There’s an element of yin and yang about the Avanyu Spa. The five-story, 17,000-square-foot Snake River Lodge and Spa in Jackson Hole, Wyo., features separate — but equal — facilities for men and women. The interesting thing here is the lounges, in particular, are designed to appeal to their specific patrons — male or female.

Spa director Debbie Thompson allowed me a sneak peek into the men’s lounge one evening after hours. The comfortable sitting area done in earth tones is everything a spa waiting room should be — with one very large surprise. The focal point of the room is giant flat-screen television. Nirvana for men. The women’s lounge is equally inviting, with a wall of windows offering a view of the Wyoming landscape, but here lounge chairs are clustered around a rustic stone hearth. On a cold winter day in January, it was set with a roaring fire.

The Avanyu Spa at the Snake River Lodge and Spa, A RockResort, is one of those rare resort spas that makes you want to forget the rest of your plans and settle in for the duration of your stay. Dinner? Who needs it? Skiing? I’ll sit by the fire. Shopping? I’m much too comfortable here in my spa robe and slippers.

Named for Avanyu, the Tewa Native American name for a mythical water serpent, the spa is a tribute to the restorative and life-giving power of water. In fact, water is a vital component of most therapeutic treatments on the spa menu. But it’s more than that. The spa complex includes a free-form indoor/outdoor swimming pool (open to all hotel guests) with cascading waterfalls. Both the men’s and women’s locker rooms feature 16-head Swiss shower, 9-inch rain showers, jetted whirlpool tubs set against a backdrop of glass to reveal the stunning mountain view, plus a steam room and sauna.

I indulged in a hot stone massage that so effectively worked out the kinks in my shoulders and lower back, I felt like I was walking on air as I left the treatment room to retire to the lounge where I sat in front of the fireplace savoring a mug of warm herbal tea. The following day, I returned to the spa (early for my treatment, so I could settle into the quiet ambience of the lounge) for Avanyu’s signature Sweet Earth Wrap. I have to admit, I hadn’t been a huge fan of wraps. That said, my personal bias against them vanished during my Sweet Earth experience. After a thorough dry brushing, the therapist applied a layer of mineral-rich earth mud to my skin before completing the wrap process. Warm and cozy, I relaxed in the quiet room until she returned to help me into the deep hydrotherapy tub next to the treatment table. And if that weren’t enough, she returned again following my soak to massage hydrating oil into my skin. There’s no doubt in my mind that Avanyu’s Sweet Earth Wrap is the most indulgently therapeutic spa treatment I have ever experienced.

There are seven Avanyu Spas in the RockResort collection. For additional information, call 866 975 ROCK or visit www.rockresorts.com.