16 Soothing Spa Hotels in Europe

Our collection of spa hotels in Europe allow you to flit from organic facials to freshwater pools in an effortless daze of calm. Knot-melting massages, award-winning restaurants serving life-giving fare, restful rituals and miles of dramatic scenery – these are our favourite ways to say ‘ahhhhhh’…

1. Hotel Royal Palace, Slovakia

Not many spa hotels in Europe can boast their own source of mineral thermal healing water. Hotel Royal Palace can, though. It makes sense then, that you can unwind with old-world therapies – those touted by 13th-century kings – and bathe in the golden Royal Bath, a circular pool with thermal water directly rising from the depths of the earth.

2. Chateau Liblice, Czech Republic

Your hosts at Chateau Liblice take hospitality to new heights in order to make sure you’re revitalised inside and out. Inside this Baroque castle, you’ll glide between the sauna, solarium, whirlpools, hydro-massage showers and other state-of-the-art spa facilities.

3. Relais San Biagio, Italy

Historic surroundings, stress-melting spa services and a kind, caring team at Relais San Biagio make this Perugia-based property the place to come for serenity. What makes it one of the most special spa hotels in Europe is the fact it’s also an ancient monastery. That inimitable ambience of peace plunges you into a distant, precious world – one that cannot be replicated by any modern counterparts.

4. Eccles Hotel, Ireland

You’re not just on an island at Eccles Hotel – a pampering haven of artisan cuisine, spa indulgence and Bantry Bay views. You are an island. A blend of natural simplicity, seasonal ingredients and VOYA organic Irish seaweed-based therapies transforms your state of mind the moment you arrive. Savour calm, eat foraged delights, and dream.

5. Castel Rundegg, Italy

Castel Rundegg is a jaw-slackening sight. The South Tyrolean sanctuary pairs Mediterranean beauty – both natural and architectural – with nimble-handed masseuses, calming spa facilities and rooms with private gardens.

6. Waldhaus Sils, Switzerland

The Swiss know how to luxuriate. When it comes to iconic spa hotels in Europe, Hotel Waldhaus Sils ranks highly. If you don’t us, believe Bowie and Einstein – who’ve both stayed in the legendary five-star treasure. It’d be a shame to block out the heavenly lakeside light, so Waldhaus’ spa spaces blur the borders between inside and out to create a ‘temple of tranquility’.

7. Parkhotel Kenmare, Ireland

19th-century country house Park Hotel Kenmare is more than worthy of its awards. Here, your wellbeing flourishes in environments of pure serenity. In Spa SÁMAS, there are healing therapies from the east and west, 25-metre pool and a sauna, all combined with soul-nourishing scenery of Kerry.

8. Hotel Alte Goste, Italy

Traditional through-and-through, Hotel Alte Goste’s 12th-century spirit can still be felt today. Succumb, blissfully, to ancient steam, hay and herbal bath remedies in the bolthole’s spa area. Surrounded by natural materials – all wood and marble – your mind and body will submit to total relaxation.

9. No.1 Pery Square Hotel & Spa, Ireland

Housed in a cocooning hideaway basement, the spa at No.1 Pery Square Hotel & Spa is a soothing, holistic respite in the heart of Limerick city centre. Packages span from couples’ spa extravaganzas to VOYA organic treatments for men. From the snooze room to the aroma salts foot bath, there’s something for every serenity seeker.

10. Marpessa Hotel, Greece

Another city gem, Marpessa Smart Luxury Hotel is a contemporary stay with a temple-like spa on its cosy basement level. Follow your nose to the scent of the Turkish bath and you’ll find a temple-like spa space, complete with sauna, mood showers and a wide range of reinvigorating treatments.

11. Ice House, Ireland

Considered one of the finest spa hotels in Europe, Ice House is the kind of head-to-toe time-out we crave most days. Its award-winning Chill Spa is a temple of treatments and therapies, whether you plump for a half-day of heaven, morning massage or weekend of winding down.

12. Villa Cipriani, Italy

Villa Cipriani dates back to 1889, when English poet Robert Browning purchased it and permeated it with Florentine country vibes, of which he loved deeply. This character blends perfectly with the rolling hills of Asolo – the dream location for a spa retreat. Expect a sauna, Turkish bath, mood showers, as well as a wide range of massages and treatments given by wellness experts.

13. Penrhiw Priory, Wales

Imagine it: breathing in the meadow-fresh air, savouring multi-award-winning dishes with ingredients sourced from the neighbours, and warming up your soul in the calm-evoking spa. Penrhiw Priory is a 19th-century haven in dinky St Davids that can make blissful daydreams become heavenly realities.

14. Sierakow Manor, Poland

While theatregoers, poetry soakers, jazz lovers, movie buffs and vodka aficionados keep the streets of Krakow in a constant state of zeal, sometimes all you need is a brief retreat into silence. Sierakow Manor is just 20km from Poland’s former capital, with a unique spa that uses wine in its cosmetics. The grape-based lotions and potions are used in a wide range of body and face treatments. When you’re not at the healing hands of a masseuse, the wooden hot tub is yours for the taking.

15. Rubezahl-Marienbad, Czech Republic

West-Bohemian romance comes in waves at Rubezahl-Marienbad. This fairytale castle is the place to go for gastro-lovers, culture vultures and pleasure-seekers alike. Built in 1903, the luxury forest hotel still retains the magical mountain spirit of the past, only now it has a modern spa and wellness centre to wash away your tension and instill serenity.

16. Schlosshotel Groß Plasten, Germany

If you’re hankering spa hotels in Europe that offer personalised wellness treatments, freshwater pools with waterfalls, and whirlpools with different aromas, Schlosshotel Groß Plasten is your go-to. Other serene spa facilities include a Finnish sauna, sanarium, steam bath and heated beds.