Island Retreat Spa and Salon

Being the only spa on the island, they could probably slack on service. However, the facility and service are impeccable and relaxing.
I got a wonderful signature massage from Cameron. He’s skilled at adjusting pressure and addressing any individual needs.
My friend was SO sore and Heather made her feel like a new woman after!

My daughter and I were very impressed with the services and everyone at the spa was so friendly! We love the Aveda products they carry so that was a plus. The name suits!

If you want spa services during your stay on Bald Head Island, you can either a. go to Island Retreat or b. lie face-​down on the beach at sunrise during turtle-​hatching season, hoping that a nest of baby turtles will boil over nearby, treating you to a delicate flipper Shiatsu as they crawl over you on their way to the ocean.
Yeah, Island Retreat it is. I got a 90-​minute deep tissue massage and mani-​pedi here a few weeks ago. Masseuse Heather did a fantastic job: she took me seriously when I said I wanted to be kneaded to the bone, releasing so much accumulated blargh that my eyes were puffy for hours afterward. (In a good way.) (Massage devotees will understand.)
The massage’s cost was quite reasonable — maybe $ 20-​$ 30 less than what something comparable would have cost at a good DC spa.
I wasn’t as enthusiastic about the mani-​pedi, which cost a whopping $ 110 before tip: about twice as much as my regular DC place, which is itself not cheap. The service took forever — something close to 2 hours — and although the technician was friendly and fun to talk to, she got glitter nail polish all over my cuticles. I was picking it off for days afterward.
That said, my nails lasted more than a week after I came home; I’ve never had a glitter mani last that long. So – some value there.
And to bring my review full circle back to turtles, the nail technician gave me some inside intel on a turtle hatch happening on island later that night. My family and I went, and it was a highlight of our trip.