Whether it’s a speedy facial in a glittering London hotel or a stretched-out, ache-relieving treatment among the wild nature of Scotland, the latest spa trends continue to influence the way we go about soothing the pressures of daily life wherever we choose to do it.
Some come and go, while other stick around for the long-haul – buzzwords such as Ayurvedic, holistic and naturopathy are firmly cemented in the mind of wellness enthusiasts across the globe today. As we ring in a new year, the UK’s leading spas and hotels revamp their offerings with the latest technology and practices – these are the gamechangers to keep a close eye on.
GleneaglesJames Merrell
The Spa at Gleneagles
Created in 1924 with its own railway station in Perthshire’s Glendevon and Ochil Hills, Gleneagles is Scotland living its best life. It is not a mere hotel, but a destination where interesting pleasures and people (as well as gorgeous bars, restaurants and 232 rooms and suites) collide. Since Ennismore took over in 2015, the “Glorious Playground” has been worked over: piecemeal, yet smoothly. The latest unveiling, in 2021, was the spa. A 20-treatment-room wonder with an army of therapists, it exudes the spirit of Gleneagles at large: celebrative, assured and chock-full of bonhomie. A charming waiting area with prettily upholstered sofas has a water feature festooned with plants. The relaxation room with swishy dividing curtains and squishy beds feels a little bit like an upmarket girls’ dorm.
Deliriously contented bevies of women gossip beside the vitality pool and on heated loungers. Nutrition at Spa Café, led by naturopath-nutritionist Rosemary Ferguson, makes a sharp swerve from Martinis at the American Bar to buckwheat risottos, courgette salads, and herbal teas. Ferguson has run retreats here with mountainside yoga, silent hikes and wild swimming. I plumped for a Long Exhale, Gleneagles’ signature treatment, which starts with stretches, followed by a massage with flaxseed, borage and sea buckthorn oils infused with neroli, rose otto and sandalwood balm. I finished with a Jade Comb Facial and Scalp Massage, which was brain-meltingly good. Green beauty brand Tata Harper’s three Sensorial Reset rituals incorporate chromotherapy, breathwork, singing bowls and lymphatic drainage. This is also the first UK residency outside London for Dr Barbara Sturm, the brand known for its anti-inflammatory treatments. Other spa options include personalised wellness treatments, while top-to-toe beauty makeovers take place in the Beauty Lodge, the former gatehouse now under the auspices of Bob and Cloche. Then there’s the wellbeing at large, of course. There are more than 50 outdoor pursuits on offer, from yomps across mist-addled heather to tree climbing and axe throwing: the latter I’ll save for my next visit. Lydia Bell
Address: The Gleneagles Hotel, Gleneagles Hotel, The, Auchterarder PH3 1NF
Price: Retreats and treatments from £135
CorinthiaJack Hardy
Espa Life at Corinthia
A stalwart of the London spa scene, Espa Life at Corinthia has long delivered an eclectic menu of therapies in its cocoon of a spa, a place where curves and hidden doors create a barricade from everyday stress. Now, in an effort to promote mental health instead of mere pampering, it’s swerved leftfield with a new trio of Modern Alchemy treatments inspired by the lunar cycle and promoting peace, power and balance. The rituals contain elements from Ayurvedic healing, Chinese medicine and Shamanic practices. “People have come through a stressful time,” says spa manager Kirsty McLellan. “They are looking for a more holistic experience with emotional support.” Devotees of robust massages should book the Harmonising treatment, which uses a Kansa wand – a tool with a polished metal dome to ease out knotted muscles – or the Empowering option, with its jade roller. I settle into the Tranquillity experience, which starts with a foot-bathing ceremony with crystals, then continues with a two-hour ritual that includes a scrub with orange peel, jasmine and peppermint oils, which perfume the womb-like treatment room. A foot massage using a small Kansa bowl – a technique borrowed from Ayurveda that purports to alkalise the body – feels pleasingly rough and grounding. It’s followed by a traditional massage around the neck and shoulders, working into the jaw and scalp, which sets me up for a soothing Shirodhara treatment in which a steady flow of warm oil is streamed onto my forehead. Lucille Howe
