When you go on holiday, it often takes the first three days to wind down and settle into a new rhythm. Then on day four, you can exhale and relax. It is worth remembering this for a spa weekend as your mind whirrs and refuses to calm during that first massage. Of course you can whizz in for a day to any of these hotel spas, and the experience, be it short and sweet, will give you a gentle polish and boost. But allow at least a weekend to slow down and then you will start to see significant shifts. 

The spas listed here do not just nod to wellbeing. These spaces celebrate a proper grounded wellness proposition, where next-level treatments and deeply knowledgeable therapists are complemented by considered design and everything from forest bathing and cold water immersions to infra-red sauna sessions and results-driven facials. Anything wishy-washy has had its day. Which means you can dive in and emerge, not just feeling good, but really feeling better. From the countryside to the capital, here’s our pick of the best spa hotels in the UK.