I  admit I like to be pampered but I have never been pampered like I was pampered last year in Las Vegas. 

I spent almost all of my spare time during a brief business trip in an incredible spa, getting the tension released from my back, the kinks rubbed out of my neck, and the worries worked out of my brain by a very nimble and very talented masseuse. 

Then it was time to address my toes. 

I sat in a chair that took up where my masseuse left off, electronically giving me a shiatsu massage. At the same time, a real person dipped my feet in paraffin and then beautified them with a bright red pedicure.

My hair was next.

A wreck from too much traveling and not enough attending to, the salon staff went to work, coloring, cutting and completely restyling what was once just a mop of stringy tangles.  

To be sure, I felt like a new woman. 

I was also as relaxed as a person can be, something never before achieved during a visit to hectic Las Vegas. As I discovered, all it took was a visit to the JW Marriott Resort. Situated 16 miles northwest of Las Vegas Airport in Summerlin and away from the fray of the famous Strip by a good 25 minutes, this expansive, 50-acre retreat has just about everything anyone would want, and then some.

For instance, take the aforementioned in-house spa. 

Backed by an extremely pleasant staff (they are so easy to talk with you consider them good friends only minutes into your treatment), this gigantic facility has some very special assets besides the personnel. My favorite is the full-force waterfall shower that feels like the real thing and I am also intrigued by the facility's special belly dancing classes though I didn't take time to indulge during my visit.

As for work concerns, there are all sorts of meeting spaces in all shapes and sizes from which to choose at the JW Marriott, including 22 meeting rooms and 65,734 square feet of meeting space. However, my favorite place to talk turkey was in the hotel lobby. It possessed such a casual and comfortable atmosphere that even the most serious conversation did not seem intimidating. 

Another favorite meeting spot for business purposes and otherwise at the JW Marriott Las Vegas is on the links. I neglected to take part, much to the dismay of my duffer friends who would never be able to resist a chance to play one of the city's top courses known as Tournament Players Club at the Canyons.

Other awe-inspiring aspects of the JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort include its lush landscape with beautiful waterfalls and an 11,000-square-foot pool, nine distinctive restaurants, enormous rooms that feature raindrop showers and whirlpool tubs, and a discreet onsite casino tucked away in a far corner of the resort's main building.

Another way to resort to Las Vegas is at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, about 20 minutes from the city proper. There, two properties welcome visitors with all kinds of treats.

The Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas (101 Montelago Boulevard, Henderson, NV  89011; 702-567-1234; www.lakelasvegas.hyatt.com) imitates a sprawling Moroccan estate with enchanting Morrish-styled rooms and a beautiful casino overlooking Lake Las Vegas, offering perhaps the Las Vegas area's best views of the man-made water hole that looks like a mirage in the middle of the desert.

Also in the vicinity is the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas (1612 Las Vegas Parkway, Henderson, NV  89011; 702-567-4700; www.ritzcarlton.com), a stunning Tuscan-style property reminiscent of Florence. On the premises is its unique version of the Pontevecchio where the swanky hotel's luxurious club floor rooms are located.

There is plenty to recommend at this Ritz-Carlton, including a power meal at the fine dining restaurant, Medici, for incredible Mediterranean cuisine. The spa on property is also a must, whether for a workout or a beauty treatment. 

During my last stay at this full-service retreat I met with the insightful Laurie Berry, the Ritz-Carlton's in-house nutritionist. We convened over lunch for some on-the-spot advice about eating on the road, including losing the notion that to drop weight and stay healthy means you must adopt a deprivation attitude. Not so, according to Berry who says it's all about moderation.

In fact, this personable lifestyle trainer at the Ritz was spot-on with me as evidenced by the reality that since we had that little chat I lost 10 pounds I definitely did not need. I highly recommended booking a consultation with the knowledgeable Berry who helps all road warriors with their diet worries by making suggestions specifically tailored to each individual's needs.

Finally, don't be afraid that by staying away from the fray in Lake Las Vegas you will miss any of the famous Las Vegas action. Indeed, should you care to indulge, both helpful resorts offer free shuttle service to and from the famous Strip.