Lottie Gross
The best spa hotels in London house sanctuaries that provide solace from the pace of city life, as well as world-class spa treatments, serene swimming pools and perhaps even a sauna, stream room or two.
Urban spa hotels provide a much-needed space to relax and decompress after a day of sightseeing and exploring in a busy city, and cosmopolitan spas work hard to rival – and is some ways best – their countryside counterparts.
Some of the best spa breaks in the UK can be found in the country's capital, and they come with the added bonus of being on the doorstep of some of the world's most famous city sites. Add to this how easy London's spa hotels are to access by public transport, and you have a pretty compelling reason to make one of these hotels your next UK weekend getaway.
Our pick of the best spa hotels in London to book in 2023
We review and update this list regularly. The last time our Editors reviewed our selection of the best spa hotels in London was in January 2023.
Pan Pacific London
Price per night: Room rates start from £325 per night, room only
Expert rating: 10/10
The Pan Pacific is one of London's newest luxury hotels and it arrives straight at the top of list of the best spa hotels London has to offer. One of the most innovative health and wellbeing getaways in the capital, the hotel seamlessly integrates fitness, nutrition, treatments and mindfulness and is one of the first in London to include an impressive 1,083m² floor dedicated to holistic wellness.
Not only does the Singaporean hotel have a 18.5m infinity pool with a glittering view over London's Liverpool Street and a serene spa featuring bespoke spa treatments that infuse Western science and clinical research with the South East Asian tradition of clean beauty.
A haven in the heart of the city, the luxury spa feel to the hotel extends to the bedrooms too. We loved the attention to detail and impeccable quality we found in the rooms; feather soft bedding, bathrooms clad in marble with under floor heating for maximum comfort and Diptyque amenities as a subtly opulent perk for guests. For ultimate wellbeing, an innovative ChiliSleep™ Ooler Sleep Cooling System to aid better sleep via temperature regulation is available upon request, and rooms come complete with yoga mats and on demand virtual yoga sessions, as well as health-benefiting botanical planting.
A unique sanctuary in the Capital, you could easily forget you were in the middle of The City of London while swimming laps in the peaceful pool or being looked after by the hotel's friendly, warm and attentive team.
One Aldwych Hotel
Price per night: Room rates start from £380 per night, room only
Expert rating: 10/10
Located on the cusp of Covent Garden, with Somerset House in striking distance and the National Theatre just on the other side of the Thames, One Aldwych is better known for its millennial pink style and associated with art than it is for its spa. This makes One Aldwych somewhat of a hidden gem on the London spa hotel scene, as located many floors below the sumptuous and stylishly decorated bedrooms is the subterranean spa, featuring tranquil treatment rooms, a sauna, steam room and 18-metre swimming pool.
When we stayed we were impressed by the subtle health and wellness-inspired touches throughout – from the handy jogging map provided in the room detailing three different safe running routes that take in some of the best sites in the city from the hotel's front door, to the complementary mini-bar
The spa's amazing swimming pool is one of the best we've seen in London so far too. As well as boasting chlorine-free water for a healthier swim, the pool is complete with mood lighting, an underwater music system playing tranquil tunes and there are even projections of underwater ocean scenes on the walls for the ultimate serene escape in the city centre.
Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square
Price per night: Room rates start from £750 per night, per room, including use of the spa
Expert rating: 10/10
A certain standard of service and level of luxury is expected from any hotel that sits within the Four Seasons family and this grand gem overlooking the Tower of London and Tower Bridge doesn't disappoint.
Just as you'd want from any spa hotel, the outside world is quickly forgotten the moment you step through the gilded double doors of the Grade II listed hotel's imposing entrance. World-class service, gourmet food, and luxurious and well-appointed bedrooms await, and while all of this and the unbeatable central location make this hotel a remarkable destination in itself, what makes it one of the best spa hotels in London is the lavish wellness retreat on the lower ground floor.
Spa facilities include a serene swimming pool, energising vitality pool and a fitness centre, as well as a sauna, steam room and treatment rooms with a host of massages, facials and even hammam treatments on offer.
The Spa has also recently partnered with sustainable lifestyle brand VOYA to bring a brand new treatment to their already heavenly roster of spa offerings.
The Organic Indulgence Spiced Mud Rasul treatment (£200 per person) is inspired by the trinity of Earth (warm spiced mud), Air (steam), and Water (marine mask and seaweed oil) brought together in an ultimate indulgence of luxury. This results-delivering treatment takes inspiration from Roman bathing rituals, which would have taken place just outside Ten Trinity Square at the main Londinium bathhouse, and involves a full-body exfoliation followed by a warm spiced mud wrap, marine facial mask and forget me knot hair treatment. We left the hotel with hydrated, nourished skin after trying it, and a considerably healthier glow than what we arrived with (which we'll put down to both the treatment and the hotel's other-worldly soft beds).
Hotel guests are given full access to all of the spa facilities as part of their nightly rate, but treatments are charged separately. The hotel has also recently started offering exclusive spa day packages, so if you're local, this is one of the best spa hotels in London to visit for the full spa experience without the overnight room rate.
- View rates for Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square
- View rates for Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square on Booking.com
Sofitel St James
Price per night: Room rates start from £495 per night, room only
Expert rating: 8/10
The Sofitel St James is famous for its excellent location (mere minutes from Trafalgar Square, St James Park, Big Ben, Covent Garden and more) and its incredibly attentive staff, who go above and beyond to make every guest feel special.
While the spa at Sofitel St James is sometimes overlooked as there are no swim or steam room facilities (although there is a steam room and Jacuzzi), the award-winning wellness and treatments on offer more than justify this 5-star stay's spot on a list of the best spa hotels in London.
The French hotel uses a range of prestigious French brands such as Codage Paris and Cinq Mondes in all of their treatments and they've recently partnered with the brand HydraFacial to offer skin detoxifying and deep cleansing treatments, too.
What we loved about the spa at Sofitel St James is that it's not exclusive to overnight guests, so you can book in for a day or an afternoon of treatments too. We recommend the In-Deep Relaxing Massage (£100 for 60 minutes) or the Facial Couture treatment (£160 for 90 minutes). Book early enough in the day so that you can enjoy the relaxation room with a cup of lemon tea after your treatment.
The Lanesborough Club & Spa
Price per night: Room rates start from £1,000 per night, room only
Expert rating: 9/10
There are many reasons to visit The Lanesborough, one of the best luxury hotels in the world, and the hotel's sumptuous spa is definitely one of them.
The spa and health club, which features a Hydro-therapy pool, extensive fitness suite and separate thermal suites for men and women with luxurious saunas and steam rooms, offers both spa days and access to the exclusive members-only areas for overnight guests. For hotel guests there are also free fitness classes in the gym including Yoga, Reformer Pilates, Boxing, HIIT TRX, Gluti-licious and more.
Spa treatments use products from high-end brands Tata Harper and ILA and the interior design of the multiple treatment rooms is equally luxurious. Expect silk wallpaper, wood panelling, and even a private gold changing room.After relaxing in the hydrotherapy pool, unwind with a mint-infused rain shower, then kick back in the spa lounge with spa butlers on hand.
St.Pancras Renaissance Hotel
Price per night: Room rates start from £280 per night, room only
Expert rating: 8/10
Tucked away in the cellar kitchens of this famous Victorian hotel, St Pancras Spa is inspired by its history, with original brick archways and beautifully-restored tile floors.
Arguably one of the world's most beautiful hotels, the attention to detail and grandeur in the design of the hotel's lobby, restaurant, grand staircase and other public areas is carried down into the hotel's exotic spa.
Cocooned in this subterranean hideaway, where colourful tiles adorn the walls and potted palm transport you to more tropical climes than the busy streets of Kings Cross above, you'll find a treatment menu full of classic rituals: think hot stone and aromatherapy massages, repairing facials and full-body scrubs. We thought these tried-and-tested favourites do the job perfectly and loved the ambience in the relaxation room that you can escape to after your treatment.
The Berkley
Price per night: Room rates start from £780 per night, room only
Expert rating: 9/10
The Berkley is slap-bang in the middle of London - next to Sloane Street and Hyde Park - but its spa feels like it's a hundred miles away. Bamford Haybarn is wholly inspired by the countryside, from the fresh lavender bouquets and organic lotions and potions, to the occasional appearance of straw bales in the treatment rooms (yes, really).
The heated rooftop pool, with views over Hyde Park and central London, is a stand out feature and is only open to hotel guests, making it feel even more exclusive.
The Haybarn's ethos is deep-rooted in natural remedies: rose extract lends its calming and nurturing qualities to massages, while geranium-infused moisturiser soothes after a full-body exfoliation. The Bamford Foot Massage is the ultimate balm for worn-out pins - a treat after a day exploring London's many sights or shopping on The King's Road.
Sea Containers London
Price per night: Room rates start from £215 per night, room only
Expert rating: 7/10
Inside this imposing building on London's South Bank, cosseted from the hustle and bustle of the hotel's popular riverside location, is the Agua Spa. While the rest of the hotel has a design scheme reminiscent of a 1920s transatlantic cruise liner, the spa is a different level of luxury, with interiors designed by Tom Dixon.
The centrepiece of this spa hotel is the relaxation lounge, which features a huge copper droplet that mesmerizingly appears to drop through the ceiling.
There is no pool at this spa hotel, but the hotel does boast a state-of-the-art gym and what it lacks in saunas and steam rooms it more than makes up for with its Hedgerow Treatment menu. Hedgerow by agua is an organic line of products made using natural ingredients that are blended onsite, using techniques drawn from herbalism and aromatherapy. As a result, the menu is entirely seasonal – meaning you could get a different treatment every time you visit, whether that be as an overnight or day guest.
The Landmark London
Price per night: Room rates start from £382 per night
Expert rating: 8/10
An oasis of luxury in one of the busiest parts of London, The Landmark London in Marylebone is a magnificent, five-star, Grande Dame hotel. Since its debut 120 years ago, it has remained an icon of quintessential and elegant London charm and still offers one of the most exemplary hotel stay experiences in the capital.
Within the warren of carpeted corridors that make up the inner matrix of this old-style hotel you will find the Landmark’s spa, with treatment rooms, a well-equipped gym, swimming pool, sauna and jacuzzi. While the spa has been modernised, it doesn’t feel as contemporary in design as some of the other spas on this list. Which isn’t to say that the spa isn’t luxurious; the chlorine-free pool is a generous 15 meters in length (much larger than many spa hotel pools in central London) and the gym is stacked full of state-of-the-art equipment.
Where the Landmark spa really excels is in its treatments. World-class beauty therapists are on hand to look after you top to toe and there’s a really quite remarkable variety of different treatments on offer; from classic facials and massages, to signature and bespoke full body therapies.
We tried a facial at the spa and were seriously impressed by the level of expertise, skill and care that went into the treatment, which left us feeling relaxed, revitalised and with glowing skin. All products used in the spa are by Spanish brand Germaine de Capuccini, which uses performance-proven active ingredients to achieve impressive results.
The jewel in The Landmark London's crown is unquestionably the Winter Garden Restaurant. If you're not staying at the hotel overnight, make sure to leave enough time when booking a half day or full day spa package to enjoy the High Palms High Tea - one of the best afternoon teas in London, bar none.
