Forget the idea of a spa break meaning only grand country houses and secluded retreats. Who says you can’t have the best of both worlds? City living and spa luxury can happily coexist! Think of it as a brilliant strategy – after exploring all the city’s exciting offerings, you can retreat to your hotel for a welcoming haven of pampering.
Gone are the days of basic massages in tiny rooms. London’s spa scene is super luxurious and cutting-edge – we’re talking bio-feedback training, decompression pods, and superfood clinics! Whatever your preference, we’ve got you covered, with locations from Hyde Park to Liverpool Street via Leicester Square. Let’s dive into the best spa hotels in London!
Grande Dame of Knightsbridge: The Berkeley
The Berkeley is a true grande dame of Knightsbridge, boasting numerous five-star amenities. The crown jewel, however, is its heated outdoor rooftop pool and the Bamford Wellness Spa. Nestled on the seventh floor, the spa feels like an English country garden high above the bustling city. Relax on a daybed in the secret garden, bursting with blooms in summer, and unwind after a treatment.
The Bamford Haybarn, with its holistic and organic philosophy, is the primary brand behind most treatments. For facials, the British brand OSKIA takes the lead. Enjoy one-on-one yoga and Pilates classes or catch special events, like hula hooping or synchronized swimming, during the summer (check their website for up-to-date schedules).
Richmond’s Hidden Gem: The Richmond Harbour Hotel & Spa
This restored 18th-century Georgian building houses the Richmond Harbour Hotel & Spa. Modern interiors and a restaurant terrace with heaters are both highlights. But, it’s the spa, with its 20-meter indoor pool, that steals the show.
The pool is large enough for serious laps, and you’ll also find a sauna, steam room, and a stylish relaxation room with hanging egg-shaped beds. Outside, there’s a lush garden with two Scandinavian hot tubs and a vitality pool. Get your workout in at the high-tech gym, which offers classes, or indulge in one of the 13 treatment rooms (we recommend the Drift Away massage). It’s excellent value for the money compared to other city hotels, and the pool even welcomes children at certain times.
Picture-Perfect Views: Four Seasons Park Lane
Nestled in one of London’s most prestigious postcodes in Mayfair, Four Seasons Park Lane is a bold and stylish masterpiece that blends 1930s Art Deco elegance with idiosyncratic charm.
No spa in London can rival the views from this rooftop oasis, overlooking Hyde Park’s iconic Dutch elms and copper beeches. The sauna, with its panoramic window, boasts breathtaking vistas.
Take your time and enjoy the pre-treatment pampering, especially the vitality pool with bubbles and underwater seating. The wood-clad relaxation room, with its leather, camel-colored pods, gold-mask feature wall, and ample magazines and herbal tea, is the perfect place to unwind.
London’s Coolest Kid: The Londoner
London’s first self-proclaimed super-boutique hotel, a whopping 14 years and £500 million in the making, created quite a stir upon its opening in late 2021. The buzzy bar and restaurant spaces make it one of the hottest new spots in the city, and its elegant basement spa will have you coming back for more.
Cabana beds around the pool offer the perfect setting to while away the afternoon, especially paired with the sauna and steam room. The extensive treatment menu features facials by Omorovicza and massages by Ila. While straightforward deep tissue massages are available, most treatments are more holistic, like the Harmony massage, which combines Tibetan acupressure and scalp massage, leaving you feeling like you’ve had multiple treatments in one.
This hotel is a cool haven, boasting a hair and beauty salon from Hiro Miyosh, an AMA nail bar, and a healthy Refuel superfood and juice “clinic.”
ESPA’s Flagship: The Corinthia London
This landmark building underwent one of the UK’s most lavish makeovers when it opened as the Corinthia, bringing an impressively contemporary wow-factor to the area. The spa is a standout feature, making it one of the best spa hotels in London.
ESPA’s flagship spa is a serious affair, spanning four floors and featuring a steam room, 17 treatment rooms, a private spa suite, a nail studio, a super-cool indoor swimming pool, a vitality pool, an amphitheatre sauna, an ice fountain, heated marble loungers, and private sleep pods.
The treatments are ESPA’s best, designed to de-stress, release muscles, and uplift. Choose from various packages, like the Pure Indulgence Body Ritual, which is exactly what it sounds like: pure indulgence.
Refined Relaxation: Aman at The Connaught
This is one of London’s most refined hotels, yet far from pretentious. It’s a subtle blend of old-world charm and modern elegance, with dark polished woods, shiny marble floors and pillars, and cream-colored corniced ceilings alongside airy, contemporary rooms.
The sleek Aman branded spa reflects this same ambiance, with deep woods, glossy marble, and minimalist lines. The black-granite swimming pool is the centerpiece, surrounded by loungers, and there’s a small aromatic steam room.
Beyond standard therapies, Aman at The Connaught offers signature experiences inspired by different areas of the world. If you have two-and-a-half hours to spare, treat yourself to the Native American-inspired signature experience, a combination of different massages, including ancient Navajo techniques.
High Holborn’s Hidden Palace: The Lanesborough
It’s hard to believe that a veritable palace like this is tucked just off bustling High Holborn. Despite its effortless elegance, the place doesn’t take itself too seriously, with cages of fake birds and models of a bulldog and bear by the lifts. The dark and sultry corridors feature eye-catching touches, like a rose gold mirrored ceiling.
The Sense spa is a soothing oasis, a warren of black slate with a relaxation room, sauna and steam facilities in changing rooms, plus treatment rooms. The treatments are excellent, with heated beds that adjust at both ends. We recommend the deep tissue Maison Caulières massage, a wonderful option for releasing particularly troublesome knots. There’s also a gym with complimentary fruit and headphones.
Exclusivity at its Finest: The Dorchester
The hotel itself is renowned for having some of the most expensive room rates in London, but what many don’t know is that you can experience the exclusive (advertised as members-only) spa for just £150 for the day (or if you spend £250 on treatments, you can use the facilities for free).
Guests wait for treatments in a shadowy, magazine-laden relaxation room with call buttons for summoning complimentary refreshments. Therapists administer treatments using ila, La Prairie, Tata Harper, and Lanesborough own-brand products in dimly lit rooms before you’re left to explore scent-infused experience showers, a steam room, sauna, and small swimming pool with a whirlpool.
You’ll also find a club lounge with a smoothie bar and vegetarian restaurant, a large gym with top-of-the-range equipment, and a Daniel Galvin Jr hair salon.
London’s Largest Day Spa?
We’re not able to definitively answer the question of London’s largest day spa. While we’ve highlighted some of the city’s most impressive spa hotels, a definitive answer requires a bit more research. However, if you’re looking for a luxurious and comprehensive spa experience, these hotels are a great place to start!
