Travel Tips

How to Find Deals at Luxury Destination Spas

Locations in this article:  Austin, TX Budapest, Hungary Los Angeles, CA San Diego, CA Tucson, AZ

Rancho La Puerta PoolIn these tough times when daily stresses are compounded by the need to county every penny, you may yearn for a relaxing and rejuvenating getaway.

If your ideal spot is a luxury spa, Marjorie Hope Rothstein has some tips on stretching your travel dollars and where to find great deals this fall and beyond.

First, some tips:

  1. Go in the off-season. Arizona, Mexico and Florida may be hot in the summer, but that’s when you can get cool deals. The converse is true for the East Coast and Midwestern spas in winter.
  2. Get on the spa’s email list where you may be privy to targeted seasonal deals and packages.
  3. Like airlines, being a frequent spa-goer can a smart way to go. Ask about special rates for repeat customers.
  4. Go with a group. Some spas offer packages if you travel with five or 10 of your closest friends.
  5. Check out some Web sites such as www.spafinder.com that may offer special deals and discounts.

Check out this Video: Unusual Spa Services Around the World or learn more in our Health & Fitness Travel section.

CANYON RANCH, ARIZONA

Canyon Ranch ArizonaCanyon Ranch, located in Tucson, Arizona, is renowned for focusing on a whole body approach to wellness with an 80,000 square foot fitness and spa complex. Guests have access to cutting-edge consultants such as a physician, nurse, exercise physiologist, movement therapist, behavioral therapist, and nutritionist. Another plus are the vast array of fitness and health classes and a high-tech Golf Performance Center. Activities are plentiful, and the location is in tune with nature and being outdoors.

One popular experience is to participate in the Life Enhancement Center which offers outstanding courses in optimal aging and a healthy heart program. For a treat, go for the signature spa treatment known as Euphoria: an indulgent scalp treatment and body mask, followed by more relaxation in a soaking tub, and finishing off with a massage. 866-259-3212, www.canyonranch.com

The Deal: Summer rates end September 30, including a night package beginning at $2,760 per person for a double deluxe room, plus a $650 spa allowance per person. However, additional specials are available through the end of the year, including one for new guests only: bring a friend and receive 15 percent off now until December 23, 2009

For the 30th Anniversary special this year, all guests will receive a 30 percent discount off high-season rates from November 29 to December 23, 2009. These rates begin at $3,770 per person for a four-night stay.

For more, check out Spa Resorts That Are More Than Just Massages.

CANYON RANCH, MASSACHUSETTS

Canyon Ranch Lenox MassachusettsIn the cool winter months of the northeast coast, Canyon Ranch Lenox in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts is a hot spot to sample the best in preventative health programs. Mel Zuckerman, the visionary behind these spa destinations, set the course in the spa industry by introducing the Canyon Ranch Living concept.

It is the first community with a clear-cut focus on lifestyle, integrating health and wellness as a spa business model. Visitors can get an annual physical all in the comforts of a turn-of-the-century mansion with old-fashioned grandeur and state-of-the-art facilities. In addition, you may begin a new fitness program and try out cross-country and downhill skiing, hiking, and Pilates. For those who prefer to stay inside for a day, try fitness classes, health consultations, a cooking class to learn regional, vegetarian and spa cuisine, or indulge in spa offerings that use natural ingredients.

The Deals: Winter rates run from November 29, 2009 through March 13, 2010, with a three-night package for two beginning at $1,920 per person which includes a $390 per person spa allowance. There are also parent/child savings: bring your child (ages 14 and older) and pay a full package rate with services included, and your child receives half off the nightly rate (without the services) from December 1-23, 2009.

Looking for more great resort spa options? Try Spa Vacation: The Ultimate Mother’s Day Getaways.

Rancho La Puerta MexicoRANCHO LA PUERTA

Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico, is the original destination health resort and spa. Just 4 miles south of the border, and an hour from San Diego, Rancho La Puerta was founded in 1940 before the fitness craze was even part of mainstream culture.

Co-founder Deborah Szekely approached the resort concept with a holistic philosophy of mind-body-spirit, and today an experience at Rancho La Puerta offers a balance between fitness and renewal.

Rancho La Puerta VegetablesLocated on more than 3,000 acres of land on a private ranch with facilities and lodging scattered throughout, it is the pre-cursor to the “eco-resort,” and utilizes sustainable organic gardening and resource conservation, paving the pathway for the region. A new 5,000-square-foot, hands-on-cooking school is state-of-the-art, as well as the new addition of an Olympic-sized pool (there are several pools scattered throughout the ranch).

All the senses are involved: taste (gourmet health food and the fresh organic garden), touch (spa treatments), smell (fragrant flowers, herbs), hearing (mostly silence, birds singing), and seeing beauty all around. The signature treatment is the herbal wrap with steaming hot linens steeped in Native American herbs, which knocks out any tight muscles.  800-443-7565, www.rancholapuerta.com

The Deals: Seven nights for the price of give in September, including all meals, fitness classes and other programs, representing a savings of up to $1,200 for a week’s stay. In October and November, a seven-night package is available for 20 percent off, plus two complimentary spa treatments.

Share a villa with four friends and save 25 percent plus one free massage each, until the end of 2009.

Get more ideas in our Luxury Travel section or our Health & Fitness section.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

It’s such a rarity for the top-notch Miraval Arizona resort to offer a deal that you may just have to cut out your daily Starbucks indulgence to catch this one. Miraval is offering a $275-a-person daily special (double occupancy through October 14), which includes all meals and most activities, but not spa treatments or taxes. The resort features a diverse, gourmet spa menu, one-of-a-kind treatments that promote healing and balance, and activities ranging from fitness-building to stress-busting, all within the spiritual environment of the Sonoran Desert. 800-232-3969, www.miravalresort.com

Lake House SpaLake Austin Spa Resort in Texas offers a rare combination of high-end services in a warm and laid-back environment. Its fall savings package slashes prices by 30 percent—up to $800—now through December 31, 2009, if you book the Resort or Spa Refresher package in premier accommodations.

Or, guests who book the Ultimate package with premier accommodations for two nights, arriving on a Sunday, receive another two nights free. Book a two-night stay for two and the second person pays only half, based on availability. Packages may not be combined and must be booked by October 15, 2009.  800-847-5637, www.lakeaustin.com

By Marjorie Hope Rothstein for PeterGreenberg.com. “The Boomer Babe” Marjorie is a spa trends specialist, boomer consumer expert and freelance writer living in Los Angeles. You can reach her at boomerbabes @ sbcglobal.net.

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