Who doesn’t love a good spa treatment? Well, I sure do, and I try as many different services at as many different spas as I can whenever I get a chance. When I travel, I’m always looking for unique spa treatments that differ from those I can get at home. Lots of places develop special treatments and services that reflect local environments and cultures; you often can’t find them anywhere else other than the regions where they seem to fit perfectly.
Arizona is a very special place with beautiful deserts and landscapes, and it is also one that has a rich history full of amazing stories and interesting people. Indigenous culture is a big part of what makes Arizona the place that it is, too. It’s no surprise, then, that one of the best spas in the nation aims to incorporate all of these into the relaxing services that it offers.
Aji Spa is an award-winning spa that is part of the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass resort in Chandler. It recently earned the 2026 Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award for the sixth time. It offers facials, massages, body treatments, salon services, hair services, oxygen infusions, and more. The spa itself has numerous treatment rooms, a lounge, a cafe, and its very own pool. It’s a wonderful place to spend a day pampering yourself alone or with friends.
In addition to traditional spa services, Aji Spa offers authentic Native American spa services as well. The spa has gone to great lengths to develop its signature Indigenous Collection with the aid of Aji’s Cultural Caretakers to reflect and honor the cultures of the ancient Pima and Maricopa people who once populated the local area. The spa itself is named after Aji Mountain on the nearby Gila River Indian Community—the word “aji” means sanctuary in the Pima language; women and children retreated to the mountain in times of war to protect themselves.
The spa’s Indigenous Collection features several interesting treatments for its patrons. The Ancient Sghegoi Wrap and Massage uses oil made from shegoi, the oldest living plant in the world, to hydrate the skin after a relaxing full body dry brush buffing. Nahtogig (Four Directions) uses local indigenous ingredients—prickly pear, salt, honey, and blue cornmeal—to represent the elements of sunset, illumination, sandstorm, and water to exfoliate the body. Alternatively, Chipich (Indigenous Signature Body Scrub) invites guests into the Vichy shower to exfoliate with natural salt and local desert botanicals. All of these treatments will leave participants relaxed and rejuvenated beyond measure.
Perhaps the most interesting and unique Indigenous-inspired treatment at Aji Spa, though, is Ho’ishp. This Sacred Prickly Pear Body Treatment is wonderful; it truly connects guests with indigenous traditions and the Arizona desert in very special ways. The treatment lasts 110 minutes; during that time, the guest is covered with an application of sacred prickly pear red clay and then is wrapped in a soft cocoon. The combination of heat and antioxidants from the clay works to both detoxify the body and tone the skin…