To assemble Vogue’s first global spa guide, a task force of editors and experts spent more than six months whittling down the world’s best wellness havens to a list of just 100—a serious undertaking, to say the least. Arguably even more challenging? Selecting the 10 best spas in the world from across that wide-ranging longlist.
While each of the 12 spas below offers world-class wellness facilities and treatments, what perhaps unites them is their differences—and their willingness to root themselves firmly in their natural or cultural surroundings. Whether you’re drawn to the spring-fed pools of an onsen bath in the mountains of Japan, steam rooms scented with Alpine herbs in the Dolomites, or traditional Ayurvedic treatments in the foothills of the Himalayas, there’s something for everyone.
Here, in alphabetical order, find Vogue’s 2026 lineup of the very best spas in the world.
Amanemu
Ise-Shima, Japan
Tokyo and Kyoto might hog the spotlight, but Japan’s true beauty lies in its rural destinations. Tucked away on the eastern edge of Mie Prefecture in Ise-Shima National Park, Amanemu is not the easiest to access, but that also means this secluded retreat is primely positioned for relaxation. Yet what really sets Amanemu’s spa apart from the rest of Aman Group’s extraordinary portfolio of sumptuous properties around the world is its access to mineral-rich waters, which feed not just the two outdoor pools but every bedroom. The spa itself spans about 21,500 square feet, and the large hot-spring-fed pools are the crown jewels. Daybeds are strategically laid out throughout the spa garden, and a sunken firepit sweetens the deal. Those keen on having their own space can book a pair of private onsen pavilions for an additional fee. Onsen purists, this might not be your vibe: Proper practice calls for complete disrobing in gender-separated oases. But if you’re coy like me, this modern approach to Japan’s traditional bathing culture is much appreciated. —Christina Liao
Eynsham Baths at Estelle Manor
The Cotswolds, England
Five years in the making, the spa opening of Eynsham Baths at Estelle Manor in the Cotswolds has been as anticipated as when the house itself opened earlier this year—and it is absolutely worth the wait. A celebration of ancient rituals mixed in with a sprinkling of modern science, it’s a neoclassical Roman-bath-inspired villa that houses 3,000 square meters of sublime spa space. Once you’re checked in and escorted down the stairs through the changing rooms into the main Tepidarium, it’s hard not to be bowled over by the sheer scale and design of the fully marbled main bathing hall. But it’s the little touches that really propel this spa experience into another league: Ponchos replace robes as the attire of choice; the faint chanting played throughout the spa is almost imperceptible but subconsciously puts you in an immediately relaxed state of mind; the hay sauna, so called because it features bales of hay secured to the ceiling to maintain dry heat, is infused with lavender, which makes you wonder why all saunas don’t have some sort of scented experience. The devil lies in the details here. —Jessica Diner
Forestis
Bressanone, Italy
Within the state-of-the-art spa complex at Forestis—spread across more than two thousand square meters and two floors—you’ll find a kind of sleek Nordic Disneyland for rest and recuperation. There are all your standard spa mod cons, of course, but also briny steam baths, hot rooms scented with local herbs, and saunas set at a perfectly calibrated temperature. As is custom in this corner of Europe (Forestis is located in the heart of the Italian Dolomites) inside the cabins, nudity is expected, but there’s also a sauna and steam room by the pool where the less brave can keep their swimwear on. And for those feeling especially plucky, there’s an outdoor Finnish sauna with a giant tub for cold plunging afterward, refilled by a wood tube plugged straight into the side of the mountain to release its glacial waters. Forestis’s unfussy approach to wellness stems from its illustrious history as a place for recovery—the more adventurously inclined can even try out a Wyda session, a millennia-old energetic stretching practice nicknamed the yoga of the Celts—but within the spa, the emphasis is firmly on healing methodologies absorbed from the resort’s natural surroundings. Here, you’ll truly feel at one with the forest. —Liam Hess
Golden Door
San Marcos, California
Does the birthplace of American wellness mean nothing to you? What about classic Old Hollywood glamour? What about it’s a two-hour drive from Los Angeles (30 minutes from San Diego) and you’ll feel like you’re on an entirely different plane of existence? Okay, how about an all-inclusive 40-room escape with 25 miles of private hiking trails, one-on-one personal training, delicious farm-to-table meals, multiple beauty treatments for face, hands, feet, and hair, daily massages, and a robust schedule of classes in everything from meditation and Pilates to fencing and tap dancing? Golden Door offers all that and a sense of chic camaraderie: Think summer camp for swells, starlets, and CEOs who want to get back in touch with themselves—mentally, physically, mindfully. Lunch and dinner are taken communally (unless otherwise desired), as are the programmed classes and activities. Beyond the pampering, the cheerful sense of community—of gathering with and getting to know 39 other people in such an idyllic environment—has become a huge part of the appeal. But if the idea of group activities strikes fear into your heart, fret not: As much as community and camaraderie can play a very soul-enhancing part in a stay at the Door, if you’re the introspective sort or looking for more of a private retreat, that’s entirely possible to do, and seamlessly, while still reaping the countless benefits of the property. But, if you’re on the fence, err on the side of socializing: You won’t regret it. —Alessandra Codinha
Joali Being
Raa Atoll, Maldives
The Maldives is the epitome of a dreamy beach vacation, but when you combine that with the country’s first dedicated wellness resort, you’re in for a real treat. Centered around four pillars—mind, skin, microbiome, and energy—Joali Being delivers so much more than just a spa. Here, practitioners specializing in Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, naturopathy, and nutrition are on hand for guidance. An encyclopedic treatment menu covers the usual suspects along with the less familiar, like chi nei tsang, a centuries-old abdominal massage rooted in the Chinese philosophy of qi. It’s also home to many a superlative: the archipelago’s first cryotherapy chamber, the region’s largest fitness center, a one-of-a-kind sound-therapy room. Needless to say, the bar has been set high, and admirers (or, should I say, competitors) have taken note. —C.L.
Lanserhof Sylt
List auf Sylt, Germany
Lanserhof Sylt defies easy categorization—“spa” undersells it, “medispa” gets closer, but neither quite captures the life-changing experience of a stay here. At its core, this wellness destination in the Frisian Islands of northern Germany is grounded in longevity: specifically, the Mayr Method, where diagnostics, monitored fasting, and gut-focused protocols replace the typical spa menu. People come when they’ve hit a wall—when they’re feeling burned out, depleted, or simply aware that something is off. Many also come to fix the gut, which underpins the entire Mayr philosophy: digestion, immunity, energy, and mental clarity are all traced back to the same source. Others come for the monitored fasting and metabolic reset—graduated diet levels, blood work, diagnostics—approached with a rigor you won't find anywhere else. But the location alone turns out to be as much a part of the cure as anything prescribed here. Traditional Frisian island cottages with curved thatched roofs, a path that leads straight to the ocean, sea grasses swaying with the wind. There's a stillness here that does something to you before the treatments even begin—and the digital detox only makes that reset complete. —Monica Mendal
Mayrlife
Altaussee, Austria
On the picturesque banks of the Altaussee mountain lake near Salzburg, you’ll find Mayrlife: the 10-year-old destination wellness retreat that has become an A-lister favorite, thanks to its rigorous programs that promise to leave any visitor with their immune system reset, their energy levels boosted, and their emotional balance restored. The foundation of the “Mayr Cure”—a century-old health program developed by Dr. Franz Mayr—is gut health, meaning that meals and treatments are carefully calibrated to address any issues that “patients” might have, whether through spoonfuls of cold-pressed oils in the morning or delicate bowls of soups and broths for dinner. (There’s even a daily stomach massage to get your digestive system going.) All of that is balanced with activities in the great outdoors—from e-bike itineraries through the mountains to cold plunges in the lake—and an expansive spa complex that features a sauna, hammam, Watsu pool, and cryotherapy chamber. For those seeking a hardcore health reset, there are few better places in the world to do it. —L.H.
SHA Wellness Clinic Spain
Alicante, Spain
There are spas designed for healing from everyday stresses–the proverbial rat race, endless “to-dos” that need ticking off, non-stop shuttling to afterschool activities. Then there are spas designed to revamp your body on a cellular level–speeding your metabolism, for example, and boosting your cognitive capacity, and improving your sleep. Or, there’s at least one: SHA. At SHA’s original outpost in Alicante, you’ll be subjected to rigorous intake testing (be prepared for at least a day of poking and prodding) and matched with teams of onsite doctors. There is a multi-page menu of IV drips—try NAD & Mito-Rebalance—and decidedly unrelaxing longevity treatments–perhaps some intermittent hypoxia or an hour in a hyperbaric chamber? It’s impossible not to believe that a day at SHA will result in at least that long tacked onto one’s lifespan. Think of time at SHA less as an opportunity to relax, and more as an opportunity to improve. —Tamar Adler
Spa Royal Mansour Marrakech
Marrakech, Morocco
By my (highly unscientific) measure, Marrakech has the highest concentration of spectacularly opulent hotels per capita out of any city in the world. But none are quite as dazzling as the Royal Mansour Marrakech: Established and owned by the country’s King Mohammed VI, the hotel was conceived as a tribute to the rich traditions of Moroccan craftsmanship. So it probably comes as little surprise that the spa here is, in and of itself, a thing of wonder. Unveiled in 2021, it’s situated in its own palatial complex at the edge of the property: a 27,000-square-foot Shangri-La of wellness where North African bathing traditions meet cutting-edge skincare and holistic therapies. It has plenty of stiff competition, but I can say with some certainty it’s the best spa in the city—and possibly in all of Morocco. Stepping through the small wooden doorway of one of the hotel’s signature dusty pink plaster buildings feels like entering Narnia: opening up before you is a soaring, three-story atrium with natural light pouring in, lending the all-white space a divine, supernal glow. (As a friend I was traveling with observed—jokingly, but also not: “It’s giving heaven.”) The highlight here is the hammam rituals: I went for one inspired by the Valley of the Roses near Ouarzazate, which involved being wrapped up like a (very hydrated) Egyptian mummy in linens and left to let the fragrant goodness of the rose water and argan powder soak in. I emerged into the dappled sunlight of the relaxation area, eyes half-open and feeling my way forward blindly like a newborn, as a different person. My skin was about as soft as a newborn’s too. —L.H.
Santani
Kandy, Sri Lanka
Santani is situated in one of the most picturesque settings for a retreat I’ve ever seen: Its dramatic central building of metal, glass, and salvaged timber is set upon the peak of a dramatic ridge, while the 18 villas for guests spill across its sides, ensuring panoramic views across the lush terraced tea fields from every corner of the property. The spa itself is part of an enormous open-air complex that includes an expansive yoga pavilion, as well as an entire floor dedicated to treatment rooms that open up directly into the jungle. Before every treatment, you’re encouraged to soak in the mineral pool, watching vividly-colored butterflies flap by or monkeys swinging through the canopies—during one afternoon sauna session, an especially bold macaque pressed its paw to the glass—or tune out to the sound of tropical birds. The word Edenic doesn’t even cover it. The programs here are hands-on and thorough: my week began with an extensive consultation with the in-house Dr. Nimesha, who recommended a plan to address an imbalance in my doshas—apparently my vata, which relates to movement, was overactive, while my pitta, which relates to the metabolism, was sluggish—and a full Ayurvedic detox that would culminate in a “purgation” on my final day. The open-air setting also means you have the soundtrack of nature accompanying every treatment, which on my final afternoon, included the pitter-patter of a rain shower falling through the jungle: pure magic. —L.H.
Suvretta Spa at Suvretta House
St. Moritz, Switzerland
Up in the Alpine town of St. Moritz, you beat the chill by ensconcing yourself in Swiss cheeses, luxurious cashmeres, or an intense and invigorating sweat via sauna—and you can do it all as a circuit at the Suvretta Spa at Suvretta House. The Belle Époque palace sits stoic at an altitude of 1,800 meters above sea level, and you can marvel at Switzerland’s spectacular Engadin Valley from one of the warm-wooded rooms of its recently updated spa—here, wellness rises above the norm, quite literally. The spa reopened in December 2025; now spread across three floors, it’s dappled with light and much more spacious. An extensive menu of treatments is delivered with organic, spa-grade brands like Ilā, Sisley, and Cellcosmet. I opted for a tension-alleviating aromatherapy massage, and my request for some sourdough bread-style kneading of my trapezius was met. The gym is also impressive, with Technogym equipment and Dior exercise balls, its own panoramic views of the Graubünden mountains. —Anna Cafolla
Six Senses Vana
Uttarakhand, India
As soon as you step through the doors of the arrival pavilion at Six Senses Vana, you know you’ve crossed a threshold of some kind. First opened as simply Vana in 2014 by Veer Singh, the Himalayan resort quickly built a reputation as one of the most restorative (and ravishingly beautiful) destinations in the world, both for the subdued luxury of its design and the sheer breadth of wellness traditions on offer. It’s one of the few places globally, for example, to offer the Tibetan medicine practice of Sowa Rigpa, here delivered by therapists who trained at the Dalai Lama’s Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute. The Dalai Lama himself paid a visit to the resort back in 2016. In 2022, the property was acquired by Six Senses, the hotel brand that has established itself as a pioneer in delivering an accomplished blend of luxury, sustainability, and wellness. Naturally, there was some skepticism from longtime Vana devotees (or Vanavasis, as they’re nicknamed). But most of those have proven unfounded. The majority of the team has remained from its previous iteration, and the only real tweaks to its well-honed formula are the additions of a few signature Six Senses touches (a more high-tech wellness screening upon arrival, for example). The treatments at Six Senses Vana aren’t just world-class—they set the very standard of world-class. —L.H.
Read more from Vogue’s Global Spa Guide.
This spa has been re-evaluated in 2026 with additional reporting.
