London’s Seven Best Spas Take Pampering to the Extreme

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(Bloomberg) — Electrolyte-infused pools. Two-hour manicures focused on “whole hand wellness.” CDB-balm stress-melting rituals. 

Stiff competition among spas has resulted in some fantastic new treatments for Londoners and hotel guests. Wellness was always important for clients, but now they want personal trainers, high-tech treatments and access to a full little black book of in-demand staff that get celebrities ready for events like the BAFTAs.

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“Customers need a full-on glam squad now,” says Inge Theron, creative director of spa and wellness for Maybourne Hotel Group, the parent company of Claridge’s, which opened a new spa in September.

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The VIP experience won’t come cheap. Manicures at Claridge’s from Harriet Westmoreland — who counts Zendaya as one of her clients — can cost up to £600 ($712) for a signature French manicure. No, your hands aren’t dipped in gold, but you do get two hours of time with the celebrity manicurist who is focused on “whole hand wellness,” giving the Instagram-ready look but also leaving your hands feeling refreshed and soft.

In addition to the VIP experience, spas are offering luxurious private experiences. You can take your partner or friend to the Bulgari Hotel’s fabulous Onyx Suite — bigger than many one-bed flats in London — for a £750 private treatment for two. Wellness these days means relaxation from the inside out, smoothies and salads, oddities like a full-body sleeping bag that resembles a spacesuit meant to detox to the body.

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Here are seven of the best hotel spas in London to relax and recharge in style.

Claridge’s: New, five-star urban retreat with a focus on wellness.Treatment to try: Bamboo & Silk Ritual, a head-to-toe massage and facial experience. £295

One of the best hotels in the world finally has a spa to match. Workers excavated five floors down into the London clay to create Claridge’s first pool and spa area. The results are stunning. It’s a 7,000-square-foot haven inspired by designer André Fu’s visits to traditional Japanese gardens, complete with kimono-inspired robes in soft pinks and peaches and a Damien Hirst cherry blossom artwork. It’s also private. Each treatment room has an en-suite bathroom with heated toilets. Guests can discuss health concerns and goals in individual consultation spaces.

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Acupuncturists are available, as are red-carpet-ready hair-styling and nails courtesy of Josh Wood and Harriet Westmoreland. There’s a Facegym (a workout for your face, founded by Inge Theron) that has treatments designed exclusively for Claridge’s, with longer treatment times and additional stretches in a serene atmosphere that enhances the experience. And of course, the hotel’s first pool complete with cabanas set back from the electrolyte-rich water is well-worth a visit too.

The Bulgari Hotel London: Italian glamour and luxury at its best.Treatment to try: Kloris Stress Melting Ritual. This treatment uses organic CBD balm, complemented with aromatherapy and a hot stone massage. £270

Just steps from Harrods and Harvey Nichols, The Bulgari London offers top-in-class Italian design alongside a host of indulgent treatments. There’s one of London’s biggest hotel swimming pools, at 25 meters long, and a vitality pool (like a hot tub) with full-body massage jets and gold leaf glass tiles supposed to resemble Byzantine mosaics in Venice and Ravenna. On a visit on a Friday morning, the hotel’s Workshop Gym was buzzing with men and women in stylish athleisure working up a sweat with personal trainers.

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If you’re feeling indulgent, the Onyx Spa Suite offers a private treatment experience for two. It’s a self-contained suite with side-by-side treatment beds, a twin-steam shower and an oversized hydro massage tub with a stunning green onyx backdrop. Use of the suite starts from £750. The hotel also offers a Sunday reset that includes a Kloris treatment, a superfood salad and smoothie, and a prepared warm bath melt upon return your room, if you want to start your week feeling pampered.

Corinthia: Four fantastic floors of facilities at ESPA’s flagship spa.Treatment to try: ESPA Vital Body Ritual. A two-hour treatment that starts with a lymphatic compression massage in the Body-Ballancer machine (like a spacesuit meant to drain waste from your body, the therapist will zip you in) and then a fast, invigorating Swedish massage. You leave feeling lighter. £385

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This five-star hotel in the heart of Westminster has incredible bars, restaurants and a fantastic view of Parliament and the London Eye, but the spa may be the hotel’s crowning glory. You could truly spend all day in the massive facility, which has 17 treatment rooms, an ice bar for the brave and heated loungers in the changing rooms. Restorative wellness is the theme here, with treatments meant to leave guests feeling lighter, both physically and emotionally. Attention is paid to every detail to make guests feel comfortable. Pro-tip: Take some time out to chill in the private sleep pods. Thoughts about stresses from the outside world will melt away.

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park: Knightsbridge icon with impeccable service.Treatment to try: English Rose. A head-to-toe treatment that involves a rose-infused poultice massage, a scalp massage and a facial with Oskia products, leaving guests relaxed and smelling incredible. £315

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From the second guests are welcomed with a hot towel, warm tea and slippers, they’re in a haven of serenity. Everything is designed with tranquility in mind, from changing rooms with gorgeous pools, a steam room and sauna, to the relaxation area, complete with handmade energy ball snacks and adult coloring books with colored pencils. The service and staff are second to none, with a focus on holistic East-meets-West wellness. The hotel itself underwent a £100 million restoration a few years ago. Everything feels modern and clean. Make sure and arrive 45 minutes early to enjoy the Amethyst Crystal Steam Room, Vitality Pool and Zen Color Therapy Relaxation Area.

The Beaumont: Art-Deco Oasis near Oxford Street.Treatment to try: The Beaumont Hammam Experience. A hammam treatment is followed by a full body massage with warmed shea butter and a scalp or facial massage. £190

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Feel like a golden-age film star at this intimate space just minutes from Selfridges. It’s smaller than some of the other spaces on our list, but the privacy in white-marble clad surroundings is a particular highlight. The Hammam treatments are the real star of the show, with space dedicated to the steam bath. There’s no pool, but make sure and pop in the Le Magritte Bar and Terrace after a spa visit. It’s one of the top cocktail spots in London.

The Londoner: Wellness haven in the middle of of bustling Leicester Square.Treatment to try: Illuminating C Facial by Omorovicza, which uses vitamin C to leave your skin feeling glowing. £145

The heart of London’s theater and entertainment district is the opposite of calm. That’s why this urban retreat in Leicester Square is so special. from the second you step off the elevator onto the spa floor, it’s like you’re on a popular tropical vacation instead of in the middle of London. The pool and cabana section is massive and buzzing. There’s also a state-of-the-art gym, beauty salon and a groomers, so you can look and feel your best for a big night out in the West End. Pop by the Refuel bar after your treatment or swim for a nutritious shake or juice. Champagne is available if you’re feeling like bubbles instead of a green juice.

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The Ned: A pocket of calm in the City of London.Treatment to try: Fire & Ice Cryo: A treatment that combines cryotherapy that rapidly chills the skin’s surface while producing instantaneous tightness and stimulating collagen production. £200

The former bank, now a hotel and members club, is always hopping on a Thursday night. It’s one of the places bankers go to drown their sorrows. It also has a seriously good spa that’s built around a blue-tiled, 20-meter pool. Styling and looking your best is also a highlight, The Ned also offers a barbershop with haircuts, express facials and traditional wet shaves, it calls itself a “classic, speakeasy-style barbershop for the modern gentleman.” There’s also a hair salon, nail treatments, steam room and sauna to unwind from whatever stresses out the City types that work near The Ned, complete with the full array of Cowshed products.