The Best Spa Hotels in Girona, Spain

With views of the 2km sands of Platja d’Aro, half an hour from Girona, this contemporary 59-room hotel keeps guests returning with inviting rooms of shiny chandeliers and mirrors in soft shades of taupe and champagne. Admire the sea view from the poolside bar, sipping a chilled glass of Cava before dining on delicious sushi rolls in the elegantly styled restaurant. By day, kick back in the spa with its indoor plunge pool, sauna, Turkish bath and hot tub. And save your limbs by sightseeing on wheels: take a hotel bike for a pootle along the promenade, or motor to Girona for the magnificent gothic-flecked Cathedral.

This serene seafront stunner is in the charming town of Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Girona province. Mere steps from Platja Sant Feliu, it has a superb ornate facade that’s a foretaste of the stunning styling of its rooms: the effect is jewel-like, from emerald-green velvet bedheads and covers to glinting brass-trimmed wood. Cool off in the refreshing rooftop pool before a leisurely breakfast of pastries and cured meats. Apply plenty of high-SPF cream before basking on comfy loungers under the fierce Spanish sun. On another day you should jump in the car for the easy 15-minute drive to Platja d’Aro beach or the Giravolt amusement park, with its whirling fairground rides.

Love culture? Love luxury? Then you’ll love this sleek white boutique by the Greco-Roman ruins of Empúries, half an hour or so by bus from Girona city. On the bay of Playa del Portitxol, backed by fragrant pines, it was built to house archaeologists in the 1900s. The main part of the hotel holds cosy rooms of sleek, bleached-out decor; in the modern annexe, spa rooms cocoon you in edible shades of chocolate and latte. Take breakfast in the main restaurant, admiring sea views while downing organic goodies from jamón Iberico to fresh tomatoes, cheeses and fruits. Now switch off in the small spa with its indoor pool and gym, before retreating to the library, to lounge with an antique chess set.

What a setting this place enjoys, in acres of lush greenery in Santa Coloma de Farners, an easy 20 minutes by bus from Girona. This 16th-century Catalan farmhouse layers rustic chic with luxurious facilities – predominant among them the thermal-circuit and massage-offering spa and outdoor swimming pools. Want 100 percent privacy? You can snuggle up on your private terrace, with views of beautiful gardens that extend to an artificial football pitch, 12 tennis courts, and four paddle courts. Bicycle rental can be arranged if you’re up for exploring the surroundings. Or pack a picnic to sprawl on the beaches of the Costa Brava, less than an hour’s drive away.

With a vantage point high above the crystal-clear coves of Calonge, this modern seaside hotel is a mere five-minute clamber from two tiny beaches. But there’s so much on site you might not leave: outdoor tennis courts, a rooftop terrace with a cool slice of swimming pool overlooking the Mediterranean, a spa with – our favourite place to be on a day of warm gentle breezes – alfresco treatment areas and a Turkish steam bath. When you’re fully played out and spa-pummelled, flop in your white-walled, wicker-lined room – or outside it, as most have balconies. Hot and cold buffet breakfasts set you up for the day, while come sundown the Mar Blau café serves aperitifs on the terrace and the Mar Brava restaurant has tasty twists on traditional Spanish cuisine.

Yes, you’re in Girona province, but you’re on alpine time at this mountainside retreat in the Pyrenees. Find it on the Collada de Toses pass, close to the twin ski resorts of La Molina and Masella. View the mountains from the rustic-chic dining room, as you crunch through the irresistible Catalan speciality pa amb tomàquet (fresh bread smeared with sweet and garlicky tomato). Now retire to your cosy, comfortable room – here they feel like cabins, with plenty of wood accents and, yes, glimpses of those peaks scratching the skies. You might take a swim in the generous indoor pool, getting muscle relief with its back-massaging jets. Or float al fresco, if you prefer the fresh alpine air, before an indulgent massage in the spa.

You come to this whimsical wonder for its sophisticated rooms: all moody, dark walls, designery-glass bathrooms and natural objets d’art, such as gnarled tree stumps. These open onto smart terraces and lawned areas, with modish swing chairs to fold yourself into for an afternoon of admiring those awesome mountains. The natural-produce-laden menu includes creamy lobster rice stew, but the spa’s the star: an odyssey of pampering, from its salt cabin to its ice cave, balmy indoor pool, heated loungers and foot bath. The 18-hole pitch and putt is a breath of fresh air, but golfers should hit the Costa Brava Golf Course, less than two miles away.