Top ten spas to unwind in

For thousands of years people have enjoyed bathing in natural springs for their curative properties. Today, we can do so in style in these ten fabulous spa retreats around the world. Image: Banyan Tree Spa Samui

Como Shambhala Estate Step into another world as you enter this “Retreat for Change” nestled in a secluded jungle overlooking Bali’s Ayung River. The resort offers tailor-made holistic health programs to mend mind, body and spirit. Treatments often use natural mud and floral extracts used by the island’s residents for centuries, such as a Balinese body wrap of spices, hand-crushed rice and a massage that will have you floating back to your villa.

Thermae Bath Spa Where better than the World Heritage city of Bath, home to the UK’s only naturally occurring thermal pools, to soak up the spa experience? The beautifully revamped 18th century Thermae Bath spa boasts a mind-boggling array of water-based therapies and beauty treatments, and a stunning open-air rooftop hot-water pool flanked by sparkling glass and steel. Image: Getty

Nun Assisi Relais & Spa Museum Roman columns from the first century AD dominate the baths at this jaw-dropping treasure in the town made famous by Saint Francis. Nun Assisi’s delights include accommodation in a converted 12th century convent, frescoes and vaulted ceilings, and of course the obligatory soak in the Tepidario, Caldario, Sudatorio and Frigidario pools.

La Mamounia Marrakech’s magnificent La Mamounia hotel, beloved of Winston Churchill, reopened to much fanfare in 2009. At its heart, a 2500-square-metre spa, richly tiled, hung with traditional lanterns and incorporating a lavish hammam where guests are steamed, slathered in black olive soap and scrubbed within an inch of their lives before being smoothed out with luxurious products from Shiseido and marocMaroc.

Nira Alpina A stone’s throw from glamorous St Moritz, the brand new Nira Alpina promises to leave Swiss protocol at the door, with funky furnishings and ski-in, ski-out facilities. In the spa, they offer massage, Swiss chocolate body wraps and ozone therapy to iron out the post-piste knots. As an aside, you can’t mention Swiss spas without flagging the timeless architectural icon that is Therme Vals, designed by Peter Zumthor around the thermal alpine springs at Vals, just over 100km away.

Banyan Tree Spa Samui Poking its head above the Koh Samui treetops, the impossibly romantic Banyan Tree Samui resort has views to die for and a pristine stretch of white sand, but also some of the best spa facilities on the island. These include the Rainforest, where invigorating treatments might include hydrotherapy of the kind that alternately steams you, then smothers you with ice.

Soneva Fushi by Six Senses Eco smarts meet island paradise at this tropical gem perched on pristine Baa Atoll that has won numerous awards for its environmental initiatives. Here the all-encompassing turquoise waters are as much a part of the stress release as the signature Six Senses spa treatments and the range of Ayurvedic, Thai, Balinese therapies on offer.

Amangiri In the arid heart of Utah sits this tranquil oasis from Aman resorts that is both a tribute to and refuge from the desert. In the expansive spa, walnut-lined treatment rooms open to breathtaking views of the surrounding canyons, and treatments draw on Navajo traditions that teach respect for the four elements. Where else would you find a spa with a fireplace at its centre?

Capri Palace Hotel & Spa The low-key town of Anacapri on Italy’s millionaires’ island playground is home to the highly glamorous Capri Palace Hotel and its renowned medical spa, the Capri Beauty Farm. Favoured by celebs, the spa specialises in leg and heart treatments, and places an emphasis on the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet. Buon appetito.

Les Thermes Marins, Monte Carlo The range of treatments on offer is almost as dazzling as the beautiful people who frequent this state-of-the-art facility, dominated by a huge saltwater pool, in the heart of the Monegasque capital. We’re talking diamond exfoliation, electrotherapy and as many water-based therapies as your platinum credit card can absorb.