11 of the world's best spa hotels

Welcoming presidents, celebrities, and royalty since 1892, the Brown Palace continues to be Denver’s most prestigious hotel. Besides six restaurants and bars, ultra-plush rooms, and a nine-story lobby crowned with stained glass, its excellent spa offers a menu of invigorating massages, facials, body scrubs, nail care and other services. Looking for a Swedish massage after a decadent Champagne brunch, followed by a traditional afternoon tea? You can have it all without leaving the premises.

Housed in former saddlery near the Alamo and the River Walk, this 4.5-star hotel features a elegant rooms, along with an excellent in-house restaurant, a romantic rooftop pool, and a full-service concierge who gives excellent recommendations. Each of the 99 rooms has high ceilings, marble finishings, spa bathtubs, complimentary WiFi, and flatscreen TVs. The award-winning, 17,000-square-foot spa offers massage therapy, body treatments, facials, manicures, pedicures and hair care, as well as 18 private treatment rooms, and sanctuary lounges.

Situated in a gorgeous Victorian-era chalet, the Claremont is an iconic hotel and spa spread over 22 lush acres in the Berkeley hills east of San Francisco. In addition to its state-of-the-art fitness facilities, beautifully landscaped gardens, and upmarket rooms, its spa offers a range of top-flight treatments, including acupuncture, facials, and relaxing massages. Other perks: the saline whirlpool overlooking the San Francisco Bay, plus two heated pools, a children's pool, and ten tennis courts.

From its views of the Chao Phraya River to its tasteful East-meets-West aesthetic, The Peninsula is one of Bangkok’s most lavish hotels. Spacious rooms have marble bathrooms with spa tubs, teak floors, and silk-covered furniture, and each features a panoramic vista of the water and the city. Amenities include a three-tiered outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, a deluxe fitness center, and a spa where highly-trained therapists draw on methods from European, Asian and Ayurvedic traditions.

Allegedly the favorite hotel of Winston Churchill, this family-run colonial-style property blends tranquility (think sea views, and no TVs or radios) and tasteful opulence. Besides the 47 intimate, retro Jamaican suites, there’s a private beach, a gorgeous outdoor pool, and a spa on the cliffs of Cutlass Bay offering treatments utilizing sustainably harvested plants from the island.

Set in a modern glass tower in the busy JingAn District, the PuLi is an oasis of affluent calm. Along with serene decor, a giant indoor infinity pool, and a health club (complete with “experiential” showers and micro bubble bath), the Anantara Spa on the third floor fuses a range of ancient therapies from China, Thailand and India. Also on offer: two bars, an in-house restaurant, and a garden terrace with one of the most extensive selections of wine and champagne in Shanghai.

Voted the Canada’s top city hotel in 2016 by Travel + Leisure magazine, this 4.5-star boutique property in the heart of downtown Vancouver is known for consummate luxury and impeccable service. The award-winning spa offers exclusive treatments featuring the renowned Epicuren Skin Care line - and is a favorite with Hollywood filmmakers. Each of its 83 rooms has antique furnishings, a flat-screen cable TV with DVD player, free WiFi, and a stylish seating area -- private balconies with stunning city views are an optional extra.

Stone archways, pebble mosaics, and a location in a lovely 17th-century mansion are just some of the ingredients in the unique charm of Casa Delfino. A 4.5-star hotel near the historic center of Chania town, Casa Delfino has classy rooms that blend old-world elegance and contemporary comfort, as well as a spa with a marble steam room, two treatment rooms, an extra-large Jacuzzi whirlpool, and a soothing relaxation area. Additional highlights: A rooftop terrace overlooking the town, a stylish in-house bar, and legendary breakfasts in the courtyard featuring local cheeses and olives, house-made bread, organic house-made marmalade, and yogurt with thyme honey.

Surrounded by three lakes, rock cliffs, and snow-covered mountains, the five-star Llao Llao Hotel and Resort in Nahuel Huapi National Park is as idyllic as it is opulent. Argentina’s most famous hotel, it features 205 rooms with Patagonian-inspired decor and lovely lake or mountain views. An 18-hole golf course, plus trekking, mountain biking, and skiing will keep you in shape, and the spa offers a variety of hydro and relaxation therapies, massages, and a sauna to help you recover afterwards.

This five-star, 174-room oceanside resort combines the best of traditional architecture with the exquisite comforts of a Ritz-Carlton property. Elegant villas have Middle Eastern decor, wood accents, canopied beds, private balconies overlooking the resort village or Doha Bay, and marble bathrooms with deep-soaking baths and rain showers. Add to this a 1400-square-meter infinity pool, gorgeous gardens, world-class dining, and 300 meters of private beach — not to mention the Six Senses Spa, featuring an extensive menu of skin therapies and massages, a sauna, and a hammam.

Set in a picturesque location between the mountains and the Atlantic, this lavish, Dutch-style hotel features 70 large rooms with panoramic views, a fine-dining restaurant serving organic, locally-driven cuisine, and an award-winning spa with rock pools and a treatment menu that embraces holistic principles, combining ancient wisdom and modern expertise. All rooms come with free WiFi, DVD players, and access to a movie library, as well as full English/Irish breakfasts.