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Smell and touch of relaxation

Susan Wood, Tahoe Daily Tribune

From the moment one walks through the door of Body Essentials, there is no doubt pampering is the order of the day.

Co-owner Michelle Burghard suggested perhaps it’s the lure of a candle that sounds good enough to eat. Try vanilla sugar cookie.

The spa opened at the Grand Residence Club on Nov. 1, the day the Marriott-anchored project threw its long-awaited doors open.



Body Essentials was located at Harveys for a decade before opening inside the heralded hotel-condominium complex.

There’s a steam room, sauna, locker rooms and a gym with exercise equipment on site.



Body Essentials specializes in aromatherapy treatments, which use exotic blends of oils to stimulate the senses and provide stress relief. It also offers several types of massages, including the deep-tissue variety.

One can immerse themselves in decadence, as the spa sells two-hour pamper packages that appeal to one’s every whim.

And Burghard and Jeff LaRoche made an extra effort to have treatments centralized in one room, so the serenity and flow of the service is not interrupted. The spa has four rooms to use with a Balinese atmosphere, natural fragrances and heated beds.

Of the 18 employees, 15 serve as massage therapists.

“I find a lot of them like to use their own special touch,” LaRoche said.

Some of the therapists even give massages to expectant mothers.

Burghard said the place hopes to expand into hair and nail services, disciplines she’s trained to perform.

In the summer, Body Essentials would also like to extend its service to poolside cabanas for Marriott residents who relish the outdoor treatment.

Susan Wood can be reached at (530) 542-8009 or via e-mail at swood@tahoedailytribune.com


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