by Sandra Douglas

Created on: April 23, 2008   Last Updated: December 04, 2008

Ah, Phoenix; the sun, the desert landscape and vistas, the wide open spaces. The scorching hot summers are made bearable by one thing, a seriously low humidity. Though temperatures are tolerable even in the triple digits, the dry air can leave hair and skin feeling like a desert snake that needs to shed its skin. We can't do that, but we can visit one of the day spas.

As a long time Phoenix area resident, I've had opportunities to sample some of the best day spas. I'll share my all-time favorites with you.

Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
This spa is hidden away in the far corner of the beautiful Princess resort in North Scottsdale. Park near the spa entrance or let the valet take your car at the hotel lobby entrance and enjoy a walk through lush landscapes past fountains and through tiled archways. Before you enter the double glass doors of the spa, you'll notice a scent of eucalyptus. For me, that aroma is the beginning of my spa experience.

Once inside, there is a sense of peace and tranquility as your hostess schedules your treatments and guides you through relaxing spaces of waterfalls, glass, wood, and stonework. You'll pass by an atrium with teak outdoor furniture, surrounded by plants and a small stream running through it. If you ordered lunch with your treatments, a healthy and tasty bento box meal will be delivered to the garden setting where you can enjoy it while watching birds dip in and out of the stream. Throughout the spa, there are jars of herbal teas and fruit scented waters for you to help yourself as you relax between therapies.

The spa features a variety of herbal and European treatments from jet lag relieving massages to mineral baths. They even offer couples massages. After 7 p.m., the spa offers a Desert Moonlight Massage capped off by a swim in the spa's rooftop pool under the moonlight. It's a truly re-energizing experience.

After you've soaked in the many whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, and the rooftop pool, and completed your facial and massage, you'll be ready for the finishing touch of hair and nail appointments in the salon.

Camelback Inn Spa
Located near the base of landmark Camelback Mountain, this spa is one of the oldest and finest in the Phoenix area. The resort spa is available for day spa use so you can take in the Southwestern ambiance for the day. I am always amazed at the beauty of the desert, and it's especially evident here as you look out over desert landscape featuring cactus gardens and plants that

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