The Travellers Info: The Top 240 Spas in North America, Hawaii, Central America and the Caribbean

The verdict is in. By combining European and Asian treatments with fitness and pampering, U.S.-style spas have no equal. This year, so many spas in the U.S., Canada, Central America, the Caribbean, and at sea achieve such high ratings that we introduce 240 winners

It is nothing short of a phenomenon. Not since Roman emperors competed to build the most sumptuous baths (winner: Thermae Diocletiani) has the human body been so gloriously indulged, and in such magnificent places.

The rise of the homegrown American-style spa has been both momentous and swift. Only 20 years ago, when they were mocked as "fat farms," the United States had perhaps 50 first-rate spas. Since then, fitness, diet, and pampering programs have been joined by treatments from Italian fango mud packs to Thai massage and yoga. Spas are not only health-conscious, of course, they're also a healthy $12.8 billion global industry, and had 17.8 percent growth last year. The United States alone has more than 12,000—and quality has kept pace with quantity.

In this, our twentieth annual spa survey, 240 spas earn high ratings—almost triple the number of last year's winners. Why such an explosion? While spas were once the province of women, new services have been added for children, teens, seniors, men, and pregnant women.

One in four Americans has by now spent time wrapped in seaweed, sweating out a forced march, stretched out on a Pilates Reformer, or dining on quinoa salad—spoonfuls of medicine in sugary destinations from Hawaii to Banff and Canc&uaute;n to Connecticut.

Travel has always been a tonic, if not a cure, so why not escape for a quick week of rejuvenation and relaxation? And with so many superb spas, the only question is where.

Diocletian dreamed big. But he never dreamed of what we have.

HOTEL SPAS