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Welcome to Vogue’s first-ever spa guide—a compendium of the 100 best spas worldwide, pulling from the expertise of our global editors. There is a lot out there in the world of wellness, and we are here to sort the cryo from the cold plunge, the infrared light treatment from the IV infusion. Or if your path is a more holistic one—there’s something for you here as well.
Why go here?
It’s rumored that a young Prince William would use the Old Course Hotel’s pool during his breaks while studying at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. When I ask the staff about this during my tour of the property, they cannot confirm—but also don’t deny.
“Number one, the location is certainly something that no one can take from us, right? To sit on the Old Course, the oldest golf course in the world, and right off the North Sea,” says Nicole Miller, director of Kohler Water Spas. Miller, who has worked with the company for two decades, points out that this is the only Kohler spa outside the US, and they pride themselves on their many water treatments on site (from a sprawling indoor swimming pool that glitters beneath a glass rooftop, to a hydrotherapy circuit area for therapeutic bathing, cold plunging, and healthy sweating). You can even stroll right out the door and onto the coast in less than five minutes, meaning that a chilly, salty dip is well within your reach.
What’s the vibe?
This is not a silent retreat like many familiar bath houses—instead, guests chat between hot tubs and saunas throughout the space. When you arrive, you’re handed a comfy robe and charcoal rubber slip-ons, and a spa guide will escort you to the locker room bustling with neighborhood regulars who know each other by name and members of excited bridal parties (the property serves as an elaborate wedding venue with plenty of sunlit ballrooms and chandeliers).
Serenity exists inside the many treatment rooms, however, where therapists spend time before each session discussing life events and fitness-related aches and pains to fine-tune the service. Feeling overwhelmed? Anxious? Tell them, and you may be wrapped into a hug (after asking your permission) and offered a touch therapy treatment designed for burnout recovery instead of that intensive deep tissue massage.
The property will host the 2024 Global Wellness Summit in November, and although cosmetic renovations and upgraded treatments are being carried out in preparation, you can expect the casual, welcoming atmosphere to remain.
The history?
The Kohler family—perhaps better known for bathroom fixtures than hotels or spas—took over the spa within the Old Course Hotel in 2004, though the appeal of this property runs hundreds of years deeper. Dubbed “the home of golf,” where famous players like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods became Open champions, the town of St Andrews is thought to have been the birthplace of golf in the 14th century. (Mary, Queen of Scots, they tell me, is recognized as the first woman to play golf.)
On the east coast of Scotland (north of Edinburgh), the spa and hotel overlook the Old Course’s 17th hole, which is a big deal to enthusiasts and a gorgeous seascape of perfectly manicured grasses for anyone else. The view can also be enjoyed from the dining area on the fourth floor. Out the door and a short stroll past the course (listen for screams of “Fore!” as you cross the fairway), you can find windy beaches, slippery rocks surrounded by sandblasted treasures, and the ancient St Andrews Castle and mossy cathedral ruins.
What should you try?
The treatment menu offers classics like the Kohler Waters Signature Massage, which the spa manager, Jelena Adahovska, mentions is “created in a way to make you feel like you are drifting in a sea.” Water, water, everywhere. When I try it, my therapist incorporates firm-but-flowing movements that do cause me to drift off to sleep (something I’ve never experienced on the table). I was unlucky to receive bad news in the waiting room, so the experts welcomed me in for the Hand on Heart treatment designed for stress, overstimulation, and anyone recovering from an illness. Rhythmic, soft movements, and featherlight pressure soothe me for a full 80 minutes.
Their newest offerings, like the Cold Water Wellness Retreat, incorporate nature to maximize the beauty surrounding the spa itself. I requested the wild swimming experience. When I returned to my room, I found two dry robes (consisting of terrycloth on the inside and windbreaker material on the outside) laid out for me and my husband (the golfer). Adahovska met us at 8:00 a.m. the following morning and escorted us on the five-minute walk to the beach, where we walked into the salty, freezing sea as she encouraged us to let our worries recede with the tides. After a few minutes she led us back to the shore and served us hot ginger tea. It was easily my favorite experience of the trip, even without the “mobile sauna” on wheels that’s apparently slated to arrive on the shoreline later this year, along with beachside yoga classes.
How environmentally friendly is it?
No plastic bottles are used on the premises, and inside the rooms, guests are encouraged to save local resources by reusing towels and swapping bed linens every few days (though one can request changes more often).
What else do we need to know?
So-called golf widows are alive and well at this spa. It’s a (perhaps a little sexist?) local term used to describe the wives of golfers who spend hours on the course while their partners fill the time being massaged, rain-bathed, and steamed to perfection.
Who can go?
The spa is open to both hotel guests and visitors. And for anyone looking for a colorful salad or cup of inflammation-reducing tea, the Spa Cafe is open for lunch.
Booking details for Kohler Spa at Old Course Hotel
Address: Old Station Rd, St Andrews KY16 9SP, United Kingdom
Read more from Vogue’s Global Spa Guide.
