Stress is like lightning: it strikes without warning, leaves you feeling frazzled, and often results from incurring the wrath of Zeus. Find a break from tension storms with today's Groupon: for $179, you get an overnight stay for two in a signature king suite, a 60-minute deep-tissue or Swedish couples massage, a bottle of sparkling wine, a restaurant appetizer, and breakfast at Ayres Hotel & Spa Mission Viejo (up to a $369 value).

Sitting pretty in the Saddleback Mountains, Ayres Hotel & Spa Mission Viejo indulges its patrons with modern suites and lavish amenities. Free high-speed Internet and a complimentary cooked-to-order American breakfast prevent the need to pilfer passwords and thrust eggs and bagels into barren coat pockets. Sink into the soothing arms of a king-size Ayres Dream Sleeper bed to enhance your REM cycle’s productivity. A bottle of sparkling wine and an appetizer from the hotel’s restaurant ($10 value) stand at the ready to keep neglected hunger pangs from consorting with troublemaking hunger gangs. With a late 2 p.m. checkout, customers can ease into the day or get a head start on the coming night’s slumber.

Couples, pals, or spa-going mothers and daughters can augment their luxury getaway at the hotel spa. Restive countdowns build to a crescendo of comfort as a certified massage maestro stills sore sides with a 60-minute, side-by-side Swedish or deep-tissue massage, which can help steamroll knots, aches, and bothersome potholes.