Some call it a welcome treat, others a wellness necessity, in any case the appeal of a spa break has never been so apparent. Luckily, there are plenty of options available both on home soil and away, whether you are looking for a romantic getawayor a luxury breakwith your girlfriends. So, be it a chance to retreat from the hubbub of every day life or the lure of trying the next-gen treatment poised to reset body, mind and soul, our pick of the best spas both home and abroad have you covered.

Best Spa In Ireland

Adare Manor, Limerick, Ireland

Best For: Getting back to nature

At a glance: This sprawling neo-Gothic mansion is as close as you’ll come to staying in a fairy-tale castle. With 365 windows, 52 chimneys, seven pillars and four towers, the country pile is an example of a ‘calendar house’ (the features mark the annual tally of days, weeks and seasons). Inside original features (oak floors and stained glass windows from the 1830s) mingle with plush pastel soft furnishings, and breakfast in the ‘grand hall’ is akin to stepping on to the Harry Potter set. It’s outside, though, where the real magic happens. Here, 840 acres of Irish woodland are yours to explore: hop on a bike, meander along the river, try for a par on the future Ryder Cup golf course (2027) and look out for Jamie Dornan on the green, or take up this year’s trendiest sport at the Padel Club. Archery, falconry and clay pigeon shooting are also on the menu but, if that’s not your bag, retire to one of the two spas. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls offer views of the river and woodland – practically wild swimming, right?

Treatment to try: Facials are served up by A-list-approved skincare brand 111Skin. Expect professional-grade results from a bed far boujier than on Harley Street. Ask for Milena, a therapist who specialises in The Original Dramatic Healing Facial, £197 – you’ll walk out fresher faced than after a brisk stroll around the estate.

Hot tip: Feeling flush? Book into one of the signature suites where you’ll be allocated your own Manor Butler.

Book it: Classic room from £595pn including breakfast.

Best Spa In Yorkshire

Middleton Lodge, North Yorkshire

Best for: A romantic getaway

At a glance: Privately owned and recently brought back to life, Middleton Lodge is a 200-acre estate famous for its two-acre walled garden (redesigned by Tom Stuart-Smith in 2014), Coach House restaurant and Forest Spa. Interiors of the 18th-century house are airy and elevated, the atmosphere relaxed but exclusive – it achieves that rare thing of being both comfortable and grand. Imagine a country members’ club without the posturing. Bliss. Talking of show-offs, the outdoor pool is big on TikTok. Heated year-round, steam rises off its surface in the winter and, come summer, the sun loungers and stripy towels arrive. Portrait mode at the ready.

Treatment to try: The Day Retreat at the Forest Spa. First, a two-hour treatment ritual combines a facial and massage that will leave you feeling reborn. Next, a two-course lunch to sustain you through the afternoon’s Voya bathing experience. A private hut houses a steaming bath where you float about to a guided meditation and the lapping waves of the Irish Sea.

Hot tip: Book Dairy Room 3; it has a wood-fired hot tub on a private patio.

Book it: Rooms start from £235pn.

Best Spas In Oxfordshire

Soho Farmhouse, Chipping Norton

Best for: When you’ve got Pilates at 12 and picantes at 1

At a glance: The rich and well- connected have been spending rosé-fuelled weekends (and weekdays)
at the ‘farm’ since 2015. But the Millennial clientele are growing up and so is the 100-acre Cotswold estate. Enter the new wellness barn. Swap midday fizz for mindfulness with a meditation session; the energetic can book yoga and Pilates too (the reformer classes are particularly testing). Next, dip your toe into wellness buzzword du jour ‘longevity’ with a spot of biohacking; three copper ice baths and an ozone sauna pod (good for activating antioxidants, apparently) are installed on the decking beside the lake. Once your immune system is boosted, warm up in one of the four onsen-style hot tubs – picante cocktail in hand – before hopping on a bike and moseying over to Pen Yen for sushi.

Treatment to try: Deep breath: a guided ice bathing session. The uninitiated are encouraged to submerge in the freezing tub for 60 seconds – fluffy robes, hot water bottles and steaming mugs of tea are provided post-dunk. What hangover?

Hot tip: Check which wellness guru is holding court as one of the farm’s rolling residencies. Sunday Riley takes charge of facials in the summer.

Book it: Cabins start from £295, members only.

Estelle Manor, Oxfordshire

Best for: A decadent British break

At a glance: This stately, Grade II-listed neo-Jacobean pile, in 3,000 acres of bucolic parkland, effortlessly bats off the competition of other upscale Cotswolds establishments. Brimming with outdoorsy distractions, yes, but which room of the lush interior to choose will be the taxing quandary. The pièce de résistance? Eynsham baths, all 3,300m2 of it, is the hotel’s spin on the art of bathing. Five years in the making and inspired by Roman ruins, the neoclassical palazzo centres around a ‘tepidarium’ (a communal pool the temperature of ambient bathwater), where you’ll be tempted to remain until prune-like. Plan your spa visit before being swayed by the more Bacchanalian temptations of the hotel, after which you won’t have fettle for much beyond lazing by the year-round heated pool peppered with oh-so Instagrammable parasols.

Treatment to try: The full immersive ‘thermal journey’ experience: make use of the five pools of varying temperatures, hay sauna and botanical steam room before indulging in a bespoke massage using the spa’s hand-blended oil remedies.

Hot tip: Try to sneak a peek at the open-air bar/pool area reserved for members only. It’s reminiscent of a Bond villain’s rocky lair. And visit the Tea Lounge where the chickpea shortbread (tastier than it sounds) will satisfy a sweet tooth.

Book it: Rooms from £450pn. Spa access is £95pp, which includes the thermal journey.

Best Spas In The South East

Beaverbrook, Surrey

Best for: Stately home luxury

At a glance: The house pays homage to its former owner, newspaper baron and Churchill’s Minister of Aircraft Lord Beaverbrook. Spitfire motifs are a theme, from your morning coffee to the box of mints left in your car. Once you’re done ogling photos of past guests – Elizabeth Taylor, Roger Moore – head to the spa in the converted coach house. Post-dip in the art deco-style pool, cosy up by a roaring fire beneath Brian Clarke’s stained glass ceiling – historical grandeur mixed with modern luxury is Beaverboork’s thing. In the garden you’ll find your therapist waiting at the secluded Meadow Hut, which offers bespoke holistic healing sessions.

Treatment to try: The Vibration Sound Bodywork – a zen full body massage with a sound bathing.

Hot tip: Hit Frank’s bar before sunset; the views over the Surrey hills were virtually created for a sundowner.

Book it: The Meadow Hut Spa Day, from £350pp. Rooms from £610pn.

Heckfield Place, Hampshire

Best for: Going off-grid

At a glance: Chained to your phone? In need of a real escape? Check into the Bothy by Wildsmith Skin. Situated in the grounds of boutique hotel Heckfield Place, the Bothy spa is only for hotel residents – no fighting for a spot in the steam room here. With a glass-fronted sauna, outdoor hot tub and infinity pool with endless views of fields and woodland, get lost in nature from the comfort of your fluffy robe. Before entering the spa all digital devices are locked away–staff will confiscate any contraband gadgets. Once you’ve got over the twitchy fingers, your can properly switch off. After a day ‘taking the waters’, grab wellies from the boot room and walk through the gardens to the farm, where much of the produce you’ll eat in the two veggie-centric restaurants is grown. Or admire the impressionist art from the collection of hotel owner Gerald Chan. Don’t miss the botanical cocktail of the day: who said spa breaks have to be all about health?

Treatment to try: The bespoke massage – a mix of Swedish and Thai techniques – is 90 minutes, the optimum time for your brain to relax, apparently. Your therapist will match Wildsmith body oils to the time of day to boost your mood.

Hot tip: Try the ‘sauna medicine’ led by head healer Reka using scented heat.

Book it: Rooms start from £600pn with access to the Bothy included. Treatments from £280.

Best Spas In London

The Peninsula, London

Best for: Full-blown Luxury

At a glance: Staff clad in uniforms designed by British designer Jenny Packham, hand-blown crystal chandeliers studded across the ceiling, a fleet of Peninsula green Rolls-Royce and Bentley limousines to ferry guests around the city... there is nothing mediocre about The Peninsula. With a night setting you back a cool £1,300 you’d hope not. The location, Belgravia, is swish but the spa is slicker. Escape the capital’s chaos and lounge by the lavish 25-metre pool. In need of fresh air? No need to move. The spa’s lights mimic the day’s natural sunlight to further bolster your chill-out time. Done relaxing? Underwater speakers provide an aquatic musical experience; forget silent disco, here it’s a swimming disco. All those lengths will have you needing a pre-dinner zhush. Happily, the on-site Errol Douglas hair salon offers bouncy blow-dries for all. Now you’re glammed up, choose from one of the seven restaurants. Our pick is Canton Blue, a Cantonese diner headed by famed chef Dicky To. Order the Silver Hill Peking duck for a two-act theatrical experience. As if The Peninsula would plonk pancakes on the table.

Treatment to try: Request the Subtle Energies Personalised Holistic Body Massage, which combines all the right levels of woo-woo (chakra balancing, aromatic actives) with traditional techniques (firm, flowing hand movements). Muscles and mind are equally soothed.

Hot tip: Ask for a suite with views of the iconic Wellington Arch on Hyde Park Corner. Order the Blossom cocktail and enjoy the view (read: people watching).

Book it: Rooms from £1,300pn, treatments from £160.

1 Hotel Mayfair, London

Best For: Urban eco warriors

At a glance: Some 200 plant species, 1,300 individual plants... no, you’re not at the Eden Project but a swanky new hotel a short stroll from Green Park tube. 1 Hotel Mayfair is big on sustainability. There’s a
live moss chandelier in the lobby, a hunk of Sussex oak tree that makes up the reception desk, the planting beds that house water coolers in the bedrooms. But in Mayfair eco doesn’t equal austere. Case in low-key luxe point? The Bamford Wellness Spa serves as a mini oasis for tired tourists. Wood-panelled walls line the three treatment rooms where guests can enjoy some R&R courtesy of Bamford’s signature organic products. Work up an appetite with a personal training session at the uber hi-tech Field House gym before heading downstairs to satiate said hunger at Dovetale. The restaurant, headed by two Michelin-starred chef Tom Sellers, is the talk of the town. Order the cornish crab tagliolini to see why.

Treatment to try: Short on time? The 30-minute express treatments (including reflexology and a stress-diffusing back massage) are just the ticket for time-poor travellers. Otherwise, settle in for the Signature Body Experience. Holistic with a capital H. A Palo Santo ceremony and breathing meditation are followed by an intense massage – to melt away all memory of nearby Piccadilly Circus.

Hot tip: Request the Knickerbocker Glory trolley for pudding. The veritable feast of toppings, sauces and ice cream flavours is wheeled out on demand.

Book it: Rooms start from £500pn, while a 90-minute treatment costs £250

Best Spas In Italy

Castello Di Reschio, Umbria, Italy

Best For: A digital detox

At a glance: Roaming the gardens of a 1,000-year-old castle in the verdant Umbrian countryside, breathing in the head-clearing aroma of cypress trees and basking under baby-blue skies isn’t even the best part of this rural retreat. Nor is lazing in front of the open fire alongside your spa partner (here is a retreat you can experience solo or as a pair). It isn’t even bathing in a roll-top bath filled with honey – harvested from the hotel’s hives, no less – dried camomile flowers and salts. No, the best part is The Bathhouse. The unique, enchanting spa inspired by Roman bath rituals is saltwater pool (private sessions only, so you’ll have it all to yourself ) or booking a solo yoga class in the church. Balance out the salvation and order tagliolini with freshly shaved truffle at Ristorante Alle Scuderie. All together now: ohm, amen, yum.

Treatment to try: The Bathhouse’s signature bespoke four-hour restorative treatment, which includes a massage combining Thai, Swedish, deep tissue and lymphatic drainage techniques tailored to your meridian. Bliss.

Hot tip: Leave your phone on flight mode. You sign a form on check-in promising that no pictures will be taken or posted with other guests in the background. Refreshing.

Book it: A suite costs from £802pn including breakfast for two and tucked away beneath the castle in a former wine cellar. Don’t leave without soaking in its signature private access to The Bathhouse salt pool_._

Six Senses, Rome, Italy

Best for: A sightseeing breather

At a glance: Just moments away from heaving tourist hotspots the Trevi Fountain and Pantheon, you’ll find Six Senses Rome, a cavernous oasis where you can recharge and refuel. A sanctuary in all senses of the word, the 15th century palazzo interlocks with the neighbouring church, but it is the subterranean spa – built on top of one the world’s oldest Roman baths – that is the main draw. The ancient wellness ritual of communal bathing (three plunge pools of varying temperatures, hammam and sauna) meets modern wellbeing practices in the biohacking spaces – 30 minutes wearing the compression boots remedies the strain of 30,000 steps. Overstimulated by the Sistine Chapel? The light, airy hotel and its 95 rooms are neutral in tone and dripping with live greenery – a sensory underload if you will. Appetites are sated by the freshly cooked (mainly) vegetarian menu but do stop by the gelato bar for homemade ice cream – you can work it off walking up the original marble staircase. After a day pounding the cobbled streets and mainlining pasta it’s an utter joy (and relief) to enter the Six Senses cocoon, your home away from Rome.

Treatment to try: Bathe like the Romans with the 60-minute bathing journey. Dart between the calidarium, tepidarium and frigidarium pools to reduce inflammation, aid circulation and get you ready for pizza number four.

Hot tip: Head up to the roof for a sundowner (the mocktails are surprisingly delicious) and take in the 360° view of the Eternal City.

Book it:A classic room costs from £860pn.

Borgo Santo Pietro, Tuscany, Italy

Best For: Swapping the rat race for rural living

At a glance: Tucked away in the rolling Tuscan countryside, Borgo Santo Pietro has the charm of an off-the-beaten-track retreat and the comfort of five-star luxury. The rooms are vast and impeccably designed (co-owner Jeanette Throttrup has a background in design and oversaw every elegant detail) and the farm-to-table food is Michelin-starred. Dine on the veranda of the Saporium and say ciao to executive chef Ariel Hagen – a familiar face among diners. The culinary secrets can be uncovered with a class at the on-site cookery school, or pay a visit to the family-run dairy. Speaking of milk, sheep’s milk is one of the ingredients used in the estate’s own prestige skincare line – Seed To Skin. A state-of-the-art lab transforms locally sourced ingredients, including raw honey, into hi-tech skincare. Moisturiser aside, the spa uses herbs grown in the healing garden in its teas and treatments.

Treatment to try: In the market for a fresh start? Book in for The Chrysalis. Gentle body brushing detoxifies, massage eases tension and a cocooning body wrap restores goodness to the skin.

Hot tip: Ask to go wild swimming. The team will drop you off at a babbling stream –follow it through the forest until you reach a clearing. Here the water runs deep enough for a dip.

Book it: Rooms start from £750pn.

Best Spas In France

La Fantaisie, Paris

Best for: A city break à deux or with girlfriends

At a glance: Located in the un-touristy 9th Arrondissement, packed with traditional boulangeries, brasseries and greengrocers, La Fantaisie is hard to miss, thanks to a maximalist interior, verdant courtyard garden and chic rooftop bar. With celebrated Breton chef Dominique Crenn (the only female chef to gain three Michelin stars in the US) at the helm of the Golden Poppy restaurant, the California-inspired, fish-focused menu feels fresh and delicious after too many buttery carbs. But fear not – the brilliant breakfast buffet is a masterclass in Parisian pastries and daily-changing loaf cakes. Kudos to the relatively small Paris hotel – the basement spa, engineered from a former underground carpark – is a real selling point. A series of four small pools (thermal, cold, salt and a classic Jacuzzi) encourage a short yet restorative dip, before steaming up in the hamman and infrared room.

Treatment to try: The massages, classified as holistic rather than, er, hardcore, are performed using Holidermie products, a chic vegan brand from a former French Vogue editor. Try the shaping detox (a gua sha slimming body treatment) or flash glow facial, which does exactly what it says on the tin.

Hot tip: Skip the mini gym and hit the streets instead – it’s easy to rack up 20,000 steps a day in Paris.

Book it: Double rooms from £393pn in low season; and from £649 in high, breakfast excluded_._

Hotel Royal, Evian Resort, France

Best for: Outdoorsy types seeking serenity

At a glance: Set above Lake Geneva (get a room with a lake view for gorgeous pics for the ‘gram), the grand Belle Epoque hotel, complete with the original frescas in the Michelin-starred restaurant (the cheese cart is a must), has elegantly updated rooms with marble bathroom suites. The recently refurbed 1,700m2 Evian Spa includes an indoor pool and Jacuzzi, sauna, hammam, snow room and cold plunge – plus an outdoor infinity pool and hot tub with seriously stunning views. Feeling brave? Kayaking, horse riding and rock climbing are on the activities menu. For the less adventurous, the nearby Alps are your oyster. Borrow jackets and walking boots from the on-site sport centre to set you up for a day of hiking. All that walking done your back in? The therapeutic jets in the outdoor hydro-circuit pool (open until 11pm; take a dip once the sun sets) help ease any aches and pains.

Treatment to try: Le Vivifant – a satisfyingly stimulating and toning massage with a focus on the legs – one of a huge range of treatments on offer, divided into four ‘dimensions’: relaxation, detoxification, vitality and youthfulness.

Hot tip: There’s a kids’ spa treatment menu with massages and facials tailored to four- to nine-year-olds. Sans enfants? The pool is adults only from 12-4pm each day.

Book it: Rooms start from £405pn with treatments from £130.

Best Spa In Austria

Mayrlife, Austria

Best for: A mind and body reset

At a glance: The A-list’s go-to retreat for gut cleansing, immune boosting and life recalibration has turned its focus to the most modern malady: burnout. A few hours spent on the shores of stunning Lake Altaussee is enough to soothe frazzled minds, but a week with the health resort’s data- driven physicians will leave you feeling sharper, sparkier and, yes, svelter. Free time? Not likely. Days are filled with blood tests, allergen diagnostics and a personalised plan of treatments. Relish the detoxing foot bath overlooking Loser mountain. Retire to your room (minimal but not clinical) with a cuppa from the tea bar – camomile for a good night’s sleep. When you’re not being poked or prodded, walk the 7km loop around the lake to induce feelings of calm or, at the very least, provide relief from the niggling hunger pangs. The food is delicious but portions are small. By day five the evening pot of vegetable broth will be eagerly received.

Treatment to try: The clinic offers whole-body cryotherapy (essentially standing in a freezer), supervised by doctors. Relaxing, no. Good for you, yes. Exposure to temperatures of up to -110°C supercharges blood flow and sluggish metabolisms. Expect a burst of endorphins too.

Hot tip: Join fellow guests for a pre-breakfast swim; locals and MayrLife doctors swear by the health benefits of the fresh lakewater.

Book it: Minimum seven-night stay from £4,390.

Best Spa In Greece

Andronis Arcadia, Santorini, Greece

Best for: Those who like to ‘sparty’ (spa and party)

At a glance: Tourists flock to nearby Oia for the Insta-famous sunsets but there’s no need to elbow your way through a coachload of grockles when you have your own private viewing platform at Andronis Arcadia. Each of the 118 all-natural ( think polished stone, rattan and wicker) suites faces west with a private terrace and pool looking out over the twinkling Aegean Sea. Tear yourself away from the boundless horizon and catch a ride to the infinity pool in one of the roaming golf buggies (ordered via WhatsApp). The vibe is beach club without the stag dos and sparklers; the ice is branded, there’s a roving cocktail cart and the sushi is on tap. Need a respite from the house music? Head to the Evexia Spa, an eco-haven where birdsong soundtracks your crystal massage. Post-pummelling, sip vanilla tea in the relaxation room that opens out to the ocean. Breathe in the sea air for a final moment of calm before heading back to the pool (party).

Treatment to try: The private Kneipp pools combine water therapy with reflexology and a foot massage – divine after all the poolside dancing.

Hot tip: Pass on the Provence and ask the (very knowledgeable) sommelier to introduce you to some of the local Greek wine – Yamas!

Book it: Rooms start from £560pn.

Best Spa In Spain

Ibiza Gran Hotel, Ibiza

Best For: A Taste of Ibizan Life

At a glance: Ideal for those looking for both the relaxation and excitement that the island of Ibiza has to offer, this 5-star hotel is a luxurious retreat that prioritises excellent service and attention to detail. Whether you’re cooling off in the dazzling swimming pool or trying your luck at American Roulette at the hotel’s own glamorous Casino de Ibiza, it’s a private paradise. Eat at La Gaia by much celebrated chef Óscar Molina. MICHELIN starred, guests can expect an assortment of culinary delights with a real emphasis on the island’s local produce. Order the Black Balearic pork trilogy, a dish beloved by foodies.

Treatment to try: Make time to immerse yourself in the recently renovated spa which marries ancient practice with modern amenities over 1,300 m2 of space. The water circuits, in particular, aren’t to be missed. Flit between heated hydromassage pools, the ice lounges, aroma showers and saunas for starters. Still holding onto some tension? Book in for the Reset by Kloris CBD massage, a technique that focuses on ‘complete renewal’ thanks to the fusion of massage techniques with the soothing CBD.

Hot tip: Wine lover? Venture towards the uninterrupted vineyards at Bodegas Can Rich for a tipple you’ll never forget.

Book it: Rooms from £320 per night on a B&B basis.

Best Spas In Asia

Trilanka, Lake Koggala, Sri Lanka

Best For: Honeymooners and privacy seekers

At a glance: A 20-minutes drive from bustling Galle – the bumpy, dusty, unsigned journey is all part of the adventure – lies a well-kept secret. TriLanka. Kissing the shores of the fresh and saltwater Lake Koggala (take a boat trip), the boutique hotel feels far away from nearby surfing beaches. The green roofs of the 11 villas reflect the hotel’s eco commitment – solar panels and rainwater system are also in play – and blend into the lush landscape of bamboo, cinnamon (say yes to the fresh iced tea) and banyan trees. Private plunge pools and terraces overlooking the water heighten the air of a secret escape. Days drift by spent in the sunset-facing infinity pool, the treetop yoga studio and the steam cavern.

Treatment to try: Ask for Deshara: TriLanka’s only male therapist has an intuitive knack for kneading and clicking out-of-whack body parts to restore them back to normality.

Hot tip: There’s only one single treatment room and a second twin space, so book ahead.

Book it: Rooms start from £180pn B&B.

Kandima, Maldives

Best for: All the family

At a glance: The Maldives may not seem like an obvious choice for a family holiday but Kandima does things differently. Yes, there’s all the photogenic perfection you’d expect from a resort that exists on its own private island – virgin white sands, mesmerising turquoise water, lush vegetation – but far from being stuffy and exclusive, Kandima is warm and welcoming. The motto here is ‘have a good time, play, engage’. Let the kids burn off energy in the ginormous pool (one of the largest in the country) and on the football pitch (tell them England’s Joe Gomez has kicked a ball there and they’ll play for hours). Adults can grab a bike and ride away from the ocean into the jungle. The thatched huts are where you’ll find me-time in the Maldivian-style spa.

Treatment to try: Undo the effects of the 13-hour flight with the Lymphatic Drainage treatment, £100. Heavy limbs are de-puffed, circulation is boosted and jet-lag is knocked on the head.

Hot tip: Most guests opt for the Instagram-approved waterside suites, but the private rooms on the beachfront come with your own private beach, a pool and ocean access. Let the likes roll in...

Book it: Villas start from £334pn on a B&B basis_._

The Rise Of The At-Home Spa

Words by Beauty Writer, Sameeha Shaikh

DIY beauty treatments reached fever pitch during the pandemic, but sheer desperation in the absence of our favourite beauty pros isn’t what’s fuelling the rise of the current at-home spa. Rather, this slice of serenity is fast becoming a necessary luxury to retreat to in the chaos of everyday life. Over the past six months, Pinterest reports searches for ‘spa day at home’ have risen in the UK to over 2,500%. Plus, boomers and Gen Z are doubling down on luxury lotions, in-home spa experiences and serious SPF, as the focus shifts from face to the entire body with searches for ‘body skincare routine’ up 1,025%.

But don’t take our word for it, ask Paris Hilton who recently reminded us about her own ‘Sliving (meaning “slaying” and “living”) Spa’ – it’s pink (of course), neon-lit and boasts a roster of hi-tech cosmetic treatments under one roof, think: HydraFacial devices, hyperbaric chambers and cryotherapy machines. Alas, if you lack a 15,000 square foot space à la Hilton, this impressive line-up of new heroes promise to bring the spa to your bathroom vanity  – who needs a Beverly Park mansion anyway.

Shop: The Best At-Home Spa Heroes