There's a nip in the air, and before you know it, snow will be in the air, too. After the holidays, what else is there to look forward to but a long, dreary stretch of skin-drying, soul-sapping, freezing-cold weather?
Well, it ain't necessarily so. Start thinking now about renewal and refreshment. Give yourself something to look forward to this January, February, or March. Think about getting some pampering for your winter-weary mind and body at a spa.
Spas have sprung up all over. There are just about a zillion spas all over the world—Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Latin America, and, of course, North America. There are all-inclusive spas where you can stay for a week or a month. There are day spas for massages and manicures.
How do you begin to choose? Here is a look at various spa options. Some offer value for the limited budget. Some are places that GLBT folk can feel very comfortable. Some are just downright unusual.
California Spa-ing
Maybe you want to head for that good old gay-friendly standby, San Francisco. Why not take the opportunity to get out of the fog and drive across the Golden Gate to Napa's wine country for a day or so. In the wine country, we discovered not only great wine, but also the mud baths of Calistoga. There are no less than 11 spas and mud baths in this little town at the north end of the Napa Valley.
We chose to experience the Golden Haven Hot Spring Spa. After being issued a terry cloth robe and slippers we were ushered into the mud baths, where couples can enjoy the experience together in a private room. 'Try not to touch the bottom of the tub,' the attendant warned. We slid into vats of hot, grayish goo so thick that our bodies were suspended. No way we could touch the bottom. The stress just poured out of our skin. After literally being hosed off, we showered and went to a couple's massage room. We lay wrapped for an endless time in warm sheets listening to soothing music. Then, expert hands dug into whatever stress was left, and in the end we felt like soft, stress-free putty.
This was not a budget-buster by any means. We chose not to stay at the motel-like resort. But you can get a decent, simple room and spa experience there for less than $100 per night. You can also stay at a gay-owned or gay-friendly establishment in Calistoga. There are several, including the remote and peaceful Christopher's Inn, Chateau de Vie, and the Aurora Park Cottages.
Spa and Volcano Experience
Yes, you can have your spa and volcano, too. In fact, the Arenal Volcano is very much a part of the spa experience at Tabacon Springs Resort in Costa Rica.
This is a very active volcano that spews lava and hot boulders most of time. The resort, however, is a safe distance away.
Red-hot magma inside the volcano heats water that pours down the mountainside in a hot stream. At the Tabacon Resort, the river water gets harnessed for your pleasure.
We found luxury here in a lush rain forest setting. Hot river water is diverted into 12 tiled, thermal pools. Each pool is a different temperature. You can start at the coolest pool and work your way up to pretty hot, start at the hottest and work your way down, or just jump in the middle and go 'Ahhhh.'
You can enjoy a day at the spa, get a massage, have dinner, and go back to your resort. Or, you can stay at Tabacon's luxurious hotel in a very nice suite with a view of the volcano. Tabacon also can set you up with other Costa Rican activities, such as hiking in the forest, horseback riding, or white-water rafting.
Affordable Mexican Retreat
'This is a place where I as a single woman felt very comfortable,' said a friend after a recent week-long visit to Ixtapan Hotel and Spa in Ixtapan de la Sal, Mexico. 'It was mostly women, but there were also men there.'
You begin your retreat with a flight to Mexico City, where a spa representative picks you up and drives you to the resort. A seven-day package includes six massages, three facials, two hair cuts, two manicures and foot massages, three yoga sessions, three golf or tennis lessons, and all meals (low-calories, if you wish). This is a great value for about $1,200 for a single. If two people share, the price drops to $1,070 for the entire week. If you don't have a week to spend, four-day packages are available for less than $800.
The resort features a four-star hotel and lovely golf course. You can also enjoy pools, whirlpools, aromatherapy, facials, movies, and a piano bar at night.
Yoga Outside Denver
Often, our clients are looking for a total spa like experience in the U.S. for as little money as possible. One place we recommend is the Shoshoni Yoga Retreat in Colorado. So it's not the tropics, but it is still a peaceful getaway not far away.
You fly into Denver, and a vehicle from the spa picks you up, so you don't have the expense of a rental car. And single gay men seem to really enjoy it there.
The retreat has a variety of accommodations available, from private cabins to dorm-like rooms. Once there, you can refresh yourself with yoga, meditation, and health therapies all day long. Spa facilities include treatment rooms, showers, a sauna and a hot tub. Siddhavaidya treatments, Ayurvedi consultation, cleansing and renewal are all available. You can even train to be a Yoga teacher, if you have a month to spend there in the summer.
So let it snow, let it blow. You won't mind the frightful weather if you know that peace, tranquility, and lots of pampering lie ahead.
Your travel writer: Cynthia A. Marquard is the owner of Aqua Terra Travel, Inc., 65 E. Wacker Place, Chicago IL 60601. Cynthia can be reached at 312-787-2400 or visit the Web site, www.aquaterratravel.com .
