The best spa hotels in NYC

The Cornelia Spa at the Upper East Side’s intimate Surrey Hotel allows its guest the ultimate New York City luxury: total silence. Once inside one of the private “pied-a-tierre”-style rooms, technicians offer customized treatments, like the Delicate Skin-Restorative Ritual, a facial for delicate skin. Each treatment ends with an amuse-bouche tasting of cupcakes and other treats, plus flowers from the Cornelia’s in-house Bouquet Bar.

Traditional Chinese medicine guides the holistic all-body treatments at this luxe Columbus Circle hotel. East Asian-inspired treatments include body massages with custom-blended essential oils as well as “time rituals,” which tailor experiences according to a body’s specific needs. The Spa also offers a nearly three-hour Thai Yoga Journey that includes a soothing herbal bath, compression massage and full-body stretching. 

The Greenwich Hotel’s subterranean Shibui Spa is a cozy, cavernous escape from the nearby Financial District. Mimicking the warm, low-lit style of the lobby, the space has all bells and whistles but still manages to not be ostentatiousness. Stand-out treatments include the Healing Birch massage that utilizes birch, shea, peppermint, and helichrysum oils to reduce inflammation and dry skin; the oil-free traditional Japanese Shiatsu, performed on a traditional tatami floor to stimulate energy flow. End your decadent day with a dip in the heated swimming pool.

It’s only fitting that one of the city’s most high-end spas resides inside one of its ritziest hotels. When the storied Waldorf-Astoria closed for renovations (set to reopen in 2021), the renowned Guerlain Spa moved into the Plaza. Expect ultra-luxurious treatments such as the Abeille Royale Expert treatment, which targets fine lines with royal jelly concentrate harvested from Guerlain’s bees, which are raised on the French island of Ouessant, and the spa’s signature two-masseuse, four-hand Imperial massage.

Up on the 21st floor, the spa at The Peninsula offers a much-needed respite from the hectic pace of New York City life. Maximize your relaxation with a three- or four-hour treatment, like the Escape From the City package combining a 60-minute exfoliating body wrap, 90-minute holistic massage and 90-minute facial. Ayurvedic therapies also appear in many of the spa’s offerings: The Podi Signature Journey utilizes an aromatic foot scrub, ayurvedic massage and Podikhizhi therapy—where muslin bags filled with dried herbs are dipped in warm oil and applied to the body—to combat inflammation. Arrive a full hour before your treatment begins to take advantage of the spa’s sauna, steam rooms, ice fountain and Asian tea lounge.

Bamford Haybarn launched at Brooklyn's 1 Hotel in 2017 and boy are we glad they did. Decked throughout in warm, natural wood (there's even what looks like a tree trunk in the lobby), it simply oozes calm. Founded by Carole Bamford, the spa is dedicated to sustainable and holistic living and utilizes its own organic skincare range. You can enjoy a spot of yoga or meditation here, opt for a massage and facial, or book a personal treatment especially tailored to you. Afterwards, head up to the rooftop bar, which offers spectacular views of Manhattan. 

The word “nalai” means serenity in the language of the Lenape, the original habitats of the land that would one day become New York City, and the spa on the 25th floor of the Park Hyatt certainly takes that inspiration to heart. Both the facilities—complete with an indoor pool and eucalyptus steam room—and the treatments cultivate a lush, relaxed environment. Opt for the Purifying Body Ritual, which combines exfoliation, a warm clay mask and a jade scalp massage, or more traditional options like the hot stone massage or customizable facial.

Unlike most NYC spas, Exhale puts just as much emphasis on high-quality fitness classes as it does on splurge-worthy treatments. In other words, get ready to sweat before sinking into that much-deserved massage or facial. Exhale offers barre, cycling, yoga and holistic wellness packages; even its spa treatments are fitness-inspired, including the customizable Power Facial that promises to whip sun damage, acne flare-ups and other skin concerns into shape.

Weary travelers can soak up lavish luxury at this hotel’s 7,000 square foot spa and fitness center. With customizable reflexology and Swedish massages, the Lotte caters to both those checking-in for a quick spa treatment and day-long pampering sessions. If you prefer your pampering done in private, arrange for the spa to bring a soothing, restorative facial or romantic couple's massage to your room.

In addition to the large marble-clad bathrooms and rainfall showers in many of its rooms, The Langham also boasts a well-regarded spa: Chuan Body + Soul. The five elemental forces of traditional Chinese medicine—fire, earth, metal, water and wood—influenced both the spa's earth-toned decor and unique treatments. Try the Urban Detox, which uses the pressure of bamboo tools to relieve muscle tension, or just relax in the spa's Himalayan salt sauna.