Set the Scene
There’s something unexpected about finding a sprawling, polished spa tucked inside a former factory building along the Delaware River.
That’s exactly the case at Zanya Spa Salon, a 10,000-square-foot retreat housed inside Lambertville’s historic LaceWorks Factory Building. Opened in 2004 by stylist and makeup artist Zanya Gissler — whose client roster has included everyone from Heidi Klum and Cindy Crawford to Brooke Shields and Michael Kors — this destination manages to feel both expansive and welcoming.
The airy main level houses the salon and a hair and skincare boutique, flooded with natural light and buzzing with energy. But head downstairs to the subterranean spa level, and the mood shifts entirely. The lighting softens to a warm glow, the pace slows, and the space feels cocooning in the best way.
The timing of my visit wasn’t exactly ideal. Thanks to a GPS mishap, I arrived late and thoroughly frazzled. The staff, however, couldn’t have been warmer. No one seemed remotely thrown off by my stressed-out arrival. Instead, I was gently encouraged to slow down. Zanya herself told me to take a deep breath.
And somehow, I actually did.
Beyond massages and facials, the spa also offers manicures, pedicures, body treatments, and an infrared sauna, which is said to help with everything from sleep to immune support. Treatment rooms branch off from the lower level, including spaces for facials and even a treatment designed specifically for the back.
The Treatment
I booked the East Meets West massage, a stress- and ache-relieving treatment that blends Eastern massage traditions with Western techniques.
My therapist moved through several modalities over the course of the treatment, incorporating shiatsu pressure points, Thai-inspired stretching, reflexology, and deeper muscle work to release tension and restore energy flow throughout the body. Early on, she placed heat packs across my back — a soothing touch that kept me warm while helping loosen tight muscles before she worked more deeply into them.
What worked especially well was the balance she achieved. Some massages focus so heavily on relaxation that they barely register physically; others feel clinical and overly aggressive. This landed squarely in the middle. The stretching loosened stubborn tightness while the pressure work targeted tension I hadn’t even realized I was carrying.
By the end, my pulse had slowed considerably from where it started.
Fast Facts
Location: Lambertville, New Jersey
Atmosphere: Warm, restorative, and polished
Price Point: $$$$
Our Favorite Thing About the Spa: The surprising calm of the subterranean spa level inside a historic factory building
Recommended Treatment: The East Meets West massage
Lambertville, New Jersey, United States
