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Bazaar's pick of the best London spas for a serene wellness reset
From the decadence of Guerlain's first London spa to the serenity of the Aire Ancient Baths, make time to relax and revitalise with Bazaar's pick of the ultimate London spas
In need of a body and soul-soothing massage, a transformative facial or peaceful pool day with friends? London's best spas offer something for all.
Now, there's a wellness destination in every corner of the capital (even if they aren't obvious from street level). From boutique townhouse day spas to luxury hotel sanctuaries, these often-hidden havens are the capital's hotspots for pampering, both holistic and aesthetic.
But before you book, see Bazaar's pick of the ultimate London spas, below. And, if you want to venture further afield, see our guide of the best UK spa hotels for the ultimate serene staycation.
The best London spa destinations to book now:
For subterranean serenity: The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
A complete wellness destination, The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park offers everything you’d possibly want for relaxation and rejuvenation. The elegant subterranean space features a vitality pool, sauna, steam room and relaxation lounge, but the magic happens within the 13 spacious treatment rooms. The offerings include advanced facials by Oskia and Biologique Recherche, as well as a collaboration with Clinique La Prairie – the first hotel in the world to offer the services (including holistic health longevity workshops and nutritional consultations) outside the iconic Clinique La Prairie in Switzerland.
What treatment to try: Take charge of your winter blues by booking into the spa's Winter Wellness Time, an hour-long treatment designed especially to restore your skin and body from the cold. Running from now until 20th March, it is available as either a bespoke massage or facial, both incorporating warming oils in soul-soothing scents and nourishing ingredients to plump up parched skin. If you appreciate a thorough, deep-tissue massage, ask for Kumari Thapa. Her expert hands will take care of every ache and ease every knot.
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA
For future-thinking wellness: Surrenne at The Emory
From biohacking to 'ballet bodywork', London's latest luxury wellness club and spa, Surrenne, is dedicated to longevity. Nestled within The Emory hotel, it welcomes residents and members only – but those who can, should.
The ultra-chic subterranean space sprawls four floors, including The Wet Zone, with its striking 22-metre pool, hot and cold exposure treatments and health café boasting curations by nutritionist, Rose Ferguson; The Treatments and Longevity Floor comprising a medically-led longevity lounge for practitioner appointments, an active recovery zone and seven state-of-the-art treatment rooms for high-performance facials and massages; The Fitness Floor featuring personal training, an advanced gym and recovery station plus an interactive digital studio streaming on-demand classes; and The Tracy Anderson Floor, an innovative studio devoted to the American fitness entrepreneur’s expertise.
What treatment to try: Treatment-wise, there's truly something for all, from bathing experiences combining aromatic steams and purifying polishes, to Ashiatsu bare feet massages and adaptogenic deep tissue treatments, plus a plethora of facials. For the aesthetically advanced, try a rejuvenating treatment devised by celebrated plastic surgeon Dr. Lara Devgan, while Face Gym add-ons provide a quick fix and the 'Stella by Stella McCartney' option is poised as the ultimate sustainable facial.
Surrenne at The Emory, Old Barrack Yard, SW1X 7NP.
For custom treatments: Mandarin Oriental Mayfair
One of the highlights of the newly opened Mandarin Oriental Mayfair – a modern, jade-lined little sister to the grand Hyde Park property – is the forward-thinking spa.
This intimate, subterranean space is a truly modern wellness destination. Of course, there’s a glistening swimming pool (full-length, cold enough to encourage swift strokes) flanked by cleverly designed thermal water experiences, architecturally oriented to remove the risk of awkward eye contact.
The gym is a fitness-tech dream, featuring a private room for personal training sessions, Normatec massage therapy and a digital reformer machine (think Peloton-meets-Pilates).
What treatment to try: While the fitness offering is impressive, the real reason for visiting lies in the relaxation realm: the treatments are exemplary.
While there are pre-designed face and body therapies available, guests are also able to go off-menu and have something designed just for them. Simply select between Natural Time (featuring Tuscany’s heavenly Seed To Skin) or Age Defying Time (the active-packed Swiss Perfection). Then, you’re in the trustworthy hands of your therapist, who will curate a completely personalised pampering session for you, based around the face or the body (or both!) to ensure you feel completely taken care of.
The Spa at the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, 22 Hanover Square, London W1S 1JP. Read the full Bazaar review here.
For the fitness enthusiasts: The Peninsula Spa & Wellness Centre
Some hotel spas are so cavernous, they risk being soulless and intimidating, but The Peninsula's newly-opened London outpost is anything but. The warmly-lit space is designed by famed interior maestro, Peter Marino (he's the man behind Dior's flagship boutique in Paris), and feels like your most luxurious second home thanks to a friendly cohort of expert team members. There is a vast, fully-equipped Technogym for all your fitness needs and a 25m heated swimming pool with plenty of lounge chairs poolside for you to sit back with a book.
The Peninsula Spa itself features seven en-suite treatment rooms so you can immediately get a comfortingly warm shower if you wish. It's all in the details here; heated beds, a generously-sized room and a spacious cupboard complete with fresh dressing gowns takes the treatment to the next level - no more shimmying around tight spaces. Back in the main changing area, there's a well-stocked snack fridge, saunas and yes, another high-ceilinged shower room.
What treatment to try: Beyond facials and massages, you'll also find wellness practitioners-in-residence such as acclaimed fitness trainer David Marshall, Traditional Chinese Medicine expert Dr. Li Ping Bartlett and osteopath Emanuele Calabrese. Frequent gym-goers and desk-dwellers will appreciate the muscle-relieving Subtle Energies Deep Tissue Massage, which helps ease any stiffness in your joints. Treatments are performed in such balletic manner, you'll walk out feeling revived and utterly well taken care of. You can book in with a side of guided meditation or Ayurvedic therapy, too, for a truly holistic experience.
The Peninsula, 1 Grosvenor Place, SW1X 7HJ
For a Parisian touch: Guerlain Spa at Raffles At The OWO
Greeted by a marble sink and a wall decked out in Guerlain's most beautiful hand washes, you know you're in for a decadent treat the moment you step into the brand's first UK spa. The space, designed by Goddard Littlefair, calls Raffles At The OWO home and matches the opulence of the hotel with its gilded accents and ivory white moulded ceilings.
The Privé Spa Suites are especially breathtaking, with spacious en-suite rooms complete with a deep bath tub, champagne welcome and two-hour use of the pool and thermal facilities at the spa. There's an option for a couple's suite, or a pampering session for one, along with seven other treatment rooms. If Marie Antoinette was a London-dwelling society girl, the Guerlain Spa is guaranteed to be her favourite hideout.
What treatment to try: Whether you're after a pregnancy-friendly massage, a high-spec facial to restore post-travel skin or a muscle-soothing treatment, there is something here for everyone. The 90-min Royal Glow Tech facial combines Guerlain's skin boosting techniques with modern light therapy and microdermabrasion for a an all-over happier, healthier looking complexion. Afterwards, why not head to L'Atelier Guerlain for a blow-dry and make-up touch-up? You can also explore and find a new signature scent while you're at it.
Raffles At The OWO, 57 Whitehall, SW1A 2BX
For space and luxury: ESPA Life at The Corinthia
Spread over four floors, the impressive ESPA Life at The Corinthia is London's largest spa. It's possibly the most enticing, too. The Thermal Floor consists of a swimming pool, advanced vitality pool, amphitheatre sauna, steam room, feature showers, ice fountain, marble heated lounges and sleep pods. Elsewhere you'll find a Daniel Galvin salon, AMP (Athletic Medical Performance) training suite, spa lounge serving food and drink, and 17 treatment rooms.
What treatment to try: With an all-round approach to beauty and wellbeing, Espa Life at the Corinthia offers medical and lifestyle consultations as well as covering your skin, hair and fitness needs. It now offers advanced aesthetic tweakments, too. Collaborating with pioneering plastic surgeons, Mr Tunc Tiryaki and Mr Steve Cohen, it's joined forces with the London Regenerative Institute to offer their regenerative treatments including face and body injectables. For something more traditional, we can highly recommend a Dr. Barbara Sturm facial (from £250) and the ESPA Mindful Massage (£285).
ESPA Life at The Corinthia, Whitehall Place, SW1A 2BD
For bliss beneath the busyness: The Londoner
Marking the rebirth of iconic Leicester Square, The Londoner became the capital’s most talked about high-end hotel, offering everything you’d want from a luxury city break. Its subterranean spa is the ultimate sanctuary from the West End’s commotion. Transported below ground, the lift doors open to a view of the tranquil turquoise pool – instilling instant calm – while secluded cabanas lull you further into switch-off mode. Known as The Retreat, the wellness floor also houses a beauty and nail salon, gym, superfood eatery and multiple treatment rooms.
What treatment to try: We tried the blissful Dynamo Massage by Ila, which uses the artisan brand’s handmade body oils to revive the entire body, releasing tension while reducing fatigue. Facials by Omorovicza sound equally appealing, combing a pampering experience with visible results. Back in your room, studio or suite, plush beds await to promote the kind of restorative rest you often only get from a five-star stay away.
The Londoner, Leicester Square, WC2H 7DX
For holistic healing and high-tech luxury: Claridge's Spa
The long-awaited Claridge's hotel spa opened late 2022, and with it brought a modern take on the traditional hotel spa. Nestled three floors below the iconic hotel's black and white lobby, the spa – consisting of seven treatment rooms, a sauna, steam rooms, Josh Wood hair salon, fitness centre and swimming pool – takes up a vast 7,000 square feet of space. The curated selection of treatments range from healing rituals to gadget-filled facials, from the likes of luxury brands Augustinus Bader and Face Gym, plus residencies from London's hottest talents such as nail artist Harriet Westmoreland and acupuncturist Ross J. Barr. The spa also recently welcomed the celebrated massage therapist Luca Bagnara and a brand new treatment space: The Pink Room.
What treatment to try: The 90-minute Bamboo and Silk Ritual (£295) incorporates a hot massage with freshly made poultices, a deeper massage via bamboo sticks rolled across tight muscles, and a hands-on approach to hone in on any tough spots. As a finishing touch, you're given a mini facial massage using silk cocoons – little thimbles on every finger – to massage and hydrate, and mini-poultices to relieve tension. It's the perfect combination of relaxing and results-driven.
Claridge's Spa, Brook Street, W1K 4HR. Read the full Bazaar review here.
For an indulgent city escape: Four Seasons Hotel at Ten Trinity Square
With its prime position overlooking iconic landmarks the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, the Four Seasons Hotel at Ten Trinity Square has much to offer its visitors both inside and out. Do make time for the decadent spa, though. With its serene swimming pool, sizeable vitality pool equipped with air and water jet features, sauna, steam room, hammam, fitness studio and state-of-the-art gym, it’s pure luxury. (It's even adorned with real 22 carat gold walls!)
What treatment to try: For something unique try the Traditional Hammam Ritual – Escape to Taliouine, or the Ultimate Sensory Hammam Journey For Two. For a full body massage worth writing home about book superb therapist Netra, or try a richly therapeutic Voya treatment, exclusive to the hotel. The sustainable skincare brand’s signature seaweed wrap is like nothing else we’ve tried. Hand-harvested on the Irish Atlantic coast, the organic seaweed helps boost lymph flow and re-mineralise the body, working its magic while your therapist performs a relaxing scalp massage. Should you want a hair zhuzh after, swing by the hotel’s Gielly Green salon with its team of mega stylists, colourists, barber and beauty experts.
Four Seasons Hotel at Ten Trinity Square, 10 Trinity Square, EC3N 4AJ
For serenity in the West End: Akasha Spa at Hotel Café Royal
As you leave the bright lights and bustle of Piccadilly Circus behind you, entering Hotel Café Royal's subterranean spa, Akasha, feels like stepping into another world. This soothing oasis is home to an impressive 60ft long lap pool, Moroccan-style hammam (pictured), sauna and jacuzzi, as well as treatments rooms whereby therapists marry Western techniques with ancient Eastern traditions.
What treatment to try: The indulgent Hammam with a Body Melting Massage experience combines a ceremonial top-to-toe scrub, scalp massage, hair washing ritual and application of hair mask, with a full body massage including traditional stretching techniques and the application of heat packs. Using MarocMaroc – skincare inspired by the traditional beauty routines of Moroccan women – the ritual evokes real authenticity.
Alternatively, try the luxurious Harmonious Hydro-Massage, part of the Vichy Shower experience which originated in France. Here, exfoliation meets a harmonious four-hand hydro massage. Or consider a bespoke Aromatherapy Associates facial: designed to suit your individual skin needs the treat combines use of specifically designed massage with traditional techniques utilising essential oil-rich products.
Akasha at Hotel Café Royal, 68 Regent Street, W1B 4DY
For luxury, art and taste: 45 Park Lane
Ever since its opening nearly a decade ago, 45 Park Lane has rightfully become synonymous with luxury, art and taste. In May 2021, it opened its first spa - a stylishly decorated 10,000 square-foot space, complete with a 20-metre pool, treatment rooms, gym, sauna, steam room and a hydrotherapy pool you'll never want to get out of. The decor focuses on bringing the outside in - expansive floral works by American fine art photographer Jin-Woo Prensena adorn the walls, while Roman style mosaics are made by Venetian artisans. The natural timbers, light coloured stone and the Costa Del Mar music complete a sense of calm tranquillity.
What treatment to try: We'd recommend the Valmont Radiance Facial, which - we can attest - will give you instantly glowing, fuller-looking skin. Finish up with a healthy bite to eat in the relaxation lounge which sits next door to the pool. Or, if you're after something a little stronger, try a cocktail upstairs at Bar 45.
45 Park Lane, W1K 1PN
For understated decadence: Pan Pacific London
One of London’s newer hotels, Pan Pacific London, is also one of the best for rest and rejuvenation, with vast attention paid to its spa and wellness offerings. The hotel offers bespoke 24-hour packages that blend fitness – from private yoga classes to in-depth Olympic-grade gym sessions which provide high-tech data on your physical needs – and in-room sleep programmes with aromatherapy baths and weighted, heated blankets. Alongside a wide roster of specialised treatments, like sauna sound baths and exfoliating massages that will leave your skin velvety soft, there is a beautiful fourth floor infinity pool with enviable views over the city. A true gem.
What treatment to try: There really is a treatment for everyone at the Pan Pacific London spa, including any little ones (age six-to-16) that you might have in tow. These unique parent and child pampering packages, curated in partnership with Bonpoint, use natural and hypoallergenic products formulated for young skin, allowing them to experience adapted wellbeing therapies as you would. Mini robes and slippers are also available, so they look the part as much as feel it.
Pan Pacific London, 80 Houndsditch, EC3A 7AB
For sheer indulgence: The Bulgari Spa at Bulgari Hotel London
This subterranean sanctuary in Knightsbridge offers world-class facial and body treatments alongside the capital's most serene indoor pool, saunas and steam rooms, and a relaxation space worthy of wiling away the hours in.
What treatment to try: At the clinical end of the spectrum you'll find the 111 Spa/Clinic: a collaboration with Harley Street's Dr. Yannis Alexandrides, with LED, lasers and microneedling on the ultra-advanced menu (from £170). Augustinus Bader facials are also available, bridging the gap between performance and pampering. And for something even more soothing, indulge in the Oja body treatment by Mauli Rituals (£330) which takes mind-calming massage to truly spectacular heights, or try the new intuitive massaging ritual by Ground. Exclusive to the spa, The Grounding Journey (from £110) helps you reconnect with the vagus nerve, supporting stress relief and internal balance.
Bulgari Hotel London, 171 Knightsbridge, SW7 1DW
For ultimate relaxation: Montcalm East
Just a stone's throw from Old Street tube station, and a short walk from vibrant Shoreditch, is the knife-edged sky-high hotel Montcalm East. The hotel is stylish and modern (we love the archway built from lights in the downstairs foyer), with a Wes Anderson style bar perfect for a late night negroni overlooking the busy London streets below.
What treatment to try: For those who have had a long day (or month...), head straight downstairs to the immediate calm of the Bokeh spa. We recommend opting for a massage (from £120) using OTO's CBD infused products. You can pick from a choice of three states of being: amplify, focus or balance. Each uses the luxurious, calming oils with a mixture of reflexology, crystals or bamboo rollers for an experience that instantly calms both mind and body.
Montcalm East, 151-157 City Road, EC1V 1JH
For full rejuvenation: Chuan Body + Soul at The Langham London
The Langham's Chuan Body + Soul spa is the place for rejuvenation. Alongside the 16-metre swimming pool, flanked by sauna and steam rooms making for the perfect pre- or post-massage setting, unique health and aesthetic treatments are offered. Exciting collaborations include Effect Doctors, known for medical wellness practices such as IV drips, and The Soni Clinic, where appointments with the esteemed Dr Ashwin Soni include non-surgical procedures such as dermal fillers, skin boosters and polynucleotides.
What treatment to try: With Traditional Chinese Medicine principles inspiring the treatments, you can expect hot-stone massages, gua sha facials, reiki, acupuncture and cupping all on offer. In addition, Zelens facials utilise the brand's famed high-performance skincare, while OTO Wellbeing sensory CBD-infused massage experiences are intended to leave you floating.
Chuan Spa at The Langham, 2 Cavendish Place, W1B 3DE
For authentic ancient baths: Aire Ancient Baths
Entirely lit by candles and free from technology, Aire offers a disconnect from the outside world, which is no easy feat for a spa situated in the very centre of London. While others are racing towards hi-tech treatments and buzzy new devices, Aire is staying true to its traditional spa roots and offering complete, unrestricted relaxation.
From start to finish, your experience is guided by the discreet staff, who will introduce you to the various thermal experiences. Become acclimatised in the warm Tepidarium before stepping into the marble steam room, complete with an invigorating plunge pool. Be sure to float in the salt bath, and to submerge tired muscles in the thousand-jet pool.
If the space feels filled with history, that's because it is: the building was once home to J.M Barrie, who lived there while writing Peter Pan. You'll even find a pristine first-edition hardback in the reception.
What treatment to try: The Relaxing Experience (from £95) offers the best introduction to the spa, combining a tour of the baths at your own pace with a massage. You'll be collected when it's time for your treatment – no clock-watching required here – and be allowed to settle into a cocooning bed for a heavenly full-body massage.
Aire Ancient Baths, 2-3 Robert Street, WC2N 6BH
For tired muscles: Agua Spa at Sea Containers, London
Hidden underneath the Sea Containers London sits the hotel's tranquil Agua spa. Incorporating the glamorous art deco nautical appeal of the upper floors, it's a luxurious, intimate space designed to enhance tranquility, complete with a calming relaxation area in which a Tom Dixon artwork takes centre-stage.
What treatment to try: The spa's signature Advanced Bodywork massage (from £67) is performed using products from the Hedgerow line, which is sustainably produced in-house. Inspired by the principles of herbalism and produced using great British plants – many of which are sourced from the surrounding areas – the collection incorporates seasonal compresses and muscle-soothing salves, which combine to create a truly memorable experience.
Agua Spa at Sea Containers, 20 Upper Ground, SE1 9PD
For body and mind healing: The Dorchester Spa
The freshly renovated Dorchester Spa takes a 360 approach to luxury pampering. Nestled underneath the famed hotel, it offers indulgent treatments, alongside a steam room and relaxation room with wellness beds that aim to lull you to sleep, a spatisserie for you to enjoy indulgent pastries, restorative teas and/or champagne, a nail bar with over 800 shades to choose from, and a Carol Joy hair salon. Whether you’re looking for a full day of relaxation, or just a quick manicure, The Dorchester Spa has you covered.
What treatment to try: The Sounding Healing Treatment uses a mix of methods to help you leave feeling rested and rejuvenated. Inspired by the ancient Egyptian practice of sand bathing, its MLX Quartz beds involve laying on a sheet under which sits a warm bed of quartz sand. The therapist then moulds the sand to support and cocoon your body, said to have anti-inflammatory and pain relieving results. Singing sound bowls, which bookend the treatment, create a meditative effect, before the therapist begins a 90-minute massage using soothing poultice stones and inversion gravity, enabling a deeper shoulder and neck massage and greater spinal stretch. The treatment feels like laying on a warm sandy beach while experiencing a first-class massage. Deeply relaxing and therapeutic, this is one treatment to soothe and restore the most tired of souls.
The Dorchester Spa, 53 Park Lane, W1K 1QA
For a pampering pit stop: Cowshed Primrose Hill
If treatments alone are top of your priorities, a Cowshed spa is a delectable option. In London, they’re open to both Soho House members and the public within the buzzy Shoreditch House and at the elegant standalone spa Cowshed Primrose Hill – our favourite. Offering the iconic brand’s luxury signature treatments, using their aromatherapy-laced products, you can also expect the club’s inimitable design codes throughout, from the plush bespoke mani-pedi chairs to the chic ‘country calm’ aesthetic and mellow atmosphere.
What treatment to try: While Cowshed increasingly offer high-tech treatments, you can’t beat the classic Ultimate Cowshed Manicure and Pedicure (finished with either gel or regular polish) with an add-on Head, Neck and Shoulder Massage. Of course, the full-body massages come consistently recommended too, and it’s ideal to get a wax or your lashes and brows done while you’re visiting. There is also a specialist menu for cancer patients. Designed by Jennifer Young, the body, face and nail treatments use gentle, organic ingredients to safely nourish and soothe skin.
Cowshed Primrose Hill, 115-117 Regent's Park Rd, NW1 8UR. Read the full story here.
For a calming escape: Cloud Twelve
Nestled in a peaceful Notting Hill mews, Cloud Twelve is a truly modern member’s club catering for your every whim, be it a classic spa day, hair appointment, advanced injectables or simply a plant-based lunch with friends. Non-members can book in, but you’ll need to sign up (as many West Londoners do) to take advantage of the children’s club that sits on the ground floor.
The spa itself is a truly serene escape, boasting a beautiful relaxation area complete with sauna, steam and Himalayan salt rooms.
What treatment to try: CBD is everywhere this decade, but for it to work in a treatment, skilled technique is also essential. Cloud Twelve’s Signature Deep Relief CBD Oil Massage (£200) uses Kloris' potent CBD-infused balm alongside targeted, incredibly satisfying massage strokes to seek out and solve the tightest of knots. A sound bath bookends the hour, while gentle stretching, vigorous shoulder work and personalised pressure deliver physical benefits that truly last.
If you're looking for a facial, Softmesology delivers remarkable benefits with none of the downtime. Inspired by mesotherapy, this non-invasive treatment employs microcurrent instead of needles to push a custom blend of actives into the skin, before using cryotherapy and LED to calm and tighten the skin.
Cloud Twelve, 2-5 Colville Mews, W11 2DA
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