Using every sense to embellish the basics

Although I had been determined to remain mentally present during my Spirit of Life treatment at the Golden Door Spa at The Boulders in Carefree, Ariz., I ended up slipping blissfully under the influence of this Ayurvedic experience. It began with a gentle exfoliation, followed by a light massage, and then a cocoon-like wrap. But when the therapist began massaging warm oil into my hair and scalp and followed that with a light facial, I was barely conscious. After nearly two hours, I had all I could do to dress and head back to my hotel room. 800-553-1717, www.theboulders.com, from $285 for 110 minutes

While traveling in Quebec, I discovered Balnea. Treatment here, like at other Nordic spas, is based on alternating hot, cold, and rest in a repeated sequence. I spent my first 15 minutes in the Turkish aromatherapy bath, followed by one tortured minute under an icy waterfall in an outdoor plunge pool, finishing up with 20 minutes in the cinema. My next sequence began in the outdoor whirlpool, progressed to a plunge in an indoor cold pool, then to a lounge chair by the aquarium. Then I combined the sauna (with panoramic windows to the snowy world outside) with a return to the waterfall and quiet time by the fire in the igloo. The result was a relaxation unlike anything I had experienced. I finished with a massage, which rendered me useless. 450-534-0604, www.balnea.ca/en, $35-$55 for day use,60-minute massage begins at $85