- September 29, 2021
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Many of us are looking to finally return to travel with a focus on much-needed wellness.
Fortunately, the US offers some of the best destination spas on the planet in hotels housed everywhere from urban oases in major metros to remote retreats nestled on beaches and islands.
As a travel writer with an emphasis on luxury, I’ve experienced hotels with spas that are simply otherworldly. My top picks boast expansive facilities with soothing designs, innovative technologies, and holistic approaches like meditation and acupuncture.
If you’re ready to invest in some serious self-care, keep reading for the best hotels with spas in the US. Though, if you’re looking for something more far-flung while keeping to a budget, we also rounded up the most affordable hotel spas around the world.
Browse all the best hotels with spas below, or jump directly to a specific area here:
Book Resorts World Las Vegas
Category: Budget
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Typical starting/peak price: $97/$263
Best for: Families, couples, groups of friends, solo travelers, business travelers
On-site amenities: An enormous slate of dining, entertainment, nightlife, and retail options, plus pools, spa, fitness center, casino
Spa features: The theatrical Art of Aufguss experience (the first of its kind in the US), Fountain of Youth experience with six vitality pools, foot spa lounge, bodywork, facials
Pros: As the newest full-scale resort-casino property on the strip, Resorts World is a buzzy new option with a full suite of amenities in addition to the next-level spa.
Cons: Although it’s the newest, this isn’t the poshest hotel in Vegas compared with pricier, more upscale resorts with tricked-out guest rooms.
The Strip’s newest integrated resort (that is, a major resort property that includes a hotel, casino, entertainment, convention facilities, retail, and more) comes with a unique and Vegas-worthy spa experience: Awana Spa. The spa offers an experience not available anywhere else in the country, known as the Art of Aufguss. This unique treatment-slash-show within the spa was inspired by European saunas that provide rejuvenation and socializing with the communal goal of wellness. The spa showcases a theater-inspired heated room with aromatherapy, choreographed music, lighting, and dancing towels, and it’s as avant garde as it is relaxing. Here, each “sauna meister” curates a 30-minute themed experience.
The Fountain of Youth is an experience within the spa that houses a network of six vitality pools, heated crystal laconium room, tepidarium chairs, vapor-filled steam rooms, cool mist showers, and an experiential “rain walk.” The huge co-ed facility features LED screens and immersive experiences that change throughout the day; when the projection transports guests to various picturesque destinations, the room’s temperature and other details change to match the displayed setting. The spa also offers traditional facials and body work, and has a foot spa lounge.
Resorts World is the first complex like it to be built on the Las Vegas Strip in more than a decade. The $4.3 billion property has 3,500 guest rooms and suites, gaming, more than 40 food and beverage options, and nightlife. Through its partnership with Hilton, the development includes the Las Vegas Hilton, Conrad Las Vegas, and Crockfords Las Vegas.
COVID-19 procedures are available here.
Book Inns of Aurora
Category: Boutique
Location: Aurora, New York
Typical starting/peak price: $187/$360
Best for: Families, couples, groups of friends, business travelers
On-site amenities: Multiple dining options, spa, activity center, meeting and event space
Spa features: Indoor and outdoor hydrotherapy pools, meditation spaces, 10 treatment rooms (4 with fireplaces), inclusive gender-neutral spaces
Pros: The location is dreamy and remote with stunning lake views, and the spa is new and expansive.
Cons: While most reviews are overwhelmingly positive, some critical reviewers noted there were limited food options.
Founded in 1789, the Village of Aurora is a tiny, serene village in New York’s pristine Finger Lakes region.
Set on 350 acres of rolling farmland overlooking the lake, the property has five inns in all. Entry-level accommodations at the Aurora Inn have luxurious Queen beds outfitted in Frette linens, a comfortable seating area, and a writer’s desk. Balconies with rocking chairs add charm in warmer months, as do gas fireplaces in the cooler ones.
Known for its extensive wellness offerings, the Inns of Aurora has a 15,000-square-foot spa and healing center, The Spa at the Inns of Aurora, which takes a holistic approach to wellness. Indoor and outdoor spaces offer views of Cayuga Lake and there are six indoor and outdoor hydrotherapy pools, multiple meditation spaces, 10 treatment rooms (four outfitted with warming fireplaces), and inclusive gender-neutral spaces, along with unobstructed access to lush lavender fields for outdoor massages and relaxing strolls among nature trails.
COVID-19 procedures are available here.
Book Carillon Miami Wellness Resort
Category: Luxury
Location: Miami, Florida
Typical starting/peak price: $298/$625
Best for: Couples, groups of friends
On-site amenities: Multiple dining options, spa, wellness activities, fitness classes, beach club
Spa features: 70,000-square-foot Finnish spa and wellness facility with vitality tub, steam room, foot spa, cooling “igloo” room, experiential rain showers, thermal loungers, salt float bath
Pros: The spa has every treatment you could imagine, including innovative and high-tech approaches. Apartment-style lodgings are large and offer homey comfort.
Cons: Critical reviews say the rooms are due for a sprucing.
Located on the white sands of Miami Beach, Carillon Miami Wellness Resort is the only fully dedicated wellness resort in South Florida. Indeed, the 70,000-square-foot spa is the largest on the Eastern seaboard.
Everything about staying here is plush, starting with well-appointed, apartment-sized accommodations that range from one- to two-bedroom layouts, starting at 720 square feet. They feature floor-to-ceiling windows with ocean views, a separate living room, a fully equipped kitchen, and a spa-like bathroom.
Wellness offerings are abundant, including a range of ultra-high-tech services and amenities such as a futuristic cabin with a height-adjustable water bed, heated water mattress, color therapy, steam bath with aromatherapy, Vichy shower with six jets, and Vibro massage.
Carillon also recently launched a touchless wellness program meant to target a range of issues like sleep health, anxiety, muscle recovery, weight loss , respiratory health, and mental and spiritual wellness.
Come here to indulge with a one-of-a-kind thermal therapy experience, or sweat it out in 65 fitness classes held each week. Traditional Chinese medicine and a medical wellness division are also offered. Just note that spa treatments are not included in the room rate.
COVID-19 procedures are available here.
Book Peninsula Chicago
Category: Luxury
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Typical starting/peak prices: $399/$720
Best for: Families, couples, groups of friends, business travelers
On-site amenities: Multiple restaurants, rooftop lounge, spa, fitness center, pool, event venues
Spa features: Rejuvenation lounge with fireplace, yoga room, fitness center, half-Olympic pool
Pros: Peninsula Chicago is known for its top-end service, luxurious accommodations, and supremely walkable location on Chicago’s Michigan Mile.
Cons: Among mostly glowing reviews, few critical guests expressed higher hopes for the property given other experiences with the Peninsula brand.
Located on the Magnificent Mile in the heart of Chicago’s premier shopping district, this 339-guest room hotel features three restaurants, a rooftop lounge, and glam rooms. Even the entry-level guest rooms are some of the most spacious accommodations in town. Facing south over Superior Street, the Superior rooms are bright and airy with sophisticated decor in muted earth tones and signature blues alongside rich wood and cream leather accents.
The Peninsula Chicago‘s spa is an exquisite urban retreat, with an indoor half-Olympic length swimming pool surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows for jaw-dropping views of the city from the 19th floor.
This Peninsula Chicago spa is the first hotel spa destination in the city to offer ultra-posh treatments using the famously expensive and splurge-worthy Biologique Recherche. There’s also a relaxation lounge with a fireplace, a fully-equipped fitness center, and a yoga room.
COVID-19 procedures are available here.
Book Lake Austin Spa Resort
Category: Luxury
Location: Austin, Texas
Typical starting/peak prices: $525/$1,450
Best for: Couples, groups of friends, solo travelers
On-site amenities: Spa, pool, restaurant, boutique, fitness center, water sports
Spa features: Aster Café, private couples suites, more than 100 treatments and services, day passes
Pros: Room rates are all-inclusive, meaning your overnight price comes with three gourmet meals per day and all the fitness classes you can handle.
Cons: The all-inclusive rate isn’t totally all-encompassing as spa treatments are not included.
Located 30 minutes from downtown Austin and speak on 19 lakefront acres, the Lake Austin Spa Resort feels tucked far away from any urban bustle.
As an all-inclusive resort, the majority of offerings are covered by the rate. While it doesn’t include spa treatments, it does include three gourmet meals made from ingredients grown on-site each day, as well as morning yoga classes, water sports on the lake, and stargazing sessions with an astrologer. Think of this as an adult version of a summer camp, where the emphasis is on mindfulness and fitness.
Overnight guests stay in one of 40 French country-style accommodations, which range from quaint rooms with private meditation gardens to the elaborate Lady Bird Suite with a private hot tub. Each comes with fresh-cut daily flowers, Veuve Clicquot champagne upon arrival, a De’Longhi Lattissima Pro Espresso Machine, and toiletries with the spa’s signature lavender scent, created from plants grown on-site.
The 25,000-square-foot LakeHouse Spa offers fresh, seasonal dining at Aster Café, private couples suites, and a range of treatments using ancient and modern therapeutic techniques in a serene setting.
COVID-19 procedures are available here.
Book The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara
Category: Luxury
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Typical starting/peak prices: $779/$1,379
Best for: Couples, families, groups of friends, business travelers
On-site amenities: Pools, spa, multiple dining options, a 12,000-bottle wine collection and tasting room, event space
Spa features: 42,000 square feet of indoor-outdoor space with fireside lounges, rooftop terrace, pool
Pros: The pools, beaches, and gardens here are all spectacular and the views can’t be beaten. There is also a full suite of amenities and the service is exceptional.
Cons: The large, sprawling property can pose a challenge for travelers with mobility issues.
The Spa at
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara is a magnificent retreat, sprawling across 78 acres of lush land overlooking the Pacific. It has access to two beaches and offers three infinity-edge pools, two of which have gorgeous ocean views.
Guest accommodations also have views of the sea, or the pool or garden from individual patios or balconies, and entry-level rooms start at a generous 450 square feet. The design is coastal, with dark woods and beams, Frette linens, deep soaking tubs, marble showers, and Asprey bath amenities. Newly debuted fireside garden rooms offer patios with private fire pits.
The spa, however, is the standout feature, a stunning 42,000-square-foot sanctuary — and the largest out of all the Ritz-Carlton properties in the country. There are abundant indoor and outdoor spaces for relaxation, with fireside lounges, a rooftop terrace, a swimming pool, and more.
The spa menu features locally inspired, luxury rituals that pay tribute to the scenic California landscape. For instance, the Hollywood facial is a decadent treatment integrating three of the industry’s top-trending technologies: HydraFacialä, Nutraceuticals, and NuFace Microcurrent. Or branch out with the Spirulina Wrap, which uses live spirulina algae to revitalize the skin. Other services include acupuncture, massages, skincare, and hair and nail services.
When it’s time to eat, on-site restaurants Angel Oak steakhouse and ‘O’ Bar + Kitchen offer locally sourced cuisine and wines.
COVID-19 procedures are available here.
Book Castle Hot Springs
Category: Luxury
Location: Morristown, Arizona
Typical starting/peak prices: $1,500/$2,100
Best for: Couples, families, groups of friends
On-site amenities: Resort pool, hot springs pools, on-property farm, Arizona’s first Via Ferrata cable climbing course
Spa features: Multiple mineral pools, spa treatments in alfresco cabanas, yoga, meditation
Pros: Meals are included at this recently overhauled resort. Deeply steeped in history, it’s all about wellness through local, natural means, such as an on-site farm operation and hot springs.
Cons: While most reviews are overwhelmingly positive, critical reviewers noted spotty service compared with their expectation for the price point.
Castle Hot Springs is Arizona’s first luxury resort, originally founded in 1896 as a holistic wellness retreat. Situated 50 miles outside of Phoenix in the Sonoran Desert, the 30-room resort feels a world apart from the demands of urban life and incorporates ancient hot springs and a digital detox philosophy into every stay.
Historically, visitors came for the minerals’ cures for ailments like rheumatism, gout , arthritis, and general aches and pains, which the pools were said to relieve. More than 200,000 gallons of mineral-rich water still flow through the pools each day.
All guest suites (bungalows, cottages, and cabins) feature outdoor stone tubs plumbed with hot springs water, and telescopes outside lodgings encourage stargazing.
Wellness features heavily, with a slate of offerings including access to thermal waters, which cascade into three pools ranging from 106 degrees to 86 degrees. The natural waters take on colors that reflect the minerals running through them: Lithium is a deep purple shade, iron looks red, and oxidized copper is in blues and greens.
Other wellness spa services, yoga, and meditation are provided in custom cabanas set along the spring water creek under palm trees for a wholly rejuvenating experience.
COVID-19 procedures are available here.
Book Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa
Category: Luxury
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Typical starting/peak price: $1,138/$1,518
Best for: Couples, groups of friends, solo travelers
On-site amenities: Spa, pool, fitness and wellness classes, tennis, golf, hiking on Camelback Mountain
Spa features: Ayurveda, energy work, traditional massage, acupuncture, multiple meditation spaces including two labyrinths
Pros: Meals and activities are included, which packs the steep nightly room rate with value.
Cons: Not everything is included. Expect to splash out a lot more for spa treatments and other extras.
Situated on 400 acres outside Tucson, nestled in the Santa Catalina Mountains, Miraval is a well-established and world-renowned domestic wellness getaway.
Guests are asked to unplug and tuck their devices away before checking into spacious suites that come with hot tubs, walk-in showers, fireplaces, dining areas, and private patios. Extra wellness-minded touches include an organic pillow menu, a Tibetan singing bowl, coloring books, a community journal, and an essential oil diffuser, available on request.
Room rates also include a nightly credit, all meals, and more than 200 classes and activities. Spa treatments are not included, but shouldn’t be missed at the Life in Balance Spa, which features a myriad of services including Ayurveda, energy work, traditional massage, and acupuncture.
Many spaces on-site encourage reflection and meditation including two labyrinths, an outdoor kiva, and a designated quiet room with mountain views. Experiences here combine yoga, meditation, and wellness, with spiritual journeys, culinary workshops, and outdoor activities.
COVID-19 procedures are available here.
Book Four Seasons Resort Lanai and Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort
Category: Luxury
Location: Lanai, Hawaii
Typical starting/peak prices: $1,700/$2,585
Best for: Families (Four Seasons Resort Lanai only), couples, business travelers, groups of friends, solo travelers (Sensei Lanai)
On-site amenities: Pools, gardens, wellness offerings, activities (including archery and shooting range), food and drink from celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa
Spa features: Private spa hales with steam and infrared saunas, traditional Japanese soaking tubs, outdoor showers, pools, one-on-one healing sessions like guided meditation or nutrition, couples suites, locally inspired treatments
Pros: Wellness offerings here are unparalleled, especially at Sensei where it’s the focus. Airfare from Honolulu on Lanai Air is always included with Sensei Lanai. The natural beauty and service are among the world’s most impeccable.
Cons: Kids are not permitted at Sensei Lanai, although they are doted upon at Four Seasons Resort Lanai.
This secluded 90,000-acre paradise on Hawaii’s island of Lanai offers luxe accommodations at the beachfront Four Seasons Resort Lanai or wellness destination, Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort.
The Four Seasons Resort Lanai is perfectly luxe with 213 guest rooms, multiple outdoor restaurants (including Nobu Lanai), Four Seasons’ Kids for All Seasons kids’ club, a beach and pool with seating areas tucked among tropical gardens, luxury boutiques, and an array of included classes and events.
But if wellness is on your mind, and you don’t have kids in tow, choose the adults-only Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort instead, set on 24 acres where spa where wellness is the top priority.
Visitors select a curated well-being experience or design their own a la carte itineraries from options that include guided sessions on mindset or nutrition, as well as spa treatments, salon services, and a range of land and sea activities. Daily small-group yoga, fitness, and meditation, as well as guided hikes and weekly lectures are included.
The 96-room resort offers Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s classics as well as menu selections that incorporate Sensei’s nutritional philosophy created in partnership with Sensei’s co-founder Dr. David Agus. The outdoor facilities include a 24-hour fitness center, movement studios, a yoga pavilion and outdoor yoga spaces, an 18-hole putting course, onsen baths, an oasis pool with lap lanes, and gardens with lush flora as well as sculpture and art.
COVID-19 procedures are available here.
Book Amangiri
Category: Luxury
Location: Canyon Point, Utah
Typical starting/peak prices: $1,931/$3,500
Best for: Couples, families
On-site amenities: Restaurant, 25,000-square-foot Aman Spa, national park tours, private air tours
Spa features: Redwood-paneled treatment rooms, movement and fitness studios, 2 steam rooms, yoga, pilates, holistic Navajo-inspired therapies
Pros: Amangiri is surrounded by unparalleled natural beauty and privacy. The design and service are otherworldly, equally indulgent for adventurers and luxury lovers.
Cons: Though this property is close to flawless, for the over-the-top price point, guests expect impeccable service and are hyper-aware of even the smallest shortcomings.
Amangiri is a celeb-adored Utah property situated on 600 acres in a protected valley, famous for sweeping views over towering mesas and dramatically stratified rock facing Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
The resort is built around a spectacular swimming pool defined by a jaw-dropping stone escarpment. There are 34 suites, many with private swimming pools and roof terraces. Suites are large with clean lines and natural materials, reflecting the surrounding Utah desert. Think white stone floors, concrete walls, natural timbers, and blackened steel finishings. Each suite has a fireplace and an outdoor lounge area.
The Wellness Center at Amangiri is a relaxing retreat with four redwood-paneled treatment rooms, movement and fitness studios and two steam rooms. Book beauty treatments and restorative therapies inspired by the holistic wellbeing traditions of the Navajo, or sign up for a day of wildlife treks, a private yoga, or a pilates session. Nourishing treatments, seasonal rituals, and holistic massages are all designed to help you unwind.
In 2021, the resort introduced the Cave Peak Stairway, an installation that rises 400 feet above the ground, for outrageous views of the property. Thrill-seekers can climb the 120 steps leading from the resort’s existing Cave Peak Via Ferrata Trail with just open air below.
COVID-19 procedures are available here.
Whether or not you may use a hotel spa without staying overnight depends on the individual hotel and its policies. In some cases, hotels restrict the use of their spas and pool facilities to guests only in order to keep the experience intimate and private. In other cases, non-overnight guests may pay for a day pass to access the facilities, either directly through the hotel or through a third-party platform such as ResortPass, or visit simply by booking a treatment.
Staying at a hotel doesn’t always guarantee spa entry. In some cases, such as Awana Spa in Las Vegas, the room night might cost as low as $97 but using the spa is not included in the price, and spa access starts at $100 for hotel guests. Access is included, however, with the purchase of a 50-minute or longer treatment. Most hotels on this list have similar policies
As demonstrated by this list, there are excellent destination hotel spas throughout the United States, from urban day spas to remote retreats. Many are clustered around destinations known for wellness, such as Arizona and California, or destinations known for healing natural environments, like Hawaii. Others are simply known for providing flat-out luxury to travelers with money to spend, such as in Miami or Las Vegas.
The CDC advises that fully vaccinated people can safely travel domestically. While hotels do provide opportunities for face-to-face interactions with staff and other guests in common spaces like check-in desks, lobbies, and dining venues, experts say guests who exercise proper precautions can stay safely in hotels. No travel is completely risk-free and we recommend following CDC current guidelines as well as all applicable local protocols at the time of travel.
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