A spa vacation can work wonders for anyone needing to rest and recharge. Spending a few days focusing on self-care may be just the kind of respite your tired, stressed-out self is craving. But with thousands of hotel spas across the U.S., it can be hard to choose. First, decide whether you want a spa resort with fitness and nutrition options, or a spa environment solely focused on leisure and indulgence. Do you dream of lounging the day away in a robe, a glass of champagne in hand? Or perhaps you want a program to reset your wellness routine?
While each of the spas on this list offers traditional spa treatments, some of them delve deeper into nutrition counseling and regimented fitness plans. But all of them deliver on relaxation, ensuring you’ll leave recharged and ready for the world again. Along with pulling from firsthand experience, we’ve gathered a list of the best and most beautiful spa destinations in the U.S. that consistently rate high among travelers for their comprehensive wellness programs, top-rated spa offerings, and beautiful facilities.
No matter where you choose for your next spa vacation, each of these spa resorts and hotels is guaranteed to leave you feeling recharged and renewed. And while a spa vacation may seem like the ultimate indulgence, aren’t you worth it?
Edgewood Lake Tahoe – Nevada
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Located on the shores of Lake Tahoe, America’s largest alpine lake, Edgewood Tahoe is a luxury resort offering a host of year-round activities and a world-class spa inspired by its natural setting. Spa Edgewood features an 8,700-square-foot space with eight treatment rooms, a heated lakeside pool, an indoor/outdoor hot tub, and men’s and women’s steam rooms. Spa Edgewood’s large relaxation lounge has a massive fireplace at its center and lounge areas with lakefront views. Treatments at Spa Edgewood are inspired by the natural surroundings, including the Sierra Stone Facial, which utilizes nearby rocks to hydrate and rejuvenate skin. Spa guests can take advantage of the resort’s complimentary yoga classes, fitness center, and full-service hair and nail salon.
Inspired by the great lodges of the American West, Edgewood Tahoe’s soaring public spaces offer uninterrupted views of the lake and surrounding Sierra Nevada mountains. Accommodations are contemporary-style luxury rooms, suites, and villas, many with lakefront terraces. Edgewood Tahoe offers three restaurants, a heated lakeside pool and hot tub, and multiple outdoor fire pits, and guests can enjoy complimentary amenities like nightly s’mores and on-demand shuttle service to area attractions.
Guests of Edgewood Tahoe can choose from a variety of on-site, seasonal activities. During the winter months, guests at Edgewood can enjoy snowshoeing, ice skating, or skiing nearby, while in the summer guests can kayak, sail, paddleboard, or swim from the resort’s private beach. A big draw is the resort’s 18-hole Tom Fazio-designed golf course, which hosts the annual American Century Championship every July.
Lake Austin Spa Resort – Texas
Located thirty minutes from downtown Austin, the Lake Austin Spa Resort is an all-inclusive, destination spa set on the hillside overlooking Lake Austin. An adults-only resort, Lake Austin Spa Resort offers a full range of wellness programs, including fitness, traditional spa treatments, and culinary programs. Lake Austin Spa offers a combination of different approaches for guests who want to intensify their health and wellness goals but also has programs geared towards the relaxation-focused spa visitor.
The resort’s lakefront, 25,000-square-foot spa facilities include 30 treatment areas, multiple saunas and steam rooms, two outdoor pools with cabanas, and an indoor lap pool located in a rustic barn. The rates at Lake Austin Spa Resort include three gourmet meals, snacks, and complimentary room service daily. But it’s the resort’s ever-changing menu of group activities and classes that earn rave reviews from its guests. Guided hikes, art therapy classes, sunset cruises, motivational lectures, and culinary tastings are offered each day. The spa’s lakefront location also allows for water-based fitness like kayaking, waterskiing, and wake surfing. The recently redesigned rooms include water filtration systems, vitamin C-infused showers, and private lakeside porches.
The Lodge at Woodloch – Hawley, Pennsylvania
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Located in the Poconos, this adults-only retreat is an all-inclusive escape focused on relaxation, wellness, and unique experiences. A stay at The Lodge at Woodloch includes gourmet meals and an extensive menu of activities that includes guided hikes, painting classes, creative workshops, and group fitness classes. Guests can choose from over 50 various classes and activities each day.
The massive 40,000-square-foot spa features an activity pool, an outdoor horizon-edge whirlpool, and a unique Aqua Garden with hydromassage water walls. Guests can book body and facial treatments in one of the 27 treatment rooms or simply relax in the gender-specific fireplace lounges or on the lakeside terraces. The Spa at the Lodge at Woodloch also features unique facilities like a snow room, Tyrolean Bucket Shower, and Himalayan Salt Room. While spa treatments come at an extra cost, the resort’s incredible daily programming offers plenty of wellness activities, and all guests have access to the water therapy pools, Aqua Garden, and relaxation spaces at no extra charge.
Mayflower Inn and Spa – Litchfield, Connecticut
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Set among the rolling hills of Litchfield County, Connecticut, and just 100 miles north of New York City, the Mayflower Inn and Spa is a boutique hotel that is part of the Auberge Resorts group. The Mayflower Inn’s charming New England-style accommodations, gourmet cuisine, and pastoral setting consistently garner accolades from its extensive list of repeat guests.
The resort’s spa, The Well, is a great choice for travelers who want a combination of both intense wellness offerings and relaxation. An indoor pool, jacuzzi, and serene lounge spaces invite guests to linger, while the indoor and outdoor yoga studios, pilates facilities, hiking trails, and full fitness center offer a full range of active recreation options. Spa treatments combine Eastern and Western practices, and guests can choose from a menu that includes detox options, nutrition plans, and health coaching. The Mayflower Inn and Spa hosts weekend retreats that offer intense itineraries with fitness and nutritional experts, but the facility also offers bespoke activities for guests such as pottery making, cocktail classes, and tarot card readings.
Sea Island Resort and Spa – Georgia
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With experience as a guide, the soaring garden atrium at Spa at Sea Island can leave guests speechless. The centerpiece of this 65,000-square-foot, Mediterranean-style spa, the atrium welcomes guests with lush indoor plantings, a Koi pond, waterfalls, and an outdoor meditation garden. However, it’s just one of the beautiful spaces that make up the Spa at Sea Island. Along with the beauty of this spa, Sea Island welcomes guests with true Southern hospitality, luxurious accommodations, and an endless array of activities at this beachfront resort in Georgia’s Golden Isles. Since the 1920s, well-heeled travelers have visited Sea Island Resort to partake in golf, fine dining, swimming, tennis, and wellness treatments.
Located within the hotel grounds of The Cloister, The Spa at Sea Island is a sprawling complex with a Jr. Olympic-sized indoor pool, indoor pickleball and squash courts, a massive fitness center, and indoor whirlpools with waterfalls. Spa facilities also include men’s and women’s relaxation lounges and outdoor mineral salt baths. Guests can choose from a full range of body and facial treatments at the Forbes Five-Star spa, take a dip in the indoor pool and whirlpools, shop at the two spa boutiques, or visit the full-service nail and hair salon.
Amangiri – Canyon Point, Utah
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Amangiri in Utah may be famous for its Instagram-worthy setting, but it also has a world-class spa and wellness program. A favorite of billionaires, famous faces, and celebrities (the Kardashians are repeat visitors), Amangiri is a luxury resort set in Canyon Point, Utah, about a four-hour drive from Las Vegas. The resort’s 34 contemporary-style suites are minimalist and inspired by Navajo architecture. Amangiri is designed to blend into the natural landscape and the setting, on 900 acres of the Colorado Plateau, inspires much of the wellness offerings.
The spa facilities at Amangiri include five treatment rooms, two dedicated outdoor treatment rooms, steam and sauna facilities, and a floating pavilion. Many of the fitness offerings take advantage of its desert surroundings, including yoga on the rocks with 360-degree views of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Guests can also arrange for guided hikes of Antelope Canyon, boat cruises on Lake Powell, or helicopter tours of the Grand Canyon.
Montage Laguna Beach
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Perched above the Pacific Ocean in Laguna Beach, the spa at the Montage Laguna Beach is not only known for its beautiful setting but also its award-winning treatments. The Forbes Five-Star Spa Montage Laguna Beach offers holistic natural treatments designed to pamper and relax in its 20,000-square-foot spa. The spa’s facilities include dry redwood saunas, fireplace lounges, and eucalyptus steam rooms in the indoor-outdoor spa building overlooking the ocean. There is also an adults-only outdoor lap pool right on the Pacific. Products at Montage Spa are custom-mixed and incorporate natural ingredients like citrus and botanicals.
Guests of the Montage Laguna Beach also have access to a fitness center with a full range of classes and recreational activities like kayaking, surfing, golf, and hiking. Local excursions in the region include whale and dolphin watching tours, snorkeling trips, and sunset sails. The resort’s four restaurants, Mosaic pool with private cabanas, and luxury accommodations are geared toward both adults and families.
Mii Amo – Sedona, Arizona
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Celebrated widely as one of the best destination spas in the world, Mii Amo in Sedona is a wellness center located within the gates of the expansive Enchantment Resort. Guests of Mii Amo can choose to stay in one of the 23 dedicated casitas and suites that are all-inclusive of the spa program, or stay at the Enchantment Resort and access the spa and its facilities. Mii Amo’s stunning location within Boynton Canyon among Sedona’s famous Red Rocks inspires much of the spa’s treatments and its philosophy of “finding one’s journey.” The 24,000-square-foot spa features steam and sauna rooms, a whirlpool, an indoor pool with a fireplace, and a full-service fitness center.
Spa treatments are centered around the region’s location in Boynton Canyon, one of the area’s energy vortexes, and daily hikes through Sedona, guided meditation, and lectures are all part of a stay at Mii Amo. The spa offers unique experiences that cater to the preferences of each guest, and traditional spa treatments are inspired by the surroundings. For example, body renewal treatments and massages utilize desert elements. Mii Amo is also known for their gourmet culinary offerings in their signature restaurant, Hummingbird.
Canyon Ranch – Lenox, Massachusetts
Canyon Ranch has several destination spas in the United States, but none evokes a sense of place as much as Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts. Deep in the heart of the Berkshires, Canyon Ranch is a cottage resort with a historic Gilded Age mansion located at the center of the New England estate. Accommodations offer views of the nearby mountains, forests, and rolling fields, and all-inclusive meals are served in the historic mansion.
The 100,000-square-foot spa offers a full menu of treatments that go beyond the typical massage and facial. Guests at Canyon Ranch are contacted in advance by a wellness guide who creates a custom itinerary based on guests’ goals, be it a nutritional and fitness overhaul, a meditative journey, or a rejuvenation plan. In addition to standard fitness offerings like yoga and pilates, classes at Canyon Ranch span everything from Nordic kikes and kickboxing to Chinese meditation and even piano lessons. An all-inclusive resort, a stay at Canyon Ranch includes all meals, fitness, and daily classes.
Miraval Arizona
Located in Tucson in the Santa Catalina mountains, Miraval Arizona is one of America’s oldest, most established wellness resorts. An all-inclusive resort, rates at Miraval include accommodations, three meals per day, snacks, and all fitness and group classes. Classes at Miraval range from mountain biking and pickleball to yoga and meditation, and guests can book added experiences like horseback riding and area excursions.
The Life in Balance Spa features a serenity pool, steam room, FloWater hydration system, hot tub, and relaxation areas. Treatments at Miraval Arizona range from Ayurvedic practices and Eastern-based treatments to prenatal massages, and many treatments are inspired by the surrounding Sonoran desert. Guests at Miraval stay in luxurious standalone casitas connected with outdoor pathways, and many of them feature private terraces with desert views. Larger groups can book villas with multiple bedrooms, outdoor fireplaces, and plunge pools. Since Miraval is a member of the Hyatt group of hotels, guests can exchange Hyatt rewards for a stay.
Salamander Resort and Spa – Middleburg, Virginia
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Pulling from a firsthand experience, the sweeping countryside view beyond the heated, outdoor infinity pool is definitely a highlight of Salamander Resort and Spa in Virginia. Deep in Virginia’s Hunt Country in Middleburg, the Salamander Resort and Spa is an equestrian-style resort set on 340 acres, just an hour’s drive from Washington, DC. The resort’s pastoral setting is not only ideal for outdoor pursuits but induces a sense of calm immediately upon arrival, making it a favorite of Washingtonians when they want to unwind.
The 23,000-square-foot Salamander Spa features an indoor whirlpool and sauna, 14 treatment rooms, heated loungers, and a private outdoor courtyard. The outdoor infinity pool is heated year-round and connected to the spa, perfect for a post-massage dip or lounging by the outdoor fire pits. The Salamander Resort has horse riding facilities, including a 22-stall barn, and offers a full menu of outdoor activities like hiking, geocaching, and archery. The spa is also located within walking distance of downtown Middleburg’s charming boutiques and restaurants and within a short drive of several area wineries.
1 Hotel South Beach
Right in the middle of Miami’s busy South Beach, you’ll find 1 Hotel South Beach, a sustainable, eco-friendly resort with an award-winning spa. The hotel is nestled among trendy boutiques and restaurants but feels more like a destination resort with its four pools, six restaurants, and a private stretch of beach complete with loungers and dedicated food and drink service.
Voted “Florida’s Best Hotel Spa” in 2023 by the World Spa Awards, the hotel’s Bamford Haybarn Spa offers holistic treatments using organic products from the Carole Bamford line. The spa’s treatment rooms and public spaces are decorated in minimalist style, with neutral decor, and the spa is anchored by The Woodland Room, a lounge space cloaked in white with birch trees and a water fountain. Guests can also take advantage of the massive gym and wellness center, Anatomy, which offers private fitness training, pilates reformer classes, boot camp, and barre classes.
Methodology
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As avid spa-goers, we’ve been lucky enough to visit a few resorts on this list and can attest that even a short visit will leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed. We’ve experienced the benefits of a great massage and the power of a well-guided meditation class, and we know that nothing can top a few hours of dedicated self-care.
We started compiling this list by searching for spa destinations that have won awards from organizations like the World Spa Awards and SpaFinder. Then we compared it to guest reviews on Tripadvisor and other traveler review sites. When creating this list, a few things were top of mind. Each of these destinations consistently gets top reviews from past guests. They also have comprehensive wellness offerings beyond the average massage or facial. Finally, no great spa destination is complete without excellent food, luxurious and comfortable accommodations, and a beautiful setting like the desert or countryside.
