7 Relaxing Spas Around the Globe

Few experiences are more rejuvenating than a good spa day, and some of the globe’s most luxurious spas can be found at five-star hotels. Whether you’re on the West Coast or in the British Isles, there’s a warm sauna and deep tissue massage waiting for you. While spa days can be an extravagant expense, the utter relaxation you achieve often makes it well worth the cost. Keep reading to learn more about the best hotel spas in the world.

Fairmont Century Plaza, Los Angeles

Located amid the hustle and bustle of Century City, LA’s Fairmont Century Plaza spa offers a relaxing escape from the surrounding metropolis. Illuminated by soft lighting and decorated with slate-colored tile, the spa’s rainfall shower is the perfect way to freshen up after a long day. There’s also a daily meditative Tibetan bowl ceremony at 5:00 p.m., where guests can meditate and achieve serenity while listening to the harmonic tones emanating from crystal bowls. The spa also boasts a sauna with increased levels of humidity, as well as an aromatherapy steam room to help invigorate all the senses.

The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico

While beach resorts are calming by nature, the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort in Puerto Rico takes relaxation to another level with their Iridium Spa. This secluded haven offers treatments that utilize natural resources from a nearby rainforest, relying on ingredients such as coconut, sugar cane, and even rum. Queen Loiza’s Royal Treatment is a particularly opulent experience offered by the spa, which culminates with 24-karat gold oil being applied to the skin. Whether you prefer to take a dip in the hot and cold plunge pools, or would rather relax under a palm tree with a complimentary glass of bubbly, this paradisiacal spa has it all.

Ashford Castle, Ireland

Ashford Castle is a historic medieval estate, though its spa amenities are cutting edge, earning Ireland’s Best Hotel Spa award in 2022 for the seventh consecutive year. The room with a relaxation pool is particularly stunning, and is highlighted by three majestic seashell chandeliers. Though the castle’s main building is made of stone, the spa portion is more modern and features long glass windows that welcome in the natural sunlight, allowing guests to better connect with nature.

Sandy Lane, Barbados

Walking into the spa at Sandy Lane in Barbados is a spectacular experience from the start, as guests are welcomed into a marble reception area highlighted by two swirling staircases. These steps lead visitors up to the spa’s heavenly amenities. Featuring hydrotherapy pools and saunas, the Sandy Lane spa has all your traditional amenities. One of the more unique elements is known as the Rhassoul, an oriental steam bath open to the sky. It’s here that clay is applied to guests before the treatment begins with dry heat, followed by an herbal steam, and lastly a warm cascade of water that removes the clay and leaves you feeling refreshed.

St. Regis, Toronto

Soaring 31 stories above the street below, the St. Regis Spa provides sweeping views of the Toronto downtown. It’s here that guests can indulge in a seasonal massage utilizing goji berries, the application of which relaxes muscle aches and calms the soul. Many of the spa’s more luxurious elements pay homage to Caroline Astor, a 19th century figure in New York City’s high society who prided herself on living an opulent lifestyle. Furthermore, the spa offers a special and inclusive package for expecting mothers, as masseurs are trained to perform prenatal massages that ease the physical discomforts associated with pregnancy.

Waldorf Astoria, Las Vegas

Located along the Strip, the spa at the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas offers relaxation to individuals and couples alike. Depending on how active you want your spa experience to be, the Waldorf offers everything from yoga and pilates classes to more idle activities such as lounging poolside in a cabana. The spa also features a number of salons that specialize in facials, nails, and even hair, allowing guests to completely reinvent their physical appearance should they so choose. This award-winning spa is undeniably one of Las Vegas’s most calming retreats.

Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver

The winner of the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award for 2023, the spa at Vancouver’s Fairmont Pacific Rim is among Canada’s best, if not the whole world. With nine distinct treatment areas, three lounges, a Nail Spa, and more, there’s no shortage of ways to decompress as the Fairmont Pacific Rim. There’s even an outdoor terrace where guests can cozy up atop plush chairs and gaze out upon the majestic Vancouver Harbour. The spa offers an annual “Pamper Me Program” as well, offering monthly treatments ranging from organic facials to deep tissue massages.