Condé Nast Traveler - Hot List Spas 2011
May 2011

Spa Alila, Luang Prabang, Laos
What: All-natural spa in a secluded hotel in the sleepy former royal capital. It offers pan-Asian treatments using acupressure, hot stones, stretching massage techniques, and locally sourced curatives like lemongrass, ginger, and green tea.
The look: Traditional Lao architecture, with four double treatment rooms raised on stilts in dark carved wood — a contrast to the hotel's pared-down French colonial style.
Who goes: Trendy young couples skipping the high-priced Aman down the street.
The treatment: The great-value two-hour Spa Escape, a Balinese-style full-body massage and a minifacial.
P.S.: Avoid appointments around mealtimes — the spa is located next to the cooking school and restaurant.

Le Spa de Constance, Constance Moofushi, Maldives
What: Built on a jetty above the Indian Ocean, the classic Asian-inspired spa at the Constance Moofushi Resort has eight overwater treatment rooms and a delightful team of mostly Filipina therapists.
The look: Wood pavilions on stilts that are open on one side to sea breezes, with glass panels in the floor for gazing at the angelfish below, and simple interiors (pale wood, a sleek carved fan, an Oriental cabinet; white cotton drapes).
Who goes: The hotel's mostly European guests unwind after scuba dives.
The treatment: he Enchanting Wave Massage uses head-to-toe continuous strokes employing Reiki, tai chi, lomilomi, and Esalen techniques.
P.S.: Treatments between 9 A.M. and 1 P.M. get a 20 percent discount.

Nuxe's Spa at Le Strato Courchevel 1850, France
What: All-natural Nuxe-brand spa using products based on aromatherapy and phytotherapy with some ski-oriented treatments, on Cospillot's slopes in France's haute Courchevel 1850 resort.
The look: The hotel's modern-Baroque style filters into the spa via shimmering fabrics and chrome lamp stands in the relaxing room; treatment rooms are minimalist, with rough-hewn bowls and primitive wooden sculptures that play on Nuxe's tree logo.
Who goes: Stylish, mostly European hotel guests seeking solace after hard falls on the slopes.
The treatment: The Sportif Le Strato is an energetic après-ski rubdown using soothing warm wooden spheres.
P.S.: An osteopath is available for more serious aches and pains.