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In 1995, London-trained hair guru and makeover maven Paul Labrecque conquered New York with a spa-salon in the super-exclusive Reebok Sports Club/NY. A stone’s throw from Lincoln Center and ABC’s headquarters, grande dames of the ballet and queens of day-time drama retreat here for facials and body work that would leave even the most tense studio exec drooling. The only downside to the space, tucked discreetly inside the health club, is reemerging from its dim lighting and muted browns to the brightness of the gym. In 2002, Labrecque expanded across the park into a space attached to the Chatham. At 7,000 square feet, it’s more spacious than the Reebok locale, and much mellower. Upstairs, clients sip lattes from the espresso bar while getting Labrecque’s famed hair extensions or cuts and color from a wondrously nice staff. Down the hall is the men-only gentlemen’s salon, complete with old-school barber chairs and indulgent straightedge razor shaves. Downstairs, Labrecque’s re-launched product line is sold alongside luxury skin, hair care, and home lines like La Mer and Tocca. A sliding glass door opens onto a hall of treatment rooms where, in addition to the usual facials and massages, you can experience more intense offerings like endermologie, acupuncture, Rolfing, and colon hydrotherapy. — Kathryn Williams

Members of the Reebok Sports Club/NY and residents of the Chatham receive ten percent off. On Monday nights, cuts, extensions and single- or double-process color with an assistant are a fraction of the usual cost. Tuesdays bring the same low prices for established stylists experimenting with new techniques. Wednesday mornings are a bargain for shaves in the gentlemen’s salon. And the staff is very accommodating about putting together customized packages that are cheaper than à la carte services.

Bridal Package
This airy, luxurious spa will feed you and your girlfriends while the staff tends to your hair, makeup, and nails. They'll even travel to your wedding and do it there.

Grooms & Groomsmen
There's a whole "gentleman's salon" tucked into both branches, where a groom can get three kinds of hot shaves in traditional barber chairs, including the Indulgent option, which lives up to its name with eye and facial masks and a full-on head massage. Throw in hairstyling, a manicure, a massage, and whatever else he might desire, plus a glass of champagne. Reserve a month ahead.

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Best of New York Awards

• Best Straight-Razor Shave (2007)
• Best Salon for Redheads (2004)
• Best Tummy Tightener (2004)
• Best Fake Tan (2003)

Featured In

• Beauty Before the Workday Begins (8/7/06)
• The Gurus (1/19/04)