Day Spas

Ever since the first "lungers" showed up in the Phoenix area hoping to cure their tuberculosis, the desert has been a magnet for those looking to get healthy. In the first half of the 20th century, health spas were all the rage in Phoenix, and today spas are still immensely popular in the Valley of the Sun. Over the past decade, most of the area's top resorts have added new full-service spas or expanded existing ones to cater to guests' increasing requests for services such as massages, body wraps, mud masks, and salt glows.

If you can't or don't want to spend the money to stay at a top resort and avail yourself of the spa, you may still be able to indulge. Most resorts open their spas to the public, and for the cost of a body treatment or massage, you can spend the day at the spa taking classes, working out in an exercise room, or lounging by the pool. Barring this indulgence, you can slip into one of the Valley's many day spas and take a stress-reduction break the way other people take a latte break.

If you want truly spectacular surroundings and bragging rights, head north to The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa, 34631 N. Tom Darlington Dr., Carefree (tel. 480/595-3500; www.goldendoorspas.com). Although this spa has the best name recognition of any spa in the Valley, it is not the most impressive. However, at 33,000 square feet and with 24 treatment spaces, it is certainly large. Also, the list of services is one of the most extensive in the Valley and includes both ayurvedic and Native American-inspired treatments. The turquoise wrap, the spa's signature treatment, is a real desert experience. Most 50-minute treatments cost around $145 to $165. Packages are $320 to $1,600.

Willow Stream-The Spa at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, 7575 E. Princess Dr. (tel. 800/908-9540 or 480/585-2732; www.fairmont.com), is my favorite Valley spa. Designed to conjure up images of the journey to Havasu Canyon, it includes a rooftop swimming pool and a large hot tub in a grotto below the pool. Because this is one of the largest spas in the Valley, you stand a better chance of getting last-minute reservations. Most 60-minute treatments cost $169 to $179. Packages range from $219 to $799; there are also several package options for couples.

At Revive, JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, 5350 E. Marriott Blvd., Phoenix (tel. 866-REVIVE-4U or 480/293-3700; www.jwdesertridgeresort.com), indigenous materials -- turquoise, wildflowers, desert sage -- are used in treatments, while a small herb garden contributes to the spa bistro menu. The spa boasts its own pool, and at press time, finishing touches were being put on a co-ed spa loft. Treatments range from $45 to $195, while packages run from $250 to $520. Try the Desert Foothills Firming Body Wrap or the Turquoise Blue Sage Body Ritual.

Spa Avania, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch, 7500 E. Doubletree Ranch Rd., Scottsdale (tel. 480/444-1234; www.spaavania.com), which takes its name from the Greek work for "tranquil," is one of the newest major resort spas in Scottsdale. Spa treatments here are designed to stimulate all the senses and also take into consideration the time of day and the body's natural rhythms. One-hour treatments run $130 to $150, while packages cost anywhere from $270 to $468.

The Spa at Gainey Village, 7477 E. Doubletree Ranch Rd., Scottsdale (tel. 480/609-6980; www.thespaatgaineyvillage.com), is a spa and health club near the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale. Although the health club, which is popular with the Scottsdale Mercedes set, seems to be the main draw, the spa offers a wide range of specialized treatments, including hot stone massages, desert-clay body masks, and just about anything else you can think of. With any 1-hour treatment (average price $100), you can use the extensive exercise facilities or take a class. Packages range from $100 to $385.

Located high on the flanks of Mummy Mountain, the Spa at Camelback Inn, 5402 E. Lincoln Dr., Scottsdale (tel. 800/922-2635 or 480/596-7040; www.camelbackspa.com), has long been one of the Valley's premier spas and gets my vote for all-around best spa in the Valley. The location is convenient, the views are fabulous, the setting is tranquil, and there's a long menu of relaxing spa services. For the cost of a single 1-hour treatment -- between $110 and $155 -- you can use all the facilities, which include a fitness center and pool. Among the treatments available are the Para-Joba Body Moisturizer, which will leave your skin feeling like silk, and the Sonoran Rose Facial, perfect for making sure you come back from vacation looking like you were actually on one. Packages run from $185 to $320.

The Centre for Well Being at The Phoenician, 6000 E. Camelback Rd., Scottsdale (tel. 800/843-2392 or 480/423-2452; www.centreforwellbeing.com), is one of the Valley's most prestigious spas. For $140 to $165, you can get a 50-minute spa treatment (anything from a botanical hydrating wrap to an aromatherapy tranquility scrub) and then spend the day using the many facilities. Packages range from $210 to $590.

Romance and relaxation take center stage Alvadora, the Spa at Royal Palms, 5200 E. Camelback Rd. (tel. 602/840-3610; www.royalpalmshotel.com), where the Mediterranean finds its way into everything from the Mimosa & Fig Pedicure to the Vino Therapy Facial. Treatments range from $125 to $390. Unlike many other spas, no facial equipment is used here, so the only thing that stands between you and a clear complexion is a soothingly hot towel.

The historic setting and convenient location of the Arizona Biltmore Spa, 2400 E. Missouri Ave. (tel. 602/381-7632; www.arizonabiltmore.com), make this facility an excellent choice if you're spending time along the Camelback Corridor. The spa menu includes dozens of different treatments, including massages with lavender and a saguaro-flower salt glow (body scrub). If you have just one 50-minute treatment (priced between $130 and $165), you can use all of the spa's facilities for the rest of the day. Packages cost $375 to $775.

Carefree, a planned community established in the 1950s and popular with retirees, is much more subdued than its neighbor Cave Creek, which effects a sort of Wild West character. Ho Hum Road and Easy Street are just two local street names that reflect the sedate nature of Carefree, which is home to The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa. This resort boasts a spectacular setting, a 33,000-square-foot spa, and a couple of excellent restaurants. On Easy Street, in what passes for Carefree's downtown, you'll find one of the world's largest sundials. The dial is 90 feet across, and the gnomon (the part that casts the shadow) is 35 feet tall. In the middle of the dial are a pool of water and a fountain. Also downtown is a sort of reproduction Spanish-village shopping area, and just south of town, adjacent to The Boulders, is the upscale el Pedregal shopping center, with interesting boutiques, galleries, and a few restaurants.