Well Intentioned: A Chilled-Out Guide to London, UK

This underground spa near Covent Garden will transport you to another era, thanks to its antiquity-inspired architecture and strict no-phones policy. The baths may not be truly ancient, but the relaxation is real. Soak away your stresses in seven candle-lit baths, ranging from a cool 10C (50F) to a toasty 36C (97F), float in a pool with the same salinity as the Dead Sea, or treat yourself to an antioxidant-rich red-wine bath and grapeseed-oil massage.

With an infrared sauna, Peloton bike and daily schedule of yoga and mindfulness classes, this budget-friendly hotel is a dose of much-needed calm, especially given its busy location between Paddington Station and Edgware Road. Start your day with a cold-pressed juice and a dish from the intention-setting breakfast menu, such as Love (smashed avo) or Happiness (homemade granola), before pausing to breathe at the meditation station or losing yourself in a book at the pin-drop quiet library.

Whether you’re new to cold-water swimming, a long-time Wim Hof fan or just want a spot to sunbathe in the summer months, don’t miss Grade II-listed Brockwell Lido. The Olympic-size unheated pool sits within hilly Brockwell Park in Southeast London, near Herne Hill and Brixton. Join dedicated regulars for an early-morning lap session, sign up for a yoga or pilates class at the adjacent studio, or enjoy sourdough pizza and cocktails at the poolside restaurant 400 Rabbits.

The big daddy of London yoga studios, Triyoga, is your one-stop shop for all things “ommm”. Beyond exploring the mind-boggling array of classes on offer, from vinyasa flow to toddler yoga, you can up your overall wellness with a spot of acupuncture, hypnotherapy and massage. There are numerous Triyoga locations across the city, but the flagship Camden studio – in a renovated Victorian piano factory – is the biggest and best.

“Aaahhh…” is not only what you’ll say as you flop onto your bed at this chic Soho hotel by renowned interior designer Kit Kemp and her hitmaker Firmdale Hotels. It’s also the name of one of the indulgent treatments at the Ham Yard’s tension-busting Soholistic Spa – it starts with skin brushing to improve circulation and is followed by a Mediterranean scrub and a warm-oil massage. Post-treatment, head to the fourth-floor rooftop bar (one of the best in London) for a fragrant cocktail infused with honey, herbs and edible flowers, all from the kitchen garden and resident rooftop bees.

The many green spaces in London are the essential antidote to traffic jams, tightly packed tube carriages and crowded streets. For a moment of pure Zen, look no further than the Kyoto Garden in Holland Park. Filled with blushing Japanese maple trees, roaming peacocks, a koi carp pond and a multi-tiered waterfall, it’s the ideal place for a mindful walk or moment of meditation.

Vegan restaurants aren’t just about chopped kale salads and spirulina smoothies, as the menu at Farmacy in Notting Hill demonstrates. Alongside the aforementioned greenery – much of which is grown on the restaurant’s biodynamic farm in Kent – you’ll also find a slew of comforting plant-based plates, including lasagne, (no) beef burgers and warm choc-chip cookies. It’s a pretty venue, too – think brushed brass, bare wood and house plants galore.

Staying sober? No need to stick to soft drinks and water all night. The Lyaness drinking den at the Sea Containers hotel on the South Bank regularly ranks among the 50 best bars in the world, thanks to its fabulous Thames-front location, spiffy decor and thoughtfully crafted cocktails. Bartenders will happily create a teetotal tipple just for you. Ask for an alcohol-free Second Prelude, which features vegan honey and the non-alcoholic aperitif, Aecorn Dry. Gaze out across the river, taking in London’s matchstick skyline, for a moment of calm.