Massages stress me out. I have never been one to fantasize about robed relaxation in a Las Vegas spa, drinking tea and waiting to be kneaded by a stranger. The idea of all of my earthly imperfections lying bare to see, the intimacy that inevitably comes from close-proximity touching, my inability to just stop thinking about all of this stuff…it all combines to a perfect storm that made me feel terribly uncomfortable in places of pampered bliss.

My, how things change as I get older! I have started to Learn to Let Go, and I have to give due credit to Devin from the Spa at the gay friendly hotel Encore Las Vegas. “Just relax your arm,” he gently admonished me during my 80-minute Thai Oil Fusion Massage. I tried, but when trying too hard to release tension proved to make me more anxious, I just stopped thinking.

The Spa at Encore Las Vegas is a world-class facility – in fact, I’m certain that it set the standard for world-class when it received five star/five diamond awards within it’s first year of opening.

You arrive in the lobby of the Spa, and before you go in you already feel like you have entered a world in which inner peace is standard. The Genie’s bottle, if you will.

Upon entering the Gentlemen’s Spa, I am instantly reminded about how FREAKING LOUD our everyday existence is. Save for the sound of the whirlpools coming from the soaking pools and the soft whoosh of a gas fireplace, it’s silent. Donning a robe and slipping on sandals, I cross over into a lounge that is even more silent than the last.

There are 39 treatment rooms in the Spa, including 5 for couples. They are located off of a cavernous main hall that features classic Asian lanterns, oversized porcelain vases, soothing light fixtures, and an impeccably presented and welcoming staff.

Devin proceeded to work his magic for 80 minutes, sharing with me the intensive process for becoming a massage therapist in one of the world’s premier spas. It’s no wonder that I felt the nerve endings in my scalp tingle as he manipulated my toes, or that I saw a pleasant collection of stars behind my eyes as all that computer-typed tension was worked out of my back.

I was groggy, and completely rejuvenated afterwards. I could barely move in my haze of contentment, but of course there is no rest for the hard-working and weary. There are plenty more things to do in Las Vegas, baby!