Just imagine being on the veranda of your private beach villa enjoying the fragrance of tropical flowers and the soothing susurration of the waves while an expertly trained masseur or masseuse works all of life's tensions out of your muscles. Imagine having the kind of spa pampering you've come to expect in the most exclusive of high-end urban retreats while surrounded by tropical beauty.

Planning a destination wedding? Give your bridal party the ultimate gift of a spa package before the big day and the bridesmaids will forgive you for the orange taffeta gowns with the huge bows you have picked out for the ceremony. These days, even the groom and his groomsmen are getting in on the spas and the relaxing benefits, especially on the wedding day! Even the most reserved bachelor party can take a lot out of a guy, so why not start the big day by detoxifying and relaxing, getting in the proper frame of mind for the most important event of your life? A word to the wise, gentlemen: Many a future mother-in-law's attitude about her soon-to-be son-in-law has been softened considerably by the thoughtful gift of a spa package.

Many people think of spa treatments as the sort of luxury that only the incredibly wealthy can afford. That may have been true a quarter century ago, but no more. Everyone needs to relax and be pampered sometime, and today's spa practitioners offer the kind of services that in the past were only available to the jet set at prices that are within almost every vacation budget.