A pampering spa holiday is the perfect treat for the new year, and if you're hoping to visit the spectacular countryside or scenic cities north of the border, we have the perfect spa hotel in Scotland for you.
If you've tried the spa hotels in the Cotswolds and love a city spa break in London, you'll want to know all about Scotland's impressive spa sanctuaries for a soothing escape.
There's no better way to relax with your partner or a group of friends than an indulgent spa break – and in Scotland, the spas come with a backdrop of beautiful countryside. There are also some excellent spas in Glasgow and Edinburgh, where you can soak up the city skyscape from a rooftop pool.
BEST SPA HOTELS IN SCOTLAND
At Edinburgh's Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, for example, you can lie back and enjoy a view of the city from the heated comfort of the hydropool on the rooftop.
Then there's the globally renowned Gleneagles, a destination hotel that likes to call itself 'Scotland's playground'; it won't take you long to see why, especially once you've visited the mega spa.
Or book in for a restorative retreat with a few rounds of golf on the side at Old Course Hotel, Machrie Hotel & Golf Links or Fairmont St Andrews.
Here's our edit of the best spa hotels in Scotland for the ultimate relaxing staycation in 2022…
1 The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder
It's inevitable that a hotel that bills itself as 'Scotland's playground' should have such an expansive spa, and one that you'll definitely want to retreat to after days out adventuring with the falcons, hunting dogs, clay-pigeons and zip-lines. At Gleneagles' spa, there are several treatment rooms, a Dr Barbara Sturm studio for miracle-working facials and regular retreats hosted by the naturopath and nutritionist Rosemary Ferguson.
Treatments make use of the natural bounty on the estate's doorstep, with wild heather and herbs incorporated into the rituals. And if you haven't indulged enough, Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles – Scotland's only two-Michelin-starred restaurant – awaits for afterwards.
Read our review of Gleneagles
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2 Cameron House, Loch Lomond
This historic hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond has just reopened following a fire in 2017, heralding a new era of Timorous Beasties soft furnishings and wallpaper you'll want to redo your own walls with. At Cameron House's spa, a short drive away (to which the tartan-trouser-wearing drivers will happily transport you), there's a thermal circuit that includes a sauna, experience showers and ice fountain, a 20-metre indoor pool and, the undoubted star of the show, the heated rooftop infinity pool, from where you can enjoy the beautiful backdrop, regardless of the temperature.
At the café, you'll be able to keep the wellbeing going with delicious, healthy lunches, such as poached chicken with red onion salsa and pak choi, and, of course, some perfect smoked salmon.
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3 Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh
Another spa hotel in Scotland with a showpiece hydropool on its rooftop, Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa also has a 19-metre indoor pool, fitness studio and thermal suite, which has a range of salt-, water- and heat-based experiences to aid your relaxation. Treatments include body wraps and scrubs, couple's options and facials, and there's a selection of ayurvedic rituals, too.
Visitors can also book in with a fitness counsellor, or try one of the special hair and scalp treatments. There may be a hectic city outside, but you won't know it by the fire in the relaxation area, where the loungers are under-lit with a soothing magenta glow.
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4 Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel, Glasgow
One of the finest luxury hotels in Glasgow, Kimpton Blythswood Square is also home to one of the city's best spas. Work your way through the thermal experience, which alternates between hot and cold, wet and dry, all with the therapeutic aim of improving your mood.
The treatment list covers both results-driven and more holistic options, with some using products by Ishga, a brand based in the Outer Hebrides. For the ultimate indulgence, book in for a spa day and enjoy an hour and a half in the thermal area, a 55-minute treatment and then lunch or afternoon tea in the spa lounge.
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5 Portavadie Loch Fyne, Argyll and Bute
On the banks of Loch Fyne, this spa hotel has a 16-metre indoor pool, assorted outdoor spa pools and one of the biggest heated outdoor infinity pools in all of Scotland. Portavadie Loch Fyne is a great choice for families – toddlers will love the pool for younger children, which has some fun water features.
There's also a Scandinavian sauna, steam room and relaxation space with floor-to-ceiling windows that frame a view out across Loch Fyne and over to the Isle of Arran. The glass, steel and stone spa blends seamlessly with its surroundings, with an eco-friendly energy system in place, to ensure all that natural beauty is preserved.
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6 The Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh
The Rocco Fortes are experts in hotels, interior design and now bath products, since Irene Forte has created her own line of organic skincare, most of the ingredients for which are grown on the family's Sicilian farm. Luckily for visitors to Edinburgh, the sunshine of the Med is brought to you in Scotland with transportive treatments at The Balmoral, such as 'Time in the Med': a welcome foot bath, followed by a two-hour treatment planned with your Irene Forte skincare therapist, ending with a glass of Sicilian lemonade.
You'll want to stick around to enjoy the hotel – some of the rooms overlook the castle, and there's a Michelin-starred restaurant, Parisian-style brasserie and daily afternoon teas.
Read our review of the Balmoral
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7 Machrie Hotel & Golf Links
This spa hotel and golf course is on the Isle of Islay, the southernmost of the Inner Hebrides in Argyll and Bute – and the local Hebridean seaweed is put to good use in the treatments. This organic ingredient contains natural antioxidants with anti-ageing properties, and you'll be able to reap the benefits of it by booking in for a full body wrap. Other treatments on offer at Machrie Hotel include salt and oil scrubs, hot-stone massages, eyelash lifts and manicures.
There are lots of lounges to relax in after your spa day, including a deck at the water's edge and a high-ceilinged space with a fireplace and huge windows showcasing the surrounding countryside.
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8 Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, St Andrews
The Old Course Hotel has recently undergone an elaborate restoration, extending to the spa offering: it's now home to the only Kohler Waters Spa outside of America, with 13 treatment rooms, a 20-metre indoor pool, an ice fountain and a series of experience showers. Book in for a bathing experience in one of the wet treatment rooms, a Himalayan salt scrub or a ritual involving lava particles.
Handily for anyone coming to golf and spa, there are several treatments on the spa menu specially designed for golfers. Guests can really make a day of it, since the spa is open from 6.30am to 9pm, with a café on-site for healthy lunches of soups and salads.
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9 Isle of Eriska Hotel, Spa and Island, Argyll and Bute
The spa at this hotel near Oban champions the British brands Ishga – which is handmade in the Hebrides – and ESPA. It's set in the former stables, reached by a path through the garden. Of the five treatment rooms, three have been created to immerse you in the woodlands around the estate, and two celebrate the surrounding shores.
The ultimate accommodation choice for spa lovers is a spa suite in the stables, each of which has its own hot tub. The loch-facing Hilltop Reserves have their own hot tub, too; or stay within the main house, which was built in 1884, for four-poster beds, fireplaces and roll-top bath tubs.
Read our review of Isle of Eriska
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10 Fairmont St Andrews, St Andrews
As with most spa hotels in Scotland, the Fairmont St Andrews combines a beautiful backdrop with a golf course and excellent wellbeing facilities. The 520-acre coastal estate overlooks St Andrews and the North Sea.
At the spa, there are 10 treatment rooms, a nail salon and treatments on offer by brands including Ishga, Caudalie and Aromatherapy Associates. Book in for a crushed-cabernet exfoliation, detoxifying seaweed scrub or some sculpting therapy, which includes body brushing and a vigorous massage. Spa days start with a glass of prosecco, and lots of treatment combinations are possible.
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Best spa hotels in Scotland for 2022 - goodhousekeeping.com
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