Spa Journeys

With beautiful photographs depicting folks in various states of relaxation (e.g., floating in pools, being massaged, lounging in saunas), this travel guide is practically a coffee-table book. In fact, it may serve the latter purpose better, as it's highly selective and includes only 26 spa destinations. Split about 50/50 between domestic and international spas, the book covers famous health resorts, like West Virginia's The Greenbrier and Arizona's Miraval, as well as lesser-known sanctuaries, such as the Czech Republic's Grand Hotel Pupp and Italy's Terme di Saturnia. Each spa gets a few pages, in which journalist Foglino explains the spa's specialties and surrounding attractions, and is accompanied by tranquil images of treatments and lovely settings; mini essays on""spas through the ages"" and""spa food"" add variety to the chapters. Gorgeous to look at but lacking in detailed information, this book could serve as a starting point for readers intrigued by the spa experience or for spa devotees who want to take a peek as some of the most famous spas in the world. 164 color photos.