If traveling, skiing, or other activities have left you weary, a great place to treat your body and mind is Ten Thousand Waves, a Japanese-style health spa about 3 miles northeast of Santa Fe on Hyde Park Road (tel. 505/982-9304; www.tenthousandwaves.com). This serene retreat, nestled in a grove of piñon, offers hot tubs, saunas, and cold plunges, plus a variety of massage and other bodywork techniques. Bathing suits are optional in both the 10-foot communal hot tub (during the day) and the women's communal tub, where you can stay as long as you want for $14. Nine private hot tubs cost $20 to $27 an hour, with discounts for seniors and children. You can also arrange therapeutic massage, hot-oil massage, in-water watsu massage, herbal wraps, salt glows, facials, dry brush aromatherapy treatments, Ayurvedic treatments, and the much-praised Japanese Hot Stone Massage. If you call far enough in advance, you may be able to find lodging at Ten Thousand Waves as well. The spa is open Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Tuesday from 4:30 to 10 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. (winter hours are shorter, so be sure to call). Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends.
Decorated in Southwestern-cum-Asian style, with clean lines and lots of elegant stone, Santa Fe's chicest option is Avanu at the La Posada de Santa Fe Resort and Spa (tel. 505/986-0000). A full-service spa offering a range of treatments from massage to salt glows, this spot may initially seem expensive (about $95 for 50 min.), but treatments come with full use of the steam room, hot tub, and grass-surrounded pool.
Another option is Vista Clara Ranch Spa Resort, though you'll have to wait until 2006, when it reopens after a major remodel. Located 25 minutes south of Santa Fe, just outside Galisteo (tel. 888/663-9772 or 505/466-4772; www.vistaclara.com), this resort/spa has a stunning setting and some fine amenities and programs, including a cooking school in the summer.
Another south-of-town option, Sunrise Springs Inn and Retreat, 242 Los Pinos Rd. (tel. 505/471-3600), offers spa stays in a lovely pond-side setting. Some accommodations here retain a group-meeting feel -- the inn's bread and butter; to avoid these request their newest additions, which are lovely. Even if you don't stay here, plan a meal at the inn's Blue Heron Restaurant, where you'll feast on delectable new American cuisine with a healthy flair.
For a complete listing of what to see and do in Santa Fe, visit the at Frommers.com.
Frommer’s is America’s bestselling travel guide series. Visit Frommers.com to find great deals, get information on over 3,500 destinations, and book your trip. © 2006 Wiley Publishing, Inc. Republication or redistribution of Frommer's content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Wiley.