It's January, and chances are you feel the need to visit aspa. What better way to recover from holiday indulgenceand the stress of the season?Just be sure to take thetime to find the right place. Spas are like shoes: nomatter how beautiful they are, if they don't fit, you won'tbe comfortable. »

I Travel&Leisure I

Guest roomat The Oaks

«The Oaks At OjaiLocated 35 miles southeast of SantaBarbara, this is the place for womenwho like to work out. (Men are welcome,too, but are very much in the minority.)The Oaks offers a daylong schedule ofclasses, which ranges from the 6:30amAdvanced Mountain Hike to the mellow4pm Relax, Stretch, & Yoga. In between,Water Works and Aqua Tone are taughtin the pool, and a variety of strength,stretching, and cardia classes take place

Retai I area atHibiscus Spa,The WestinCasuarina

in a large room with a comfortablespongy floor, clouds painted on theceiling, and a picture windowoverlooking the garden.

When my sister Patti joined me here lastLabor Day weekend, neither of usexpected a life-changing experience. Infact, I thought wen focus on gettingcatch-up conversation and maybe have aspa treatment or two as time allowed.However, the classes were so good thatwe took them back-to-back and the low-calorie meals were so satisfying that westarted keeping notes on easy eatingchanges we could make at home. To thisday, I'm still benefiting from a mid-morning broth break, and Patticontinues making 50-calorie fruitsmoothies in the afternoon.

Fitness pioneer Sheila Cluffrevolutionized the world oflow-impactaerobics back in the I950s. Today sheowns The Oaks at Ojai and The Palms atPalm Springs, teaches at both places,leads Health Holiday cruises, andlectures extensively on nutrition andexercise. In spite of being chronologicallyadvantaged (her term), her Ball Stretchclass was the most challenging I tookduring our stay.

Over meals, Patti and I met guests whoare regulars at The Oaks. Everyonecommented that they liked the low-keyatmosphere and the lack of pretension."I've done Canyon Ranch:' one womantold me, "but I prefer it here because Idon't need trendy work-out clothes:'

Another woman, a Hollywood agent,said she's been coming here for 20 years"because if I follow the plan, I lose fivepounds in three days:'

Comments on spa treatments were alsovery positive. A New Yorker said she'shad facials "all over the world" and theone at The Oaks was "definitely the best:'(Patti and I both loved our ExtendedRock Massage and still joke aboutgetting stoned together.)

Then there was the lawyer from DC whosaid she chose The Oaks over Rancho LaPuerta because the latter doesn't haveTVs and she's a news junkie.

My only caveat about The Oaks is thatthe rooms in the main building are toosmall to share. If you go with a friend,either get separate quarters or request aMini Spa Suite or a Double CourtyardSuite. If you go alone, you'll enjoy thefriendly atmosphere. (www.oaksspa.com)

Ojai Valley Inn & SpaUnlike The Oaks, this isn't a residentialspa, but if you're traveling with family, it'sa good alternative. The Ojai Valley Inn isa large resort with an IS-hole golfcourse, riding stables, tennis courts, anactivity program for children, swimmingpools, and multiple dining options.

Their Spa Ojai offers a wide range ofmassages, wraps, facials, and bodytreatments, as well as a fitness centerand weight room. Unlike most resortspas, they conduct a full schedule ofmind/body classes - ranging fromPilates Matwork to Musical SunsetStretch - throughout the day.

This isn't the place for a girls' getaway ora solo retreat, so if hubby and/or the

kids want to share your post-holiday spaexperience, this spot should be able tokeep all of you happy.(www.ojairesort.com)

The Westin Casuarina,Las VegasThis is not a place to lose weight. ChefJorge Lopez takes a healthful approachto food preparation, but it's not meant tobe low-cal. On a recent visit I enjoyed hisChilean sea bass on a bed of Yukon Goldmashed potatoes. Unfortunately, I alsoenjoyed his warm chocolate cake withvanilla ice cream and fresh raspberries.

This is also not a good choice for thosewho must exercise. The fitness center issmall and uninspiring, and Las Vegasjust isn't the place to walk or jog.

Then why do I mention The Westin?Because this is a great spot for a self-indulgent spa experience. This is whereto go when you want to spend your daysin the spa or lounging in a poolsidecabana, and your evenings taking inshows. This is the place when your onlydesired aerobic activity is shopping.

The Westin Casuarina, about a ten-minute walk from the strip, has neitherdancing fountains nor tigers on display.

It is small by Vegas standards (850rooms) and is unique because the staffisvery personable and helpful - unlikethe big hotel casinos where they oftenseem weary and disinterested.

This kindness is best experienced in TheWestin's Hibiscus Spa. My firsttreatment, the Hibiscus Island Paradise,started in a wet room where I wasapplied with a papaya and pineapplescrub, which was then washed off withthe multiple heads on the horizontalVichy shower. Then I went into a dryroom for a Swedish massage usingcoconut milk and kakui oil. This left mefeeling smooth and relaxed, but the bestwas yet to come.

At this intimate spa, guests don't requesta particular facial. Instead, estheticiansanalyze each face and tailor thetreatment accordingly. The prescriptionfor me included microdermabrasionwith sea salt crystals and jojoba oil. Iwas also given a mask that went on asliquid and pulled off like a sheet ofrubber. I almost never buy anything inthe retail area of a spa, but after thisexperience my skin felt so soft that Icouldn't resist picking up a jar of thecrystals - Epicuren's Micro/Derm.

Impressed with the quality of thesetreatments, I opted to also try cranialsacral therapy. This healing-touchprocedure involves no lotion or massage.Instead, hands were placed gently onstrategic places on my body to open upthe flow of energy to my brain. At thetime, it didn't seem like anything washappening, but afterwards I noticed apositive shift in my mood. But thenagain, who wouldn't be in a good moodafter a self-indulgent spa experience?(www.westin.com/lasvegas)

The Venetian, Las VegasIf it's hubbub you must have, then you'lllove the Canyon Ranch Spa at the 5,067-room Venetian. The staff here handle upto 1,000 clients a day, so you won't getthe personal touch, but they do offer

some unique treatments. For instance,the Rasul Ceremony (a Middle Easterncleansing ritual) takes place in a domedroom with a heated floor and seats.Every surface is covered with ornate,handmade tiles, and fiber optics providea starry sky.

Canyon Ranch also offers a daylongschedule of classes - including SalsaDance, Funk Aerobics, and Venice PowerWalk - and health lectures at noondaily. Guests can also use the indoor rockclimbing wall, a fleet of stationary bikes,and a state-of-the-art fitness center.

In addition, spa cuisine is served in theCanyon Ranch Cafe. Here, calories, fatgrams, and fiber grams are listed on acomplete menu for breakfast and lunch.

Hmmm ...lots of exercise and low-calmeals. Does this sound familiar? Itshould. Sheila Cluff of The Oaks inspiredfounder Mel Zuckerman to go into thespa/fitness business.

However, their spas are very different instyle and size - like shoes. Choosecarefully and enjoy.(www.canyonranch.com)- Elizabeth Hansen, photography by Adams/Hansen Photography