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White leather couches, stone tile floors, gleaming white walls, and watery blue opaque glass accents welcome clients to this Asian-inspired day spa. The front of the space, which houses the waiting area, retail boutique, makeup chairs, and manicure/pedicure stations, is fun and lively, with the hustle of 14th Street streaming past and a bounty of natural light beaming through large windows. The vibe, along with the latest pop tunes and creative, relaxing, and very thorough mani/pedis, makes this a great spot to get nails done with friends. In back, dim lights, candles, and soft music create a quieter setting for massage and skin services. Eight private treatment rooms tout bamboo and paper screens, tatami mats, hand-embroidered blankets from Indonesia, and antique Chinese furnishings. The vast menu of facial and body treatments reflects Acqua’s effort to blend ancient therapies with modern skincare: Using a new-tech system of bi-elastic blades and supersonic sound to polish the skin, The Super Sonic Facial leaves skin feeling nourished and plump without any irritation. Featured skincare products are handpicked by the spa owner, so rather than using a complete line from one company, they work with the best available product—Sonya Dakar,  Purlisse, Epicuren, Yonka, IS Clinical, —for each skin type or problem. — Amanda Theunissen

Facial/Massage and Manicure/Pedicure parties are available. Acqua’s staff will order in food or drinks as requested, and will even send guests home with goodie bags.

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Best of New York Awards

• Best Pedicure (2004)
• Best Facial (2003)
• Best Facials (2002)
• Best Manicure (2001)

Featured In

• Top Five Foot-Pampering Pedicures (5/14/09)
• Nip Tuck? (10/25/04)
• Bronze Age (6/7/04)