Spas: Exceptional Destinations Around the World Hardback - 2003

This dream book of incredible places to be pampered and unwind unveils the worlds twenty-five best vacation spas. Each is a traveler's haven set in a stunning location and surrounded by breathtaking scenery. And each one offers a memorable experience and, to varying degrees, a combination of indulgence, adventure, health, and relaxation. Some of these spas are life-changing, while others will rejuvenate you in the short term so that you can return to your normal life feeling refreshed and re-energized. Dip into these pages and visit the Beauty Farm in Megeve, France, where you can lie on a bed of warm rounded stones in a treatment cabin. There, a therapist, using hot basalt pebbles, will ease your tense muscles. Or travel to the Himalayas, the ultimate destination spa, where the sights, smells, sounds, and therapies are probably closer to what was practiced 5,000 years ago than anything else in the world today.

The spas featured range from exotic paradise retreats to alpine resorts, including the holistic sanctuary of Therme Vals in Switzerland. Set among the Graubunden Mountains, seven pools are offered from the steamy "fire" pool to a scented flower pool, each naturally formed by water springs. Inside there is a health center providing a combination of acupressure and massage using oils blended from twenty-two carat gold. In contrast, the Delphi Mountain Resort & Spa in Leenane, Ireland--a location so remote that the Romans never managed to reach it--offers the opportunity to spend your days cocooned in the spa or pursuing such rigorous activities as kayaking through sea caves or rock climbing on vast walls. Information about how to contact these spas is also provided. Whatever your preference: tropical paradise, mountainous retreats, thermal springs, or wilderness escapes, this book will help you find your perfect spa destination.