Here are ISPA's picks for the top spa trends of 2009:

• Customized Treatments: In addition to 30-minute facials and massages, spas are listening to the demands and desires of their customers. So whether you're looking to combine a series of treatments or have one tailored to Read more...

The Peninsula New York opened the first high-profile urban hotel spa in New York City back in the '80s. Now it's looking to reclaim the high ground with the grand reopening of The Peninsula Spa by ESPA.

It's a changed spa landscape in New York City, with plenty of competition at the luxury end, including The Spa at Mandarin Oriental NYC, Cornelia Day Resort, and The Guerlain Spa at The Waldorf=Astoria, and Caudalie Spa at The Plaza, which just opened last fall.

So what is The Peninsula Spa by ESPA bringing to the party? First, it's BIG -- 35,000 square foot -- with 12 treatment rooms, a sun-lit movement studio, fitness center and a glass-enclosed pool featuring panoramic city views. That's one reason they're calling the three-story spa "an urban resort destination."

The spa technologies are interesting. Thermal suites feature aromatherapy steam rooms, saunas, "experience" showers, and ice fountains, set against a backdrop of 24-karat gold Bisazza mosaic. The private spa suite featuring city views, steam shower and whirlpool bath with chromotheraphy lighting. Men's and women's private relaxation lounges featuring personalized music and lighting, as do the treatment rooms. Read more...

Well, it's the new year and I'm tipping the scales at my highest-ever weight. Don't ask! If you want a spa to lose weight , this will help you sort through all the various options out and choose the right spa for you.

But on a recent and very wonderful visit to Rancho La Puerta (see photo), health and fitness expert Joe Sweeney made a compelling case for throwing away the scale.

Instead, he said, focus on feeling healthy. Notice how your clothes fit and how energetic you feel. People who take this approach tend to take the weight off and keep it off. Or they may stay the same weight but drop a size or two since muscle tissue is heavier than fat. Dieters lose weight, but tend to gain it back and feel like a failure.

I'm actually going to try Joe's approach in the coming months. Since listening to his talk, I've noticed that starting the day with a "weigh-in" creates a bad feeling: "I'm fat!" And that really isn't a good way to start the day. Right now I'm more interested in saying positive things and feeling good about myself.

One caution: even if you Read more...

Hot stone massage is so popular it's on almost every spa menu. But some spas are dropping it in favor of Lava Shell Massage. The big advantage for spas is that the prep and clean-up is much easier. But how is it for spa-goers? As good as hot stone? Better? Or just different? I had a chance to find out when I took a "Walk On The Beach" at The Four Seasons Resort Aviara, thirty minutes north of San Diego.