Spa Ja (CLOSED)

The Brazilian-owned Jå (pronounced "yah," meaning “now” in Portuguese), which occupies an entire three-story building, stands out in drab midtown like Carmen Miranda at a bankers’ meeting. Like many homes in Brazil’s favelas, the exterior is playfully adorned with painted wood—in this case, a jazzy black-and-red color combo. But the samba-party vibe ends upon entering; tranquillity reigns at the immaculate space. Signature treatments include the two-part Brazilian oxygen facial ($110 and up), which includes being slathered with a soothing cucumber mask and zapped with light streams of air (which reputedly nourish the skin). A stint in the Oceana 5 ($80), which looks like a space-age tanning bed and is designed to cleanse and detox by deploying various combinations of heat, steam and water, should leave you as relaxed as if you'd been sprawled in a hammock under the South American sun.