TAMA -- Within these walls, tension melts and stress is washed away.

It's a 180-degree change from the world outside of the Winding Stream Spa, where jackpots and high rollers dominate at the Meskwaki-Bingo-Casino-Hotel. The full-service spa was opened, along with other amenities, in an effort to make the casino into a destination.

"It's really turned into a nice all-in-one resort type of place for people," said Sandra Dirks, Winding Stream assistant manager.

In the past two years, the casino added a gourmet steakhouse and a coffee shop to the hotel, along with convention halls and entertainment venues. A $111 million addition effectively doubled the number of hotel rooms to 404, upped the amount of slot machines to 1,750, and increased the bingo space to hold 750 people.

Its a trend that other casinos in the area have followed. The Riverside Casino also has a full-service spa.

Dirks said increase in services makes good sense, since there aren't a lot of other facilities in the region that rival them.

"If you look around we're kind of in the middle of a cornfield," she said.

Many times, the spa will fill up with people who didn't have any intentions to go gambling, said Todd Ruszkowski, spa manager. The facility comes as a nice surprise for them.

"It's such a departure from all the other activities," Ruszkowski said.

On a good weekend, the spa will see between 20 and 30 appointments a day. Saturdays and Sundays fill up quickly, but walk-up appointments can be accommodated during weekdays. The spa has seven full time employees, ranging from nail technicians to massage therapists. One of the biggest differences from similar facilities is that Winding Stream was set up as a spa from its inception. Often, similar facilities begin as beauty salons, and expand into spas.

"We don't have any of those annoying smells," she said.

Every facet of the spa carries its stream motif. The walls gently bow in and out like the banks of a river. Eucalyptus leaves are imprinted on the carpet. Earthy browns and greens color nearly every surface.

Men and women have separate "sanctuaries" with a whirlpool, eucalyptus leave saunas, dry rooms and stand-up showers. Frequently, people spend entire days in the rooms, staff said.

Ruszkowski said he and Dirks also worked to develop a number of packages for guests.

Some of those include the girls night out, where groups of up to four receive a five-hour tryst where they get facials, manicures, and massages; or the Winding Stream enchanted experience, a full-day spa treatment that includes a catered lunch and mud treatment. There are also half-day and express services.

The spa is celebrating its one-year anniversary this Sunday with an open house along with the Prime Cut gourmet steakhouse from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Contact Josh Nelson at (319) 291-1565

or josh.nelson@wcfcourier.com.