Headed to Philly’s Rescue Spa? We’ve got your guide to the popular Philly spa destination.

On a quiet, chilly Tuesday morning behind the big, brown doors at 1811 Walnut St., a flurry of Rescue Spa patrons were greeted by attendants ready to guide them through the spa and boutique. While some roamed around the selection of face balms, perfumes, and makeup on the first floor, others headed up the ornate staircase for scheduled appointments to polish nails, massage temples, and more.

Near the entrance, aesthetician and owner Danuta Mieloch organizes products in her exclusive skin-care collection, Danucera, offering a warm smile to clients as they prepare to unwind.

Mieloch opened Rescue Spa in the former home of Barneys New York next door to Barnes & Noble on Dec. 20 — the owner recalls a “cheery” buzz of clients filling the space, ready for holiday spending and pampering. The spa and boutique first opened in Philly in 2004 with a location on South 17th Street. Later, Rescue Spa was housed at 1601 Walnut, before moving up the street to its new address. The spa also has a New York location, which opened in 2017.

With brilliant whites, calming hues, light wood floors, marble, and detailed finishes in the space, the interior designed by Michał Pułaczewski invites guests looking to indulge in luxury self-care priced up to $1,300.

For Mieloch, the building was the prime location for her spa with its historic facade of beaux-arts architecture beckoning people passing by to delight in luxurious pampering. An intricate black metal staircase designed by Philly-based artisan Bill Curran Design leads to service rooms and comfortable seating with views of Rittenhouse Square Park across the street.

“I loved the building when I visited from day one — I have a thing for high ceilings,” she said.

Whether you’re looking to get branded products or treat yourself with an appointment, here are fivethings to know about Rescue Spa’s new location.

If you’re looking to decompress without the hustle and bustle of Rittenhouse crowds, schedule your visit for early in the week. Monday through Wednesday is calmer, particularly in the mornings (everyone’s after that post-5 p.m. slot). The spa’s weekend starts on Thursday, with booked services and the boutique filled with shoppers till Sunday.

Manicures and pedicures range from $35 to $70. On the second floor, book a massage ($175 to $200) first, followed by a facial ($175 to $350) — you don’t want your freshly pampered face smushed into a massage chair. Back downstairs, the salon offers blowouts for $60-plus. Finish your visit in the boutique for Mieloch’s hand-selected perfumes, lipsticks, balms, and other products to purchase and take home.

When you sign up for Rescue Spa’s yearly membership for $150, you’ll receive monthly promotions. This month, it’s 10% off in Rescue Circle Loyalty Rewards each time you shop online or in the boutique (services are not included). Members are also gifted a deluxe, full-size product. You’ll also be granted first access to premier launches, receive premium gifts on select purchases, and get free shipping on all U.S. orders.

The letters identify 1811 Walnut St. as the former home of the historic Rittenhouse Club, one of the city’s most prestigious. Founded in 1874 by a group of Philadelphia gentlemen, the club offered “more literary and less sporting tastes” with architects, clergymen, and professors frequenting it, according to a blog post by Philly History. Since the club’s sale of the building in the early 1990s, a Barneys New York storefront sat in the lower two floors until Rescue Spa made its home there.

The club’s most famous guest was novelist Henry James, who described “his view from a soft leather chair of the Rittenhouse Club as that of ‘the perfect square,’ in his book The American Scene,” stated the blog post.

In desperate need of some alone time? The Relaxation Room is an additional bookable treatment that offers individual, technician-free 45-minute sessions with a sauna and hot and cold therapy shower (the water goes from hot to cold to improve circulation). The room aims to open soon. The cost has not yet been determined. Note for neat freaks: The Relaxation Room is sprayed down and cleaned with hospital-grade sanitizers after each session, following protocol for every service room.

📍1811 Walnut St., 📞 1-866-772-2766, 🌐 rescuespa.com, 📷 rescuespa