Remember the days when the only reason you needed to go to a spa was that you felt like it? Yeah, so do I, but it looks like they're behind us for a while. A tight economy makes even luxury decisions tough to execute, resulting in a similar tightness in necks and backs. When you need that deep-tissue rub most, it seems, it's hardest to reach. So, I'm pretty excited to see spas make it easier to pry open your wallet for a bit of bliss.

Spa AQUA is making it pretty easy for you to enjoy Cancun. The latest deal cuts 50 percent from the nightly room rate and lops dining and spa service by 25 percent. If you're looking for excuses to dust off your passport, this is about as good as it gets. Need to be seduced? Consider the adobe clay sauna and mandarin and rose aromatherapy pool. Yep, that's where I was hooked, too.

This destination bills itself as a "modern lifestyle resort," with a "sensory stay" philosophy. Call it what you want, but I'm drawn to anything that clears the tension from my mind, back and shoulders. Integrating Asian techniques into its spa therapies, you can enjoy rice wraps and a variety of massage treatments, including Shiatsu, Samuprai and (my favorite) Shinodarah. Western touches include milk wraps and diamond facials. Manicures, pedicures, fitness centers and the other spa stables are also offered.

The resort, of course, is just the beginning. Once you're in Cancun, walk along the beach, grab a filling meal and sip more than your share of tequila. Forget about home for a few days: you've earned it.

The Hollywood and Highland Center in Los Angeles doesn't exactly inspire thoughts of blissed-out spa moments but ascend from the parking lot and up to Level 5 of the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel and the world falls away a bit. Spa Luce is a beautiful and tranquil place to grab a little peace in the middle of a bustling area. The decor is modern and spare and the treatments are designed to be holistic and recharge body and mind.

Spa Luce features skincare and body care products and treatments by Red Flower, Sonya Dakar and Somme Institute as well as a signature scent created for Spa Luce by Dr. Sharon, an aromatherapist, acupuncturist, chiropractor and masseuse. One of the most extensive experiences offered by the spa is the hammam ritual. The multi-step massage ritual includes a cleansing with Moroccan mint tea and silt, a vigorous scrub with coffee, olive stones and fresh lemons, and a wrap in rhassoul clay. Finally after all that preparation you surrender to a Turkish massage with essences of cardamom, jasmine, bergamot, amber and clove. The 80-minute experience costs $180.

You can extend your Spa Luce experience by taking ample time to enjoy the facilities. Treatments include access to the eucalyptus-infused steam rooms and rooftop pool. Spa lunches can also be ordered up and eaten in the relaxation area or next to the pool. And you can also buy products to take home. Dr. Sharon's Am I Dreaming aromatherapy kit, shown above, includes an aromatherapy oil, an aromatherapy candle, the Aromatin fragrance dispenser, and an instruction booklet. It sells for $48.

If you happen to be heading to San Juan, Puerto Rico, the hotel options are dizzying. There's an endless stream of accommodations in every price range, but if you're looking for effortless, relaxing luxury, complete with a pristine beach and a prime location, I highly recommend the Ritz-Carlton San Juan Hotel, Spa, & Casino (above).

The Ritz-Carlton is located right on Isla Verde beach (pale, fine sand and completely cleaned out for swimming), two miles from the airport and six miles from Old San Juan. I actually had the pleasure of staying at this resort in its inaugural year (my parents say it was under construction but all I remember is the hot tub and the big door to the beach, which look the same -- the tub and the door, that is; the beach was rocky back then), as well as earlier this month.

There's an extra luxurious way to stay which may actually end up saving you money: Stay on the Club Level. Not only do you get access to the exclusive 9th floor -- accessible only by key -- and a gorgeous, two-bathroom suite, but there's a Club Lounge up there where you can have expedited check-in and check-out service, a super-attentive concierge and, best of all, free food and drinks all day long. Now, I don't recommend trying to make a luxury meal of the (lovely) buffet, but when you want a light lunch or a quick snack? The Club Lounge offers elegant, tasteful dishes -- including local desserts -- as well as wine, champagne, and pretty much anything you want if you just ask (this includes the endless morning coffee working people like me require). Considering what snacking (and drinking) can cost you at a many-star hotel, paying extra for the Club Level may actually work to your advantage -- and at the very least it eliminates the calculator from the frugal mind which is constantly adding up the daily costs of your vacation.

The hotel offers a full-service, well-regarded Spa and Casino, as well as some top notch restaurants, including a BLT Steak and Il Mulino. There is also a Tiffany & Co. and a Little Switzerland, for the shopping-inclined, and like I said, Old San Juan, with all its fabulous food and drink options, is just a six mile cab ride away. The real amenity of this hotel, though? Ritz-Carlton service. When you head down to the beach and drag the chairs all over the place, an RC employee will probably approach you -- and ask if he can drill a hole in the sand for you and plant an umbrella. Seriously.

For more beautiful photos of a beautiful property, click below.

The Peter Island Resort & Spa, the largest private island resort in the British Virgin Islands has unveiled newly refurbished guest rooms and enhanced spa experiences. The resort's 32 ocean view rooms and 20 beachfront junior suites have just been redesigned. To celebrate the resort has created the "New Us, New You" package which is available now through October 31, 2009. The package includes a five-night stay (for the rate of four nights), an Ayurvedic Abhyanga 75-minute two hands massage per person in the Couple's Suite at The Spa and a private yoga class for two.

The Spa at Peter Island has introduced Ayurvedic "Science of Life" wellness programs which are overseen by Dr. Sabari Sabereesan and Dr. Raja Mannar, two doctors from India who are experts in the field of yogic science and naturopathic medicine. Ingrid Millet Paris, the caviar-based, luxury skincare offers 13 facials featuring specific masks based on collagen, caviar, vitamin C and botanical extracts. The Pristine Diamond Microdermabrasion Peel is coupled with three facials to offer first-time fantastic results. The 10,000-square-foot spa offers treatments and products harvested from Peter Island and neighboring islands with fresh flowers and aromatherapy candles for an added sense of tranquility and calm.

Based on double-occupancy, "New Us, New You" rates in an Ocean View Room start at $2,780 ($556 per night), and rates in a Beachfront Junior Suite start at $4,020 ($804 per night). Rates include a full American meal plan (daily breakfast, lunch and dinner) and resort activities, including windsurfing, snorkeling, kayaking, mountain biking and more.

"I'm sorry if you'll be sore tomorrow," the massage therapist informed me unprompted, "but you needed it."

Set foot in the Spa at Esperanza in Los Cabos, Mexico, and you will encounter professionals who know their jobs cold. Surrender yourself to their capable hands, and you will not be disappointed. From the front desk, where your order for a post-treatment beverage is taken, to the gender-specific and general relaxation areas to the treatment rooms, you will be treated to the sights and sounds of trickling water, stone-based décor (commonplace in this part of Mexico) and a staff that is singularly focused on relieving you of the emotional baggage that you carried onto the plane en route to Baja California Sur.

The Spa at Esperanza, part of the Esperanza Resort, offers a wide selection of treatments, including facials, massages, manicure and pedicure packages, private yoga sessions and couples options. In addition to the basic presentations of these themes – such as the Esperanza Massage, the deep-tissue treatment I enjoyed through which I persevered – twists are available to suit your mood or help you connect more closely with the part of the world you're visiting. The Corona Beer Face Lift, Papaya Plus Enzyme Peel and Avocado Butter Mani/Pedi, for example, feature local color that you're unlikely to encounter back home. Spice up your revitalization a bit with the Esperanza's local expertise.

The new Spa of the Rockies, located next to the world's largest mineral hot springs pool at Glenwood Springs, Colorado was designed to appeal to both women and men. The spa offers flat screen televisions, fireplaces, and special massage treatments cater to men. Treatments include deep tissue massages as well as reflexology and sport manicures and pedicures. Two flat screen TVs are mounted above fireplaces in the two tub rooms named Symmetry and Repose. Before a massage, Spa of the Rockies' male guests can unwind with a mineral soak in rooms which are decked out in man-friendly colors and offer complimentary razors, aftershave and mouthwash. Spa packages combining multiple treatments and a stay at the Glenwood Springs Lodge are available. The pool itself can be a bit crowded and packed with families but it's still a pretty impressive sight. Since it is a hot springs pool it is over 90 degrees so this isn't the place for a refreshing dip on a hot day. All the more reason to spend the day in the spa and enjoy the pool after nightfall.

For those in New York City you can spend a day at the spa with your mom at Phyto Universe, a Manhattan spa that focuses on your crowning glory. The Mother's Day Royal Treatment package includes a conditioning hair treatment, super-charged anti-aging facial, complimentary champagne, and cocktails around the block at Four Seasons Hotel New York. The Botanical Bliss hair treatment is designed for dry hair and uses jojoba oil plus sage and rosemary essential oils. The calming decor of Phyto Universe includes a two-sided vertical garden and each treatment is lavished with plant extracts and botanicals. The total package price for this Mother's Day special including the cocktail at the Four Seasons is $260.

This small splurge is a one-week-only option. The Borgata in Atlantic City is offering a spa week featuring special deals at their Spa Toccare and the Immersion Spa at the Water Club. The Toccare Package includes a Borgata classic room and your choice of a bamboo lemongrass scrub, almond body buff, or the Grand Master B conditioning wrap for $210 + tax. For a bit more of a splurge you can opt for the Immersion package which includes a room in Borgata's Water Club plus a choice of an aromatherapy massage, personalized facial, or a Shirodara Ayurvedic treatment for $250. The Spa Toccare and Immersion Spa Week runs from May 17th to 22nd.

The Four Seasons on Maui at Wailea is consistently rated as one of the top hotels on earth, and so as you'd expect, this newly renovated property, owned by Michael Dell, isn't meant to be a bargain: its 1,400 square foot stunning ocean-view suites run $2,495 a night. (The sunrise as seen from one those rooms pictured here.)

But the hotel has always been notable for the extras it provides, whether you're in a standard room or a suite. There are no nickle n' dime charges for poolside cabanas, for instance, nor for the sunglasses-cleaning service provided by attentive poolside staff. Also included: yoga, snorkeling, intro to scuba diving classes, and even an outrigger canoe excursion, in which you learn how to row in a traditional canoe, while learning canoeing commands in Hawaiian. What's more, the hotel has no plans to roll back (or start to charge for) these extras given the tough economy.

Still, the Four Seasons Maui is a bit more of a bargain now, as the hotel has just announced a new $395/night entry level rate, for its mountainside rooms, as well as a book four nights, get the fifth night free special. Personally, I'd use the savings to book a spa treatment at the property's hale hau, a traditional Hawaiian thatched roof hut. It's perfectly private, but situated right on the ocean, so you can hear the waves crashing while you're getting massaged, wrapped or facial-ed. A 110-minute massage costs $340 at the hale hau, couples get massaged together for $660.

A recent survey indicated that Mother's Day spending will be down by 14.7 percent this year. Purchases of electronics, jewelry, books and other items are all expected to fall. And fewer mothers will be taken out for a good meal. It is predicted that spending on dinner and brunch outings will fall 9.6 percent.

For those still planning to take mom out for a meal or even for a weekend there are some great hotel and restaurant packages out there. The Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica, California offers a great package for a family that includes accommodations, a Mother's Day brunch and a treasure hunt adventure. Rates start at $449. Check out more great options in the gallery below.

The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort – and its sister property, the Beach Resort – are making it easy to hide from the world for a few days this summer. And, I can tell you from experience, the twin Ritz properties are great places to hide. With the Spa Escape Package, you can be treated as you deserve (or, in my case, better), for a mere $259 a night ($299 at the Beach Resort).

The spa at the Ritz-Carlton Beach Resort services both Naples, FL properties. As part o this program, a stay at either hotel will get you a $200 spa credit, which includes both services and retail. You'll also pick up a $50 gift card for the properties' on-site stores.

The Ritz-Carlton Spa integrates organic and eco-friendly options to mitigate environmental impact without degrading the quality of the treatments provided. The Eco-Luxe Facial and Eco-Luxe Cocoon are conducted in the Eco-Room, which features soft materials made from organic cotton and bamboo and washed in a separate machine with fragrance-free and sulfate-free cleansers. The floor and chair are made from bamboo, and the massage table was crafted entirely from sustainable materials.

With domestic flights cheaper than ever (except when I'm flying, it seems), getting to Naples won't be painful, and JetBlue has countless flights into the area. And, the perks that come with the Spa Escape Package basically make the room free. I hit this spa last summer and might just make it an annual experience.

It's a really good time to escape to the Virgin Islands. As I am writing this, it is 11:30 am on the island of St. Thomas, and the weather is a perfect 80ºF/26ºC. The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, above, is offering a Caribean Splendor package to help you take advantage of the Virgin Islands.

Why St. Thomas? You don't need a passport, and there are direct flights from New York, Charlotte, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. There's scuba diving, divine restaurants with unadulterated views of uninhabited islands, a vibrant, relaxed island culture, and the beautiful hotel above. You can check out more of the attractions here.

The Caribbean Splendor package, which starts at $664 per night with a three night minimum (long luxury weekend, anyone?), includes:

• Overnight accommodations in an ocean view room
• Sunset Sail or half day snorkel sail for two aboard the Lady Lynsey (see gallery)
• Two 50-minute spa treatments
• Daily breakfast for two at Bleuwater
• Seven-course tasting dinner for two at Bleuwater
• Gratuity for all services listed on this package only

This is the kind of romantic getaway you've been dreaming about, and you can take it anytime between now and October 31, 2009. And for added romance, The Ritz-Carlton is also currently offering Complimentary Destination Weddings -- definitely a must-see. Check out more photos of the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas below.

The Gansevoort Hotel brand is opening its first island resort officially next month: Gansevoort Turks & Caicos. The hotel is located along the western section of Grace Bay Beach on Providenciales. Gansevoort Turks & Caicos is a 91-room property built around the 7,000 square foot infinity-edge swimming pool which has "lounging islands" for daytime sunbathing or romantic nighttime candlelit canoodling.

The resort has a fitness center, Bagatelle restaurant and beach lounge and the Exhale spa. Packages start at $295 per night but for big spenders you can opt for the high roller package which includes a three-bedroom penthouse stay, daily continental breakfast, catamaran excursion, day of golf, two 60 min massages at Exhale Spa, a bottle of Dom Perignon and chocolate covered strawberries upon arrival and two monogrammed Gansevoort TC bathrobes starting at $2,500 per night.

Switzerland's legendary Fairmont Le Montreux Palace (above), originally built in 1906, will unveil a multimillion-dollar renovation by noted interior designer Fiona Thompson next month, including a new suite fashioned in honor of flamboyant Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. The luxurious Beaux-Arts hotel, which overlooks the French Alps and is located on the shores of Lake Geneva, is introducing a contemporary new redesign of its guest rooms, Brasserie and public spaces, including the Freddie Mercury Suite. Mercury was a Montreux resident and frequent guest of the hotel, as were such luminaries as Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Lord Byron, Leo Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, and Vladimir Nabokov.

The 235-room luxury resort offers 190 elegantly-appointed rooms and 45 suites and junior suites, 12 conference and meeting rooms, and the 21,000 square foot Willow Stream Spa in addition to the resort's renovated Brasserie, a new lobby lounge and bar, and the famous Harry's New York bar. Elegant and timeless, the guest rooms at Fairmont Le Montreux Palace contrast traditional and contemporary new design elements with breathtaking views of Lake Geneva. Color palettes are light and airy set against a series of colorful photographic prints throughout the rooms, representing the reflective qualities of water.