Our Favourite City Spas For When You Need A Brief Escape From The 9 To 5 Grind  

Between the pressure to be always on and the noise of everyday city life, the need to decompress isn’t just a luxury – it’s essential. Enter, city spas. Yes, the fantasy might be a remote retreat in the mountains or a barefoot beachside escape, but that’s not always easy for us to access. So what’s trending now is something far more grounded: urban sanctuaries that bring restoration and wellness into the heart of a city – without losing that sense of escape we’re all looking for.

In fact, the global spa services market is projected to hit $114 billion in 2025 alone, driven in part by the rise of city-based spas, social saunas and wellness spaces from Seoul and Copenhagen to London, Paris and New York. These aren’t just quick fixes – they’re thoughtfully designed escapes that prioritise ritual, community and calm in the middle of the urban rush.

And with nearly 70% of adults living in cities reporting burnout, it’s no surprise we’re all seeking spaces to reset – not just run away. So whether you’ve got an hour to unwind or a day to reset, these are Team Service95’s most-loved city spas around the globe – all personally vetted and deeply relaxing...

Best For... Floating Away Your Stress

Aire Ancient Baths, London 

Recommended by Samantha de Haas, Creative Production Manager 

Vibe Check: Nestled underground, Aire is a haven of tranquillity just minutes from Covent Garden. A near-silent, candlelit cavern where time stands still – there are no clocks here – steeped in history, as the former site of the city’s first wine vaults. (It also used to be Peter Pan author JM Barrie’s home!)

Treatment Highlights: You don’t need to have a treatment as the whole concept of Aire is its series of warm salt baths that you can literally float in, along with soothing hot steams and invigorating cold plunge pools that are more than enough to melt your worries away. But if you want to indulge, the signature relaxing 30-minute massage will smooth out those last stubborn knots of tension.

Soak It All In: The baths span a range of temperatures, from the bracing Frigidarium (plunge pools) to the hot bath-like Caldarium via the unbelievably serene salt-filled Floatrium (literally, a space to float – heaven). Plus, you can top off your experience with optional extras of champagne and truffles. Why not?

Final Verdict: I haven’t found anywhere else that offers the same level of serenity. I will be back.

Best For... A Total Time-Out

Capybara, Sydney 

Recommended by Olivia McCrea-Hedley, Copy & Production Editor 

Vibe Check: Capybaras might not make you instantly think of relaxation, but, in fact, it’s the perfect name for this bathing house in Sydney’s central Surry Hills area. Why? These weirdly cute South African rodents (think a giant guinea pig) just happen to love bathing. And after a trip to Capybara, you’ll understand why. The space is chic in its refined simplicity – everyone speaks in gentle, hushed tones, everything is a delightful shade of neutral and you’re swathed in soft, fluffy robes between each stop on your wellness tour.

Treatment Highlights: Rather than offering one treatment (though it does host the occasional sound bath throughout the week), Capybara is a self-guided bathing experience, allowing you to move between the sexy red steam room, serene wooden sauna, icy cold plunge and calming concrete magnesium bath at your leisure. No fuss, nobody ordering you around – just you, wandering around the blissful space at your will.

Soak It All In: Hot and cold experiences, aside, one of the main draws is its sitting area (the deeply stylish living room you wish you could replicate at home), where you can help yourself to herbal tea, flick through coffee table books on the squishy bouclé sofas and even lie on the heated stone daybed to dry off. Oh, and it offers memberships, so you can go full Capybara weave bathing into your regular wellness routine.

Final Verdict: A genuine escape from the city, without ever having to leave.

Best For... A Hidden Oasis

Nimb Wellness, Copenhagen 

Recommended by Pia Brynteson, Content Editor 

Vibe Check: Tucked inside the elegant Nimb Hotel, but available to non-hotel guests as well, this hidden oasis draws inspiration from the traditional hammam. The atmosphere is sensual, sophisticated and deeply calming — a grown-up escape in the heart of the city.

Treatment Highlights: I went for the Nimb Signature Facial: a blissful 90-minute treatment that began with a thorough skin evaluation, followed by gentle cleansing and a heavenly scalp, facial and neck massage, intertwined with multiple applications of nourishing products. Every product used is suitable for sensitive skin, leaving my complexion feeling more balanced than it’s been in ages.

Soak It All In: Make sure to give yourself time to indulge in the Moroccan hammam and steam area. It’s the kind of ritual that leaves both body and mind feeling lighter and clearer.

Final Verdict: Undoubtedly a luxury, but entirely worth it.

Best For... A Sauna With A Difference

Badhus Sauna at De Ceuvel, Amsterdam 

Recommended by Ella Marlow-Gilks, Social Media Manager 

Vibe Check: Situated on a picturesque dock, this floating private sauna is a little slice of heaven on the edge of Amsterdam. Grab a beer from the restaurant next door, get the fire crackling and lock in for a dreamy hour-and-a-half of relaxation with up to 6 of your best mates.

Treatment Highlights: Surrounded by nothing but calm water, the best thing about this sauna is that you can cold plunge straight into the river. It’s the ideal no-frills afternoon of leisure and laughter with your closest crew. And if you aren’t looking to book a private session, Badhus also hosts social saunas at both its locations across the city.

Soak It All In: If the cold temperature of the river is just too chilly to bear, you can opt for a lil outdoor bath in the tub on the dock instead (which also doubles up as an excellent photo prop).

Final Verdict: Ideal for shaking off last night’s hangover and reconnecting with the natural world around you.

Best For... A Head-To-Toe Refresh

The Medi Spa, Seoul  

Recommended by Dennis Lye, Creative Director 

Vibe Check: Hidden inside an unassuming hotel in the heart of Gangnam, this traditional Korean jjimjilbang (bathhouse) is a tucked-away wellness bunker for locals in the know – a space where the stresses of urban life can be soothed by traditional rituals. This men-only spa (jjimjilbangs are gender-segregated spaces, as nudity is expected) is quiet with none of the usual luxury frills, but it’s clean, well-maintained and the treatments deliver. It’s the kind of place that makes you forget you’re in the middle of one of Seoul’s busiest districts.

Treatment Highlights: I tried the Seshin, a traditional Korean body scrub usually performed by an older male scrubber, exfoliates your entire body using a textured viscose mitt. It’s intense, in the best possible way, so prepared to bare all! I’ve never seen so much dead skin exfoliated from my own body – it was so clean, I could hear it squeak.

Soak It All In: The sauna reached over 90 degrees and the steam room definitely tested my tolerance threshold, though that seemed to be the norm here. The alternating hot and cold tubs were so invigorating, different heated temperatures, an icy plunge and even an outdoor bath. While being naked felt awkward at first (how British of me!), that faded quickly. The vibe was relaxed and communal – friends and coworkers conversing, decompressing together – like it was just part of daily life. The ritual felt almost sacred, like being initiated into a club. At £16 a visit, it’s the kind of experience you’ll grow to rely on as part of your self-care. Best part is, it’s open 24 hours!

Final Verdict: It’s not just a spa, it’s a ritual: a deep-clean for your body and your brain.

Best For... A True Ayurvedic Experience

Kemara, Colombo 

Recommended by Hena Sharma, Picture Researcher 

Vibe Check: Tucked just off a bustling main road in the heart of Colombo, Kemara offers a welcome escape from the city’s tropical intensity. It’s like entering a peaceful cocoon – cool, calm, and grounded in natural wellness.

Treatment Highlights: I opted for the Spirulina Peel-Off Facemask facial, and it was so rejuvenating. The session began with a personalised skin consultation, followed by a soothing head and shoulder massage. A standout moment was when the therapist gently brushed the Spirulina mask (which is made in-house) onto my skin – a deeply relaxing experience. What really sets Kemara apart is its strong foundation in Ayurvedic traditions, which is felt in every step of the experience.

Soak It All In: The ambiance is pure serenity – dimly lit rooms filled with subtle, comforting scents and music that instantly put you at ease. Every detail is curated to enhance your sense of peace.

Final Verdict: A sanctuary in the city. The perfect spot to press pause, cool down and treat yourself to holistic care rooted in tradition.

Best For... City-Centre Luxury 

Wellness Galerie, Paris

Recommended by Olivia McCrea-Hedley, Copy & Production Editor 

Vibe Check: When you think of a sanctuary, arguably Paris’ most famous department store might not spring to mind. But head into the basement of Galeries Lafayette Haussman and you’ll find the Wellness Galerie: a 3,000 sq m space dedicated to wellbeing, beauty and fitness – including its dedicated treatment space, which is as elegant and serene as you’d expect (we are in Paris, after all).

Treatment Highlights: The menu is wonderfully extensive, with options for head-to-toe pampering, from facials and maniucures to cryotherapy and lymphatic drainage massages. A real gem is the Body Remodelling, an immersive full-body treatment that works to release tension. It can be performed by a trained therapist or, if you’re lucky, even creator Martine de Richeville herself – leaving you feeling lighter, with improved circulation and even a reduced appearance of cellulite.

Soak It All In: The busy city-goer doesn’t have time for multiple pitstops, which is what makes the Wellness Galerie so perfect. Upon entering, you’ll be greeted by the 14-strong wellness concierge, there to serve every need – whether it’s helping you choose a treatment, pick up some activewear for your class later on or recommending products to continue the pampering at home. Pure wellbeing heaven.

Final Verdict: The all-in-one wellness centre that never misses.

Best For... Guided Relaxation 

Othership, New York City

Recommended by Stella Fabinyi, Managing Director 

Vibe Check: The relaxation experience begins from the moment you ‘land’ at Othership Flatiron. You step away from the busy streets, straight into a world of custom-designed textiles, natural rocks and dim lighting – an instant respite from the chaos of Manhattan.

Treatment Highlights: Othership certainly isn’t the only place offering hot and cold immersion through sauna and cold plunge (it also has two outposts in Canada, if you’re in the area) – but what makes it special is the guided class format. As a group, you’re taken through aromatherapy, breathwork and stretching alongside the hot-cold experience, meaning you can truly switch off as someone else guides you through the space.

Soak It All In: At the end of each class, there’s time to free flow back through the sauna, plunge pools or the amphitheatre style tea lounge – all the while encouraged to connect with others, if you want to. So as well as all the health and wellness benefits, it’s a true third space to foster meaningful connections.

Final Verdict: Othership’s ability to create a sense of community is magic. You feel incredible afterwards.

Best For... A Serene Space 

Loft Thai Spa, Bangkok 

Recommended by Hena Sharma, Picture Researcher 

Vibe Check: From the minute you walk into Loft Thai Spa, you relax. You’re greeted by an array of plants and art, which creates a serene atmosphere in an already architecturally beautiful space. And that’s before you heard into one of the treatment rooms... 

Treatment Highlights: Before my facial began (I went for the sculpting gua sha option), I was served a deliciously sweet-yet-sour iced tea – the perfect starting-off point for this hydrating, refreshing treatment. My therapist was skilled (she took the time to understand what I wanted from the facial, and my skin was glowing afterwards) and the space was so peaceful, I didn’t want to leave.

Soak It All In: Make sure you don’t have to rush off anywhere post-treatment, as once you wrap up, you’re served a calming traditional tea and mini Thai desserts to indulge in.

Final Verdict: A soothing, energy-replenishing pick-me-up.