Eco-spas: Feel good while feeling good

There's nothing quite like getting your tight back muscles kneaded into something resembling a soft, warm mattress. Environment be damned! Whatever it takes to bring relaxation is worth it, right? At The Ritz-Carlton Spa in Orlando, FL, you won't have to choose between unblemished satisfaction and the planet your children (ironically, the source of your stress) will inherit.

The "rooftop eco-space" takes the environment seriously. A green sod roof cuts down on energy costs while putting recycled materials to work. Rainwater brings life to the flowers, and the lights are solar powered. A nice touch ... a wooden table has been fashioned from Hurricane Katrina debris.

But, that's not enough. The spa has to do what spas do.

The Rooftop Hammock Massage will take the weight of the world off your shoulders – and the weight of your body off your feet. In the hammock, "zero gravity" enhances the massage experience by offering more flexibility and a greater range of motion. Eye goggles are available to change your view of the world while hydrating and restoring dry, tired eyes, and an iPod trickles meditative messages into your ears.

Luxury doesn't have to come at the expense of the world around you. The Ritz-Carlton, which has a variety of environmentally-friendly initiatives in the works, has proved that you can feel good twice over.

Filed under: Activism, North America, United States, Hotels and Accommodations