The Boutique: Le Petite Retreat day spa

If nothing else, Le Petite Retreat lives up to its name. A hideaway flanked by a tall office building and a piano store just north of the shops, restaurants and foot traffic in Larchmont Village, the bungalow is easy for passersby to miss — making it all the more secluded. And it is most certainly small, from the tiny changing areas (the men’s room is big enough for only one person at a time) — with their individually wrapped mini toothbrushes and makeup remover cloths — and the claustrophobic showers to an easily cramped check-in area and parking lot.

Lack of size means elimination of some perks for those used to major spa chains. Although there is a sauna near the treatment area, there are no whirlpools or saunas in the changing areas — which cuts down on any desire to arrive extra early or linger after treatments. This is fine, as busy days and back-to-back appointments can make the staff act a bit rushed with a “please keep moving along” attitude.

Still, there is a reason why the posh, spend-y clientele bypasses the other massage studios and beauty dens along the street. The treatments do not disappoint, and the masseurs and estheticians listen to clients’ concerns and adapt techniques to their individual needs. Mention that you’ve got tension in your shoulders and be prepared to donate a large portion of your massage time to palms digging into your shoulder blades.

There is a spiritual side to the place that appeals to some clients: The spa was designed by a feng shui expert and, according to its website, blessed by nine Tibetan monks.

Le Petite has also made a name for itself over the years for couples massage, so my fiance and I decided to give it a try.

Making an appointment was a bit of a challenge: I like doing things online, and although the spa has a website with an updated list of treatments and gift certificate purchase options, you can’t book online. Instead you must submit a request through Le Petite’s website for someone to contact you about availability, or call the spa yourself. This can be a headache for a potential customer on the go, particularly if you happen to leave a message for an appointment that night but the staff doesn’t get back to you until the next day (ahem).

But the couples experience is worthwhile once you’re there. It can start with champagne and a soak in a giant copper tub (complete with a rise in the middle for leg support) before a joint massage session either in a private massage studio, an outdoor cabana or a bungalow. Package prices start at $340 per couple for a 60-minute warm stone massage. Le Petite has one-upped the hot stone trend we’ve seen (and felt) for years with a Jade Stone Massage that mixes hot and cold stones. When combined they’re said to relax the muscles and release toxins.

Other treatments include a 60-minute deep-tissue massage, or $50 for a 30-minute lavender-rose-sage bath (plus taxes and tip that are added on when booking, with a requirement to pay in advance). The spa also boasts holistic treatments that range from the more common detoxes (RegenisCell Enzyme Facial, Epicuren Herbal Firming Peel, each $150 for 60 minutes) to those that might raise a few skeptics’ eyebrows. (I don’t know if the Ionic Detoxing Foot Bath’s — at $85 for 30 minutes — electric charge of positive and negative currents actually cleared my kidneys, but it did seem to follow through with helping my fiance’s insomnia problems. Or maybe it’s the massage that should get the credit.)

I’m used to giant spas with ample locker space and changing areas for the more modest, so I found the changing rooms here challenging. There are only two showers in the women’s locker room and one in the men’s, and they are tiny. There are hair dryers, but they’re next to the sinks, making it hard for someone to dry her hair while someone else uses the sink.

But despite these drawbacks, it’s a great location for the Hollywood crowd who might be sick of the big-box chain thing. And Le Petite’s popularity and reputation for being in the know enables them to experiment with some of the trendier stuff — like that ionic foot bath.

Le Petite Retreat, 331 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles. (323) 466-1028. Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. https://www.lprdayspa.com