It is now more important than ever to take a break, recharge, and disconnect. The world’s top spas are more than just places for luxurious treatments. These peaceful sanctuaries offer a unique sense of location, regional charm, local traditions, and much more.
The best spas in the world range from tropical retreats in Southeast Asia to Switzerland, each providing a distinct approach to rejuvenation based on their natural setting and wellness philosophy. These resort spas offer a variety of wellness experiences, tailored to create a personalized experience for restoring balance and indulging your senses. Whether you’re looking to relax, reconnect with a special someone, or simply escape from it all, we have curated a list of some of the most renowned destinations worldwide. Below are the top destination hotel spas to include in your travel plans.
Moksha In the Himalayas
Photo caption: Moksha Spa Room
A pristine spa to unwind and recover, perched atop a hill, Moksha offers awe-inspiring views of Shivalik hill ranges, setting the stage for an unforgettable stay. Nestled amidst the breathtaking Himalayas, the Moksha Himalaya Spa Resort offers an unparalleled escape into nature’s embrace. It’s a place where luxury seamlessly blends with the serenity of the majestic mountains, creating a haven for relaxation and rejuvenation.
Spanning an impressive 75,000 square feet, the in-house Moksha Spa is a sensory sanctuary and has been designed by Februar Image from Bangkok with the interiors brought to life by P49 Design and Associates. Moksha Spa is housed in a state-of-the-art building inspired by a Thai Temple, creating an ambiance that enriches physical, and spiritual health, inner peace, and well-being. It’s a sensory space that awakens the senses of smell, touch, taste, and sight
Photo caption: Moksha Spa
Unlike spas that lack a view, upon drawing the curtain here, you can take in the stunning view of the mountain range. Services are the spa include a diverse range of wellness treatments, from Ayurveda to international treatments. However, one of the key experiences is the Turkish Hammam ritual, a 120-minute journey of purification and detoxification for the mind, body, and soul. It includes herbal steam, a coffee scrub, an aromatherapy massage with rose oil, rose clay pastes, and a soothing head massage. The resort is conveniently accessible via Chandigarh Airport and Kalka Railway Station.
Spa Arbour on the Edge Alila Jabal Akhdar, Oman
Photo caption: Spa Arbour on the Edge Alila Jabal Akhdar, Oman
Located on the edge of Jabal Akhdar, the Spa Arbour at Alila Jabal Akhdar offers a breathtaking view of the Omani mountains. It provides guests with the opportunity to reconnect with their inner selves while immersing themselves in the natural beauty of the surroundings. Rustic, earthy and calming, this spot celebrates the extraordinary and showcases the perfect balance between nature and wellness.
For those who seek a unique experience, the outdoor cabanas offer a special treat. Nestled amidst the mountain’s natural splendor, these cabanas provide an unparalleled sense of being at the edge of the world where tranquility and beauty meet. Alila Jabal Akhdar’s spa experiences use ingredients harvested from their own gardens, such as juniper, rose, and frankincense, to infuse treatments with the pure essence of the mountains. This approach not only enhances the authenticity of the spa experience but also ensures its effectiveness, leaving guests feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
Conrad Maldives Rangali Island The Over Water Spa
Photo courtesy: Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
If you’re looking for a spa experience in the Maldives, you can expect stunning views of the underwater world and crystal-clear blue waters. The Over Water Spa at Conrad Maldives, located on Rangali Island, is perfect for anyone seeking a truly immersive wellness experience. You’ll be able to gaze at the mesmerizing coral below through the glass floors of the treatment rooms, creating a serene environment for personalized holistic treatments. There are 17 rituals available, each one designed to nourish, rejuvenate, and heal using the properties of living water, essential oils, and precious gemstones. Skilled therapists will guide you through a quantum healing experience that promises to elevate your overall well-being. Immerse yourself in the soothing world underwater and let yourself be transported to a dreamy paradise
Talise Spa at Jumeirah Bali
Photo courtesy: Jumeirah Bali
Located in Jumeirah Bali, Talise Spa offers a unique spa experience that takes relaxation to the next level. The spa provides a serene setting with sweeping views of a traditional Balinese healing garden, creating a verdant sanctuary to indulge in soul-healing therapies. Drawing on the Hindu-Javanese concept of ‘Satyam, Siwam, Sundaram’ (Truth, Consciousness, Bliss), the spa promotes the idea of living a balanced and harmonious life to achieve true beauty and spiritual purity.
The team at Talise Spa believes that the needs of the body and spirit depend on the individual dominant chakras and birth elements, resulting in bespoke experiences, journeys and therapies that incorporate a local touch and Balinese spirituality. Let the aura of pristine white marble and a dimly illuminated space allow you to enter a regal world.
Photo courtesy: Jumeirah Bali
Inside the spa, guests can enjoy an opulent Turkish hammam that pays tribute to Princess Campa. Talise Spa is the first spa in Bali to feature a Royal Hammam, offering decadent cleansing rituals, including the signature Royal Campa and Royal Dwara hammam experiences. These experiences promise deep relaxation and detoxification. Guests can lie down and rest amid regal splendour and twilight on a heated marble slab, transported to Princess Campa’s court where spirituality, self-care and appreciation of Bali’s natural beauty were essential to living a balanced life.
Six Senses Zighy Bay Oman
Photo caption: Six Senses Zighy Bay Oman
Nestled in Oman’s dramatic Musandam Peninsula, where rugged mountains dive into vibrant emerald waters, across a powdery sand beach, the village-inspired resort gives the feeling of exotic remoteness, yet offers every comfort, easy accessibility and barefoot luxury beyond imagination. The award-winning spa offering a plethora of unique experiences is a key highlight.
The Six Senses spa at Zighy Bay is a sanctuary of wellness surrounded by date palm trees and lime bushes. Past the luxurious welcome lounge and boutique retail area lie a steam room, a sauna, an ice cave and two Arabian-style hammams where traditional exfoliating rituals are held. Nine treatment rooms offer a menu of skin-purifying and soul soothing treatments. Highlights include: a cleansing Arabian Facial using natural ingredients such as figs, almond powder and warm honey; the Wonders of Oman body rasul and massage; and a full-body Jet Lag Recovery massage ritual to reset your internal clock.
Euphoria Retreat, Greece
Photo courtesy: Euphoria Retreat, Greece
Escape to the breathtaking mountain village of Mystras and indulge in the luxurious spa resort, Euphoria Retreat. This charming hill village provides a cooler retreat from the plains of Greece’s inner Peloponnese region and serves as a gateway to the ancient wonders of the Byzantine fortress that overlooks it.
Drawing inspiration from age-old Chinese and Hellenic healing traditions, the spa offers a variety of sensual treatments, including Thai massages, multi-sensory experiences, and Euphoria-inspiring facials. Unwind with Ayurvedic treatments, an ancient Indian life science, followed by a refreshing dip in the infinity pool or waterwell.
The impeccable design of the waterwell momentarily lets you break away from the rush of daily life. With a range of holistic therapies, designed to balance your psychological, emotional, and physical well-being, wellness programs include the popular Relax and De-Stress option. Enhance your experience with treks and nature walks, a restorative journey through the magnificent mountains surrounding you. Euphoria Retreat’s Relax and De-Stress program, situated amongst the mystical Greek mountains, provides the perfect setting to take some well-deserved time off.
The Banjaran Cave Treatment, Malyasia
Photo courtesy: Crystal Cave, The Banjaran Cave Treatment, Malyasia
Experience tranquility amidst the towering Paleozoic limestone hills of Malaysia, at a lavish wellness spa retreat that utilizes its natural surroundings to revitalize you. Enjoy a range of unique deluxe features, such as geothermal hot springs dipping pools, an ice bath, and a meditation cave. The retreat draws inspiration from the ancient traditions of Malay Ramuan, Chinese Medicine, and Indian Ayurveda, offering over 40 healing treatments to choose from, including Reiki, Chakra Energy Balancing, and colon or antioxidant restorative hydrotherapy.
Photo caption: Thermal Steam Cave, The Banjaran Cave Treatment, Malyasia
One treatment that you must try at The Banjara is the Cave Treatment. The retreat is located in the midst of mystical caves hidden between limestone mountains, and we have thoughtfully adopted some of these caverns to enhance your well-being while minimizing our impact on the environment. Take refuge and rejuvenate in the Thermal Steam Cave, which features a natural sauna and ice bath, meditate in the silence of the Meditation Cave, or rebalance your energy in the Crystal Cave with a reiki session.
Copperhill Mountain Lodge in Åre is a place that captivates everyone who visits. Positioned right in the heart of the ski slopes and boasting an elegant spa that blends seamlessly into the surrounding mountains, Copperhill Mountain Lodge is a sight to behold.
Located on the top of Förberget mountain, Copperhill is a haven for skiers, offering breathtaking views of the snow-covered landscape. The spa, with its panoramic windows facing the majestic mountains, is a serene retreat within a serene retreat. You can relax in our two indoor pools or take a dip in the outdoor pool overlooking Åreskutan that is a sight that leaves one in awe. The resort also offers a private spa area where you can indulge in a few hours of luxury with friends, family, or colleagues.
Japanese luxury at Yasuragi
Photo courtesy: Yasuragi Spa
Discover the ultimate in tranquility at a serene Japanese bath house, offering traditional baths, treatments, and dining. Yasuragi is a spa hotel in Stockholm that embodies the concept of inner peace and harmony, which is reflected in their Japanese bath experience. Immerse yourself in an ancient ritual that takes place in a calm and soothing environment where all your stress melts away. The Japanese culture considers cleansing and bathing crucial for one’s well-being. Begin your journey at Yasuragi in the Japanese ablution rooms, where you can sit on a wooden stool and wash yourself. Allow yourself to fully relax and find inner harmony. Then, continue unwinding in the hot springs surrounded by pine trees and the sauna. Experience how the ancient bathing tradition from Japan can re-energize you and leave you feeling refreshed.
