While neither the most worldly nor savvy spa goer, I have had the good fortune to attend several spas. I think one of my most frequent hesitations is going to a spa I've never been to before, and whether the money will be worth the experience. After all, spas are not inexpensive and are most definitely not on everyone's everyday treat list. I know of quite a few people who do not see a reason to spend so much on such a luxury.

Part of it, I think, is why you would go to a spa. Some go on a regular basis, and can afford to do so. Others, and I fall within this category, save a spa trip for a special trip and feel the expense is well worth the experience and especially so because it is a special treat. Some do not feel the exorbitant prices are worth the treatments and others simply don't like the idea of strangers touching them.

Here you will find a catalog of the spas I've visited and my personal opinion of my experience of them and each of the treatments I've tried. Perhaps it will be of use, or possibly just satisfy a curiosity as to what a certain treatment might be like or perhaps it will be of no interest at all. But here are my experiences and opinions and take them as you will.

Spa Savvy Tips:

• If you are uncomfortable, then it shouldn't be this way. Let them know you are uncomfortable and have them make adjustments so that you are comfortable. Whether it is temperature or lighting, privacy or physical exposure - this is your spa experience and you need to feel comfortable.

• If you do not feel comfortable removing your underwear, wear simple cotton undies that cover enough to give you security and can be ruined. Some of the treatments, such as mud masks can ruin your underwear. Bring a second set to wear after your treatment is complete - the second set is crucial unless you want to go home commando style. Some spas have "spa-kinis" which are disposable paper garments to cover up, but these come in one size fits all and if you are not an average size, these will not be comfortable.

• Drink lots of water. Your spa specialist will tell you so after your treatment, but it is good to go to your treatment well hydrated also.

• Always arrive early. Not just a little early, but 20 to 30 min early. The time scheduled is specifically for your treatment. Time to change, have a glass of water or enjoy the spa's waiting area which is usually well appointed for relaxation is not included. Murphy's Law will also always have you running late and your appointment will only give you the treatment for what time is left if you are late. Most of the time a spa will not be able to simply begin your treatment when you arrive and give you the full time.

• Use the restroom before your treatment. It really disrupts the enjoyment of your treatment to realize you suddenly have to go.

• Gratuities are usually not included in the bill. Usually, you can leave a gratuity for the person who gave you your treatment at the front desk. The amount varies as much as gratuities might vary for hair stylists, go with a percentage that won't break your wallet but is about the same as you'd give for your stylist. The person at the front desk will probably also know what % the gratuities usually are for each treatment on average to give you a guide.

• Plan you spa visit a bit in advance. Most spas will not be able to accommodate you if you call and expect to be scheduled the same day.

Body Perfect

This spa was the first spa I ever visited. It was in a small shopping center in Voorhees on Springdale Road.

My first ever treatment was their version of a body wrap. I was supposed to have gone with a friend at the time, Vanessa, but was running late. Vanessa went ahead of me, arrived and began her treatment.

The body wrap treatment was supposed to improve the aesthetics of my skin, toning and firming and helping to draw out toxins so that my skin would firm. It was supposed to have an overall slimming effect.

I was brought in and shown to a private treatment room. The young lady doing my treatment was kind and friendly. We took my weight and body fat percentage beforehand and then went into the treatment room where I had to remove everything but my undergarments. I was told I could remove these too but I didn't feel comfortable enough to do so. I was then asked to stand in the center of the room, a bit chilly, while she wrapped steaming ace bandages around my legs, torso and arms. The bandages had been soaked in the beneficial mix, apparently. I was then laid down on a table and wrapped in a series of thermal blankets and treated to a foot massage. I napped for the rest of my treatment and was then woken to remove the ace bandages. When we had taken them off and I was dressed again, we again took my weight and body fat percentage and saw that my weight had gone down a pound.

The overall experience was not good in my opinion. The overwhelming factor in deciding this is that I was very uncomfortable standing in the middle of the room while being wrapped and then again while unwrapped, and chilly to boot. While body wraps can have a slimming effect, it is temporary and the major benefit is the removal of toxins and the softening of your skin. The weight lost was most likely water weight and doesn't make a huge difference.

Another note, this spa was later shut down as it did not have the necessary licenses or what have you to run. Always be sure the spa you go to is one of both good repute and legal establish.

Rizzieri is a salon and spa that uses Aveda products. I have gone to the salon since high school to have my hair cared for and have visited the spa in Marlton several times.

The names of treatments have changed fairly frequently, and there is always something new to try. I have had body wraps here, massages, facials, manicures and pedicures. I will say overall the ambience is quiet and calming. I love the smell of Aveda products - aromatic and soothing without being too strong or perfume-like. The staff is very quiet and friendly, you feel warm and welcomed into a dim oasis that has a hushed feel to it. You are asked to completely disrobe in a tucked away area with lockers and facilities that are beautifully appointed and given a hefty robe to wrap around yourself and slippers for your feet. The robe is always oversized and comfortably accommodating for any size person, not just little people. The slippers on the other hand, be sure to get the right size for your feet and those with wider sizes might not be as comfortable.

For every treatment, I have found that the spa personnel are professional and skilled. They go to lengths to preserve your privacy and make sure that they artfully drape towels so that you never feel exposed. They will happily change the temperature or lighting of the room to your comfort level.

Louis Christian Wayne Robert is also a salon and spa. My bridesmaids were wonderful enough to set up a spa day for me as a part of my bachelorette party. This salon and spa is very contemporary. The decor is clean and sophisticated with minimal flora.

The massages have always been quite good. I've also had facials, manicures, pedicures and wraps here. One thing to remember with the body wraps is that this requires that the spa specialist exposes you to brush the mud mixture on your body. Some people might have issues with having someone looking directly at them in this state of undress. This is not done with draping to preserve your privacy.On the flip side, once the mud is applied you are wrapped in thermal blankets and the table you are on is a unique "soft pak" table which is sort of like a water bed. Flaps are wrapped over you as well and warm water in the bed envelopes you so that you are surrounded above and all around with the sensation of warm water. The blankets and flaps are wrapped in such a way that all you have to do is unfold your arms that have been crossed over your chest and the blankets will fall away if you get a little claustrophobic. I've found this part of the treatment to be extremely relaxing and the treatment to be great for my skin.

A negative experience I've had at this salon had more to do with the spa specialist than the actual spa. This specialist gave me a body scrub/Vicci shower and a Soft pak body wrap. She had me completely exposed on a table for the exfoliation, which had me very uncomfortable. She exfoliated everything, including my breasts - which bothered me even more. Having never had a body scrub, I didn't know at the time that I could say something about my discomfort. I was uncomfortable and did not enjoy my treatments with this woman. After the treatments, she asked me to leave my name and number on the back of my treatment summary. When I politely declined, she told me that it didn't matter and that she would pull my information from the spa's database anyway. This was not right at all. If this should happen to you, notify the spa at once. You should never be made to feel uncomfortable or have your privacy threatened especially once you've declined.

I had the pleasure of going to stay at the Hotel Hershey for a spa weekend with Helen and a couple of her friends. It was planned as a ladies' getaway with a full day of spa, an evening of hotel indulgence and then a day of shopping at the Hershey chocolate factory and nearby outlet mall.

To begin with, we had to have reservations far in advance. Several months in fact. But it was well worth it. The hotel was lovely, if very expensive. The staff was professional and polite. The spa was lovely and extensive, probably the largest spa I've ever been to. The area to disrobe and place personal belongings in locker rooms was extensive with quite a few showers and restrooms. There were sinks and counters with thoughtful necessities to shower, do your hair or what have you after your spa treatment - just in case you were going someplace such as out to dinner directly after your spa visit.

Helen and I planned an extravagant spa day, as did the other two ladies who had joined us. Helen and I specifically got the Chocolate Escape Package. This included the following:

Whipped Cocoa Bath - a lovely bath in a nice jacuzzi of foaming milk bath with real cocoa powder. It was like soaking in hot cocoa by candlelight. A very soothing experience, and one treatment that is done with a swimsuit at this spa. I had a wonderful time, and they were thoughtful enough to slip a small block into the end of the tub so that I didn't keep slipping and had something to put my feet against. Helen, on the other hand, was not as comfortable and although she did fit in the tub it was a slim fit for her - but she said it was otherwise a wonderful experience. And yes, she did taste the bath - tasted like bubble bath and not hot cocoa...so don't drink it.

Chocolate Bean Polish - This was a pleasant body scrub for me. The spa specialist was skilled and also very careful to drape towels so that I never once felt exposed. She also did not insist on scrubbing more personal body parts. She was thorough on arms, legs, back and belly without ever once making me feel uncomfortable or in pain. She was also knowledgeable about the design process for the treatments and kept up a lively discussion.She also had a recommendation for skin care that was interesting. In regards to cellulite, creams and such only work if rubbed vigorously into the skin. It was her theory that it requires good circulation into the adipose tissue of the afflicted area to help redistribute the fat so that the baggy look of cellulite lessens and eventually goes away. I've found that it makes sense to me, in a way. And good exfoliation and skin care will help reduce the issues with fat in some areas and also help the skin firm and tone after weight loss. This treatment was followed by a Vicci shower, which Helen likes to say is like a car wash. A long rod stretches out over the room with 7 shower heads that are aimed at different points all along your body. You relax under the pulsing water and the water pulse is adjusted by your specialist to give you a sort of water massage. Again, the skillfully draped towels ensured no uncomfortable exposure so that I could just relax under the shower heads.

Chocolate Fondue Wrap - this directly followed my bean polish with the same specialist. Again, she had me draped with small towels so that I never once felt exposed. It smelled wonderful and was very restful. I definitely napped during this treatment.

Cocoa Massage - my massage therapist for this treatment was a man. Some people do not feel comfortable with someone of the opposite sex, but I'm usually ok so long as the person is professionally and is careful to do the draping so that I don not feel exposed. This gentleman was kind and quiet, skilled and had a very good sense for exactly how to deal with the knots and tension in my muscles. He was by far the best massage therapist I've ever had. And the massage oil smelled like good dark chocolate.

Additionally, I had a Prescription Facial. One thing all four of us agreed upon was that having that many treatments in a day left you starving by the end of the day. The spa had lovely waiting areas, such as an old style library with dark wood shelves and a fireplace. There was a buffet table set with fresh fruits, choices of sweet breads and danishes, muffins and croissants. There were bottles of water, coffee, tea and of course, real Hershey's Hot Cocoa. So we nibbled all day, but by the end of the day we were truly famished.

The hotel and spa are both very expensive, but for once I will say that the spa at least is well worth the expense. It isn't just the novelty, the quality of the treatments is very high and the spa accommodations are luxurious and well thought out. This is truly the experience you want to have when you think of a spa retreat.

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The Rizzieri Haven Spa is located in Washington Twp. This is the most recent addition to the salon and spa chain.

Again, I will say that the ambience is quiet and serene. It has the feel of a hushed, lush tropical rain forest.The spa itself was smaller than I had thought it would be, however the people and service were just as high quality as that experienced at the Marlton spa. It's a bit too much of a drive for me when the Marlton spa is closer to home, but conveniently close to both my parents' home and my salon. So depending on timing, I could schedule to go there.

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The Estancia La Jolla Hotel and Spa were an interesting visit. My husband arranged for a four day visit to San Diego as a combination birthday and anniversary present. The hotel was beautiful and elegant. The staff was friendly and polite, if not very prompt about following up with possible issues. The spa's treatments were a bit overpriced in my opinion, but different areas will have different prices.

We had scheduled for a couple's massage in a private garden area, and I had a body scrub with Vicci shower. The spa itself was of average size and nice quiet ambience. The locker area was beautifully appointed and had a salt water hot tub for me to soak in prior to my treatments. Unfortunately, my specialist "couldn't find me" in the locker area and I was a bit late for my treatment. She was very nice, but I wish she had looked for me a bit harder even though it was my fault for losing track of time in the hot tub - but I was surprised she couldn't find me as it was still part of the spa waiting area.

The massage was wonderful, and my husband's first spa experience. The music was a little loud, but I imagine it was because of the outdoor garden area. Mindful that I'd commented I tend to get chilled - my specialist had gotten hot stones used for a different type of massage and used them to help enhance our massage experience by strategically placing them on the massage bed under towels and in our hands. The blankets were more than adequate to keep us warm and I never once got chilled throughout the entire massage, which was very good. My husband never once got tickled as he worried he might and he managed to relax and enjoy it as well. It was a pleasant experience, and nicely romantic.

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