We tend to associate London with business, buzzy-ness and tourism, but London has a secret - it’s also a haven for luxury wellbeing. Home to some of the UK’s most spectacular spa hotels, its spas come in all shapes and sizes, providing pampering, rest and relaxation for every occasion. Here are just a few of our favourite London spas.
On level 34 of London’s iconic Shard, soaring to 125 metres above the ground, Shangri-La The Shard is about breathtaking architecture and exceptional London views. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in an abundance of natural light, and perhaps the best view of all is from the infinity sky pool. Rooms, bars and restaurants are all of the highest standards, especially TĪNG - the Shangri La’s dining experience, celebrating fresh ingredients sourced from suppliers in Borough Market. The London spa meanwhile has everything from indulgent pampering to holistic wellbeing.
This five-star London spa hotel in Knightsbridge has a spa to match. Fusing luxury design with 300 years of heritage and organic wellbeing, favourite features include Michelin star meals and fashion inspired afternoon teas. The Bamford Wellness Spa is peaceful and welcoming. All shades of white - the spa is all about revitalising mind, body and spirit with holistic therapies using pure, organic products. It brings a little piece of the Cotswolds to the city.
If you have ever been to a Roseate hotel you will know how special they are. This one is near Hyde Park and is spread across three, elegant white Victorian townhouses. Inside, the Aheli spa and wellness concept is a sanctuary designed to detox, cleanse, nourish, nurture, heal and rejuvenate with spa treatments using elite, eco-friendly and natural products as well as unique Ayurvedic therapies.
A long standing favourite on the London spa scene, K West Hotel & Spa is a celebrity favourite and for good reason. The contemporary architecture lets in the light but the spa is located underground giving it the sense of being a real cocoon. It features London’s first snow paradise. Chilled to -15*C, this cabin is reminiscent of a snow drift and is designed to complement the spa’s hot-cold therapy, alternating between steam and ice environments. There’s also a glass panelled hydrotherapy pool, a Scandinavian sauna, sanarium, steam room, foot spa, and a sleep inducing Sun Meadow room designed to offer gentle light therapy to help relieve the symptoms of S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder).
The Corinthia is a unique hotel, well known for its luxury credentials. The spa is an underground haven where fire torches create a seductive atmosphere. Set over four floors, it takes a holistic approach to wellbeing with a combination of hydrotherapy, alternative therapies, fitness, beauty treatments and a hair salon. It brings together both Chinese medicine and modern science in treatments, it has a private spa suite, nail studio, indoor swimming pool, vitality pool, amphitheatre sauna, ice fountain, marble heated loungers and private sleep pods.
This gorgeous day spa takes London wellness to a whole new level. In the heart of Notting Hill, it has an indulgent spa, a luxury salon, a nutritionally focused brasserie and a holistic wellness clinic all under one roof. Choose from naturopathic medicine, holistic therapies and science-led treatments, to sumptuous massages and non invasive beauty treatments knowing you’re in the hands of experts and surrounded by comfort. Thermal spa facilities add to the mix and childcare completes it.
This sanctuary in the middle of London is really very special. The building itself is inspiring, and when you go inside you immediately feel special. The hotel is luxurious and nothing is too much trouble - just ask former guests, who range from Oscar Wilde to Muhammad Ali. The spa is a seductive space underground with a uniquely large swimming pool for a city hotel and London’s first Watsu pool, which is definitely worth a try. Treatments combine Western practices with Eastern philosophies, there is a private Hammam for purifying scrubs and massages and there’s a Vichy shower.
Within the famous Dorchester hotel, this spa is everything you would expect from such a prestigious brand. Styled around 1930s glamour, the hotel restaurant has three Michelin stars and the spa is bedecked with pearl chandeliers, world-class treatments and its very own indulgent ‘Spatisserie’, all in the heart of London’s Knightsbridge. There are nine treatment rooms where they offer luxury treatments by Aromatherapy Associates. There’s also a barber shop, two double suites, a manicure-pedicure suite and a sleek relaxation room.
From interior designer, Kit Kemp, and the acclaimed Firmdale Collection of hotels, Soholistic Spa at Ham Yard Hotel is a stylish dream of a destination. The hotel is almost a village in its own right, nestled into the heart of Mayfair. It revolves around a tree-filled garden, has 91 individually designed bedrooms and suites, there are 24 apartments within the ‘village’ and 13 independent stores featuring exquisite products and retailers. The spa is small and perfectly formed, featuring rich fabrics, delicious scents and Temple Spa products.
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