Great Long Weekends

Hosteria Las Quintas Resort Spa, Cuernavaca In addition to three heated pools, a gym, and treatments like a volcanic Mayan mud body mask, part of the draw is the spa's proximity to archaeological sites and ecological reserves. $997, includes airport transfers, four nights in a terrace room, an exfoliating body scrub, reflexology massage, and a 30-minute massage. Note: $14 per day is added to the bill to cover gratuities. 877/784-6827, hlasquintas.com. Rio Caliente, Guadalajara In a remote pine forest less than an hour west of Guadalajara, Rio Caliente touts its mineral hot springs that rise from an underground volcanic source. Five-Night Treat, $690, includes two massages or facials and a mud wrap. 800/200-2927, riocaliente.com. Hills Health Spa, British Columbia An hour south of Williams Lake, Hills Health offers standard activities--hiking, swimming, yoga--along with others befitting its horse-ranch location. Two-Night Couch Potato Package from $311, includes a hayride sing-along, a full-body massage, and all BC taxes. 800/668-2233, spabc.com. Tigh-Na-Mara, British Columbia The new Grotto Spa at Tigh-Na-Mara uses indigenous Canadian products, including glacial clay from the Bella Coola River. Two-Night Instant Grotto-Fication Package from $246, includes breakfast daily and one dinner; a one-hour massage, facial, or body wrap; and round-trip transfers from the ferry terminal. 800/663-7373, tigh-na-mara.com. Spa Eastman, Quebec An hour east of Montreal, Spa Eastman's 315 acres include nearly 10 miles of hiking trails and gardens that provide produce for the kitchen. $676, three nights' lodging, a naturopathic consultation, stone massage, underwater jet massage, aromatic wrap, and Decléor Body treatment. 800/665-5272, spa-eastman.com.

Ojai, Calif. The Oaks at Ojai At the family-owned Oaks at Ojai, fitness and rejuvenation are key goals--so it makes sense that the buildings have just been renovated. Originally built in 1926, the main house now sports a spruced-up version of its Mission Revival facade, as well as two new private suites and upgraded landscaping. "There's such a sense of personal caring," says Pat Proses of San Francisco, an annual Oaks guest for more than 25 years. "And the location is gorgeous." Citrus trees, lavender, and aloe grow along the paths that crisscross the two-acre resort. Oil pressed from olives grown on nearby land is used in a popular body wrap and massage treatment (75 minutes, $110). Proses got a big 50th-birthday surprise recently when her husband flew her four sisters in from Philadelphia for a five-day getaway. Her best friend was invited, too. "We had a ball!" she says. "Some spas are isolated on a mountain or in a valley, and you're like a captive. But when you step outside the Oaks, you're on the main street of town." An hour and a half north of L.A., Ojai is a small but thriving art community, with lots of shops and galleries. Best Deal: Overnights from $175 (two-night minimum). 800/753-6257, oaksspa.com. Ward, Colo. Gold Lake Mountain Resort Between the foothills of the Continental Divide and the Great Plains, the 100 acres of Gold Lake Mountain Resort & Spa were once a meeting place for the Arapaho Indians. The property's log cabins--which vary in size from one to four bedrooms, making them perfect for groups--were originally built in the 1920s as a girls' camp. Recently renovated, each cabin is unique: In one, an antique Oriental carpet covers the wood floor; in another, a piano sits in the corner; and in another, a stained-glass wall separates the bedroom from the living area. Last June, Stephanie Null gathered some friends from high school and headed over from Boulder, a 45-minute drive. "It was perfect," she says, even though the weather was cold and rainy. "We hung out in our cabin, ate at the restaurant, and soaked in the four hot pools," which, at different depths and temperatures, trickle into each other and offer views of the lake. So what else is there to do at 7,000 feet? Hike past white aspens and wildflowers, paddle a canoe, attack the miles of single-track mountain-biking trails nearby (bring your own bike), and revive with a Deluxe Heart & Sole foot soak and massage (60 minutes, $110). Best Deal: Overnights from $285 per deluxe cabin, includes breakfast and use of pools, kayaks, canoes, and board games. 303/459-3544, goldlake.com. Austin, Tex. The Crossings The Crossings is an eco-resort--built of sustainable materials, with a water-conservation system, recycling, and off-site food composting--hidden in a 210-acre nature preserve 20 minutes northwest of Austin. "I never knew where it was," admits Austin resident Mary Meath, who visited last September with three friends to celebrate turning 40. "We climbed the hill leading to the spa, and it felt like we were off on a faraway vacation." Meath, a runner, loved jogging the five miles of trails and then unwinding with a "best-ever" 80-minute Neuromuscular Therapy massage ($130). The Crossings offers a long list of treatments, including Watsu (water and shiatsu, 50--80 minutes, from $100); a Balinese flower-and-salt scrub (50 minutes, $105); and the popular chakra cleanser, an essential-oil massage that unclogs your energy points (50 minutes, $110). Just exploring the 35-acre grounds--dotted with rosemary, jasmine, and fragrant juniper cedar trees--is aromatherapy. If that's not calming enough, there are regular yoga, Qigong (a Chinese healing practice), and meditation classes. This all sounds granola, but don't be surprised to see corporate suits on an office retreat rocking out at a drum circle. Best Deal: Overnights from $135. 512/258-7243, thecrossingsaustin.com. St. George, Utah Fitness Ridge Resort & Spa Josette Rogers of Paradise, Calif., is the mother of seven--three of them Olympic-qualifying athletes. Tell her to drop and give you 20, and she'll give you 30. She needed a spa that could match her energy, and that's why best friend April Carter, also from Paradise, introduced her to Fitness Ridge. "I used to go to Red Mountain [see below] before it became a 'spa' spa," explains Carter, a three-time visitor who brought Rogers and six other pals here in March. "This place is focused on weight loss and fitness." Of course, there's some pampering: Facials, pedicures, and massages are available at a nearby day spa (55 minutes each, from $60; free shuttle). In late fall or early winter, Fitness Ridge-which was known as the Body Shop Spa until earlier this year--will move to an expanded 27,000-square-foot compound in the town of Ivins, 10 miles away. Near Snow Canyon State Park, the new facility will have 20 guest rooms and an outdoor pool. The fitness program will remain the same, with aerobics classes, calorie-controlled vegetarian meals, and daily guided treks past slickrock faces and Indian petroglyphs. "The hikes are incredible. I live in pine trees, so this place is gorgeous in a totally unique way," says Carter. Best Deal: One-week package $995 for first-time guests, includes seven nights at the Crystal Inn St. George (until the new facility is completed). 888/870-2639, fitnessridge.com. St. George, Utah Red Mountain Spa When Ellen Schwartz of Long Beach, Calif., turned 50, she wasn't about to do it alone. She gathered 35 women together--18 of whom turned 50 that same yearnd headed to Red Mountain, near Snow Canyon State Park. "It's the ideal place for a group of women to travel," says Schwartz. "We each selected what we wanted to do--hiking, spa treatments, lounging by the pool--and then we'd gather together for dinner. It's probably the only four days of all our lives when no one had anything to complain about!" Except, perhaps, for their sore muscles. Given the spa's surroundings, guests at Red Mountain are encouraged to spend as much time as possible being active outdoors. They can then reward themselves with signature treatments like a Raw Earth manicure (50 minutes, $45) and a Canyon Sage Warm Stone Massage (70 minutes, $140). Schwartz's visit was tied to her own adventuresome goal. "I was scared to death of rock climbing, and so I did it. I got to overcome my fear and had an amazing experience to go along with turning 50." Best Deal: Overnights from $229. 800/407-3002, redmountainspa.com.

Gilman, Ill. Heartland Spa Though only 90 minutes south of Chicago, Heartland Spa leaves city life far behind. Its 32 acres, with rolling pastures, woods, cornfields, and a spring-fed lake, create the kind of peace and quiet you can find only in farm country. Plus, where else can you do cardio-kickboxing in the hayloft of an old dairy barn? With a two-to-one staff-to-guest ratio, Heartland exudes true Midwestern hospitality. Even if you're the only person signed up for a particular activity, the spa won't cancel--whether it's a morning walk, a cooking demonstration, a wellness lecture, or an aerobics class. Beverly Rogers of Country Club Hills, Ill., first visited 11 years ago, after being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 51. She and a group of women also fighting cancer were in search of "introspection and reflection, away from the doctors and hospitals," she explains. "Heartland is such a mind-body-spirit kind of a place." And, says Rogers, it's charming without the pretense of some spas. Each guest can borrow a sweat suit to work out in. When you leave it on your doormat at the end of the day, "laundry fairies" magically replace it with a clean one. Rogers has returned annually with cancer survivors ever since. Best Deal: Five-Night Midweek Perk from $1,025, includes four 40-minute full-body massages, one facial, and all taxes. 800/545-4853, heartlandspa.com. Litchfield, Minn. Birdwing Spa Surrounded by gently hilly farmland, Birdwing Spa is on 300 pristine acres about 70 miles west of Minneapolis. "I love the hominess and sense of true wilderness," says Brenda Williams of Minnetrista, Minn., who has visited Birdwing five times with her friend Claudia Pilot. A maximum of 25 guests stay either in the bedrooms of a former private home or in the 100-year-old barn, renovated to house eight suites. The fitness-centric spa offers aerobics classes, a 24-hour gym, and low-cal meals, but most people come to kayak on the lake or to hike the 15 miles of trails. The less adventurous read in the screened gazebo, choose a hammock for an afternoon nap, or indulge in any number of treatments. Birdwing's specialty is the Decadent Rose Body Glo, which features a foot soak with rose petals and essential oils, a face and scalp massage, and a body exfoliation and mask (90 minutes, $145). But even the basic massage is heaven: "Last time, I was so relaxed I left feeling like a jellyfish," says Williams. Best Deal: Two-night package from $515, includes a full-body massage (60 minutes) and choice of European facial (60 minutes) or herbal body wrap (30 minutes). 320/693-6064, birdwingspa.com. Waynesboro, Tenn. Tennessee Fitness Spa Two hours southwest of Nashville, the Tennessee Fitness Spa has more in its favor than just bucolic views. The remote location means the nearest McDonald's is 10 miles away, a blessing for the many guests who come to kick-start their fitness regimen. "It's a working spa," says Margaret King of Philadelphia, who regularly visits Tennessee Fitness with her sister in order to escape the pressures of her at-home business. "It gets me out of my routine and gives me a new perspective." The six chalet-style buildings have simple rooms, all with private bathrooms and decks. (Deluxe rooms also have TVs.) The aerobics gym and heated indoor pool are open 24 hours, hiking trails snake around the property, and about 30 classes are available each week. The spa chefs prepare a different low-cal menu daily and they teach hands-on preparation-useful lessons for when guests return home and want to continue their regimen. Body treatments include the standard massages (30--60 minutes, from $35), facials (from $35), and wraps (from $80). People primarily come to get healthy, but all the relaxing is a definite plus. "It's so informal," says King. "No one dresses up or bothers to put on makeup." Best Deal: Overnights from $165 (two-night minimum; stays of two or three nights can't be booked more than a week in advance). 800/235-8365, tfspa.com. Kohler, Wis. Kohler Waters Spa If the name rings a bell, that's because Kohler is a manufacturer of top-of-the-line bathroom fixtures. But many people don't know that the company runs a spa that showcases its products. Based on the fact that our bodies are composed of two-thirds water, spa therapies here focus entirely on H2O's healing properties. Kohler engineering created the RiverBath (a hydro-massage, 50 minutes, $95), Rain Water Experience (Swedish massage under a warm rain-like shower, 50 minutes, $135), and Cooler-Near-the-Lake, a bath that mimics nearby Lake Michigan's warm and cool temperature patterns (50 minutes, $135). A waterfall cascades into a long relaxation pool in the central spa area, and guests can hear the calming sounds of rushing water from the treatment rooms. "It's one of most relaxing places we've ever been," says Jodie Scordo from Milwaukee, who has visited Kohler with friend Kelly Hruska every year for the last three years. And while Scordo comes for the spa experience, she adds, "We also love taking walks to the boutiques at Woodlake," a mall with more than 25 shops. Best Deal: Girlfriends' Get-Together from $213, includes one night at the American Club Carriage House, continental breakfast, evening beverages and hors d'oeuvres, 20 percent off any midweek spa service (Sunday--Thursday), a complimentary in-room movie, and a spa gift (candle, lotions, etc.). 800/344-2838, destinationkohler.com. Rhinelander, Wis. Woodwind Health Spa Built from local timber and sand by owner Marj Champney and some volunteers, Woodwind Health Spa is a 40-acre B&B-style retreat on the banks of the Wisconsin River, about 150 miles northwest of Green Bay. Champney, a designer, chef, and natural healer of Pennacook Indian descent, develops and administers many of Woodwind's services. Her specialty is the Eagles Touch Massage, a negative-energy cleanser that combines heated essential oils, a cedar-and-sage smudge, a full-body massage, and crystal healing (90--120 minutes, $110). The spa, which averages a dozen visitors at a time, has only six employees, two full-time, and they handle all the cooking, cleaning, yoga and meditation classes, and body treatments. But Elisabeth Arthur of Hayward, Wis., is quick to point out that despite the small staff, "there are healing hands all over the place." For her, a recent trip to Woodwind helped bring her closer to her family. Visiting with her mother and two sisters, Arthur, who had been to the spa four times before, took part in a drumming-and-chanting ceremony: "It made us all aware of how much love there is between us. We shared things that had been kept in for ages." Best Deal: The Woodwind Stress Reducer, $1,200, includes five nights' lodging, four yoga and meditation classes, six spa services, taxes, and all gratuities. 877/362-8902, woodwindspa.com. Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Sundara Inn & Spa What's the loudest sound you'll hear during a stay at Sundara? Pine trees rustling, a waterfall dribbling from the heated infinity pool, or maybe the Bose Wave CD player on your nightstand...if you turn it on. It was this tranquillity that Susan Andringa and Joy Gardner, friends from the Minneapolis-St. Paul area who were each grieving over the recent loss of a parent, sought when they visited last October. On 26 wooded acres in central Wisconsin, Sundara (which means "beautiful" in Sanskrit) has an East-meets-Midwest vibe: a fluid feng-shui design, homeopathy-inspired treatments, and healthy, flavorful organic food. The 26 suites--furnished with king-size featherbeds, gas fireplaces, and whirlpools or jet showers--are "rustic romantic," as Andringa describes it. Treatments include the Sundara Body Boost, featuring a body polish that uses sandstone unearthed during the spa's construction (60 minutes, $135), and the skin-soothing Shea Body Butter Indulgence (90 minutes, $210). Guests spend mornings on silent hikes or in one-on-one yoga classes; afternoons, lounging in the aromatherapy hydro-massage tub. Sundara believes in helping people slow down and "unplug," and the adults-only, no-cell-phone policy makes that much easier. "We stayed in our robes for two days straight," Andringa confesses. Best Deal: Overnights from $199 per suite. 888/735-8181, daraspa.com.

Hurleyville, N.Y. Sanivan Holistic Spa Sanivan is like a B&B for the soul. In a Catskills town two hours northwest of Manhattan, the spa is owned by Ivan Rivas and Saniye Gungor--a masseur and a shiatsu therapist/shaman, respectively. The husband-and-wife duo offers a smorgasbord of indulgences: personally tailored herbal facials (60 minutes, $80), aromatherapy shiatsu massages (90 minutes, $90), and even 100-percent oxygen treatments for improving blood flow and strengthening the immune system (120 minutes, $225). With only three bedrooms, the spa promises individualized attention, something Lynne Nordone from Long Island found most rewarding. "You revitalize from the inside out and always learn something you can take home," says Nordone, who eagerly devoured Gungor's "delicious raw food" (cooked grains, chicken, and fish are also available). Sanivan practices what it preaches: All linens and food are organic, trash is recycled, and even the heated pool is ozonated (translation: minimal chlorine). Guests spend downtime walking the outdoor meditation labyrinth and curling up with one of five Angora cats, the spa's "spiritual guides." Best Deal: Two-day retreat, $375, includes two nights' lodging, one body treatment (facial, massage, or shiatsu therapy), taxes, and all gratuities. 845/434-1849, sanivan.com. Neversink, N.Y. New Age Health Spa On 280 acres near Catskill Park, New Age Health Spa hardly feels like it's only two hours from Manhattan. The spa complex is made up of nine newly renovated buildings, each with a Native American moniker; outdoor paths lined with flower beds connect the guest lodges. New Age lives up to its name with treatments such as a Native Sun Purification (50 minutes, $95), which incorporates herbs that many tribes use in cleansing rituals. (The herbs are grown in the spa's greenhouses.) Roberta Springer, a New York City resident, has been a regular since New Age opened 20 years ago. "I've been at least 50 times," she says. "I was hooked the first weekend." Nature lovers sign up for eco-adventure programs (bald-eagle watching or the Alpine Tower climb), and spiritual seekers try anything from tarot-card readings to silent reflection in the spa's state-of-the-art Cayuga Yoga and Meditation Center. It's decked out with heated floors, walls lined with 10,000 feet of redwood, and an enormous stone fireplace. Best Deal: Overnights from $204 (two-night minimum). Earn points that you can apply to future bills or services by joining the Living Well Club for a onetime $25 fee. 800/682-4348, newagehealthspa.com. Shandaken, N.Y. Copperhood Inn & Spa Step into the Copperhood Inn & Spa and you might think you're in 18th-century Europe, not the Catskills. The wingback chairs, pin-striped or cream-colored linens, gilded frames, and marble galore reflect the old-world style of owner Elizabeth Winograd, a Warsaw native who migrated to New York for college in the '70s. Mud wraps (60 minutes, $115), yoga and meditation classes (five students at most, no extra charge), and the signature European Body Treatment--a two-hour almond scrub/hot herbal wrap/Swedish massage combo ($200)--are a nice alternative to more active pursuits like mountain biking, snowshoeing, and fencing. "We took glorious hikes deep into the mountains," says New Yorker Brenda Szulman-Poje, who has visited Copperhood twice with a girlfriend. "My friend Karen had never been to a destination spa, so it was quite an adventure. On one of our hikes, the soles of both her hiking boots fell off and she had to hike down in her socks, which was no easy task!" Adirondack chairs on the wraparound deck overlook grazing pet goats and a burbling river, and afternoon tea is served in front of a fireplace (there are two). Best Deal: Two-night package from $570, includes a 50-minute Swedish massage or a $45 spa credit each day. A 15 percent service charge is added to the total bill. 845/688-2460, copperhood.com. East Stroudsburg, Pa. Deerfield Spa If Laura Ashley and Richard Simmons had a child, Deerfield would be it. In a sprawling former Victorian inn in the Poconos, the spa is all wicker, white linens, and soft florals throughout its 22 cozy bedrooms and three lounge areas. That country comfort stops, though, once you step into one of two 24-hour gyms, join an aquatic karate session in the heated pool, or sit down to a calorie-conscious meal of cumin- and feta-infused lentil loaf (no red meat here). Deerfield has regular lectures, guided two-hour Appalachian Trail hikes, 61 different weekly aerobics and fitness classes, and best of all, a staff-to-guest ratio of about two to one. First-time visitor Lola West of New York City, who stayed in the two-person cottage annex, found the intimacy refreshing: "The owner [Joan Wolff] has a great disposition that's reflected in the staff. Everyone is so friendly." Overextended muscles get relief in classic treatments like seaweed wraps (50 minutes, $85) and Swedish massages (50 minutes, $65); more uncommon treats include Nuat Thai, an ancient Buddhist floor massage dubbed "lazy man's yoga;" and the newly added LumiLift, a light-therapy facial that uses a small current to stimulate sagging muscles. Best Deal: Overnights from $155 (two-night minimum). Open April through October. 800/852-4494, deerfieldspa.com. A note on the prices Unless otherwise noted, prices listed are per person (based on double occupancy) and include meals, access to spa facilities (fitness centers, pools, sports equipment, etc.), activities, and classes. They generally don't cover spa treatments, taxes, or gratuities. We've quoted the best prices available at press time, but check the websites for deals. Many spas follow a set calendar when it comes to offering discounts; if you don't see anything online, ask the owner or manager when those specials are likely to run. The standard tip is around 20 percent--preferably in cash (put it in an envelope at checkout or hand it directly to the therapist). Some spas automatically add gratuities to the bill. If you really enjoyed your treatment, give a little extra: More often than not, only a portion of that 15 percent service charge goes to the person who worked on you.