There’s no such thing as a relaxing vacation — not really. Between flights, itineraries, and trying to see everything a destination has to offer, most trips need a holiday of their own built in. That’s what a great hotel spa is for. I’ve tried nearly every spa on this list myself, and these are the ones worth building an entire trip around.
Quick Answer: Best Hotel Spas in the World by Category
- Best overall: Aman Spa at Amangiri, Utah
- Best historic/castle spa: Ashford Castle Spa, Ireland
- Best wellness retreat: THE WELL at Hacienda AltaGracia, Costa Rica
- Best island spa: NIHI Sumba’s Spa Safari, Indonesia
- Best for results-driven treatments: The Spa at Gleneagles, Scotland
- Best unique concept: Monkey Island Estate’s houseboat spa, UK
- Best city spa: Spa de la Mer at The Baccarat Hotel, New York City
The World’s Best Hotel Spas
1. Aman Spa at Amangiri
Where: Antelope Canyon, Utah | Best for: signature luxury treatments
Amangiri draws a steady stream of celebrity guests, and the spa is a big part of why. The property’s cliffside pool and desert-hued design carry through into every treatment room, with Aman’s signature therapies delivering the kind of experience you’ll be describing for years afterward.
2. Ashford Castle Spa
Where: Cong, Ireland | Best for: historic, only-here experiences
A traditional Moroccan hammam hidden beneath the basement of an Irish castle isn’t what most guests expect — which is exactly what makes it memorable. The Moorish interiors and elaborate treatments feel genuinely of another era, backed by a property with a long list of hospitality awards.
3. THE WELL at Hacienda AltaGracia
Where: Pérez Zeledón, Costa Rica | Best for: holistic wellness programming
This East-meets-West day spa is built around health coaching and wellness workshops as much as treatments, making it one of the most complete destination-wellness experiences on this list — and one of the most photogenic settings in Costa Rica.
4. NIHI Sumba’s Spa Safari
Where: Sumba Island, Indonesia | Best for: remote island escapes
Nihi Sumba’s Spa Safari Nihioka has private massage rooms overlooking the Indian Ocean, with the option to swim straight afterward. Paired with one of the best left-hand surf breaks in the world just outside, it’s an easy case for one of the most complete resort experiences anywhere.
5. The Spa at Gleneagles
Where: Auchterarder, Scotland | Best for: science-backed, results-focused treatments
Gleneagles’ spa uses botanicals sourced directly from the estate in its oils and scrubs, and has brought in Dr. Barbara Sturm to push treatments toward measurable results rather than pampering alone — a rare combination of Scottish countryside charm and genuinely clinical skincare expertise.
6. Six Senses Spa Shaharut
Where: Shaharut, Israel | Best for: desert and Dead Sea-inspired treatments
Set in the Negev Desert, this spa leans into its surroundings with camel-milk-based massage creams (naturally rich in B12, B2, B1, and C) and treatments inspired by the healing properties of the nearby Dead Sea.
7. The Valmont Spa at The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel
Where: New York City | Best for: legacy anti-ageing treatments
Offering anti-ageing treatments since 1985, the Valmont Spa has built a loyal, decades-long client base on Manhattan’s Upper East Side — proof that some spas earn their reputation the slow way.
8. Spa de la Mer at the Baccarat Hotel
Where: New York City | Best for: French heritage skincare
As the first day spa to exclusively offer La Mer treatments, Spa de la Mer pairs French skincare heritage with a 50-foot marble-tiled pool and sea-kelp murals — a favourite with Manhattan’s spa regulars for good reason.
9. Monkey Island Estate
Where: Maidenhead, United Kingdom | Best for: a genuinely unique concept
A short drive from London — or straight from Heathrow — Monkey Island Estate’s standout feature is a converted houseboat that now houses its spa treatment rooms. It’s one of the most under-the-radar entries here, and the deep tissue massage alone is worth the trip.
10. The Spa at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort
Where: Chiang Rai, Thailand | Best for: views over the Golden Triangle
Set across three levels of open-air pavilions overlooking the hills of Myanmar and Laos, this spa pairs a genuinely dramatic setting with treatments that hold their own against any five-star resort in the region.
Hotel Spa Comparison at a Glance
| Spa | Location | Best For | Signature Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aman Spa at Amangiri | Utah, USA | Overall luxury | Cliffside desert setting |
| Ashford Castle Spa | Cong, Ireland | Historic experience | Basement Moroccan hammam |
| THE WELL at Hacienda AltaGracia | Costa Rica | Holistic wellness | Wellness coaching + workshops |
| NIHI Sumba’s Spa Safari | Sumba, Indonesia | Island escape | Ocean-view treatment rooms |
| The Spa at Gleneagles | Scotland | Results-driven treatments | Estate-grown botanicals |
| Six Senses Spa Shaharut | Negev, Israel | Desert wellness | Camel milk + Dead Sea inspiration |
| Valmont Spa at The Carlyle | New York, USA | Legacy anti-ageing | Serving guests since 1985 |
| Spa de la Mer at Baccarat | New York, USA | French skincare | Exclusive La Mer treatments |
| Monkey Island Estate | Maidenhead, UK | Unique concept | Houseboat spa |
| Anantara Golden Triangle | Chiang Rai, Thailand | Scenic setting | Golden Triangle views |
Frequently Asked Questions About the World’s Best Hotel Spas
What is considered the best hotel spa in the world? There’s no single official ranking, but Aman Spa at Amangiri in Utah is consistently named among the top hotel spas globally for its combination of setting, signature treatments, and overall guest experience.
Do you need to be a hotel guest to use these spas? It varies by property. Many, including Ashford Castle and Monkey Island Estate, welcome day-spa visitors as well as overnight guests, but availability is usually limited — book treatments well in advance either way.
What should I look for when choosing a hotel spa for a wellness trip? Beyond treatment menus, look at the overall program: properties like THE WELL at Hacienda AltaGracia build wellness coaching and workshops into the stay, which makes for a more complete reset than a single treatment on its own.
Are luxury hotel spas worth the cost? For a genuinely restorative trip, yes — treatments at properties like these are often the most memorable part of a stay, and several (like Gleneagles’ partnership with Dr. Barbara Sturm) offer clinically-backed results, not just relaxation.
Looking for more luxury stays? Explore the best luxury hotels in Paris or the best private island resorts in the world.
Brooke Saward founded World of Wanderlust as a place to share inspiration from her travels and to inspire others to see our world. She now divides her time between adventures abroad and adventures in the kitchen, with a particular weakness for French pastries.
