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Welcome to the second iteration of Vogue’s global spa guide, an index of the 100 best spas in the world, built from the expertise of our global editors and trusted contributors. There is a lot to choose from in the world of wellness, and no matter how far you’re planning to travel—from a subway ride to a trans-Atlantic flight—we want to make sure it’s worth the journey. Whatever your path, let us be your guide.
Why go here?
Three floors below street level, under one of London’s most beloved hotels, lies the Claridge’s Spa. A very special project (so special, in fact, that the BBC made a documentary about it), the location was seven years in the making. Once it opened in 2022, after delays due to the pandemic and severe flooding, it quickly became the jewel in the crown of the London spa scene. To go here is to walk through the lobby of Claridge’s heritage history and then be transported into a luxury spa heaven.
What’s the vibe?
Take the elevator downstairs (if you have frequented Claridge’s, you know that even an elevator ride is supremely luxe) and you will find yourself in an André Fu–decorated Eastern-inspired space that is immediately calming and relaxing. There is a small but perfectly formed lap pool, steam room, sauna, and a state-of-the-art gym. But what Claridge’s has done, in true house style, is to elevate one step further by carefully curating a roll call of well-being experts to bring their offering to a different level. Here you will find Augustinus Bader and MZ Skin facials, a hair salon by the A-list hairdresser Josh Wood, acupuncture with needleist to the stars Ross J. Barr, and renowned brow artist Hollie Parkes in attendance as a “visiting master.”
The history?
Claridge’s is the kind of place that hospitality legends are made of. This Art Deco landmark, which first opened in 1856, was said to be a favourite of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. During the Second World War, it became the home of the heads of state of Greece, Norway, and Yugoslavia, and at the request of Winston Churchill, suite 212 was declared Yugoslavian territory so that the Crown Prince Alexander II could be born there on his own country’s soil. Churchill himself even stayed at Claridge’s following his election defeat in 1945. Diane Von Furstenberg designed some of its early rooms in the 1970s, and in the 2000s, it was the setting of Kate Moss’s now infamous The Beautiful and Damned 30th birthday. During the 2020 pandemic, it stayed open on a skeleton service to house care workers working in hospitals across the capital, forever giving it a place in the hearts of Londoners.
What should you try?
The Bamboo and Silk body ritual is by far the standout treatment on the menu. Featuring a body massage with warm bamboo sticks (which are far more pleasing than they might sound), they get to work stretching, elongating, and releasing tension in the muscles so you walk out of the treatment room feeling a few inches taller. The silk element of the 90-minute treatment comes in the form of a cocooning facial, where a silk wrap is placed on the skin before warm herb poultices sculpt and massage the contours of the face (which, frankly, is as splendid as it sounds). If something more high-tech is preferred, then there is FaceGym’s Signature Sculpt facial, a vigorous workout for the face for truly brilliant results—just be sure to opt for the Cryo Oxygen Shot add-on for an extra snatched-skin effect.
What else do we need to know?
It is worth booking a treatment for access to the spa facilities alone. The private, curtained poolside cabanas are havens of tranquillity, so carve out time post-treatment to lounge on their cosy daybeds before emerging street-side into the hustle and bustle of London life.
Who can go?
Anyone who is booked into a treatment can enjoy the facilities of the spa. It is the ideal destination for any discerning spa-goer who does not want to compromise on quality or luxury.
Booking details for Claridge’s Spa
Address: Brook St, London W1K 4HR, United Kingdom
Read more from Vogue’s Global Spa Guide.