Your Holidays

Given all the shopping lists, social obligations and decorating demands that fill the holidays, a spa getaway is probably the last thing on your mind. You might want to make it first. A mid-season day of self-pampering, a post-holiday week of recharging or even a long weekend during the peak festivities—at a veg-friendly resort spa with friends/family along and the cooking and decorating done for you—could make this year unlike any other. Instead of feeling like a limp rag by the end of the holidays, you’ll be renevved and ready for 2006.

And the take-away benefits are tremendous. “Not only do spas allow for total immersion in feel-good activities, but they also reinforce a healthy lifestyle that can be transferred back to everyday life,” says Mary H. Tabacchi, PhD, RD, of Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. In fact, the effects extend long after the last massage stroke, according to a 2004 study done by Tabacchi and the Survey Institute of Cornell University. “We compared 500 spa goers with 500 conventional vacationers, and the statistics were clear as a bell: People who went on spa vacations came back more mentally and physically fit and had a more positive outlook than those who took conventional vacations,” she says. Energy, focus and creativity were also up. Tabacchi estimates that the benefits can last up to 6 weeks—a great way to start 2005.

Where to go? Vegetarian Times sent out staffers to test three different resort spas—one for every time budget and getaway need. They tried the newest massages, took fitness classes, sampled the menus. Tough duty, we know.

Get more information about Hotel and Resort Spa in Thailand.

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Source from : Vegetarian Times