By Laura Wybrow

Published: Tuesday, 17 January 2023 at 12:00 am

---

As we sit here writing this spa experience article on a dreary January morning, we can’t help but think our lives would be dramatically improved if we had a day of pampering. We could swap typing for a fluffy robe, doom scrolling for a steamy sauna, and emailing for that tingling sensation you get when your muscles have been released into their natural, relaxed state. Ah, we might just go ahead and book spa day, and you should too!

Treat yourself to a spa experience this January and enjoy some much needed rest and relaxation, whether that’s a facial, a massage, a swim or to just generally lounge around.

London has spas in abundance; there’s seemingly a spot to rejuvenate on every street corner, although most of them are hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the ‘Big Smoke’. In our best list, we’ve included spas at luxury London hotels — some you’ve probably heard of as they’re pretty big names in the spa world like COMO Shambhala — as well as ones which feel more like retreats, such as Bannatyne’s and Pure Spa, plus treatments in central stores like LUSH.

With the RadioTimes.com team living and working in London, we know a thing or two about the top spots to unwind after a busy week in the office. We also know which spas are trusted and recommended to us, and the top sites to buy a spa experience from, such as Virgin Experience Days and Buyagift, so you can be sure you’re getting the most for your money. After all, spa treatments can be quite pricey.

So, for pampering spots with both holistic and aesthetic treatments, here are the best ones in London. Don’t forget to thank us when you emerge feeling like a new person!

A spa experience is a perfect Valentine’s Day gift, and for more inspiration on how to spend the most romantic day of the year, check out the top Valentine’s Day ideas and gifts.

Best spa experiences in London at a glance:

• Bannatyne Elemis Pamper Spa Day, from £87 £40
• St Pancras Spa Ultimate Mum to Be Massage, £130
• St Pancras Spa Age Repair Facial, £135
• The COMO Shambhala Spa Experience, £135
• Weekday Spa Relaxation with Treatment and Prosecco for Two, £135
• Weekend Spa Relaxation with Treatment and Prosecco for Two, £155
• St Pancras Spa Hot Stone Massage, £170
• Midweek Indulgence Spa Day with Treatment and Cream Tea for Two, £180
• Spa Day with 40-Minute Treatment at NYX Hotel for two, £198
• LUSH Spa Karma 65 Minute Ayurvedic Inspired Full Body Massage, £225
• Face Place Ultimate Skin Detox Treatment, £250

Best spa experiences in London for 2023

The COMO Shambhala Spa Experience at COMO Metropolitan London Hotel, Park Lane

According to Time Out’s The Best Spas in London article, COMO Shambhala is the top place for specialist treatments.

London’s prestigious Park Lane is home to the stylish COMO Metropolitan London Hotel, and when you walk through the doors, you’ll be welcomed with a cup of soothing ginger tea. On the day, you’ll have access to state-of-the-art gym facilities and a 60-minute massage to relieve aches and pains.

COMO Shambhala only uses pure ingredients — those without chemical additives and are close to their natural state — and at the end of the day, you’ll take home a COMO Shambhala gift, made up of pure-ingredient products. The COMO Shambhala Spa Experience is also the gift that keeps on giving, as you’ll receive a £25 food and beverage voucher to put towards a delicious treat in the hotel.

Buy The COMO Shambhala Spa Experience at COMO Metropolitan London Hotel for £135 at Virgin Experience Days

This spa experience would be a brilliant gift for Valentine’s Day, and for more inspiration, why not take a look at the best candlelight concerts or best London art exhibitions?

LUSH Spa Karma 65 Minute Ayurvedic Inspired Full Body Massage for One

This full body massage is one of the more pricier spa experiences on our best list – but it’s worth it. Ayurveda is the ancient Indian medical system, based on ancient writings that take a natural and holistic approach to health, both physical and mental.

The ayurvedic inspired massage at LUSH takes this approach. With scents of patchouli, sun-warmed Brazilian oranges and neroli filling the room, you’ll receive a full body massage choreographed to traditional Indian folk music, coconut water will trickle through your hair, and you’ll sip on a hot mango and spiced chai at the end of the experience.

We can feel our eyelids getting heavy just writing about this massage. The LUSH Spa features in Time Out’s The Best Spas in London article, with it being the place to go for “fun and quirky treatments”.

Buy LUSH Spa Karma 65 Minute Ayurvedic Inspired Full Body Massage for One for £225 at Buyagift

Midweek Indulgence Spa Day with Treatment and Cream Tea for Two at the 5 Star Sofitel London St James

Do you deserve a mid-week treat? The answer is a resounding yes! Grab a friend and book a well-earned day off to visit the Sofitel London St James in South West London. You’ll enjoy access to a private steam room and ZEN lounge, before receiving a 30-minute treatment each. Choose between a body scrub, facial or massage.

The grand finale is a traditional crème tea with a French twist.

Buy Midweek Indulgence Spa Day with Treatment and Cream Tea for Two at the 5 Star Sofitel London St James for £180 at Virgin Experience Days

Are you taking part in Dry January? Here are the best Dry January date ideas.

Spa Day for Two with 40 Minute Treatment at Rena Spa at NYX Hotel

Located in London’s historic law district, the NYX Hotel London Holborn boasts the modern Rena Spa which is complete with state-of-the-art facilities, like a 13-metre Greco-Roman pool, fully-equipped gym, relaxing steam room, and dry heat sauna.

As well as enjoying the spa’s facilities, you and your plus one will be treated to a 40-minute treatment each. Choose any treatment from a back and scalp massage, back exfoliation and massage, express facial with scalp massage, express facial with hand and arm massage, or a lower leg exfoliation and massage.

And if that wasn’t enough, you’ll also be treated to a delicious lunch in the hotel’s vibrant restaurant.

Buy Spa Day for Two with 40-Minute Treatment at Rena Spa at NYX Hotel for £198 at Red Letter Days

Weekday Spa Relaxation with Treatment and Prosecco for Two at the 5 Star Montcalm Hotel

Say it with us: “I work really hard and I deserve a weekday treat.” As soon as you step through the doors of the Montcalm Hotel, you’ll feel immediately relieved of the hustle and bustle of the ‘Big Smoke’.

This experience includes one hour’s access to spa facilities, including a Swedish sauna and steam room, monsoon shower and pool, plus a glass of Prosecco each and a 50-minute treatment, which will either be a deep tissue massage or a gentler Swedish massage.

Buy Weekday Spa Relaxation with Treatment and Prosecco for Two at the 5 Star Montcalm Hotel for £135 at Virgin Experience Days

Looking for a weekday pick me up? Try out a luxury cinema experience or one of the best London comedy shows.

Weekend Spa Relaxation with Treatment and Prosecco for Two at the 5 Star Montcalm Hotel

If the above experience sounds oh-too-good to miss out on but you’re booked up during the week, Virgin Experience Days also has a weekend option. The day is exactly the same: you and your plus one will be greeted and given a towel each, ready for your pamper day to commence, then you’ll enjoy the Montcalm Hotel’s facilities and a treatment.

Buy Weekend Spa Relaxation with Treatment and Prosecco for Two at the 5 Star Montcalm Hotel for £155 at Virgin Experience Days

St Pancras Spa Hot Stone Massage for One

A hot stone massage is a treatment the RadioTimes.com team have always wanted to try. It looks ever-so soothing and we’re curious to see how warm the stones are.

Located at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, a gorgeous Gothic revival building which is a stone’s throw away from the railway station, this experience will see you enjoy a 90-minute hot stone massage, designed to relieve tension and stimulate your body’s detoxification process (a way to rejuvenate your body).

After the treatment, you’ll have access to the steam room, sauna, pool and gym for two hours. One thing is for sure – you’ll leave the experience feeling like a new, revitalised person!

Buy St Pancras Spa Hot Stone Massage for One for £170 at Buyagift

For more experiences to try in London, check out the best West End shows, best London walking tours, and the ideal London experience gifts.

Face Place Ultimate Skin Detox Treatment

If there’s one bad thing about London, it’s the air pollution. Exposure to air pollutants is associated with skin ageing and inflammatory or allergic skin conditions. So, why not treat yourself to a skin detox treatment?

In this one hour and 25 minute facial, you’ll start with a Face Place Signature cleanse and extraction to eliminate any toxins from your skin. Then, the aestheticians (skincare professionals) will apply a glycolic lactic peel to produce natural skin hydrators, and you’ll enjoy a facial massage, as well as a neck, shoulder and arm massage.

The treatment finishes with an antioxidant and galvanic infusion using Celluma LED therapy to stimulate collagen production. To top it off, the aestheticians will offer a consultation to help you better understand your skin.

Buy Face Place Ultimate Skin Detox Treatment for £250 at Virgin Experience Days

St Pancras Spa Ultimate Mum to Be Massage for One

Are you expecting a little one in the near future? If so, this massage is the one for you. The one hour traditional aromatherapy pressure point massage concentrates on your shoulders and upper back muscles, and uses sweet-smelling oils. It’s been specially created for parents to be, as it focuses on relieving tension and calming the mind.

After the treatment, you’ll have full use of the spa’s facilities for two hours. Unwind in the relaxation room, sauna, steam room and pool.

Buy St Pancras Spa Ultimate Mum to Be Massage for One for £130 at Buyagift

Are you expecting? Our friends at MadeForMums have plenty of great advice.

Bannatyne Elemis Pamper Spa Day

This pamper day includes two trustworthy brands, Bannatyne and Elemis, so you know you’ll be getting a good deal.

At 45 locations across the UK, including Luton, this spa day lets you choose three treatments, such as an Elemis facial, back massage, and hand and arm massage. It also lets you enjoy unlimited access to spa facilities, and gives you a £10 voucher to use on any product from the Bannatyne shop.

Buy Bannatyne Elemis Pamper Spa Day from £87 £40 at Wowcher

St Pancras Spa Age Repair Facial for One

We’ve done so much frowning this month – whether it’s at the weather, the Christmas period being over, or the fact that it’s now socially unacceptable to eat chocolate and pigs in blankets for breakfast – that our skin is calling out for a pick me up.

The Age Repair Facial incorporates a dual layering of intensive masks to lift, plump and firmly massage your skin, which will reduce puffiness and deliver visible results instantly. Meanwhile, the natural plant extracts and oils used will leave your eyes looking bright and youthful.

Now, rejuvenated with your new, glowy skin, you’ll head to the spa for two hours to enjoy the pool, steam room and sauna.

Buy St Pancras Spa Age Repair Facial for One for £135 at Buyagift

Stay up to date with our Going Out section for more top things to do in London, such as best VR experiences and best escape rooms.

---