After a busy week of meetings on the road, why not forget about racing back to the airport to catch that crowded plane home (and back to household chores); instead, pick up the phone and tell your spouse to meet you for some much needed R&R at a great resort near the city you’re in. Get inspired with this list of recommended resorts with golf courses and spas (not just for women only) that are in easy driving (or rail) distance from the world’s major business centers.

London
Grayshott Spa
Grayshott Hall, once the home of poet laureate Alfred Lord Tennyson, lies among the picturesque rolling hills of Surrey. Grayshott Spa has a bit more emphasis on health and wellness than most resort spas—it offers detox and de-stress programs as short as one weekend—but it still provides the basics: indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a nine- hole golf course, and serious tennis courts (a tennis academy is on premises). Don’t feel like driving on the left side of the road? England’s vaunted rail system will speed you there in under an hour. Surrey, England; +44 1428 602000; www.grayshottspa.com.

Singapore
The Sentosa Resort & Spa
Anyone who has been to this Southeast Asian tiger knows that things progress quickly in Singapore. Sentosa Island, the city-state’s unique recreation area comprising man-made attractions, rainforest, and beaches, is constantly changing; for example, by the time you read this, it is likely that a brand-new "six star" resort, the Capella Singapore, will be open. In the meantime, there is The Sentosa Resort and Spa, which fits seamlessly into the alternately stimulating and relaxing atmosphere of the island, with the added bonuses of floodlit tennis courts, the Sentosa Golf Club, and the twin facilities Spa Botanica and Seven Eden Wellness Centre. Sentosa Island, Singapore; +65 6275-0331; www.thesentosa.com

Denver
The Broadmoor
Known as the grande dame of the Rockies, The Broadmoor is one of the country’s top-rated resorts: it has earned a combined rating of AAA Five Diamonds and Mobil Five Stars a remarkable 32 years in a row.  Amenities include an award-winning spa, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, three outdoor hot tubs, 54 holes of championship golf, and seven tennis courts. There are four stellar restaurants on the property (including the state’s first and only Five Diamond restaurant) and cellars stocked with 75,000 bottles of vintage wine. Colorado Springs, Colorado; 866-837-9520; www.broadmoor.com

Los Angeles
Ojai Valley Inn & Spa
Nestled in a picturesque valley south of Santa Barbara, the town of Ojai, with its hiking and biking trails, is a favorite getaway spot for Angelenos (although it does get significantly hotter than the city in the summertime). The Five Diamond Ojai Valley Inn and Spa is recommended by numerous spa guides, and offers 220 tree-shaded acres with luxury accommodations and a championship golf course that has hosted seven Senior PGA Tour events. Ojai, California; 888-697-8780; www.ojairesort.com

Atlanta
Barnsley gardens Resort
There are a surprising number of world-class resort spas in northern Georgia; one of the closest to Atlanta is Barnsley Gardens Resort, which boasts a colorful history as well as luxurious cottages designed in the English country estate mold (each with its own English- style garden). A full range of activities is offered, including quail hunting, sporting clays, fishing, and horseback riding, as well as The General, a Jim Fazio-designed championship golf course. And then there’s the full-service spa, with 10 treatment rooms, a large co-ed whirlpool, and ladies and men’s grooming areas with separate saunas, steam rooms, and whirlpools. Once you enter, you may never leave . . . Adairsville, Georgia; 877-773-2447; www.barnsleyinn.com

New York
Mohonk Mountain House
Tycoons and financial barons would regularly escape the city to their mansions along the Hudson River, and now you can, too. A scenic 90- mile drive north of Manhattan brings you to Mohonk Mountain House, a Victorian castle that has been transformed into a 2,200-acre resort offering a wide range of outdoor recreational activities, a world- class spa, and award-winning chefs. Owner Nina Smiley leads meditation classes herself; her mission for Mohonk: "renewal of body, mind, and spirit in a spectacular setting." New Paltz, New York; 800-772-6646; www.mohonk.com

Chicago
The Grand Geneva
Named after its location in (and on) Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, the Grand Geneva is a true four-season resort: skiing in the winter, golf in the spring and summer, horseback riding and hiking in stunning fall foliage, and swimming and tennis year-round, thanks to both indoor and outdoor courts and pools. The resort’s WELLSpa offers an extensive menu of treatments and comprises The Sport Center, a comprehensive fitness facility. If the weather is not right for a romantic sleigh ride, the resort has two-person motorized boats, for couples only. Lake Geneva, Wisconsin; 800-558-3417; www.grandgeneva.com

Sydney
Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa
Lilianfels is situated in the beautiful Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Site. In addition to the usual resort activities and spa treatments, the hotel offers bushwalking (Oz-speak for hiking), Harley cruising (hit the bike trails on a rented Harley-Davidson), and private gourmet picnics in the wilderness. Celebrating a special occasion? In the words of the hotel: "Toast the sun setting across ruby red skies from a romantic table for two on the clifftops— complete with your own private butler." Katoomba, NSW, Australia; 800-237-1236; www.lilanfels.com.au

Tokyo
Hakone Fujiya Hotel
Japan is the most culturally distinctive destination on this list; embrace the opportunity to stay at a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn)— specifically, the Hakone Fujiya Ryokan Hotel, a 130-year-old establishment that has hosted emperors. Located in the [Mt.] Fuji- Hakone-Izu National Park, known for its mountains, lakes, and hot springs, the ryokan-hotel provides a choice of Western- or Japanese- style accommodations and serves both Japanese and European cuisine.  All guest rooms have private indoor baths fed by natural hot springs, in addition to the two hot spring baths for men and women (same sex only), as well as one hot spring"family bath" that can be rented for private use. Hakone Yumoto, Japan; www.fujiyahotel.iu