Posted: Sat, 20 Jun 2009 09:17 PM - 12,617 Readers

By: Austin American-Statesman

Texas has excellent spas scattered around the state. Here are a few more suggestions, including some in Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, Austin and the surrounding areas.

DALLAS:

The Spa at the Ritz Carlton:
Think of it as a one tank trip or a backyard getaway. That's how the tony, Uptown, Dallas Ritz Carlton wants you to rationalize a weekend ensconced within their glitzy walls. Swankier digs than a dude ranch, this hotel's understated elegance won't intimidate a bit, even if you don't come from the big hair set. Check in via the hotel's B&B package (just $259 a night, including breakfast and Dean Fearing's touted restaurant), then treat yourself to some spa treatments.Try the Wild Lime Botanical Scalp and Body Glow in one of the 12 oversized spa suites that fill the 12,000-square-foot spa, state of the art facility.
phone: 214-922-0200
www.ritzcarlton.com/dallas

The Spa at the Crescent, Hotel Crescent Court:
European elegance marks the Crescent Court, a Rosewood Hotel, located within easy walking distance of Dallas' artistic epicenter. Though the accent is Texan, the spa menu suggests quintessential German spa town. Heavy on herbs used medicinally in Europe, the spa offers treatments such as the Crescent Herb Kur: a chamomile body scrub, followed by an herbal bath of pine or Melissa (lemon balm), and finished with lavender infused massage. Book the Crescent Stimulus Package ($295 nightly) which includes breakfast, a $100 spa credit and other amenities.
phone: 214-871-3200
www.crescentcourt.com

Bliss Spa at the W Victory:
If you want to channel New York but don't want to travel that far, then this is the spa for you. Perched on the 16th floor of the hip W Victory, the very urbane Bliss Spa churns out its signature, very effective treatments. Pig out at the Brownie Bar (who can resist?) then reverse things with the Fat Girl Slim Treatment or continue your decadence with a chocolate foot massage.
phone: 877-862-5477
www.blissworld.com

HOUSTON:

Spa at The Woodlands:
An oasis on the northern outskirts of Houston, The Woodlands is a full service resort set amid 300 acres of piney forests. Its spa borrows from the natural landscape, offering treatments using indigenous flowers and herbs. Besides the expected spa mainstays, from hot stone massages to body wraps, this menu includes such adventures as the Sweet Face, which utilizes a custom blend of fruits, herbs and flowers to exfoliate, firm and revitalize. The Spa's "featured service of the month" takes 10 percent off certain treatments. Return monthly and try them all. In June, the celebrated ingredient is blueberries: find it in a slimming wrap, a facial and a pedicure.
phone: 800-433-2624
www.woodlandsresort.com

SAN ANTONIO:

The Spa At The Watermark Hotel:
Thinking about going with a group of girlfriends on a spa trip? The Watermark caters to gaggles of gals — or guys — like you. Their oversized spa suite is one of the best in Texas. Right on the Riverwalk, this spa has an incongruous international feel that belies its location in the Mission City. Very chichi, it's the city's only Mobil Four Star Spa, an accolade well earned thanks to its fully loaded spa menu and well trained therapists.
phone: 866-605-1212
www.watermarkhotel.com

AUSTIN:

Lake Austin Spa:
This is the girl next door. Why? Because she's right next door and sometimes we don't appreciate her like we should. Award-winning, on everybody's list as a top destination spa in the United States, this magical place attracts clients from around the globe. Even those living in the adjacent Steiner Ranch neighborhood won't believe how far away from the real world this spa compound feels until they check in. For Austinites, a weekend here might be the quickest route to euphoria on our list. Just 20 minutes from downtown, the spa offers more than 100 well-tested treatments, from mystical Hari (a Japanese energy treatment) to funky Jasmine Java, (a caffeine infused floral massage, scrub and wrap). Genius chef Terry Conlan makes lean cuisine irresistible, even teaching cooking classes to guests. Request the upscale Lady Bird suite, which celebrates the former first lady's love for wildflowers. Book three nights this summer and get the third for free.
phone: 512-372-7300
www.lakeaustinspa.com

Omega at The Crossings:
Think of The Crossings as a spa for the soul. On the outskirts of town, balanced like a vision on a hill above Lake Travis, this enchanting place offers escapes for the day or longer. Both a retreat center, a school of sorts, and a spa, The Crossings exudes regeneration. Come here to take yoga, commune with a mystic or study psychology. Then, indulge your body in the Balinese-style spa that overlooks the Hill Country across an infinity pool. Do choose something from the World Healing Rituals collection, like the Javanese Lular, an ancient treatment meant to purify and impart wisdom to brides to be.
phone: 877-944-3003
www.thecrossingsaustin.com

Lakeway Resort and Spa:
Feng shui fans will flip over the tranquil Asian ambience at Lakeway Resort's San Saba Spa. Contemporary, clean-lined interiors mirror the limpid lake outside, while treatments with an indigenous influence confirm you're still in Texas. Battle knotted muscles here with a Colorado River Rock Massage.
phone: 512-261-6600
www.dolce-lakeway-hotel.com

Four Seasons, Austin:
Yes, it's the best location in town. Hey, it's downtown. An overnight stay and treatment at the Spa at the Four Seasons is the ultimate staycation. Playing on a "waterruns through it" theme, evinced first by a mood-altering waterfall at the reception, this spa is an ode to its site on Lady Bird Lake. Texas-accented treatments, such as the Lavender Lemongrass Journey, salute the Hill Country and its herbal, healing traditions. Those who relax to the tune of a bargain will relish the summer's best deal: buy four (of the same treatment) and get one more (can be used by individuals or a spa party group).
phone: 512-478-4500
fourseasons.com/austin/spa

Barton Creek Resort and Spa:
A veteran on the Austin spa scene, perhaps the Hill County area's first prime spa, Barton Creek Spa relentlessly re-glamorizes and reinvents itself. In its best incarnation yet, the commodious spa still packs a punch. Plan spa visits around requisite games of golf and tennis, but do take advantage of idyllic services such as the Mexican Chocolate Cayenne Scrub and the Hot Stone Whipped Avocado Body Wrap.
phone: 866-572-7369
www.bartoncreek.com

Hyatt Lost Pines Spa Django, Lost Pines:
Find musical inspiration in this Sylvia Sepielli-designed healing space that models itself after rhythms of the Austin music scene. Located in the countryside, amid the McKinney Rough Nature Preserve, the spa boasts a décor that includes original artwork featuring guitars and other instruments. Eighteen spacious rooms offer treatments that focus on Texas-found herbs and plants, and aim to unleash creativity with unique utilizations of music.
phone: 512-308-1234
www.lostpines.hyatt.com

La Torretta del Lago, Lake Conroe (Montgomery):
Find a little bit of Tuscany on Lake Conroe at La Toretta del Lago Resort and spa. Stay in the towers that overlook the lake, play a little golf, but run, don't walk to the irresistibly hedonistic spa. A spa aficionado's spa, this one offers a menu of unusual and well-conceived treatments, such as international healing journeys (Passage to India, the Italian or Fijian Ritual, among others) and outdoor spa experiences. Book three services this summer and get a 15 percent discount on the trio.
phone: 936-448-4400
latorrettadellagoresortandspa.com

*  Story Contributed by: Austin American-Statesman