Two 30-something female friends looking for a short break (3-5 days) at a spa resort somewhere in the US (location not important as long as its not too hot in Aug/Sep). Would like it to be healthful but not spartan, and have some pampering available too! Have found a few Web sites which describe resorts but am looking for personal experiences since they tend to be quite expensive.

Try talking to Spa Finders in NYC, they have 800 # and can match your interest, to Spa's all over USA and the globe. You can order the annual catalog or pick it up on the magazine rack at any large bookstore like Borders, or Barnes and Noble.

I'm also 30-something and did The Oaks at Ojai (California) about four years ago with a girlfriend. We stayed 3 or 4 days and had a great time. Wonderful mountain hikes, lots of gossip about celebrities and Ojai is a wonderful town with lots of "new age" feeling, about an hour or two from LA. My girlfriend (who is a spa addict) subsequently went to a sister spa - The Palms at Palm Springs but did not enjoy it so much. She recommends "Palm-Aire" (?sp) near Ft Lauderdale too. And she says for total pampering (but very pricy) Doral. Also, definitely get the spa finders magazine recommended by other writer.

I am in my late 20's and a friend and I recently went to the Nemicolon SPA in Pennsylvania for 5 days. They have many varieties of Spa services along with lots of outdoor activities including horesback riding, tennis, 2 golf courses, swimming, rock climbing wall, hiking, etc. I recommend using SPA finders to get some ideas, but I found that I could get a cheaper rate if I called the spa directly.

My husband and I just returned from Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa in Sonoma, CA. It was wonderful. We stayed in one of their junior suites, brand new with a fireplace, huge bathroom with jacuzzi. Absolutely lovely. We also pampered ourselves at their spa. Massages, body wraps, you name it. Their pools are all filled with water from the hot springs. Everyone there was very helpful and friendly. It was also pretty low-key, not too foofy, if you know what I mean. We also ate at a place about 10 minutes from the spa called Kenwood Restaurant, which was excellent. Beautiful views of the vineyards on their outdoor porch. You can find the Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa on the Web. I can't find their address but I know it exists because that's how I found out about them. Their phone number is 1-800-862-4945. If you want any more info you can email me. Good Luck and enjoy!

Hi! Just this week returned from a stay at the Vail Cascade in Vail, CO. I was trying to beat the TX heat. Only bad news is the rooms do not have AC, but the weather was cool and wonderful: 58 degrees one morning!! It was a very nice hotel with a health club and spa associated. Vail has wonderful walking, hiking, & horseback riding. I was with the pamper package, which includes 1 one hour service a day. Vail has an internet addresss, and the hotel wa on the site.