SPAAAHS : Those Who Want to Work Out or Hang Out, to Diet or Indulge, Can Find Their Southland Haven

Though many visitors go to them to shed pounds and inches, health spas offer another allure: They give guests the chance to take a break from their daily pressures and rejuvenate their minds as well as their bodies.

After all, to clear the mind and put things back in perspective, there’s nothing like enjoying a few days when the weightiest decision is whether to take the 2 p.m. pool aerobics or a muscle-toning class, spa guests say.

Southern California health spas and combination resort-spas offer programs to fit just about every bank account and life style. Prices range from $65 for a day visit at two locations to $3,500 for the minimum one-week stay at another.

Some offer separate programs for women, men and couples. Ebersole Gaines of Washington was pleased he opted for the co-ed week at Cal-a-Vie in Vista, Calif., noting he “worked a little harder with the women there” and enjoyed their company at meals.

“It was a lot more interesting than talking sports with just men,” he said.

For first-time visitor Leslie Mosher of Ft. Wayne, Ind., the same week provided a chance to spend time with her husband, as well as to exercise and to try the spa’s therapy treatments.

Most spas are limited to adults but some resort-spas make excellent family destinations. They offer the option of trying an occasional exercise class, massage or beauty treatment, or for one family member to participate in a health spa program while the others enjoy tennis, golf, hiking or swimming.

Dennis Hager of Concord, N.H., and his family chose Murrieta Hot Springs to escape from the winter in the Northeast and rendezvous with a daughter who attends Stanford University.

“I soaked around in those tubs, enjoyed the massages and saunas--by the end of the week I felt like I was ready to go back to work,” Hager said.

Diet and exercise programs at spas vary, as do accommodations and minimum stays.

Jim Cimino of Sun Valley, Ida., described the daily routine at Cal-a-Vie, saying, “I feel like I’m back in Army basic training--but with class.” He’s a regular visitor and tries to “get away from it all and enjoy a complete sense of well-being.” Barbara Bronson, who owns a home at La Costa and has enjoyed its spa program for many years, favorably viewed the smaller, serene environment and personal attention she experienced at Cal-a-Vie.

Barbara Himmelman of Seattle went to a health spa for the first time for exercise and to concentrate on nutrition.

“About the fourth day I caught my wind, and from there on it was smooth sailing,” she said.

Some facilities have medical personnel to determine guests’ fitness. But it’s a good idea, especially for those who do not exercise regularly, to check with a physician so any limitations can be discussed with spa personnel.

Many of the facilities have strict cancellation policies, so be certain to understand the obligations. All of the spots listed have brochures outlining their programs, accommodations, policies and fees.

The Ashram Healthort, P.O. Box 8009, Calabasas, Calif. 91302, (818) 888-0232. Located 30 minutes west of Los Angeles, the Ashram is in a secluded valley. One large building has accommodations for 10 guests, a gymnasium and exercise areas; a geodesic dome for yoga and meditation is on a nearby hilltop.

The minimum stay is six days, Sunday to Saturday. The $1,700 fee includes lodging, meals, classes, daily massage and most attire. Arrival consultation with the resident doctor establishes physical condition and an individual program.

The Ashram daily schedule begins with a 6:30 a.m. meditation, followed by breakfast, a 2- to 2 1/2-hour hike, gym workout, water exercise, lunch, rest period, massage, jogging, music exercise, an evening walk, yoga or mediation, and dinner. It closes with an evening program, ending at 10 p.m. Diet consists mostly of raw foods and various fasts.

Swedish owner-director Anne-Marie Bennstrom’s goal is to provide a no-frills program conducive to physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Catharina Hedberg, associate director, runs the Ashram with a firm but loving hand.

Cal-a-Vie, 2249 Somerset Road, Vista, Calif. 92084, (619) 945-2055. Rustic elegance describes the atmosphere of this 125-acre spread in a secluded valley 40 miles north of San Diego. The program combines an American approach to fitness with a European emphasis on spa treatments.

There’s a minimum one-week stay, Sunday to Sunday. Women’s, men’s, couples’ and mixed sessions are offered. The $3,000 fee includes accommodations, meals, most attire, an individual fitness assessment and program, and a body and skin care program. Tennis lessons and greens fees cost extra.

A maximum of 24 guests are housed in individual cottages. Exercise begins each morning with a brisk walk. Fitness scheduling offers aerobic conditioning, body contouring classes, water sports and personalized workouts in the gym. Tennis courts and a golf course are available. The body and skin care program features European techniques--thalassotherapy, hydrotherapy and aromatherapy. Soothing massage, natural plant and sea extracts and restorative oils are an integral component of each treatment.

Cal-a-Vie’s cuisine fraiche highlights herbs and vegetables from the spa’s garden. Three different caloric menus and a cleansing diet of fresh fruit and vegetables are offered.

Desert Hot Springs Hotel & Spa, 10805 Palm Drive, Desert Hot Springs, Calif. 92240, (619) 329-6495. The 50-room hotel, 12 miles north of Palm Springs, surrounds seven hot mineral pools; 140-degree water pours in at 120 gallons a minute and is tempered to varying comfort levels.

Off-season rates, June 14 to July 4, range from $61 to $105 a day. Summer rates, July 5 to Sept. 12, are $46 to $83. There are minimum stays for some weekends and holidays. Guests get golf privileges at nearby Mission Lakes Club. Massages and facials available for an added charge.

The goal of Desert Hot Springs Hotel & Spa is to offer carefree relaxation. The health resort is slightly remote but close enough to Palm Springs for dining and shopping.

Swedish methods, acupressure and shiatsu are offered by licensed masseurs and masseuses, as are European facials. The hotel dining room offers entrees for seafarers and beefeaters alike, but the menu is not necessarily low calorie. Breakfast is served in the coffee shop.

Golden Door, P.O. Box 1567, Escondido, Calif. 92025, (619) 744-5777. The gardens and building complex of the Golden Door reflect the architecture and attitudes of Japan’s ancient honjin inns, whose purpose was to revive travelers through therapeutic baths, personal service and refreshing food--many of the same restorative means used at this spa.

Fee for a minimum week session, which begins on Sunday, is $3,500. Women’s, men’s and couples’ weeks offered. The charge includes accommodations, meals, most attire, classes, herbal wraps, massages and beauty sessions. There’s an added fee for tennis lessons and private consultations with the Inner Door program director.

A maximum of 39 guests stay on the 177 acres. Before they arrive, guests are sent a cassette of simple daily stretches. During their stay, a tape of customized instructions is made for them to use after they leave.

The program features active classes and periods of relaxation. The day begins with a 6:30 a.m. walk, followed by breakfast in bed, t’ai chi ch’uan or pre-exercise warm-ups, Da Vinci exercises (brisk aerobics that work on attitude and movement), a beauty hour, weight training, herbal wrap and nail care. After lunch there are aqua aerobics, a special class that changes daily, yoga or t’ai chi ch’uan, a massage, dinner and an evening program. The day concludes with a Japanese hot tub and mini-massage.

First-time guests are offered an introduction to the Inner Door--a program exploring creative problem solving, memory, stress-free accelerated learning, behavior change, communication, journal techniques, imagination, mediation, art, music and philosophy. The 1,000-calorie diet includes no red meat. Vegetables, herbs and fruit grown on the grounds provide 80% of the spa’s table fare.

La Costa, 2100 Costa del Mar Road, Carlsbad, Calif. 92009, (619) 438-9111 or (800) 854-6564. Both a resort and health spa, La Costa is on 1,000 acres, 30 minutes north of San Diego. The grounds include two championship golf courses and 23 tennis courts. The 482 rooms, suites and guest homes are designed in Spanish-Mediterranean architecture.

The separate men’s and women’s spas offer various programs from an introductory 24-hour session to two-night, four-night and seven-night options. Costs range from $300 to $3,010. Fees for the seven-night life-fitness program range from $2,380 to $3,220.

Program offerings vary but guests can have body massages, Shiatsu, loofah salt glow, herbal wrap, spot toning, body composition analysis, facials, fitness evaluation, exercise classes and nutrition counseling. Four- and seven-day programs include personal consultation with the medical director, spa counselor and dietitian. The life-fitness program includes diagnostic testing for strength, cardiovascular health, respiratory fitness and body composition analysis.

Menus in the Spa Dining Room are designed for guests on daily diets of 600, 800 and 1,000 calories. Those unconcerned about calories can choose from six other restaurants and three lounges in the complex. After dark, guests enjoy first-run movies or a cabaret with live entertainment and an orchestra for dancing.

Murrieta Hot Springs Resort & Health Spa, 39405 Murrieta Hot Springs Road, Murrieta, Calif. 92362, (714) 677-7451 or (800) 458-4393. The hot mineral springs at this resort have been valued for their therapeutic properties for centuries. Today the three natural pools are part of a 47-acre complex nestled in the rolling hills between Lake Elsinore and Temecula. Many of the original buildings on the site date to the early 1900s.

The Nature Care Spa at Murrieta Hot Springs offers a week program for $745 to $945. It includes lodging, meals, classes, Energy Balancing massage, mineral baths with energizing body wrap, exercise program, mud bath and use of hot springs pools and sauna. Other programs are available, including a midweek two-night spa experience ($127.44 per person, double occupancy) and a four-week fit ‘n’ trim basic program costing $2,905 to $3,575.

Fourteen tennis courts, walking or jogging trails, an adjacent golf course, aerobics, personal awareness, stress mangement, European facials, skin glow rubs, Swedish massages of lymph node areas, natural foot care and private awareness sessions are available, some at additional fees. Murrieta Hot Springs features a totally alcohol- and smoke-free atmosphere. They serve vegetarian spa cuisine in the dining room but also have an adjacent family pub with various snacks, lighter meals and desserts.

The Oaks at Ojai, 122 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai, Calif. 93023, (805) 646-5573. The lodge, bungalows, outdoor pool and whirlpool cover a city block on the edge of downtown Ojai. Shops, art galleries and a movie theater are within walking distance.

Programs range from a $65 spa day to lodge accommodations from $99 to $155 and cottages from $112 to $125. Overnight rates include lodging, meals, classes and use of the swimming pool, saunas and whirlpools. Massages, cellulite wraps, facials and makeup consultations are available at added cost. All programs are co-ed.

Guests furnish their own attire for the 12 optional fitness classes per day, ranging from light exercise to challenging workouts. They include morning walks, water exercises, body dynamics, body contouring, weight training and yoga. Golf, tennis and horseback riding are available, some at added fees. Various programs are offered after dinner.

The 1,000-calorie diet features natural foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, homemade salad dressings and soups--all made without additional salt, white sugar or white flour. A mid-morning broth break and afternoon vegetable snack supplement the three daily meals.

The Palms at Palm Springs, 572 N. Indian Ave., Palm Springs, Calif. 92262, (619) 325-1111. Sister health and fitness spa to The Oaks at Ojai, the accommodations at the hacienda-style Palms range from pool-side rooms to bungalows with private patios.

A spa day is offered here at $65. Overnight accommodations range from $99 to $145 and include lodging, 16 optional fitness classes, meals and use of the swimming pool, saunas, spa fitness center and evening programs. Tennis, golf, bicycle riding, horseback riding, massages, facials, fitness consultations and body composition analysis are available, most for an added fee.

All classes are co-ed. Guests wear their own attire for fitness classes and activities designed to increase flexibility, decrease body fat, condition the heart and lungs and develop strength and muscle tone. At least one stretching, one aerobics and one strength-training class or activity are recommended daily.

The diet features fresh fruit and vegetables, homemade soups and salad dressings, low-cholesterol entrees. No refined flour, sugar or salt is added.

Rancho La Puerta, 3085 Reynard Way, San Diego, Calif. 92103, (619) 294-8504 or (800) 422-7565. The spa is actually in Tecate, Baja California, just below the Mexican border. In the past five years, all the public facilities have been replaced by new, classic Mexican colonial buildings, accented with native arts and crafts.

Accommodations range from studio rancheras to villa suites, which for week programs cost $1,000 to $1,650. Stays of less than a week are subject to space availability. Rates include lodging, meals, use of tennis courts, aerobic gyms, weight-training gym, pools, whirlpools, saunas, hiking trails, a choice of 30 exercise classes and the evening programs. Massages, herbal wraps, facials and beauty services are available at added cost.

Co-ed classes are divided between cardiovascular workouts, strengthening-toning, stretch and flexibility, coordination and balance and relaxation. Six classes are designed for men. Guests, who wear their own attire for all activities, are asked to choose at least one class from each category daily.

The ranch serves a modified vegetarian diet of natural, whole foods, mainly grown in its three-acre organic garden. It includes greens, legumes, whole grains and other fiber, with little fat or salt and no white flour or refined white sugar.

Spa Hotel and Mineral Springs, 100 N. Indian Ave., Palm Springs, Calif. 92262, (619) 325-1461 or (800) 472-4371. Hot mineral springs flow beneath this resort-spa in central Palm Springs. Some of the 230 guest rooms and suites include full kitchenettes, large rooms and wet bars.

Guest room tariffs until Sept. 30 range from $55 to $95. Rates include a daily basic spa experience-- agua caliente mineral bath, eucalyptus inhalation, infrared heat room, Russian steam bath, cooling room, gym and solarium. Additional services such as massages, facials, loofah and salt glow rub are available for extra fees.

A co-ed gym and three tennis courts are available to guests. Arrangements can be made at nearby country clubs for golfers. Meals are available at the hotel restaurant, but the menu is not necessarily low calorie.

Two Bunch Palms, 67-425 Two Bunch Palms Trail, Desert Hot Springs, Calif. 92240, (619) 329-8791. Privacy is of utmost importance at this 15-acre property about 12 miles from Palm Springs. The only access to the 41 rooms and cottages is a guarded gate that admits only guests, who must be at least 18 years old.

The $95- to $295-a-day room rates include a continental breakfast and use of the grounds, sauna and mineral-water showers. Added fees are charged for other meals, massages and body care treatments.

Hot pools and streams and walking-jogging paths run throughout the property. An exercise pool, lighted tennis courts and nude sunbathing bins are available. The shaded hot pool flows from an artesian well and reaches a temperature of 148 degrees. This water is cooled to 95 degrees in the large soaking pool and 105 degrees in the smaller pool.

Swedish, Shiatsu, Trager, deep tissue, Jin Shin Do, aromatherapy and esoteric massages range in price from $30 to $72. Salt glow and herbal steam, Roman Celtic brush and scalp massage body care treatments cost $28 to $60.

Meals are served in the Two Bunch Palms Casino. A complete selection of cocktails and beverages is offered.