The Best Spas in the U.S. & Around the World: 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards
Now in its 36th iteration, our annual Readers’ Choice Awards continues to capture the travel experiences our readers love best, from the best spas in the US to the top hotels and airlines to cruises, islands, and luggage. This year, you traveled farther and deeper, seeking out remote properties; sailing on smaller, more intimate ships; and prioritizing destinations you’ve been waiting years to visit. At least that’s what a staggering 526,518 of you told us in our annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey. Now, you can use the results to decide where you’re going next—these resorts make up the best spas in the US and around the world, according to our readers.
View these Readers' Choice Award winners for best spas in the US as a list with scores here.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Rhiannon Taylorhotel30. Golden Door — Escondido, California
Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2023Golden Door, or as those in the know call it, “The Door,” has been an exclusive wellness sanctuary since the 1950s, welcoming guests like Elizabeth Taylor, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and, more recently, Oprah Winfrey. Just a half-hour north of San Diego, the property is comprised of over 600 acres of hills, meadows, Japanese gardens, and citrus groves, including 30 miles of private hiking trails and five acres of bio-intensive gardens. The Door offers seven-day retreats, reasoning that that’s the amount of time required to bring you back to you. The wide range of physical activities—like hiking, fencing, archery, and personal training—is balanced with ample options for pampering: daily massages, detailed skin analysis and treatments, herbal wraps, manicures, pedicures, and more. Chef Greg Frey Jr. walks the walk of farm-to-table cuisine with hyper-seasonal and -local menus, with most of the ingredients grown and produced right on the property.
Courtesy Thymehotel29. Thyme — Cotswolds, U.K.
Readers' Choice Awards 2022, 2023An hour from London by train, Thyme is a 150-acre Cotswolds estate that oozes English countryside charm. Dispersed between houses and cottages, the individually designed rooms feature bold floral wallpaper, cheery color palettes, and bouquets of fresh wildflowers. The Meadow Spa offers a range of body and facial treatments, formulated in conjunction with in-house beauty brand, Bertioli, but the specialty might be the Botanical Bothy Signature Ritual, which focuses on guided breathwork and pressure point techniques to release tension and rebalance energy channels. Located in a 19th-century former ox barn, the onsite restaurant cooks up menus inspired by the season and the local harvest, with dishes like roast mutton, grilled asparagus, and cocoa beans, or lemon sole with capers, monks beard, and brown butter.
Courtesy COMO Shambhala Estatehotel28. COMO Shambhala Estate — Bali, Indonesia
$$$ |
Gold List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Christina Ong is much loved for introducing COMO’s flagship brand on 23 acres in Bali—and when she did, she launched her own sophisticated interpretation of wellness. Hindu water blessings and chakra healers are just as accessible here as spells in a sauna, steam room, or infinity pool. Eyebrow-arching views greet you as you arrive at the estate, a jungle-hugged designer health retreat perched on staggered hilltops above the Ayung River. For two decades, it has reigned as a five-star refuge for luxury travelers seeking to say farewell to stress and hello to spiritual development. East meets West at each of the five residences, which house a total 30 suites, each with its own pool. Stand-alone villas have private pools, and one-bedroom Retreat Villas have their own treatment rooms.
Courtesy Sundara Inn & Spahotel27. Sundara Inn & Spa — Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023In a pine forest in Wisconsin Dells, Sundara was one of the first destination spas in the Midwest and one of just a few to offer Ayurvedic-inspired spa treatments. Sanskrit for “beautiful,” Sundara says they interpret beauty as both an inner and outer quality. The spa offers an extensive menu of treatments, from CBD massages and Reiki to salt bath treatments and Cryo T-Shock facials, which use periods of cold followed by heat to reactivate collagen and stimulate elastin. This year, Sundara added a Wellsystem Wave massage, which uses the heat and pressure of water to relieve stress. Guests can take a dip in one of the heated outdoor pools (including a swim-up bar stirring up craft cocktails) or an indoor pool area with walls cast from the rock formations along the Wisconsin River. Suites feature spa baths and views of the surrounding woodland. The premises is all adults, with no electronics—to fully disconnect and recharge.
Chris Tubbs/Courtesy The Grovehotel26. The Grove — Hertfordshire, U.K.
Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2022, 2023A dream five-star retreat, The Grove, once home to the Earls of Clarendon, is close to London (just 18 miles) but feels plenty far away, amid 300 acres of Hertfordshire countryside. The grounds are gorgeous, from the Walled Garden to the picturesque woodlands—you can take bikes or Segways along forest trails, and there are three pools, the most exciting of which has to be the black mosaic-tiled one in the expansive Sequoia Spa. The Grove caters to families with plenty of kid activities, has two great restaurants, and is also good for a golf weekend away (there’s an 18-hole course here, too). The rooms are cleverly restored, with light textures, massive comfy beds, open baths, and luxurious soft furnishings alongside Espa toiletries. You won’t be disappointed whichever room you stay in. Then there’s the afternoon tea, which is decadent and delightful and not to be missed.
Courtesy Gleneagleshotel25. Gleneagles — Auchterarder, U.K.
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Set on 850 acres of Perthshire’s Ochil Hills, this grand sporting hotel is the perfect place for a fresh-air escape. As well as being home to three championship golf courses, it’s the launch pad for an invigorating range of country pursuits, from horseback riding to hiking, fly fishing to archery—all with the benefit of expert guides. Then there’s the hotel itself: grandiose, elegant, and reminiscent of its early heyday in the Roaring Twenties when it opened. The rooms, of which there are 205 and 28 suites, are magnificent—think heavy drapes, large windows with expansive views, free-standing tubs, and beds fit for a king. Take time to enjoy the giant spa and choose from eight bars and restaurants, including the Century Bar, which has a choice of more than 100 single malts on its menu, and the Art Deco Strathearn restaurant. And don’t worry if the Scottish weather takes a turn—Gleneagles offers complimentary Barbour jackets and wellies to guests.
Courtesy Beaverbrookhotel24. Beaverbrook — Surrey, U.K.
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2021, 2022, 2023In Surrey, an hour’s drive from London, Beaverbrook is a country estate turned luxury spa hotel surrounded by manicured gardens. The spa, designed by artist Brian Clarke, feels contemporary and fresh, with floral, stained glass ceilings and bright ceramic tile walls. There’s an indoor and outdoor pool, and the latter, with its checkerboard design, looks straight out of a Wes Anderson film. From personalized biodynamic bodywork to facials using products made from handpicked plants and flowers, the spa offers plenty of nurturing treatments. Accommodation options range from cozy rooms in the Garden House to the Maine House Suites, with four-poster beds, balconies, and original fireplaces. Unlike many other spa hotels, this one is family-friendly, with a kids club to engage little ones while adults enjoy some pampering.
Courtesy The Lodge at Woodlochhotel23. The Lodge at Woodloch — Hawley, Pennsylvania
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Ninety miles from New York City, this lodge in northeast Pennsylvania may just be the perfect weekend getaway for stressed-out city dwellers who need an escape. The quiet and serene resort has more than 500 wooded acres and a private lake, and spaces that force you to exhale: Guests enter under a porte-cochère into the plant-filled Garden Hall, which has a 14-foot glass cupola and a balcony looking onto the lake. And, all rooms have private verandas and oversize marble bathrooms. There are plenty of ways to keep busy, too. Excursions include fly-fishing and trail biking trips, or you can stay on-site for a soothing river stone massage at the spa.
hotel22. Coworth Park, Dorchester Collection — Berkshire, U.K.
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023The Dorchester Collection’s first countryside hotel sits on 240 acres of polo fields and wooded parkland at the edge of Windsor Great Park, a mere 20 minutes from Heathrow and close to Windsor Castle and the Ascot race course. The building, dating to 1776 and once belonging to Galen Weston, the chairman of Selfridges, consists of 30 rooms in the Mansion House and 40 in former stables and cottages. It’s five-star refinery but with a refreshing modern edge. Guests are completely cosseted by the highly individual, high-spirited staff. Room furnishings in the main house are classical, with four-poster beds, but are updated with light, subtle fabrics and have hypnotic views of woods and parterres. Rustically furnished suites—situated in a small cluster of cottages, a stable, and an 18th-century dower house—are all suitable for families due to their generous size. At the casual, stone-floor restaurant The Barn, expect delicious renderings of wholesome English country fare, while the swank formal dining room presents delectable small plates, ingenious foams, and a crack sommelier. Befitting the setting, there’s on-site riding, tennis, golf, and a wonderful spa with its own restaurant, but nothing tops the opportunity to indulge in that most cherished of rural English pastimes: long country walks.
Adam Lynk/Courtesy Cliveden Househotel21. Cliveden House — Berkshire, U.K.
$$$ | Gold List 2020 Readers' Choice Awards 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023It’s the hotel where Meghan Markle stayed the night before her wedding. We could stop there, but Cliveden House is so rich with royal history and so very British there’s few other aristocratic country stays that compare. First built in 1666 by the Duke of Buckingham, the Grade I listed manor has been a hotel since 1984 and was at various times frequented by Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales, and Lord Astor. Today it’s got 47 rooms, each furnished with antiques, handmade beds, heavy drapes, and walls adorned with intricate wallpapers and original artworks. The rest of the interior feels like a palace: the Great Hall with a grandiose fireplace, the lobby with its cathedral-high ceiling, and a stunning Gothic Revival mahogany staircase. There’s a modern spa with indoor and outdoor pools, and external hot tubs. The huge gardens of the 376-acre estate in the Chiltern Hills provide romantic walks and stunning views while the restaurants, the Cliveden Dining Room and the Astor Grill, serve knock-out British fine cuisine. It’s all within swinging distance of Windsor Castle, too. Perhaps the finest grand heritage hotel in England.
Courtesy Heckfield Placehotel20. Heckfield Place — Hampshire, U.K.
$$ | Gold List 2019, 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023There’s a reassuring seamlessness to Heckfield Place, a renovation of a stout Georgian manor house that is true to its redbrick bones, yet somehow perfectly modern. Its 438 acres of pasture and woodland include an arboretum and an ornamental lake, installed in the 19th century by Viscount Eversley, speaker of the House of Commons. For all that the restoration itself was a trial—Boston-based billionaire Gerald Chan endured more than a decade of painstaking work before its eventual opening in 2018—the end result is proof that Georgian needn’t feel stiff or chintzy. Designer Ben Thompson went big on earthy tones and textures, “editing” the grand house (his words) with greenery and leaving forest-green, ochre, or rose-colored walls elegantly unadorned. There’s a constant sense of the outside creeping in—sometimes literally, in the case of the biodynamic farm on the estate that supplies two wonderful restaurants overseen by seasonal-eating pioneer Skye Gyngell. Activities include trail running, wild swimming, and rowing on the lake with tuck boxes in tow.
.jpg)
Kohler Co.hotel19. The American Club — Kohler, Wisconsin
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023The American Club comprises a number of buildings sprinkled throughout the eastern Wisconsin town that the Kohler family—yes, of Kohler plumbing fame—built in the early 1900s. While the original American Club building is a highlight, book a stay in the Carriage House just a few steps, which gives guests unlimited access to the Waters spa and other amenities. The Kohler Waters Spa explains why Kohler got into hospitality in the first place. The three-level experience, stretching across the ground level, basement, and rooftop of the Carriage House, is designed to showcase Kohler’s best showerheads, bath tubs, and more. (The signature treatments emphasize water as well—like the hydrotherapy “massage,” in which guests receive a minty scrub while lying on a massage table, as warm water from a number of showerheads rain down from above.) A shuttle ride away are the Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run golf courses and River Wildlife, a 500-acre outdoor recreation area with walking trails, canoeing, fishing, and a quintessential hunting lodge.
Chris Simpsonhotel18. Sensei Porcupine Creek — Rancho Mirage, California
$$$ |
Hot List 2023 Readers' Choice Awards 2023Toeing the line between self-improvement sabbatical and bona fide vacation, Sensei Porcupine Creek is the ideal getaway for the chronically over-achieving: a place where real R&R is achieved proactively, through science and strategy, and in utter seclusion. Formerly the private estate of tech wizard and Silicon Valley billionaire Larry Ellison, Sensei’s co-founder, this intensely isolated retreat hidden in the foothills of the Santa Rosa mountains (studded with monumental Robert Indiana and Keith Haring sculptures from Ellison’s personal collection, no less) is only the second outpost for Sensei and marks the brand’s debut in the continental United States. (Its first, Sensei Lānaʻi, A Four Seasons Resort, opened in 2019.) But it’s also the brand’s first true standalone property, and with a lush, 75-acre golf course, a glamorous lagoon-style pool, and tennis facilities modeled after those at the nearby Indian Wells Tennis Garden—which hosts the annual BNP Paribas Tennis Tournament, in addition to a fleet of world-class wellness professionals, all poised to help you hit your marks—it really does stand alone.
Courtesy Six Senses Laamuhotel17. Six Senses Laamu — Maldives
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023Wake up in a water villa with panoramic views of the turquoise Indian Ocean, then spend the day being pampered in one of nine spa treatment “nests” scattered along the beach and the lush landscape. That’s what guests can expect at Six Senses Laamu on the remote Laamu Atoll in the southern Maldives. The spa offers tailored treatments, many of which are grounded in local ingredients and practices, like the Laamu Kaashi Theyo treatment—a full-body experience that revives and rehydrates thirsty skin with ingredients made from local coconuts; or the 24K Gold Age-defying Facial with mogra, aka “Queen of Jasmines,” and 24k Gold—a combination that’s sure to penetrate a parched complexion. Wellness screenings offer a non-invasive analysis of each guest’s key biomarkers to understand individual needs. Guests can sidle up to the alchemy bar to learn to how to harness the superpower of local herbs and plants, or practice meditation and yoga in an open-air rooftop studio.
hotel16. Canyon Ranch Tucson — Arizona
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Canyon Ranch Tucson created the all-inclusive health and wellness resort experience when it opened in 1979 in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, surrounded by the saguaro-filled Sonoran Desert. Here, outdoorsy pursuits like desert hiking, rock climbing, and mountain biking add a whole new dimension to the usual spa experience; of course, if you'd prefer to be pampered, facilities are top notch, with an amazing team of medical, exercise, nutrition, and life management experts. Despite this and a wide and rigorous array of classes, guests often single out the food as a favorite element: Expect healthful dishes that draw on the desert landscape, such as stuffed poblano peppers with calabacitas, mashed black beans, and guajillo pepper sauce. After all, Tucson is the first city in the United States to be designated a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.
Joali Beinghotel15. JOALI Being — Maldives
$$$ | Hot List 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2022, 2023The bone-white beaches and crystal-clear lagoons are the ultimate soothing backdrop for self-improvement, and, thankfully, wellness resort Joali Being delivers its sophisticated philosophy with a pampering attitude and no-news, no-shoes barefoot aesthetic. Shaggy thatched roofs ripple like the ocean waves beyond, oversized hand-carved doors resemble tree bark, walls are textured like wind-riffled sand, and the Tiffany color palette of the 68 villas, each with its own pool, brings the lagoon right into your light-filled sanctuary. The world-class spa is sprinkled with glass-fronted saunas, steam rooms, ice fountains, and hydrotherapy pools. Each villa comes with a butler called a jadugar, which means “magician” in the local language—and, happily, they live up to the hype: eager, efficient, and engaged.
Courtesy BodyHolidayhotel14. BodyHoliday — St. Lucia
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Since it first opened in 1988, this beachfront all-inclusive has become renowned for its unique approach to health, fitness, and wellbeing. It's set on a private cove on the northwest of St. Lucia near Pigeon Island National Landmark, and guests can expect custom-tailored itineraries prior to their arrival, more than 40 included activities per day, and an inclusive 50-minute spa treatment each day (apart from arrival and departure days). The lobby has a deep-blue palette enhanced by driftwood and mahogany. The wellness center, decorated in Jerusalem stone and mosaics, offers Pilates and Reiki and has a heated marble massage table. All five restaurants use local produce, often from the hotel's garden. Many of the rooms have been renovated over the last few years with standout elements like “noise-canceling walls” and built-in Bluetooth systems—and we really do like the fact that BodyHoliday has dedicated solo traveler rooms. Chill out in the two-tiered infinity pool, which is lined by loungers and underwater raised stone perches for when you feel like enjoying an in-water cocktail. Set above the main resort, the 33-room Mediterranean-style Wellness Centre is the hub of all that is wholesome. Whether you'd like to vacation at your own pace or go home with a full mind-body tune-up, the wealth of included facilities, activities, and culinary options here make it ideal for all goals.
Courtesy The Original FX Mayrhotel13. The Original FX Mayr — Maria Wörth, Austria
Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023On the aquamarine water of Lake Wörthersee in southern Austria, the Original FX Mayr is a destination for resetting your health. Their legendary “cure” combines medical and therapeutic treatments, plus intermittent fasting, to cleanse the body and mind. A supremely comfortable setting helps guests navigate a one- or two-week cure program. Rooms are cozy and coastal grandmother chic, with earthy colors like taupe and terra cotta, and peaceful lake views. Between the main building and beach house, you’ll find Finnish saunas, sanariums, steam rooms, and an indoor pool. In addition to medical examinations and diagnostic tests, all guests receive classic massages, lymphatic drainage, abdominal massages, and hayflower detox wraps. Meals feature bright seasonal ingredients (with zero raw vegetables, sugar, alcohol, or gluten).
Tryfon Georgopouloshotel12. Andronis Concept Wellness Resort — Santorini
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023This wellness resort overlooks the Aegean Sea in Santorini, with most of the 28 suites and villas angled to catch the best views of the sun setting over the water. The interiors are done in signature Santorini whites, and each room has its own private infinity pool. A staff of medical professionals and yoga experts offer a wide range of therapeutic treatments at the Kallos Spa—although you can't go wrong with a sunset massage on your terrace. At Throubi Restaurant, the team uses fresh ingredients from the onsite garden in the creative degustation menu, with courses that might include crayfish and pickled melon soup, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño and cucumber sorbet, and octopus with root vegetables, truffles, and octopus consommé.
Courtesy Miraval Berkshires Resort & Spahotel11. Miraval Berkshires Resort & Spa — Lenox, Massachusetts
$$$ | Hot List 2021 Readers' Choice Awards 2021, 2022, 2023It was a complicated time to open a hotel, but the arrival of the Miraval Berkshires Resort & Spa in summer 2020 felt unexpectedly right. And Miraval’s “Life In Balance” motto, a nod to the brand's measured approach to wellness, continues to appeal. Unlike much of the competition in the wellness retreat space, the Hyatt-owned Miraval doesn’t tout starvation diets or extreme exercise regimes, nor does it position itself as a “dry resort” (a glass of pinot after a full day of beekeeping, yoga, and gua sha does round it all out nicely). Rather, the brand has created a sprawling retreat—102 rooms and suites across 380-acres—in western Massachusetts’s bucolic Berkshires that touts a nuanced view of wellbeing. The Berkshires, about 150 miles from both New York City and Boston, have long been a wellness destination ranging from earthy-crunchy holistic retreats to luxury hotels, and the Miraval spa (one of the largest in New England with 28 treatment rooms) benefits from a rich, experienced pool of massage therapists and aestheticians; the Deep Mountain Massage with arnica and rosemary is exactly what you want after a day diving into the retreat's activities. Hiking, kayaking, ropes courses, and encounters with rescued horses and birds of prey all become lessons in self-discovery and sustainability. And the epic pool area, just right for lounging, drives home that this place is indeed all about balance.
hotel10. Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa — Tucson
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023There are older spas and wellness retreats in North America (to say nothing of Europe), but none popularized the idea of a spa break the way that Miraval did. Miraval, which used to have the phrase “life in balance” attached to its name, is one of the places that took wellness mainstream. (Thank you, Oprah.) Now it might not be so cutting-edge, but it’s confident and competent at what it does. The rooms are lavish casitas with plush beds, and the culinary program focuses more on what healthful foods you can add to your diet than on which “sinful” (a banned word) food to delete. As a result, it’s delicious, whichever end of the menu you choose, and the experience overall comforting.
James Baigrie/Courtesy Miraval Austin Wellness Resort & Spahotel9. Miraval Austin Resort & Spa — Texas
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Miraval is immediately understated and elegant; its arrival center is an airy space overlooking one of the property's two pools. Hyatt recently purchased this property, which has been occupied by one wellness resort or another since 2005, and transformed the resort with six new buildings, including additional guest houses. All 117 rooms have also been overhauled, and there is a new pool as well as tons of new activities and programs (think: 30 treatment rooms and more than 75 treatments offered, two pools, cooking and cocktail classes, an equine center, and an onsite farm). Come for self-reflection and self-care. Miraval is an immersive wellness experience through and through. This isn't exactly a jumping-off point for exploring Austin—you get here and stay here—but if you wanted to take a day out of your urban adventures, this would be the place to do it.
Courtesy Lanserhof Lanshotel8. Lanserhof LANS — Innsbruck, Austria
Readers' Choice Awards 2021, 2023The Lanserhof concept, developed over 35 years ago, is grounded in the fasting cure—the idea that the body can be regenerated through detoxification, purification, and de-acidification. At Lanserhof’s Lans location in Tyrol, the heart of the Swiss Alps, the staff offers therapeutic methods of state-of-the-art medicine combined with holistic naturopathy. The goal is to customize treatments to maximize each individual’s powers of self-healing, and the setting is contemporary and minimal, with a palate of earthy tones and floor-to-ceiling windows that invite inside the surrounding snow-capped mountains. Optional activities include medicinal herb hikes, where guests can learn about local medicinal plants, and visits to a Kneipp facility in the midst of the forest. Lanserhof programs run from one to two weeks.
Randy Galligan/Canyon Ranch Woodsidehotel7. Canyon Ranch Woodside — California
Readers' Choice Awards 2023Traditions around the world have considered trees to be symbols of strength, individuality, and growth. At Canyon Ranch Woodside, trees are an integral part of the stay, whether you’re sleeping in a luxury treehouse (with silky bed linens) or hiking the majestic Northern California Redwoods surrounding the property. Paths to growth include the “Find Inner Calm Pathway,” a three- to four-day experience designed to help guests cultivate self-compassion; dozens of mind-body activities accompanied by fitness classes and creative workshops; and plenty of spa treatments. The spa features an indoor saline pool and whirlpool, steam room, dry salt wall sauna, a labyrinth, and five treatment rooms for facials, massages, exfoliation, and more. Dining options at the Hideaway and The Hearth put an emphasis on local farmers and artisans, and humanely raised meats—dishes like beef from Marin Sun Farms with tomato chimichurri, blistered broccolini, and pickled shallots.
Courtesy IHHR Hospitalityhotel6. Ananda in the Himalayas — Narendra Nagar, India
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023You can't get much closer to nirvana than Ananda in the Himalayas, which sits in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas near the birthplace of yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda (a form of alternative healing that stresses the connection between body and mind), and the place where the Beatles met the Maharishi. The resort takes this legacy seriously, with a holistic approach to wellness that combines Eastern and Western healing methods—Ayurveda and aromatherapy treatments are at your disposal, as is a 24,000-square-foot, 24-treatment-room spa that near guarantees a restorative experience. The fresh air and 100 acres of forest don't hurt, either.
Courtesy Palazzo Fiuggihotel5. Palazzo Fiuggi — Italy
Readers' Choice Awards 2023Originally opened as a spa hotel in 1910, with a storied history of famous clientele like Italian actor Sophia Loren, Palazzo Fiuggi is a modern wellness retreat in the forested hills of Lazio, just an hour south of Rome. The expansive (64,000 square feet) marble-clad spa includes three thalassotherapy pools, which use mineral-rich Fiuggi thermal water for its time-tested healing properties. Treatments range from Dead Sea mud rituals and detox treatments to vibra sound healing and psammotherapy utilizing the heat of quartz sand to relax the body and relieve muscle pain. Rooms feature silky linens, tufted chaises, and sweeping mountain views. Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck designed the onsite restaurant menu, with colorful, seasonal-produce-forward dishes. Not only do guests have easy access to acres of surrounding nature, but they also have a cinema room for cozy movie nights.
Courtesy Lucknam Park Hotel & Spahotel4. Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa — Cotswolds, U.K.
Gold List 2019 Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023The pretty Georgian manor house, all honeyed Bath stone, sits at the end of an avenue of sky-high beech and lime trees, surrounded by gardens like a Jane Austen film set. On the grounds there’s a personable cottage for weekending families, a world-class equestrian center, and a serious cooking school. But you don’t have to whip up your own supper. Chef Hywel Jones plates up exquisite food in his eponymous restaurant. That in itself is a reason to stay. So are the roaring fires, the paneled libraries, the canopied four-poster beds, and the moody oil paintings. A purposeful drive in recent years to make the place feel less formal has resulted in a cheery bounce in the staff's step, a raising of chatter levels to almost a hum in the evenings, and a relaxed atmosphere where you can wear your robe down to the ESPA spa and back again without feeling like a terrible slob. Eagle-eyed guests will spot the curious Greek elements dotted around—the urns in the bathroom, the Acropolis paintings in the dining room, the Hellenic motif on the plates. This country retreat feels resonant and rooted, delightfully British to the core.
Courtesy Preferred Hotels & Resorts/©2011 Mark Boisclairhotel3. Mii Amo — Sedona, Arizona
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023At Mii Amo in Sedona, the walls and the buildings’ exteriors echo the deep crimson of the breathtaking surroundings—towering red rock walls and formations. The 34,000-square-foot spa complex, which reopened in February 2023 after an expansive renovation, is comprised of the main treatment building and six freestanding casitas. With smooth lines and materials like concrete, wood, adobe brick and stucco, the design is contemporary yet organic, with a distinct sense of place. Guests choose between a three, four, seven, or ten-night “journey.” The spa offers everything from traditional massages and facials to energy clearing, hypnosis, sound resonance therapy, and celestial manifesting. In the kitchen of Hummingbird, James Beard finalist chef Seamus Mullin whips up dishes using ingredients from local farms and Mii amo’s garden, like Poulet Rouge (red chicken) with braised trumpet mushrooms and truffled pea purée.
Courtesy Lake Austin Spa Resorthotel2. Lake Austin Spa Resort — Texas
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Set on a picturesque hillside of its namesake lake, this all-inclusive destination spa attracts relaxation seekers from all over—you'll see them, buffed and polished from their treatments and eager for more, strolling the grounds all day in their robes. Beds are extremely soft, and the lavender-scented products in the bathrooms are from the resort's own line; in fact, they're the same ones used in your spa treatments. Speaking of, all the spa's products are grown on the grounds (wildflower and organic honey are used in the facial scrubs) and some treatments take place in semi-open settings. Luxury Lakeview rooms have a cottage feel with a covered back patio that looks out onto the water. Walls in some of the rooms are painted a soft blue or yellow and the headboards have a pretty wildflower pattern, while artwork mimics the Austin landscape.
Courtesy Winvian Farmhotel1. Winvian Farm — Litchfield Hills, Connecticut
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023In the heart of Yankee Connecticut, Winvian Farm is a perfect retreat for the jaded captain of industry wanting to reconnect with their playful inner child. The owners of Vermont’s Pitcher Inn commissioned 15 New England architects to build 18 cottages and one suite on a 113-acre estate. Each of the ultra-comfortable and unique cottages is based on a different concept (Library, Treehouse, Helicopter). The best is Beaver Lodge, which gracefully resolves the oxymoronic luxurious trapper’s cabin with hardwoods, an authentic polished beaver’s den preserved in the ceiling, two fireplaces, and a bathroom floor of water-smoothed river stones. In Camping, stars illuminate the ceiling, and marshmallows are set out for roasting in the fireplace. Two of Winvian’s strong points are the standout cuisine of chef Chris Eddy, who has worked with Daniel Boulud and Alain Ducasse, and the well-stocked wine cellar. Guests, and locals in need of some R&R, are welcome to the spa.
