When a Woman Needs a Getaway: Squeezing More Spa Into Less Time

About five years ago I came to the realization that my life was largely my work. Fortunately, I liked my work and the constant going from one project to another. But on some deeper level, I think I was wearing out. So I took a baby step toward making a change: After every big project, I had a pedicure--which seemed a giant, self-indulgent step at the time. And I benefited because during that hour of having my toes painted and my feet rubbed, I started to suspect that there was a me apart from my work who might be worth getting to know.

Now I have a new problem. A pedicure or even a stint at a day spa isn’t enough. I want more. After every five or six big projects, I’d like to spend time away, being rubbed, painted and exercised.

Happily, there are plenty of options nearby because Southern California is spa country. They include such fabled, expensive places as Cal-a-Vie and the Golden Door in the San Diego area, where, as Stanley Young, author of “Beautiful Spas and Hot Springs of California” (Chronicle Books, $18.95), puts it: “You drop a towel and it’s gone by the time you turn around.” But at spas like these you’ve got to stay for a full week, which is more than I can afford.

So I went looking for nearby health and fitness resorts where you can check in for just a few days. Here are the ones I found:

* Four Seasons Biltmore, 1260 Channel Drive, Santa Barbara; telephone (800) 332-3442 or (805) 969-2261. Built in 1927, the Four Seasons Biltmore has 234 rooms situated between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. In addition to resort amenities, it now has extensive spa facilities, menus with health-conscious choices and a wide range of treatments. The two-night weekend spa package costs $835, including accommodations for two, one facial, one massage, tennis and use of two health clubs.

* Givenchy Hotel & Spa, 4200 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; tel. (800) 276-5000 or (760) 770-5000. The ambience is classically French, with formal gardens and white wedding cake architecture. Pampering possibilities include massages, hydrotherapy, scalp and body treatments and facials using Swisscare Pour Givenchy products. Personalized programs can be designed at the fitness center, with sauna, steam room, an aqua gym, workout equipment, a swimming pool and classes in yoga and tai chi. The two-night Grand Getaway package costs $625 for two Sunday to Thursday or $665 for two Friday to Sunday, and includes accommodations, continental breakfast and one massage per person.

* La Costa, Costa Del Mar Road, Carlsbad; tel. (800) 854-5000 or (760) 438-9111. Two world-class golf courses, 21 tennis courts and a renowned spa center that offers a full range of sybaritic treatments, fitness evaluations and classes on healthy living make La Costa one of the most popular all-around fitness resorts in the country. Set on 450 lushly landscaped acres, it is particularly good for couples, providing spa amenities and other entertainment options for those who just want to get away. The La Costa Spa Experience package costs $180 per person, double occupancy on weekdays, and $225 per person, double occupancy on weekends (with a two-night minimum stay), and includes accommodations, use of the extensive spa facilities and one hour of spa services per night.

* The Oaks at Ojai, 122 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai; tel. (800) 753-6257, and The Palms at Palm Springs, 572 N. Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs; tel. (800) 753-7256. Created by former figure skater Sheila Cluff, both of these spas offer intensive fitness programs, with 14 to 16 classes a day to choose from and 1,000-calorie-a-day meal plans. Better still, they are reasonably priced. All-inclusive rates at The Oaks and The Palms range from $135 to $215 per person Sunday to Thursday and $145 to $225 Friday and Saturday (though The Palms is offering a 25% discount through Aug. 31).

* Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, 905 Country Club Road, Ojai; tel. (800) 422-6524. This year the elegant Spanish Colonial-style inn in pretty little Ojai added a 31,000-square-foot spa with a fully equipped weight room, cardiovascular workout area, lap pool, 28 spa treatment rooms and a mind/body center. The Spa Ojai Discovery package, including room, classes and two treatments per person, costs $358 for one, $508 for two on weekdays; $388 to $476 for one, $538 to $626 for two on weekends.

* Desert Springs Marriott Resort & Spa, 74-855 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert; tel. (800) 331-3112 or (760) 341-2211. European and Ayurvedic treatments, six different types of facials, free-weight and cardio workouts, fitness classes, golf, tennis courts and swimming pools are all available at this 884-room resort at the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains near Palm Desert. The Spa Package, including room, lunch, spa access and a one-hour treatment, is available on weekdays only through Sept. 10, $219 single, $299 double, and on weekends from Sept. 11 to Dec. 24, $309 single, $409 double.

* Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel and Spa, 1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena; tel. (800) 784-3748 or (626) 568-3900. This landmark Pasadena hotel added a 12,000-square-foot spa in late 1997, offering a wide range of treatments. A “Design Your Day” spa package, through Sept. 7, includes accommodations for two, use of the facilities, and two treatments for $304.

* Spa Hotel & Casino, 100 N. Indian Canyon Road, Palm Springs; tel. (800) 854-1279 or (760) 325-1461. Health and wealth can be pursued in tandem at this 230-room resort and casino built on land owned by the Agua Caliente band of Cahuilla Indians. The two-night Desert Escape costs $462 through Sept. 30 and includes accommodations and 3 1/2 hours of spa services such as aromatherapy, facials and wraps.

* Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort, 1215 Avila Beach Drive, San Luis Obispo; tel. (800) 234-5831 or (805) 595-7302. Almost every room at this hot springs resort, founded in 1897, has its own mineral spa, and there are 18 more classic redwood-style hot tubs in the woods nearby. Some spa treatments are offered, and beachcombing, golf and horseback riding are available nearby. During the summer season, June 12 to Sept. 13, nightly rates are $129 to $159 for a standard room, $225 to $295 for a suite with a $12 breakfast credit, seven days a week. After Sept. 13, rates are $109 to $250 Sunday to Thursday and $129 to $300 on weekends and holidays.

* Two Bunch Palms Resort and Spa, 67-425 Two Bunch Palms Trail, Desert Hot Springs; tel. (800) 472-4334 or (760) 329-8791. This intimate spot in the Coachella Valley features casitas and villas, two lakes, a thermal spring and a host of esoteric treatments--from Roman Celtic brushes to Watsu massage in a pool of warm water. The summer package lasts through Aug. 23 and includes accommodations, meals, use of most spa facilities and a one-hour treatment for $326 to $430 per person, per night Sunday to Thursday, $426 to $531 per person, per night on weekends.

* We Care Holistic Health Center, 18000 Long Canyon Road, Desert Hot Springs; tel. (760) 251-2261. The revitalization program at We Care centers around purging built-up toxins from the body with fasting, massages, spa treatments, nutrition classes and yoga. The two-night “Mini Cleanse” includes accommodations, liquid diet and two colonic or massage treatments for $400 to $520.