Whether you’re tired of the same, depressing weather or you’re over-stressed and desperately need an escape, a spa vacation is just the thing to free the senses and restore the body. With a myriad of options all over the world, the best of the best when it comes to “the best” is hard to narrow down. But here’s a list of some of the best spas you can find on the planet. They’re worth every single penny.
Switzerland
Clinique La Prairie in Montreux is a peaceful haven on the shores of Lake Léman. The spa, founded in 1931, offers a wide range of medical services to fight the effects of aging including cellular therapy and sheep stem cell injections that reverse the aging process. Eleanor Lambert, the legendary publicist who created The Best Dressed List and lived to be 101, went every year. One week of rejuvenation costs $30,000.
Maldives
The Lime Spa in Huvafen Fushi submerges visitors into underwater treatment rooms lined with glass that look out onto exotic reefs with colorful fish swimming past, the first of its kind in the world. Their $460 Lime Light therapy combines indigenous island fruit essences and minerals to revive the skin and relax the body.
Thailand
The Spa Chiang Mai is one of the top Detox Resorts in the world. It is a Zen refuge that offers Yin Yoga and meditation as well as a plethora of pre-planned detox strategies to renew and cleanse the body. A week’s stay in a lavish 3-bedroom villa is $1,900.
Germany
The Caracalla Spa in Baden-Baden is an oasis of relaxation framed in marble and glass. Their Blue Space combines holistic hearing and gentle warmth to stimulate visitors’ senses. Unwinding in their new high tech sauna complex costs $30 for 4 hours.
India
The Jiva Spa in Bekal whisks visitors to a serene retreat to harmonize the mind, body and soul. Their unique cuisine detoxifies the body and daily meditation sessions calm the mind with a range of millennia-old Indian healing , wellness and beauty secrets. A 7-day yoga & meditation package in a river view room is $2300.
Italy
The Essere Spa’s barrel-vaulted ceilings and restored stone walls create a picturesque ambiance accentuated by dramatic views of Tuscany in Siena. Their $215 signature Trattamento Instant Lifting skin treatment renews the skin, giving it a youthful luminosity.
Morocco
The Pearl Spa in Delano is a serene and seductive 20,000 square foot cocoon that offers both traditional and high tech treatments. The VIP spa suite with its elegant mosaic-tiled décor includes a private jacuzzi, sauna and bath. Spa suite rentals start at $1500 for 3 hours.
Mexico
Rancho la Puerta in Tecate is a tranquil escape with a Spanish ambiance. The spa’s signature healing steps are Cleanse, Relax, Energize & Restore. There is an extensive array of spa treatments and 475 scenic hiking trails stretching over 25 miles spreading over a 3,000-acre expanse. A week’s stay is $3,000.
California
The Golden Door Spa combines fitness, meditation and healthy eating in a serene Japanese-inspired setting in Escondido. Unique spa treatments include their Five Elements body therapy to restore youth and radiance while their Inner Focus classes rejuvenate and enhance the mind. A seven-day escape will run you about $7,850.
Mountainside
Therme Vals is an expansive hotel spa complex in Vals, built in the shadow of the nearby snow-capped Swiss Alps. It also sits over the only thermal springs in the Graubünden canton in Switzerland. The architect for the project, Peter Zumthor, received the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize for designing the hillside cave-like escape in 2009. The effects of soothing waters in a world of stone ignite the senses for complete tranquility.
