National Geographic Traveller (UK)
Wellness Wonder
There’s always an allure to the hotel spa, but some are true temples of relaxation and offer a first-class ticket to Nirvana. We found the best places to rest and recharge — and in serious style, too
LEFAY RESORT & SPA DOLOMITI, ITALY
Feed the soul and redress your imbalances in the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where luxury Italian chain Lefay has unveiled a new high-end spa hotel down the valley from the ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio. It’s a marvel of modernist architecture — soaring pyramid windows and panoramic terraces look down upon valleys and across to jagged peaks. But the jewel in its crown is the four-floor spa, blending global concepts of wellness, from ayurveda to osteopathy. Treatments take place across 20 cabins, and there’s a 24-hour gym and nine saunas, plus indoor and outdoor pools carved from local tonalite rock. Don’t miss the salt grotto, salt-water lake and whirlpool in what’s now one of the largest spas in the Alps. From €260 (£234), B&B. dolomiti.lefayresorts.com
RUNNERS- UP
SHOU SUGI BAN HOUSE, NEW YORK
Combining meditative Japanese philosophies with East Coast design, The Hamptons’ new wellness retreat offers 13 studio rooms, a saltwater pool, fitness pavilion, and hydrotherapy and steam areas — all in striking distance of beaches and upmarket shopping. It’s a step up for the country’s wellness scene, but only for those with (very) deep pockets. From US$1,220 (£934), B&B. shousugibanhouse.com
HOSHINOYA GUGUAN, TAICHUNG, TAIWAN
Bathing is the name of the game in this sleek new property in the valley of Guguan. Waterways and meandering paths envelop a remarkable complex of Japanese-style communal onsen pools heated with mineral waters. There’s also a private balcony pool attached to each of the 50 rooms. From NT$18,000 (£469). hoshinoya.com