Bad Ragaz Switzerland
Hot spa retreat Grand Resort Bad Ragaz in Switzerland (
resortragaz.ch) is injecting a shot of glamour to the standard steam experience: the spa has the world’s first Swarovski-encrusted steam room with glittering gems adorning every surface. It’s not called grand for nothing. Other details include mineral water on tap, open fires in the suites and mood lighting. There is also a huge circular private spa featuring a hi-tech cinema, ‘cuddle lounge’ and private dining area. Plus spa butlers are on hand to attend to your every whim.
Palm Beach Florida
At the newly launched £60 million Eau Spa at The Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach (
ritzcarlton.com), the party-hard crowd can continue the disco vibe with Saturday Night Fever techno tunes in the steam rooms, while at a scrub couture bar guests can customise their own scrubs with the help of a resident mixologist. The 19 spa villas, with their own private gardens, offer personalised colour therapy, while platinum and diamond anti-ageing facials and disco balls add to the feeling of OTT opulence. The philosophy is based on the thought that a lot of spa-goers have become jaded with the typically serious spa experience and are looking to lighten up. ‘It’s a drastic difference from the usual spa ambiance,’ says spa director Amal Elbahnaswy. ‘Here the focus is on whimsical fun.’
Shanghai China
This month sees the opening of the new Peninsula Shanghai on the banks of the Huangpu River (
peninsula.com) — with views of the historic Bund, Pudong, and the gardens of the former British Consulate. The entire hotel is an homage to Shanghai of the 1920s and 30s when the city was fêted as ‘the Paris of the East’. The literary-inspired Espa spa re-creates the heady world of F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel
The Great Gatsby with a twist of modern-day Ralph Lauren. Forget minimalism and expect a heavy dose of Art Deco, a retro-chic tea lounge and thermal suites with Espa signature treatments.
Buenos Aires Argentina
The first green spa hotel in Argentina’s capital, the Casa Calma Hotel (
casacalma.com.ar) is wrapped in a vertical garden providing a calming respite from the buzz of the city. The quirky garden acts as a shield to save energy and create a thermal balance — keeping it warm in the winter and cool in the city’s hot summers. Expert treatments use 100 per cent organic products and there are in-room whirlpools with built-in speakers as well as private steam rooms in the suites. The hotel’s chefs will also tailor-make after-spa gourmet meals and snacks to satisfy your inner diva.
Moscow Russia
If you’re having a typically Russian ‘more is more’ moment then the new spa at the Grand Hyatt Moscow Residences (
moscow.residences.hyatt.com) takes the concept of a tailor-made experience to the extreme. The seven spacious residential guest rooms can be redecorated to satisfy the desires of each guest, making every massage and spa treatment a completely customised affair. The spa also features a traditional Russian bath, a juice bar where guests can request custom-blended cocktails and the highest pool in Europe with views across the city. Now who asked for whale music?
