Craving some calm downtime ? A luxurious day in one of the top spas in London might be just what you need. Luckily, there are hidden sanctuaries of serenity dotted all around the city. From next-level hotel spa experiences to secret subterranean hideaways, the perfect spa destination awaits – if you know where to look.
Whether you’re after an innovative treatment or Instagram-worthy pool, we’ve rounded up the best spas in Central London for finding relaxation in the city.
The Guerlain Spa at Raffles London at The OWO
Experience the epitome of luxury wellness at The Guerlain Spa, now open at Raffles London at The OWO. Spanning 27,000 sq ft over four floors, this urban sanctuary offers a 20m pool, nine treatment suites, and a cutting-edge gym.
Indulge yourself in three exclusive Guerlain treatments – ‘Spirit of London’ revitalises, ‘Royal Glow Tech Facial’ enhances complexion, and ‘Coastal Escape’ transports you to the UK’s coastline – and experience hyper-personalised luxury with The Cupola Spa Suite Journey, an exclusive wellbeing experience designed for two people. There are also express beauty treatments at L’Atelier Guerlain, including a lip contour treatment, facelift, and make-up masterclass.
Where: Raffles London at The OWO, 57 Whitehall, London SW1A 2BX
website: www.raffles.com/london
The Peak Fitness Club & Spa at The Carlton Tower Jumeirah
Nestled within the acclaimed Carlton Tower, The Peak Fitness Club & Spa has undergone a remarkable transformation during its recent refurbishment in 2021. The new wellness sanctuary sprawls across three floors, where the Talise Spa boasts new treatment rooms and the swimming pool has undergone a lavish revitalisation, complete with double-height glass ceilings for basking in natural daylight, and poolside cabanas for moments of relaxation.
There are also 70 invigorating studio classes offered weekly, and a state-of-the-art gym with bespoke ‘Technogym equipment on the ninth floor. These panoramic vistas are London’s most enviable workout setting, while the light-filled club lounge is a sky-high oasis of serenity for grabbing a light bite.
Where: 1 Cadogan Pl, London SW1X 9PY
Website: www.jumeirah.com
AIRE Ancient Baths
Far below Covent Garden, a subterranean world awaits in one of the most hidden spas in Central London. AIRE, on Robert Street, offers guests an experience in their underground, candlelit spa. The atmospherically exposed brickwork and vaulted ceilings, along with the various marble-clad pools are ideal for relaxation, seemingly a world away from the busy streets above.
Amid the 18th-century foundations of the townhouses above choose from various treatments or enjoy the seven separate baths and temperatures from Frigidarium (14ºC and 10ºC) through to the Vaporium, or steam room.
WHERE: 2-3 ROBERT ST, LONDON WC2N 6BH
WEBSITE:WWW.BEAIRE.COM
Claridge’s Hotel Spa
There are spas, and then there are spas created by Claridge’s…2022 saw the London hotel institute announce the opening of its brand-new spa – the most iconic opening of the year. The stunning interior is well worth a visit in itself – with a design reminiscent of Japanese temples and Zen gardens in Kyoto, using natural elements like limestone, wood and water to create the same feeling.
Built three floors down, as part of an ambitious hotel renovation, the spa boasts a swimming pool, personalised five-star treatments, and big beauty brands like Josh Wood and FaceGym joining them in-house to cater to your every need.
Where: Brook Street, London W1K 4HR
Website:www.claridges.co.uk
Heavenly Spa by Westin
A name with a lot to live up to, and it really does, as Heavenly Spa is a sensory experience – a place to celebrate silence, luxuriate in some much-needed separation from technology, and enjoy a time of personal reflection and contemplation. The spa aims to touch the seven senses, meaning the physical senses of sight, sound, touch, taste and scent, as well as the psychological senses of emotion and meaning.
The spa includes 5 treatment rooms, a manicure and pedicure room plus relaxation room and a thermal suite including a sauna, steam room, ice fountain and sensory shower and a Westin WORKOUT Fitness Studio plus a divine 12 metre swimming pool and vitality pool.
Where: 60 Upper Thames St., London EC4V 3AD
Website:www.heavenlyspalondon.com
Pan Pacific London
One of the newest spas in Central London, spend a blissful day focusing on your mind and body at Pan Pacific London on their world-class wellbeing destination floor dedicated exclusively to holistic health. Their treatments infuse Western science and clinical research with South East Asian traditions of clean beauty, focusing on results-driven relaxation techniques and tailor-made seasonal rituals.
Start your wellness journey with the exclusive Body MOT for insights into your body’s status. And for family fun, enjoy the partnership with luxury children’s brand Bonpoint, offering signature treatments for a parent-child day out.
Where: 80 Houndsditch, London EC3A 7AB
Website:www.panpacific.com
Nobu Spa
Book a day of tranquillity and rejuvenation at Nobu Spa. This haven in the heart of East London invites guests to unwind in luxury, offering fitness, wellness, and beauty treatments featuring Natura Bissé and Elemental Herbology products.
With private treatment rooms, his-and-hers steam room facilities, aromatic massages and indulgent body treatments, it makes a blissful escape from the bustle of the city.
Where: 10-50 Willow St, London EC2A 4BH
Website: www.london-shoreditch.nobuhotels.com
St Pancras Renaissance Hotel
Say zig-a-zig-ahhhhh as you relax in the pool that didn’t make it into the Spice Girls Wannabe video. Not that we can forget that the rest of the hotel featured heavily in the utterly iconic ’90s music vid. Away from Girl Power, Victorian elegance meets Middle Eastern allure downstairs. Deep beneath the gothic structure above, the luxury spa, in what was once the hotel’s steam kitchens, offers various treatments, a fitness centre, steam rooms as well as a beautiful pool.
Where: Euston Rd, London NW1 2AR
Website:www.stpancras-spa.com
agua Spa London at Sea Containers
Sea Containers London’s chic urban spa agua London offers up a signature treatment menu with Hedrow by agua, the spa’s range of seasonal products, made from British hedgerows and the indigenous flora that can be found within them.
The six core ingredients are Lemon Balm, Rosemary, St John’s Wort, Peppermint, Comfrey and Marigold, and they’re delivered through massage, utilising techniques drawn from herbalism and aromatherapy. These core ingredients used throughout the spa’s treatment menu offer several benefits to both the mind and body, including improved circulation, increased antioxidant activity, and a reduction of anxiety and inflammation.
And it’s not just the treatments that are incredible – just look at those interiors. Pure glamour and sophistication.
Where: 20 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PD
Website:www.seacontainerslondon.com
Shangri-La The Shard
Unless you’re being visited by a masseuse on your private jet, you’re probably not going to get a better view from a spa anywhere in town. Shangri-La The Shard is perched close to the top of London’s iconic Shard, and the 52nd-floor Sky Pool is the tallest infinity pool in Europe.
Treatments including massages, beauty treatments, nails and make-up are available in the hotel’s treatment rooms, or just sit back and enjoy the view poolside.
Where: 31 St Thomas St, London SE1 9QU
Website:www.shangri-la.com
Away Spa at W London
A hidden oasis in the heart of London offering luxury treatments combining conventional techniques with modern technology. A calming escape from the hustle and bustle of Leicester Square, Away Spa offers a huge range of beautifying treatments.
With the Coco-Loco treatment, a pure coconut massage will leave you rejuvenated and refreshed, while a facial will bring energy back to the skin counteracting the effects of stress, pollution and lifestyle ageing. The experience is rounded off with AwaySpa cocktail or mocktail.
Where: 10 Wardour St, London W1D 6QF
Website:www.awayspalondon.com
The Lanesborough Club & Spa
With an enviable London location straddling Belgravia, Knightsbridge and Mayfair, there are few better places to unwind than The Lanesborough Club & Spa, spanning an incredible 18,000ft² with five treatment rooms, a restaurant, and multiple relaxation lounges. Offering a truly all-encompassing, 360° approach to well-being, the spa prides itself on partnering with global, pioneering brands and experts in the fields of health, fitness, and beauty, including spa partners Vive Fitness, L’Atelier Green Paris, and GROUND Wellbeing.
Experience the 24-carat gold + Led Lumijade ritual or indulge in The Lanesborough Signature Massage, a serene treatment with GROUND Wellbeing oils. Afterwards, relax in the Club & Spa’s various thermal suites and impressive hydrotherapy pool.
Where: 2 Lanesborough Place London SW1X 7TA
Website:www.lanesboroughclubandspa.com
The Spa at The Athenaeum
Escape to the intimate oasis of The Spa at The Athenaeum, a hidden treasure tucked away beneath the luxurious Mayfair hotel. Book in for a bespoke Temple Spa treatment followed by a delicious dining experience at the restaurant, 116 at The Athenaeum.
Designed to be a haven of relaxation and rejuvenation, the spa offers a serene space to unwind and alleviate stress, complete with a 24-hour gym.
Where: 116 Piccadilly, London W1J 7BJ
Website: www.athenaeumhotel.com
The Spa at One Aldwych
Tucked away inside the prestigious hotel, The Spa at One Aldwych beckons. Step into a haven of well-being for a holistic escape from the city chaos, and immerse yourself in luxurious treatment rooms for serene bliss. Discover bespoke therapies and revitalising holistic treatments that nurture both your physical and emotional well-being, before taking a dip in the breathtaking 18-meter chlorine-free swimming pool with underwater music and mood lighting.
Enhance your experience with the aromatherapy sauna and steam room, or invigorate your body in the state-of-the-art gym. With an unwavering commitment to excellence and a seamless fusion of luxury and well-being, it’s firmly established its place among London’s most esteemed spas.
Where: 1 Aldwych, Covent Garden, London WC2B 4BZ
Website: www.onealdwych.com
The Rena Spa at NYX Hotel London
The Rena Spa at NYX Hotel London Holborn is as eye-catching as it is relaxing. Taking the hotel’s eclectic style to the basement, luxuriate in the pool while a fifteen-foot leopard eyes you from the sidelines.
Facilities include a swimming pool, a fully equipped gym, a spa pool, sauna, and steam room. Treatments include an indulgent range of treatments from cult French beauty brand Caudalie and you can enjoy a massage or a professional facial or manicure while you visit.
Whether you’re looking to work out or stretch out, the spa has you covered.
Where: 50 – 60 Southampton Row, London WC1B 4AR
Website:www.nyx-hotels.co.uk
Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square
The spa and wellness facilities at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square allow you to connect to London’s Roman past and indulge in ritual bathing on a heated marble plinth at the hotel’s Hammam.
An array of private treatment rooms offer visitors relaxing anti-stress treatments, from body treatments to calming facials, or just chill out (figuratively) in the sauna. The centrepiece is one of London’s sleekest pools.
Where: 10 Trinity Square, London EC3N 4AJ
Website:www.fourseasons.com
The Ned
Soho House’s most ambitious project to date, The Ned, is probably most well-known for its array of incredible eateries and beautiful restored-bank interiors. However, in the subterranean depths of the private members club is also a Cowshed spa.
Set around a 20-metre indoor pool there’s a sauna, steam room, traditional Moroccan hammam and eight treatment rooms. Get a treatment and a haircut while you’re at it. Perfect for a lunch break relax or an afternoon of pleasure.
Where: 27 Poultry, London EC2R 8AJ
Website:www.thened.com
J Wellness Circle at St James’ Court, A Taj Hotel
Discover serenity at St James’ Court, A Taj Hotel, with J Wellness Circle—a spa oasis blending award-winning Indian Jiva and British brand Temple Spa. Adopt the meaning of ‘Jiva’ (‘inner force’) with treatments rooted in India’s wellness heritage.
Ancient techniques and ingredients come together for a spa experience that harmonises mind, body, and spirit, creating the perfect sanctuary for rejuvenation and relaxation in the heart of London.
Where: 51 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6BS
Website:www.taj51buckinghamgate.co.uk
ESPA Life at Corinthia
Beneath the graceful exterior of this crisp Whitehall iceberg lies a subterranean darkness that’s alluring and luxurious in equal parts.
ESPA Life Spa offers visitors a gym and thermal floor, an incredible pool, a vitality pool, an amphitheatre sauna and a steam room. As if that wasn’t enough there’s also an ice fountain as well as relaxation areas and ‘experience showers’.
And the best thing is that when you’re done with wellness, you can saunter upstairs and enjoy a slap-up meal at Tom Kerridge’s wonderful Kerridge’s Bar & Grill. As far as spas in Central London go – this is absolutely one of the best.
Where: Whitehall Pl, London SW1A 2BD
Website:www.espalifeatcorinthia.com
Fancy venturing further afield from spas in Central London? See our guide to the best spa breaks outside London for inspiration.
