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The Best Spa Vacations

by Kate Carpenter

Overview

The thought of a luxurious, soothing spa vacation is a tempting one. But you don't want to waste time or money on a disappointing spa experience. With a little research and planning, you can have a perfectly blissful holiday.

Enjoy a relaxing spa vacation with just a little planning.
Top Spa Destinations

A 2009 poll by Conde Nast Traveler named the magazine's readers' 38 top-rated resort spas in the United States. Topping the list was the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Hawaii. The resort offers three ocean-side massage rooms, a sunrise yoga class and signature treatments, including a Hawaiian healing wrap with pineapple papaya enzyme polish and a warm coconut hair treatment. The runner-up was the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Big Island, Hawaii, where steam rooms and secluded outdoor massage areas are incorporated into tropical garden settings. Signature treatments there include a "starlight spa voyage" with a music-serenaded pond-side massage, followed by a float on the pond surrounded by candlelight. Readers' third choice was the Kenwood Inn & Spa, Sonoma, California. The resort is surrounded by vineyards and uses grapes and red wine extracts in many of its treatments. The "Harvest Sugar Scrub," for example, includes grape seeds, Chardonnay oil, Riesling oil and red wine extract. The rest of the magazines top 10 resorts are: --Four Seasons Resort--The Biltmore, Santa Barbara, California --Montage, Laguna Beach, California --Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina --Inn at Palmetto Bluff, Bluffton, South Carolina --Ritz-Carlton--Bachelor Gulch, Avon, Colorado --The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado --Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole, Wyoming State and regional newspapers and magazines often also release rankings of the best spas in the area; check publications from an area you're interested in visiting to see if they offer any advice.

Resources

If none of those options are quite what you're looking for, websites abound to help travelers find spa destinations to fit every description. SpaFinder.com, for example, allows users to sort locations by spa category, deals and destinations, while SpaIndex.com also offers a spa recipe collection and contests.
Things to Consider

Think about your priorities. Whether you're looking for the best facial money can buy or you just want to be able to nosh on some delicious sushi after your massage, knowing what you want out of your spa vacation can help you narrow down locations. At the same time, know what you don't want. If you don't like children, avoid spa locations that are family friendly. If you're city-phobic, opt for a resort in the countryside or on a beach rather than in a metropolitan area. Set a budget before you start planning your vacation. Knowing exactly how much you have to spend will help you determine where you can go and what you can do. If you have your heart set on a destination slightly out of your price range, keep an eye out for specials or call and ask if the spa has any off-season deals.