The Best Spa Vacations

If your idea of a spa is signing up for a week of vigorous hikes and all the raw veggies you can eat, take a look at the 11 new and notable ones we feature here. You can spend a few ultra-luxurious weekdays at a New England inn or head to the coast of Mexico, sail the waters of the Caribbean or go dogsledding in Montana, be massaged with avocado in California or have a lemongrass facial in Pennsylvania. The food may be healthy, but how about chili-rubbed duck or grits souffle? Times have changed, and so have spas.

Northeastern Spas

Emerson Resort & Spa

Mount Tremper, New York

Best for: Couples.

The news: A complete overhaul of the already well-reviewed Emerson Inn.

The scene: Twenty wooded acres overlooking Esopus Creek, in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains.

The spa: Inspired by the Silk Road (slate, dark woods, bamboo), it has 10 treatment rooms and a fitness center with yoga, Pilates, and tai chi classes.

Treatments: A catalog of ayurvedic offerings, from abhyanga (a four-handed massage) and shirodhara (a stream of oil poured onto your third eye -- more pleasant than it sounds) to dosha balancing and facials.

Lodging: For ultimate luxury, book a room at the Asian-inspired inn, decorated in vibrant jewel tones. Twenty-six suites include private decks and fireplaces; five are duplex lofts.

Cuisine: Chef Ross Fraser prepares American dishes (New York strip steak), Asian fusion (Thai-style pork), and spa cuisine (seared house-smoked, dry-rubbed ahi tuna) at the Phoenix restaurant.

Activities: In winter, you can ski Belleayre Mountain; in summer, tube Esopus Creek. Hippie time-warp Woodstock is nearby, as is the elegant, artsy town of Rhinebeck. Also go ballooning, horseback riding, skydiving, and kayaking.

Try: An 80-minute rejuvenating couples' massage in a private VIP room or an outdoor cabana ($280).

Tab: Rooms at the inn start at $450; at the lodge, $199. Rates include breakfast buffet and access to spa facilities; 877-688-2828.

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