be the aim of the Trump Spa. For an afternoon, you too can feel nurtured and revived at one of Chicago’s leading luxury day spas.

For more information, please visit the Spa at Trump website or call 312-588-8020.