Spa afficionados know that vacations and spa treatments go together like peanut butter and jelly.  Nothing enhances the “get away from it all” effect of a vacation like a massage, body wrap or a facial. Or, better yet, all three!  So it’s no surprise that travel authority Conde Nast Magazine has, for some years now, been publishing their ratings of the best hotel-based, resort-based, and cruise ship spas worldwide.

The 2010 results are in, and the rankings for spas in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean can be found in the April issue (or online)  There are some perennial winners of course, in the usual locales you’d expect (California, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Bermuda, etc.) but it’s interesting to note some of the more unexpected accolades.

For instance, in the cruise ship spa category, the top ranking goes to a very mass-market ship — Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas — and not to one of the premium lines like Crystal or Regent. In fact, more than half of the ships in the top 20 are from mainstream lines like Royal Caribbean, Princess, Holland America and Disney Cruise Line.

When it comes to hotel spas, it’s nice to see that, in among the Ritz-Carltons and the Four Seasons of the world, there are some local New England inns like the Mayflower Inn in Connecticut and the White Barn Inn in Maine. And when it comes to Caribbean resort spas, it’s not just the boutiquey adults-only properties that are achieving high marks —  there are also two Marriotts in the top 20 (in Aruba and St. Kitts).

What this all means to me is that spas are becoming more and more mainstream and accessible, and that travelers are expecting (and demanding) some pampering and relaxation on ANY vacation. Not just when they’re on a special romantic “escape” with their significant other.

If you want some help planning a vacation that includes a little spa time, let me know. I’m more than happy to test out the treatments wherever I go. It’s all in the name of  research, of course 🙂