The historical Swan Hotel in the picturesque village of Lavenham is all oak-beams with huge open fires. Head along a path at the back and discover a beautiful…
Roe Park is a Georgian country-house hotel with 18-hole golf course on the dramatic Inishowen Penisular near Derry. The spa and leisure club are in converted stables at…
Set in the Pembrokeshire National Park, two miles from the wild and beautiful coast, Lamphey Court is an impressive Georgian hotel with a brand new spa and leisure…
An elegant, red-brick Georgian mansion in the Garden of England, Brandshatch Place is a four-star hotel with a modern spa and health club. A perfect recipe for a…
Imagine Spa at Hethersett
Norfolk
Imagine Spa at Hethersett is set in a converted Norfolk barn within the landscaped grounds of the Georgian Park Farm Hotel. Spa goers can drift between the indoor…
Galgorm Resort and Spa is set in 163 acres of parkland with the River Maine flowing through the estate. Inspired by the estate's woodland and…
Pennyhill Park, an Exclusive Hotel & Spa has firmly established itself as one of the UK's leading spa destinations, and for good reason. The facilities are fantastic,…
The perfect spa experience is waiting for you at Rockliffe Hall. The spa has a number of indulgent areas where you can relax, unwind and be utterly pampered.…
Lucknam Park is a luxurious country mansion with stunning pools, a beautiful spa, and dream treatments. The spa is interesting enough to spend a whole day in. Don…
Dormy House Hotel and Spa is a renovated Cotswold farmhouse which aims to be your "home from home". The modern spa contrasts clean Scandinavian…
The setting for Seaham Hall is the expansive and exhilarating north east coast, so you're onto a winner already. The spa building and the facilities are impressive…
Chewton Glen is a real country-house hotel with all the class, comfort and quality you could wish for. A place for lavishing and pampering; don't book in…
This five-star, modern country-house hotel offers an impressive multi-storey spa and health club, situated within a 300-acre estate. The facilities are extensive and luxurious. If tranquillity and luxury…
The Vineyard is a luxury hotel with an air of exclusivity; it's the perfect destination for celebrating in style. The spa is compact but elegant, the pool…
The Bulgari Spa
United Kingdom
The Bulgari Spa is a beautiful mixture of Europe spa with gentle Asian influences, right in the heart of Knightsbridge. Descend beneath the hotel and you’ll…
The Spa At Gleneagles By ESPA
Perthshire
Gleneagles has a reputation for excellent Scottish hospitality, dramatic landscapes and impeccable design – and it absolutely lives up to the rumours. Play a round at the King…
ESPA Life at Corinthia is a very classy spa within a five-star hotel a short skip from Covent Garden. The design is dazzling, from the all white relaxation…
The Scarlet Spa
Cornwall
The Scarlet is a luxury eco hotel on a stunning cliff-top location in Cornwall. Their adult-only holistic spa has a freshwater outdoor pool filtered by reeds and heated…
Eden Hall Day Spa
Nottinghamshire
A listed mansion built in 1875, Eden Hall is a grand building set within acres of luscious lawns and lavender-filled gardens. Once crammed with plants from the farthest corners…
The Thai Spa at Lough Erne Resort brings a Thai inspired spa experience to Ireland. Traditional Thai therapies and luxurious ESPA treatments and delilvered by well-trained Thai…
Five Botanical Body Oils
Gone are the days of those super-slick body oils that left your skin slippery, shiny and congested. Today’s oils are created with care, many packed full...
Maldives: Shangri-La Villingilli Resort…
Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old Indian art of healing, is becoming increasingly trendy, with celebs jetting off in droves to join ashrams and practise competitive asanas. The practise comes from...
Czech Republic: Four Seasons…
If the success of a hotel lies squarely on its location, then the brand new Four Seasons Prague is on to a winner. Perfectly situated on the banks...
Digital Detox
Could you imagine handing over your phone and laptop to a stranger? If the idea fills you with horror, maybe a digital detox weekend is what you need...
Night Treatments
Whether you have children, a full schedule or pets that demand breakfast, getting a full eight hours of sleep isn’t always possible. But, what if we...
Spa Spotlight on Italy
Italy may lead the way with fashion, gastronomy and art, but how does it fair for spas? We sent the Spa Spies across the country to see if...
Italy: Fonteverde, Tuscany
A former Medici palace set in the medieval village of San Casciano dei Bagni, Fonteverde is a grand, 17th Century property overlooking the lush Tuscan hills, and a...
Italy: JW Marriott, Venice
Many words have been written about Venice: the art, the music, the water, the tiny streets, the fading brickwork… It’s a romantic city-breakers’ dream,...
Italy: Lefay Resort and…
An easy drive from Verona, Lake Garda is the largest of Italy’s lakes, fringed by rugged mountains, tranquil fishing villages, and the fragrant undulations of olive...
Italy: Verdura Resort, Sicily
Verdura is an ultra-modern resort set within 230 hectares of rugged Sicilian landscape – olive, lemon and orange groves, huge cacti, and palm trees – and facing a mile...
Italy: QC Termetorino, Turin
While most visitors to northern Italy beeline for Milan, only recently has neighbouring Turin gained due attention as an alluring hub of authentic Italian charm. With the majestic...
Where to spa with…
From treetop hot-tubs to beachside saunas, it’s time to unleash your inner Jane and head into the wild. It used to be all about bringing the...
Five Spring Serums to…
Serums have a reputation for being a miracle drug; bountiful in active ingredients and perfect for visible lasting effects. But they can also be the most expensive part...
Come Home Renewed
Feeling like you’ve come to a cross roads I life? Or do you have a niggling doubt that’s holding you back? Savant Spy says...
Switzerland: Cordée des Alps
A four-star boutique chalet in the famous Swiss ski resort of Verbier, The Cordée des Alpes uses a combination of local, reclaimed wood and natural stone...
Spa Through the Ages
From the Restful Romans to the Tetchy Tudors, Gorgeous Georgians and Virtuous Victorians, you may be surprised that the UK has a rich and long history of...
In Good Company
For all of our British reserve, more and more of us have taken to socialising, bonding or wooing while wearing nothing more than a swimsuit and robe. Spa...
Twelve Ways to Make…
There’s an old joke: how many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb? Only one, but they really, really have to want to change....
Spain: Princesca Yaiza Resort,…
Sunshine, space to breathe and an easy flight from the UK: escape the winter blues with a trip to Lanzarote. Supreme Spy found that with eco-villages, wide beaches...
Five Super DIY Peels
The idea of a face peel makes some people recoil – maybe it’s the words ‘peel’ and ‘acid’ that sound so gruesome,...
Brilliant Bright Eyes
The Spa Spies test creams that will lift, shine and add a little sparkle to your eyes. Thalgo Ultimate Time Solution for Eyes and Lips - 1...
Come Home Stronger
Baby it’s cold outside, and most of us would rather be snuggled up on a sofa drinking hot chocolate watching Scandi dramas instead of working out...
Skin that Sparkles
You’ve probably seen or heard of diamond and gold facials, and perhaps assumed it was just pampering taken to a new and decadent extreme. However,...
Thailand: Aleenta Resorts &…
Eco-luxe is a major trend in wellness. In Thailand, two five star resorts are setting the bar high while supporting local communities. Stylish Spy discovers that opulence with...
USA: Four Seasons Scottsdale…
What's on offer Just outside of Scottsdale, seemingly encircled by the mountain ranges, Four Seasons Scottsdale is a resort in the truest sense of the word....
USA: The Phoenician, Scottsdale
What's on offer The Phoenician is in downtown Scottsdale; it’s big, it’s glamorous and it’s a lot of fun. The resort...
USA: Miraval Resort and…
What's on offer Miraval has a bit of a cult following. Two of America’s top talk show hosts rave about it, as do Vanity Fair,...
USA: Canyon Ranch, Tuscon
What's on offer It’s difficult to imagine how life-full the Sonoran Desert is – forget what you know of drifting yellow sand, dusty dunes, and...
Spa Spotlight on Arizona
If you haven’t visited the American South West, you’re probably familiar with the terrain from Western movies and sand-blown photography. However, it's not...
Italy: Peak of Wellness…
Spa Spy luxuriates in the largest wellbeing resort in the Dolomites I always thought you had to be into skiing, hiking or some other form of extreme sports...
Turkey: Canyon Ranch at…
Visiting Canyon Ranch Tuscon, the iconic wellness resort in Arizona, has been on my bucket-list for as long as I can remember. For many years it’s...
Review: ESPA Tri-Active Advanced…
We reviewed ESPA Tri-Active Advanced Instant Facial (30ml £58) First Impressions: A delicate frosted glass bottle with a silver lid packaged in a classically elegant ESPA...
Egypt: Somabay and The…
Somabay is a gated holiday resort on its own sandy peninsula in the Egyptian Red Sea. Somabay has white beaches, clear blue waters, coral reefs, and views of...
Can I spa with…
Spas have been associated with healthfulness for centuries, but cancer patients have regularly been turned away from these deeply relaxing spaces. Karen Hockney finds out why spas have...
Five Organic Brands
Natural and organic skincare has become increasingly popular in recent years. Stylish Spy has previously delved into the muddy waters of defining what can be classed as...
Italy: Discover Health Through…
For centuries water has been used for its healing properties. The Romans instilled a level of decadence and perhaps even gave spa-ing its name: ‘salus per aquam...
Spa To The Music
There was a time when heading off to a summer festival meant a mud-encrusted weekend with no sight of a shower, bar the odd downpour. But the cash-strapped...
Maldives: Four Seasons Kuda…
Four Seasons Kuda Huraa is the sister resort of Landaa Giraavaru, just a speed boat ride away from Malé. You arrive to the sound of a beating...
Maldives: Hideaway Beach Resort…
Hideaway is in the northern part of The Maldives; some 40 minutes’ flight from Malé. But the distance buys you size and isolation. The island is 1.6 kilometres...
Maldives: Four Seasons Landaa
Landaa Giraavaru has the whitest sand and bluest waters – it is as close as you will get to paradise on earth. Take a sea plane from Mal...
Grand Design: Rooftop Spa…
Could Rudding Park’s spectacular new Rooftop Spa Garden put Harrogate back on the spa map? Scottish Spy heads to the launch party to find out. Blue...
Honey Bee Facial: What’s…
Spa Spy heads to trendy urban Southwark to meet some real, live Londoner bees, then have a bee facial. Will the bees be used in the treatment? Will...
.jpg)
Spa with friends at…
You know how annoying groups of women can be when you’re trying to Zen out? Well, Aqua Sana at Longleat Forest have come up with...
Six Reasons to Visit…
You don't have to go far for a Med-style spa experience. For seasoned spa-istas, such as moi, the stunning Channel Islands are a veritable spa mecca,...
Aqua Sana Sherwood Forest…
Scottish Spy was thrilled to be invited to the grand unveiling of Center Parcs’ rejuvenated Aqua Sana ‘Forest Spa’ in Sherwood Forest, famous for the...
Sodashi Age-Defying Facial at…
As London’s Mandarin Oriental undergoes a £165 million facelift, The Spa Spy popped into the spa to see if they could turn back a...
Au Naturel
Wild Therapy is all the rage for us urban girls with "issues". I have an eco-therapist called Gemma. We meet in remote countryside spots and go for walks...
Caudalie VineActiv: how to…
In January, air pollution in London reached the highest possible level, surpassing even Beijing. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, called the situation a ‘health crisis’....
Thai Massage: Should it…
I have a strange relationship with Traditional Thai massage (TTM). I am convinced I love it, then halfway through, as I’m grinding my teeth begging the...
.jpg)
Grace Belgravia: Elite Wellness
Wellness has become something of a catch-all, championed by everyone from clean eating gurus to medical doctors. Grace Belgravia was one of its early advocates, a woman...
7 Treatments You Wish…
The Spa Spy version of the old Japanese curse – “may you live in interesting times” – is “may you have unusual treatments.” It...
Mother’s Day Spa Road…
Historically, my mum and I have had a pretty fractious relationship, especially when I was a teenager. Now we get on famously, but sometimes, when she comes around...
The Mask that Ate…
After a colleague raved about a machine-led facial, I was finally having one. I had no choice, as I was reviewing The Lowry in Manchester where the spa...
Five Spas with Stunning…
Looking at miles of uninterrupted sea and skyline, while sitting in a bubbly hot pool, is spa heaven. Happily, we are spoilt for scenery in the UK, with...
Spa Tips for Busy…
Spa vouchers would make a perfect Mother’s Day gift, but how can a busy mum switch off? Serene Spy discovers the art of relaxation... The school...
Turning Back Time
In my darker moments, I can be a jaded spa cynic. Ayurveda in the Maldives? Tick. Detoxing in Austria? Been there, done that. But I couldn&rsquo...
The Gentleman’s Quarter in…
As men’s spa-ing becomes more popular, spas are embracing their male clientele and created spaces ‘for him’. Shy Spy and The Man visited...
Switzerland: Digital Detox and…
Could you hand over your phone, laptop and kindle for four days? The Spa Spy booked in for a digital detox break at the glamorous Grand Hotel...
A mindful afternoon with…
Who doesn’t love getting party invitations? When an ESPA invite dropped onto our figurative doormat, The Spa Spy snapped it up, speeding her way to London. ...
Decadence: Escape to Spa-La…
I find it bizarre that in the coldest, darkest months, my friends are depriving themselves of life’s little luxuries. I know we’re supposed to...
Top 10 Luxury Lurgy…
Despite our astonishingly healthy lifestyles (ahem), even Spa Spies are felled by the Dreaded Lurgy. Yes, it’s a made-up word invented in the 1950s by comedian...
The Spa Spies 2016…
As 2016 draws to a close, The Spa Spies have been reminiscing about the fabulous experiences, trips and treatments we’ve had over the past 12 months. From out-of-this-world...
The morning after the…
January 1, 2017. Some of us may be feeling virtuous and optimistic, either because we drove to the party the night before, we are teetotal, or are one of...
Where the Spa Spies…
What spa would be brave (or foolish) enough to host the Spa Spies for a Good Spa Guide Christmas party? One that didn’t know they were...
Christmas Wellness
You’d think Christmas and wellness go together like a horse and Louboutin heels. One involves wild excess verging on insanity, the other moderation and balance. However,...
Natura Bissé Pure Air…
Once Upon a Time, Natura Bissé’s Pure Air Bubble was a rare pop-up spa event – a fabulous facial in a rotund tent filled with 99. 95...
Spa Lovers Christmas Gift…
After the Christmas stress build-up, what could be more delightful than giving and receiving the gift of spa? While a spa day makes the perfect present for...
Five rich body creams…
With drying winds and central heating, it’s not just our faces that need extra nourishment to combat the effects of winter dehydration. Our bodies also ...
Winter Treat: Home Massage…
Winter indulgence doesn’t come much more decadent than a massage candle. It is romantic, magical and utterly Hygge-luxe. It’s basically a scented candle, but...
Q&A with Beata Aleksandrowicz
When Beata Aleksandrowicz realised massage could be so much more than just selling products, pampering or improving posture, she set out on a 17-year-long voyage of discovery and...
The Power of Touch:…
Having a good massage is a blissful experience, even more so when delivered by an expert. So naturally I was looking forward to a session with the...
Review: Perfect Party Products
Party season is just around the corner, and while the winter chill makes it tempting to join our hedgehog friends and hibernate, all that champagne won’t...
A date with a…
On a bright, cold autumnal morning in Northern Ireland’s Five Bubble Luxury Galgorm Resort and Spa, me and a bunch of ladies are waiting for our...
Onsen bathing in Japan
As a volcanically active country with an abundance of natural hot springs, Japan has a culture of public bathing. People bathe for relaxation, for cleansing, for hadaka no...
Magical de Mamiel Facial…
An exclusive facial led me on an overseas spa pilgrimage – not to the Maldives, Thailand or Ibiza – but to the Channel Islands. De Mamiel products are...
Treatments at the Cascades…
The Cascades Spa offers everything from familiar massages and facials to hydrotherapy and hammam. A great place to start is with the Before-Sun Scrub (25 minutes, €45) to exfoliate...
Gaia Spa: Mother Nature…
When the Spa Spies heard about the launch of Gaia Spa at Boringdon Hall, we were so interested in the holistic and healing attitude towards spa-ing that we...
Spa with your BFF
Spa-ing with a dear friend can be a fantastic way to catch up, chill out, feel great and – thanks to the absence of too many cocktails –...
Sleeptember with Neom
I am obsessed with sleep, mostly because I’ve reached an age when my looks suffer if I don’t get enough shut-eye. I remember in...
Alpine Detox at Lanserhof
I recently decided that the best way to give up wine and coffee would be to leave the country and be restrained by strict European doctors....