We’ve all done it—gone somewhere great, had a decent time, and then, when we got home, told our friends, “It was fun, but if I knew then what I know now, it could have been incredible.”

In this article you’ll learn seven tips collected from spa hotel regulars, so that your experience with spa accommodations is the best it can possibly be. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to plan your trip like a pro. 

1. Book Within Your Budget

Gone are the days when booking spa accommodations was reserved for the wealthy. With so many spa hotels offering special packages, it’s easy to find one that fits your fantasy – and your wallet. Still, some people get so excited by the spa hotel possibilities that they book a trip they really can’t afford.

The whole point of a spa hotel vacation is to relax and rejuvenate. That’s a pretty tall order when you’re worrying about the bill the entire time. So book within your budget. You might be surprised what you can afford.

2. Try Something New

The Incosol Hotel Medical Spa in Marbella is an absolutely incredible spa, but if you’ve already been to Marbella, then it’s time to try a new spa hotel. Part of the experience is seeing new sights, tasting different food, and enjoying exotic spa treatments.

So instead of Marbella, try the Grand Rotana Resort and Spa in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Or if you live on the beach in Florida, then forego a fabulous beach spa in Fiji for the Oriel House Spa in County Cork, Ireland, where you will be soothed by an Old World charm hinting of shamrocks. Get out of your comfort zone. Try something new. You deserve a little excitement.

3. Pace Yourself

You are absolutely right: at the Warwick Ibah Luxury Villas and Spa in Ubud, Indonesia, you can get a chocolate scrub made from local cocoa beans, a salt scrub made from the nearby seas, and a scrub made from green tea grown on the mountainsides within view of your exotic villa, but you don’t have to do it all in one day, or even one trip.

To make the most of your spa hotel experience, give yourself a breather between treatments. There’s no way you’re going to fully enjoy that crème bath if, when it’s finished, you’ve given yourself three minutes to get over to your pedicure. So relax. Book time to just “be.” That flower bath isn’t going anywhere.

4. Ask for What You Want

Hey, this is your trip; in fact, it may be the only week in your entire year when you can totally relax. So if you want something, ask for it. If the masseuse’s touch is just a touch to light, tell him. He’s happy to oblige. If the music in that Scandinavian bath is just a bit too loud, tell the attendant. That’s why she’s standing there.

The goal of this trip is your maximum relaxation, comfort and ease, and your spa bill of rights empowers you to alter or have removed any obstacle, major or minor, that prevents you from your reaching that goal.

5. Get Advice from Staff

If you’ve just had the most incredible facial you’ve ever had, and you don’t want to ruin it by doing the wrong thing next, ask the attendant what you should do. (She’ll wisely warn you against rushing into a heat treatment, such as the steam bath. Would you have known that?)

The people employed at your spa accommodation are there because they know their business. And nobody knows your spa hotel better than they do. So if, after a massage with a rare, exotic oil, you’re wondering if you should go to the sauna or get a manicure, ask. If you’re torn between the mahi mahi or Chilean sea bass, ask. The waiter knows what’s best, and more importantly, what is not. So ask the spa hotel staff how to get the best of everything. They’ll tell you.

6. Get Out and About

Hey, you’re at the Fujairah Rotana Resort and Spa in the United Arab Emirates. How often do you or anyone you know go to the United Arab Emirates? So take an evening to stroll the thoroughfare and dine on some authentic Middle Eastern food. Or be sure to schedule some scuba diving in the Indian Ocean for tomorrow afternoon.

When vacationing at exotic spa accommodations, do what you have to do to be able to come home with some great stories about a unique spot in the world. If you never leave your spa hotel, you might as well go for a facial in Cleveland or a body scrub in Omaha. Not that Cleveland and Omaha aren’t great cities, but “exotic” and “rare” are hardly the words we use to describe them.

7. Get the Low Down

Many a lasting friendship has been formed at spa hotels, and it makes perfect sense. After all, everybody there has chosen this particular vacation at this particular spot, so you already have something in common.

People come from all over the world to enjoy the best in spa accommodations, so you may make a great new friend from Oslo, Norway, Budapest, Rumania, or Melbourne, Australia, all of which could come in quite handy for that trip you’ve always wanted to take to Norway, Rumania or Australia. Who better to point you in the direction of your next spa hotel vacation than your new friends?

Spa accommodations are the perfect choice for any traveler looking to enjoy their destination just a little bit more than the next guy. Not only will you get away from all things familiar, you will also leave all of your worries behind as you indulge in some serious pampering. Book a spa hotel today, and you’ll soon learn why it’s the only way to travel.