Photo courtesy of Passalacqua
There are great hotels. And then there are great hotels with great spas. We love both, but we really love a vacation where we come back feeling healthier—with better skin, calmer minds, new insights, and even less jet lag—as well as indulged. Here, a collection of particularly fantastic hotels that happen to have next-level spas, plus our favorite treatments to get there.
Bonus: We’ve made serious beauty discoveries at every one of these places, so definitely leave room in your bag to bring back some of the best of the best in clean beauty.
THE SPA:
WHERE:
Bodrum, Turkey
A glamorous seaside retreat along the Turquoise Coast, this luxury escape is a hot spot where you might brush shoulders with supermodels or movie stars from around the world. It feels grand and intimate at once, with winding, greenery-covered paths leading to the spa, Missoni and Aquazzura boutiques, pools, the beach, and umbrella-covered sunbeds lining the docks. It's also a fantastic place to eat, with locally caught fish at Seavore, Turkish highlights like manti at Twenty4, or caviar bumps at Caviar Kaspia. With picturesque views of the sparkling Aegean Sea dotted with private yachts, it's a living, breathing dream holiday destination to unwind with a glass of Turkish rosé.
THE TREATMENT:
Housed in a 5,750 square meter spa compound, you don't need a spa appointment to take advantage of the facilities— there's an enormous indoor pool, Himalayan salt room, infrared sauna, steam room, cold plunge, LED light therapy showers, and a hammam. But you'll definitely want to book a treatment from the spa's expansive menu, which includes lymphatic drainage, hammam rituals, shirodhara, a Zerobody cold-floating pod, and saltwater flotation. The best is the traditional Turkish Hammam ritual, which involves a firm full-body exfoliation with a textured kese glove, followed by steaming, cleansing, scrubbing, and a soothing soap massage for the most radiant skin—made even better by the delightful Turkish rose scent left behind.
Take It Home
THE SPA:
The Well at Chileno Bay, Auberge Resorts Collection
WHERE:
Los Cabos, Mexico
Along with breathtaking views of the Sea of Cortez, alfresco four-course washoku dinners, and seasonal whale watching, one of the highlights here is a 22-acre outpost of The Well spa. There’s a bathhouse with a hydrothermal circuit featuring a cold plunge, aromatherapy steam room, Himalayan salt sauna, ice bar, and vitality pool, plus an outdoor nap garden (has anything ever sounded so glorious?) and a reflexology pool. Visiting healers and practitioners run outstanding workshops, while celestial bathing, ashiatsu massage, and customized bodywork are all on the regular menu.
THE TREATMENT:
We love The Method facial crafted by Augustinus Bader, which pairs manual lymphatic drainage and massage with the rejuvenating LYMA laser for beautiful, radiant, healthy-looking skin. (Trust me: your skin will be the softest and most supple it’s ever been, and the glow will last you through the week.) If you can, add on the infrared body-blanket treatment. If you're based in Los Angeles, it's just a short flight away—perfect for a long weekend escape.
Take It Home
THE SPA:
Raffles London at the OWO Guerlain Spa
WHERE:
London, United Kingdom
When you think of "spa capital of the world" you might not think of London, but the truth is, the storied city is filled to the brim with incredible healers, wellness gurus, facialists, and more. But the spa heaven that awaits you at Raffles London is something I still dream about. Take the elevator down, and you'll find the 27,000 square feet oasis—you won't believe something so grand is hidden under the busy city. There's a sauna, steam room, experience showers, vitality pool, and an enormous 20-meter pool—perfect for hydrotherapy circuits.
THE TREATMENT:
Definitely make time for some R&R in the pool area (I went every single day) and book one of the reflexology treatments by Andrea Hurst—the perfect antidote to a stressful day or jetlag. The 90-minute "Restore and Rebalance" feels incredible and treats all the body's systems—nervous, digestive, hormonal, and circulatory. The benefits last long after the session ends, releasing built-up tension and restoring a sense of balance.
Take It Home
THE SPA:
Mi Sol Spa at InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort
WHERE:
Danang, Vietnam
Part rainforest nature preserve and part sweet seafront respite, InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort is anything but another luxury beach resort. Designed by Bill Bensley, it's a maximalist design lover's dream with whimsical monkey motifs and details that feel distinctly Vietnamese, gorgeous walking paths and nature tours, restaurants serving authentic bahn mì or Vietnamese coffee tasting flights, karaoke lounges, an art gallery, a movie theater, and so much more to explore. Waking up to birdsong in the misty, jungle-covered mountains overlooking stretches of pristine shoreline—and keeping watch for rare red-shanked douc langurs—puts you in vacation mode long before you even reach the spa.
THE TREATMENT:
Housed in structures resembling historic Quonset huts (used for storage and aircraft hangars during World War II) near a secluded lagoon, the spa is centered on the power of sound healing and vibrational wellness. (The name itself is a play on frequencies: Mi is the "love frequency" or "miracle tone" at 528 Hz, while the Sol frequency at 741 Hz is said to purify the mind and body and neutralize negativity.) Even if you've had a Vietnamese massage before, having one at Mi Sol is a totally life-changing experience. Through acupressure, stretching, rhythmic tapping, and deep bodywork, the treatment feels like an exorcism of muscle release (and yes, the spa attendants even get on top of you to work out knots and kinks). But the real treat is the tuning-fork frequency therapy that begins and ends your treatment. Even non-believers will waft out feeling more relaxed than possible.
Take It Home
THE SPA:
WHERE:
Tuscany, Italy
If there is one place so special that it's worth returning to again and again, it's Borgo Santo Pietro. The 300-acre organic estate is so sprawling that even when it’s fully booked, you feel like you have it all to yourself. You can learn to make pastas at the first-class cooking school, hike in the forest just beyond the property, unwind at an epic sound bath in the herb house (where they dehydrate herbs for the Borgo skin-care products), or swim in the Merse river at the edge of the property and slather yourself in silver detoxifying mud on its banks (a bonus spa treatment).
THE TREATMENT:
You can get glow-inducing custom facials, reflexology, holistic massages, body scrubs, and Ayurvedic treatments such as abhyanga or shirodhara. The Chrysalis massage in the garden—surrounded by buzzing bees, fluttering butterflies, and a breeze carrying the subtle scent of nearby blooming lavender—it's the ultimate. You’re brushed down with a body brush for light exfoliation (for more exfoliation, add a scrub), then drenched in moisture from head to toe with a nutrient-rich honey concoction and massaged with a melting-oil candle—heaven.
Take It Home
THE SPA:
WHERE:
Lake Como, Italy
Overlooking a postcard view of Lake Como with flowering gardens, olive groves, and charming lakeside villas, Passalacqua is both sumptuous and intimate, with frescoed suites, green lily-petal parasols to shade you by the pool, and a stunning greenhouse designed by JJ Martin of La DoubleJ. There’s also a secret 18th-century vaulted stone chamber beneath the gardens that connects the property’s three buildings—the Palazz, Villa, and Casa al Lago—and houses the epic sauna and steam baths. The Palazz is where you’ll find the spa, which offers all manner of treatments, exclusively engineered by Seed to Skin Tuscany.
THE TREATMENT:
The star of the spa is the signature bespoke facial, which begins with an exquisite cleanse, exfoliation, and extractions, then cocoons the skin in moisture with a heavenly massage (that feels absolutely incredible). It leaves skin smooth, supple, sculpted, and absolutely luminous.
Take It Home
THE SPA:
WHERE:
Champagne, France
If a luxurious countryside escape to France, delicately crisp glasses of bubbles, decadent vegetable-forward menus, quaint local village markets, and the best sleep of your life seems too good to be true—it isn't. At Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, you can have it all—and then some. Take a fantastic tour at Rare Champagne (complete with tastings), enjoy tea time with fantastic (and unique) desserts, and of course, a really deluxe spa.
THE TREATMENT:
Crafted by French hair brand Flora, absolutely book the signature ‘Floraison’ scalp treatment. It's like a facial for your hair: it starts with a detailed scalp analysis (using camera diagnostics) followed by massage, steam, a warm rinse, and hair-boosting tonics and potions for your healthiest, shiniest, happiest hair.
Take It Home
THE SPA:
WHERE:
Cadiz, Spain
Overlooking the Alboran Sea, OKU Andalusia is a respite tucked away on the quiet Costa del Sol peninsula—a place where you can fully disconnect from WiFi, savor slow mornings, and recharge. About 45 minutes from buzzing Marbella, the minimalist, sleek, modern interiors, white-washed structures, and greenery encourage you to exhale the second you arrive. The spa is the resort's diamond—with saunas, steam rooms, refreshing cold water showers, and a stunning indoor pool enclosed by floor-to-ceiling windows surrounded by lush foliage outside.
THE TREATMENT:
Called the Rasayana Detox Body Wrap, a buffing blend of cinnamon powder and walnut shells sloughs off dead, dry skin before you're painted with mineral-rich clay infused with botanicals like spiked ginger lily, spirulina, and green tea for the ultimate detox. The end result? Skin that feels like it's been wrapped in a veil of cashmere from head to toe.
Take It Home
THE SPA:
Surya Spa at Santa Monica Proper
WHERE:
Santa Monica, California
It’s no secret we’re in love with the Proper hotel. The Kelly Wearstler–designed gem is where we first discovered our favorite-ever brow wizard, Jimena Garcia; where we go for some of the healthiest, most delicious food in LA (at the rooftop restaurant Calabra); and where the rooms have the best views in Santa Monica. But the flagship Surya Spa is one of the outstanding legit Ayurvedic spas in America. Also, Kelly Wearstler–designed, it’s an enchanting space in which to get therapeutic massage, steam and oil treatments, cooking lessons, personalized dosha yoga consultations, and more.
THE TREATMENT:
Ranging from 3 to 28 days, the cleansing Panchakarma detox wellness programs are the biggest draw: For up to four hours a day, you go for custom restorative treatments, detox, and healing experiences like private yoga, sound baths, Qigong, breathwork, energetic healing, and more. Founder Martha Soffer is famous for her profound, transformative results—you will leave a different person.
Whether or not you do the Panchakarma, Surya’s products are absolutely incredible. The collagen cream is hands down the richest cream we’ve ever tried, and the bath soaks are the ultimate luxury (the whole box equals one fantastic bath). There are custom oils prescribed during treatments, an iPad to take notes on that then emails you everything you wrote, and, perhaps most legendary, unbelievably delicious almond-flour spa breads that often sell out.
Take It Home
THE SPA:
Jumby Bay Spa at Jumby Bay Island
WHERE:
Antigua
Set on a private island in the Caribbean (it’s two miles off mainland Antigua and reachable only by boat) and enclosed in lush tropical foliage, Jumby Bay has 4.5 miles of powdery shoreline that is completely surrounded by crystal-blue, coral-reef-sprinkled water. Every suite has a private plunge pool, and beautiful, winding bike paths (the whole resort is brilliantly carless) take you right to the spa for sunrise yoga, breathwork, or a treatment in a room with ocean views (you can actually hear the waves and breathe in the salt air).
THE TREATMENT:
Get the facial (Tata Harper–designed, of course) with face-mapping therapy, exfoliation, massage, skin-reviving botanicals, and deep moisture.
Take It Home
THE SPA:
Verbena Spa at Austin Proper
WHERE:
Austin, Texas
We love everything about the Austin Proper: the rooftop pool, the best views of Lady Bird Lake, the laid-back vibe, the specialty cocktails, the crispy shallot hummus at the Peacock restaurant, and most of all, the chic, intimate Verbena spa.
THE TREATMENT:
Get the Monastery x Proper Facial—a skin-soothing 60 minutes of cleansing, exfoliating, masking, toning, and moisturizing with Monastery Made’s super-rich, hydrating Attar balm; custom detoxifying clay and hydrating masks (made specifically for the spa); hyaluronic-acid-infused Flora Botanical Cream Serum; and Saint Jane’s featherweight Petal Cream and body cream (the latter is for an epic hand-arm massage). You can add on a TheraFace PRO session with percussive massage, heat, and cryotherapy treatments. You finish with Saint Jane’s creamy Luxury Sun Ritual SPF before you walk out the door.
Take It Home
THE SPA:
WHERE:
Lenox, Massachusetts
Set on a hilltop in the Berkshires, the Bellefontaine Mansion was built as a private residence during the Gilded Age, and was then transformed into this immersive wellness retreat on 120 acres. But don’t miss days luxuriating in the 100,000-square-foot spa.
THE TREATMENT:
There’s a signature full-body massage done with Kate McLeod’s Body Stone—it melts right in, leaving soft, supple skin (at the end of the treatment, you get to take the rest of the Body Stone with you). There are a total of 14 facials, but our favorite is the K-beauty-inspired Venn Advanced Collagen Facial, which layers peptides, antioxidants, and phytoretinols to reduce the look of lines, even skin tone, and plump for gorgeous glass skin.
Take It Home
THE SPA:
WHERE:
Crans-Montana, Switzerland
Atop a wildflower-dotted mountain in Switzerland, I'm pretty sure this resort is where they invented the concept of après ski. It's the perfect blend of a cozy cabin feel where you can relax with a hot tea by the fireplace or breathe in the fresh alpine air in the morning, and sleek, modern, with biohacking recovery treatments and the latest and greatest in high-tech wellness. Visit in the spring or winter—either way, it's just as glamorous—but it's a cardinal sin to skip the spa.
THE TREATMENT:
Keep your eyes peeled for new dates and if you're lucky, you'll visit when the Six Senses hosts their signature Alma Wellness Festival where you can partake in a full-on wellness itinerary complete with movement, expert-led panels, hydrotherapy, hikes, and more. There's also a rotating list of visiting holistic practitioners who are worth booking appointments with. Either way, the spa is divine. It's sauna heaven: there's a Finnish sauna, a rock sauna, an infrared sauna, and a bio salt sauna for you to enjoy. There's also hydrotherapy circuits, a picture-perfect outdoor pool, and more. But a true highlight is the Swiss chocolate wrap massage. Exfoliation with purifying salt crystals sourced from the Swiss Anzeindanz Glacier, followed by a full-body cacao mask, leaves your skin soft, silky, and fully moisturized.
