She then performed a sterling massage that eventually stopped me from talking and left me dozing peacefully in between taking lots of deep breaths. She offered me cucumber eye spray to help with puffiness and goggles and an eye pillow to cover my eyes from the light when she worked on my front. I refused the offer of a pain relieving gel, but accepted the hot pack on my back, which was very relaxing.

FOOD The Canyon Ranch Café serves nutritional lunches. To start I had the Chicken Potstickers with red chili dipping sauce, basically chicken dim sum, which was very good. To follow the SpaClub Chicken Stir-Fry in a light soy pomegranate sauce served over brown rice. It needed a lot of salt to give it taste, defeating the object of a healthy lunch really.

When expansion is complete the Canyon Ranch Grill will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner selling organic wines and spirits. There will be a small outdoor section for poolside dining – a bonus in a city with surprisingly few outdoor restaurants.

IN-CROWD Anyone and everyone including holidaymakers, business travellers and wedding couples. Canyon Ranch caters to a lot of business people coming for one of Las Vegas’ numerous conventions. Jesse told me during a recent porn convention she was asked to do a massage in the guest’s room while numerous girls sat around naked, reading magazines.

Top 5 New York spas

We've hand-picked five of the Manhattan's best spas

• The high guide to New York nightlife

• Cut-price New York fashion

• Dorit Baxter's spa, Manhattan, New York

The best non-surgical facials in London

We test the best non-surgical skin fixers on the market, from facial accupuncture to a green face peel or laser treatment

• 5 spas for city pep-ups

Related Internet Links

• For more than 270 spa reviews

Related Links

• 5 spas for preen queens

The day before my treatment a couple got married in the spa’s Rasul chamber, which is an Arabian steam room where you’re covered in mud and sweat out toxins. Apparently ancient kings performed this cleansing ceremony on their betrothed before they tied the knot. All the customers I saw looked perfectly average, but anything goes in weird and wonderful Las Vegas.

WALLET WATCH Deep Tissue Massage – 50 minutes from $160 (£85). A great value daily pass for $35 covers use of the fitness centre, steam room, whirlpool, sauna, locker rooms and participation in fitness classes.

NEED TO KNOW Canyon Ranch SpaClub at The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Suite 1159, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 (Tel: +1 702 414 3606; www.canyonranch.com)

Virgin Holidays USA to Las Vegas start from £595 per person staying at the 3V Circus Circus, on a room only basis. Price includes return flights with Virgin Atlantic from London Gatwick to Las Vegas, three nights’ car hire and accommodation. Prices may be subject to a fuel surcharge and an increase in air passenger duty; prices are also based on two adults sharing 09 Nov-17 Dec 08. For more information: www.virginholidays.com; 0844 5573 860

For information on accommodation, restaurants, entertainment and more, www.VisitLasVegas.co.uk or call 0870 523 8832.

Times recommends

• New York hotels on sale in January
• Skomer Island, Wales: Britain's best job?
• Red Sea: the complete guide