Body Blitz (East) is the just like the original Body Blitz , just a little bit larger and more accessible for the east-end tranquillity-seeker.

Body Blitz has long been on my list of "Must Try," if only because of its mostly stellar online customer reviews. Seriously, what are they putting in that water?

A women-only spa distinguished by its therapeutic water circuit (I'll explain), Body Blitz first landed on the spa scene in 2005 with its custom facility at Portland and Adelaide. That location was closed for maintenance about three weeks ago; the same time Body Blitz East opened its doors for the first time.

Deceptively plain from the outside, this new spa is a full 18,000 square feet on multiple levels, complete with its own treatment rooms, showers, saunas, lockers, juice bar, and, of course, water circuit.

The idea for the circuit comes from ancient restorative water practices and is meant to relax, rejuvenate, energize, and cleanse. At Body Blitz, visitors move from a warm Dead Sea salt pool, to a hot Epsom salt pool, to a cold plunge pool, to an aromatherapy steam room, and to an infared sauna in a particular order — a process that is identical at both the east and west locations.

I arrive a Body Blitz for a body scrub first, selecting the spa's Mint Lime Salt scrub from its line of natural products. The process is seamless with a hotel-like reception desk, a staff member who hands you a robe, sandals, and towel, and another who fetches you for your spa treatment. I'm pretty sure the mark of a good treatment is how quickly you fall asleep — and suffice to say I was struggling to try to not snore away the experience.

The treatment room is elegant and minimalist, and I remark so to the spa therapist as she preps me for my treatment. "It's funny," she says, as she ties on a robe, "some people have said it's sort of like Dexter ." Except here you're wrapped in hot towels and exfoliants instead of plastic. Small detail. The experience is totally methodical with every inch of your body — right down to your fingertips — scrubbed and cleansed. Now, normally my ticklishness gets the best of me in such situations (I'm the fool usually giggling like a schoolgirl from my pedicure chair) but I found the treatment totally manageable. The only hard part was hauling my lethargic self up when the process was over.

The water circuit experience is a process in itself, where women can opt to enjoy the water in any combination of their bathing or birthday suits. The Dead Sea bath is the first stop and the largest of the pools, kept at a very comfortable 98 degrees. After that it's onto the aromatherapy steam (a strict no-talking zone), which should be followed by a quick shower rinse (plus a little rehydration from the filtered water fountain). Then, it's all about the cold water plunge. Admittedly, this pool conquered me with its 66-degree water, as I only got about waist-deep before wussing out and retreating to my towel. Shamefully, I looked on as a few other women sat and dunked in the pool. Champions.

The circuit is completed with a visit to the sauna, Epsom pool, and a few more cold plunges (shame), after which women can retreat to the showers and try out Body Blitz's mint lime bodywash and citrus shampoo and conditioners.

Overall, I really think it's the little details that distinguish Body Blitz from the rest (oh yeah, and maybe the water circuit, too). There are extra hair elastics by the vanity, plastic bags for taking home wet suits, lots of staff members available for any and every need (including poolside service). Both locations should be up and running by the middle of December, which should cut general wait time down and tempt weary resisters into making Body Blitz a habit. There really is something in that water.

Photos by Carlos Avalos