More for Your Money: Spa vacations? Relax, there are deals

Hectic schedules and stressful jobs make spa vacations a sought-after commodity for many travelers.

Hot stone massages, seaweed wraps and sugar scrubs are among the more popular choices for vacationers, but facials and foot rubs receive high marks as well.

But all the relaxation and rejuvenation don’t come inexpensively. At the Montage Beverly Hills, for instance, a Red Carpet Ready package called the Lifetime Achievement Award, consisting of a massage or facial, a manicure and pedicure and an updo/blow out lists for $375. A couples massage at the Four Seasons Las Vegas starts at $300 and tops out at $620.

Before you take the plunge, it pays to shop around. Package deals and online coupons may come immediately to mind as your money-saving options. For instance, Living Social Escapes (www.livingsocial.com) recently listed a night at the Ravella Hotel at Lake Las Vegas plus a 50-minute aromatherapy massage, for $179, which also included parking. A one-night stay Sundays-Thursdays at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa included a day pass to the spa (no treatments) plus breakfast for two and a bottle of wine for $259. Availability of such packages can be limited, and these specials may no longer be available, but if you’re traveling, it pays to take a look at such sites and plug in the city you’ll be visiting to see what’s available.

Here are some other strategies that could extend your spa savings even further.

Passes: It’s common for spa facilities to offer day passes to vacation or business travelers who want to experience a few perks during their downtime. Rates for a day pass typically range from $25-$50, so if you’re not into treatments, you have an affordable option for the sauna or the steam room.

Amenities: If you prefer treatments and the facilities, however, many spa venues offer complimentary day access to their non-treatment amenities if you have received a spa treatment. At some hotel spas, you need not purchase the top-of-the-line treatment to get use of the facilities; something as inexpensive as a pedicure or manicure may do the trick. At the Emerald Mist Spa on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts, for instance, guests can access all of the additional amenities for free before and after their treatments. Perks include hot and cold plunge pools, dry sauna, spa water and snack selections. Similarly at Miami Beach’s Lapis spa, located at the Fontainebleau, wellness clients are granted full-day access to the spa’s unusual communal areas — including the rain tunnel and mineral immersion pool — when booking any treatment at any price.

Enhancements: At the NSpa in Delray Beach, Fla., $80 treatments such as reflexology experiences and hydrating facial masks are reduced to $45 when booked as a massage enhancement. With a savings of nearly 50%, this is likely your best budget bet, provided you were planning on getting a massage. At the Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles, if you’re having a classic manicure for $40, you can add a paraffin treatment for $15. Ditto for a pedicure ($60) and paraffin ($20).

Booking: How you book your spa getaway often makes a difference in your overall price point. For example, the Keystone Resort in Colorado provides a 10% discount on 50-minute custom massages when both the treatment and accommodations are booked through the hotel’s website, https://www.keystoneresort.com.

Googling: Try Googling “spa credits” and hotel. On a recent Friday, that took me to Priceline, where the Marriott Newport Beach Hotel & Spa was offering a 50-minute spa treatment as part of the price.

Times staff writer Catharine Hamm contributed to this report.

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