Luxury Spa Resorts Worth the Splurge
Check in for an unforgettable wellness-themed vacation at these spas that go the extra mile.
Jen Murphy and Ali Van Houten
Please note that while all these properties are open as of March 2021, and all spas except where noted, many are operating at reduced capacity and with limited offerings due to COVID-19. We urge you to be patient, check for closures before you go, and to travel responsibly.
1 /22 Courtesy of Mauna Lani
Mauna Lani, Waimea, HI
This newly renovated property now under the Auberge name boasts a spa primarily using the Honua Skincare line, made with locally sourced, organic ingredients from the Big Island.
Learn more here 2 /22 Courtesy of Espacio the Jewel of Waikiki Espacio the Jewel of Waikiki, Waikiki, HI
The hotel’s luxury spa enhances traditional Hawaiian treatments like hot stone and lomi lomi with holistic add-ons such as dry brushing, bio-drainage, cupping, and lymphatic drainage.
Learn more here 3 /22 Courtesy of Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley, Calistoga, CA
This 8-room spa
will feature steam pods in which hammocks will be suspended above geo-thermal pools so guests can absorb the vapors.
Learn more here 4 /22 Courtesy of The Lodge at Blue Sky Ranch
The Lodge at Blue Sky Ranch, Wanship, UT
An Auberge property boasting the High West Whiskey Rubdown: Sip a glass of whiskey during a salt and sage foot soak, followed by an old-style liniment massage and a hot-towel compress.
Learn more here 5 /22 Trevor Morrow Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort, Great Bear Rainforest, B.C.
Once the stomping grounds of Wall Street execs who came for the family-run lodge’s first-of- its-kind heli-fishing program, Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort is attracting a new audience with its wellness-driven programs. Nestled into the old-growth forests of British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest, the nine-cabin floating lodge has tapped into studies that show the healing properties of time spent in nature. In May and June, Nimmo offers daylong and weeklong “nature and nurture” retreats that revolve around rainforest hikes, ocean kayaking, and wildlife-viewing excursions via stand-up paddleboards (keep your eyes peeled for bears along the shore). At day’s end you have plenty of options for R&R: Be pampered with massages in the treetop spa room, soothe sore muscles in the floating sauna, or soak in the cedar hot tubs set at the base of the property’s cascading waterfall.
Learn more here 6 /22 Rhiannon Taylor Golden Door, San Marcos, CA
Long before there was SoulCycle or Botox, there was the Golden Door. When America’s first luxury destination spa opened its gilded doors in 1958 its mind-body approach to pampered wellness was way ahead of its time. Hollywood stars like Elizabeth Taylor were regulars at the 40-room, ryokan-inspired retreat tucked away in a tranquil valley just north of San Diego. More than six decades later, a head-to-toe makeover has made this pioneering spa more relevant than ever. Vibrating weight-loss belt machines have been replaced with battle ropes and TRX training, and low-cal versions of turkey salad divan have been swapped for togarashi-seared big-eye tuna and ginger-soy marinated tofu. On the expanded 600 acres you’ll find 30 miles of hiking trails, Zen rock gardens, a bamboo forest, and an organic farm with olive and orange trees. A bespoke schedule is delivered nightly to each of the rooms. Sure, you’ll find Pilates and barre class, but you can also try fencing with a former Olympian, haiku writing, and hypnosis. There’s no need to feel guilty indulging in your health: 100 percent of net profits go to philanthropic causes.
Learn more here 7 /22 Courtesy of Ten Thousand Waves Ten Thousand Waves, Santa Fe, NM
This ryokan-like escape inspired by Japanese
onsens, or hot springs, offers both communal and private soaking. Private tubs feel like mini sanctuaries complete with a hot tub, sauna, plunge pool, and juniper-shaded decks. After, enjoy an izakaya meal at on-site Japanese restaurant, izanami.
Learn more here 8 /22 James Baigrie Miraval, Austin, TX
Tucson’s acclaimed mindful-living retreat Miraval recently debuted a sister property on 220 acres in the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, just outside of Austin, Texas. With 29 treatment rooms, the Life in Balance Spa is now the largest in the state. Brand staples such as the equine program and cooking workshops remain. The biggest differentiator: The 10-acre farm where guests take classes in everything from chicken raising to kombucha brewing.
Learn more here 9 /22 Studio 3 Inc. Banya 5, Seattle, WA
This steamy co-ed Russian bathhouse offers a sauna with massage services. A stand-out treatment is the coconut shea wrap, where a massage therapist will work shea butter and coconut oil into the skin and hair with moisturizing and anti-oxidant results.
Learn more here 10 /22 Joern Rohde Scandinave, Whistler, B.C.
The ski town of Whistler harbors a 25,000-square-foot Nordic-inspired spa steeped in the ancient Finnish tradition of hydrotherapy. Follow the traditional hot-cold circuit, cycling through saunas, steam rooms, thermal waterfalls, and outdoor baths with mountain views.
Learn more here 11 /22 Canyon Ranch, Tuscon, AZ
Although the massive 80,000-square-foot spa complex boasts an impressive range of treatments—a marine algae, sea brine, and aloe wrap in their herb-infused steam room, for one—beauty is more than skin deep at Canyon Ranch. The pioneering resort also addresses fitness, nutrition, and spiritual practice as part of a holistic approach to wellness. Get your Zen on at the Spiritual Wellness Center—the Sanctuary and Meditation Garden provide serene spaces for self-reflection—and discover how to eat well at home with a Lunch & Learn demonstration. Or sit back and let the masters do the work: Canyon Ranch recently hired three new executive chefs to supplement the resort’s already stellar repertoire of healthy eats.
(all-inclusive, three-night minimum); Learn more here 12 /22 Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, Riverside, CA
Opulence is the name of the game at this historic retreat. Cloistral architecture and amenities fit for the A-list—the guestbook is a veritable who’s who of former presidents and celebrities like Barbra Streisand, Tom Hanks, and Clark Gable—separate the grand suites from the crowd. At Kelly’s Spa, Tuscan-inspired trimmings like hand-painted frescos, barrel-vaulted ceilings, and marble mosaics set the mood. Pamper yourself with full body wraps and luxurious rose petal baths between strolls through the palatial grounds.
Learn more here 13 /22 The Allison Inn & Spa, Newberg, OR
Nestled in Oregon wine country, the LEED Gold-certified resort has long been a home base for indulgence and fine dining. The spa options nod to both with goodies like Divine Wine, a nourishing honey-and-wine mask, as well as the Mimosa, a massage that uses champagne oil to luxurious effect. Meanwhile, Art at the Allison, the hotel’s private art collection, features over 500 original works from 100 Oregon artists. And in September 2017, the spa debuted a cafe full of healthy eats to keep you going from treatment to treatment—or winery to winery.
Learn more here 14 /22 Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, Glenwood Springs, CO
Spa temporarily closed due to COVID-19 It’s no mystery why
Glenwood Springs' Spa of the Rockies specializes in balneotherapy. Holding 1,071,000 gallons, the big pool at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort claims to be the world's largest hot spring soak. Inside, the hefty spa menu offers treatments like a Geothermal Wellness Package, which includes a Himalayan Salt Stone Massage and Stonecrop Hydration Facial. Just be sure not to skip the mineral bath portion—it primes the body to receive the rest of the treatment.
Learn more here 15 /22 Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, Scottsdale, AZ
At Agave, The Arizona Spa, treatments are inspired by traditional Native American practices. The spa highlights the benefits of local flora with indulgences that incorporate Herradura reposado tequila derived from—of course—the
agave plant. The resort’s hallmark Adventure Water Park features a 110-foot-long waterslide, as well as a 900-foot lazy river and a standing wave, but those seeking a little more R&R can kick back in a garden cabana at the quiet and beautiful Aguamiel Pool.
Learn more here 16 /22 Solage, Calistoga, CA
Napa Valley’s Spa Solage is known for its take on the Calistoga mud bath. The three-part
mudslide includes a mineral-enriched mud treatment, followed by stints in geothermal mineral waters and a sound chair that emits harmonic vibrations. But Solage isn’t afraid to shake things up. In the winter of 2017, when Calistoga's wine country was flooded with some unexpected storms that didn't exactly encourage tasting-room tours, the indoor-outdoor spa added a special Hot Toddy for the Body treatment for guests who wanted to stay cozy. Now, you can avail yourself of a spicy twist on their signature mud bath, served with a spiked chai latte.
Learn more here 17 /22 The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Honolulu, HI
Spa temporarily closed due to COVID-19 The spa at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach is
O‘ahu’s first Ritz-Carlton Spa—and the property went all out. The menu is steeped in Hawaiian traditions and ingredients, like hot volcanic stones, leaves from Oahu's rainforest, and native lehua blossoms. Each signature treatment begins with a warm Hawaiian welcome called the Henoheno Ritual. Next, you can revitalize with a full-body sugar scrub made with healing ‘olena and a deep lomilomi massage. When you're done, check out the eighth-floor infinity pool—the highest in Waikiki—and tuck yourself into one of the resort's ocean-view studios. Aloha,
indeed.
Learn more here 18 /22 The Coeur d’Alene Resort, Coeur d’Alene, ID
Perched on the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene, there’s no shortage of activities here—but first you’d have to be dragged out of the three-level spa. Get a full-body massage underneath a gentle waterfall, or opt for something more fragrant. Signature treatments like Lavender Mountain Spirit, a lavender-infused body exfoliation and custom massage, and Soothing Earth and Stone, which includes a Sage Scrub and Stone Massage, are inspired by natural elements of the Northwest. When you’ve had enough, hit The Cedars Floating Restaurant. As for your digs, splurge on a lake-view room with a gas fireplace—or the 2,500-square-foot Hagadone Suite with its own in-room waterfall tub and a private glass-bottom pool.
Learn more here 19 /22 Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Jonesing for an extreme makeover? Sign up for Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa's recently launched Wellness Collective Retreat—a choose-your-own adventure experience with more than 95 fitness classes, spa treatments, and one-on-one consultations. But leave time to lounge with a cocktail at the glamorous adults-only pool and outdoor bar. Even better, reserve a private poolside cabana and get VIP wait service and complimentary champagne. You've got to have balance, after all.
Learn more here 20 /22 Alderbrook Resort & Spa, Union, WA
With the Olympic Mountains in the distance and the shore of Hood Canal lapping just outside the window, Alderbrook Resort & Spa is luxury for the nature lover. Fly in via seaplane and try to spot eagles, ospreys, salmon, and seals as you pull up to the resort’s designated dock. The real action is inside, however. Spring for a Diamond Radiance facial with caviar, then refuel with locally harvested seafood from Puget Sound, like
Dungeness crab cakes with red jalapeno sabayon.
Learn more here 21 /22 Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, Sonoma, CA
Thermal waters are the draw at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, where the resort is strategically positioned to take advantage of the natural springs. They are funneled into the massive 40,000-square-foot spa, which lures in the stressed for a bathing ritual, including a rain tunnel and salt dry sauna. Don’t forget you’re in the heart of California wine country, though— be sure to hit up the complimentary wine tasting for guests each evening.
Learn more here 22 /22 Esperanza, Cabo San Lucas, MX
Located on the southernmost tip of the Baja peninsula, Esperanza is the sole private beach resort in the Los Cabos region. At times, however, it’s so quiet, all tucked away in its own cove, that you feel as if you're marooned on a desert island—a luxe one at that. Go for a dip in one of the tiered infinity pools, or indulge in the spa's Head to Toe treatment (with scalp massage). As dusk settles on the resort's Cocina del Mar restaurant, dinner on the wave-washed promontory will lull you into one thought: Relax … and stay awhile.
Learn more here