The Best Spa Hotels in Manhattan
New York is one of the world’s great walking cities. Avenues the length of Manhattan island branch off to distinctive neighborhoods that stay busy into the small hours, all furled around the fertile sprawl of Central Park. But all those late nights and urban hikes can wipe you out – so treat yourself to a hotel with a healthy streak. Whether you’re swimming among the skyscrapers or booking face-sculpting “tweakments,” New York City’s heart does pampering palaces like nowhere else.
1. The Surrey
Hotel
Cream couches, veiled relaxation areas, flashes of gold and mother-of-pearl – the Surrey’s Cornelia Spa may be petite, but every inch of it feels lavish. Duck out of the urban madness to hide here, sipping fizz and nibbling botanical sorbets between caviar-infused facials and honey massages. Here on the Upper East Side, Central Park is your backyard – but if there’s a nip in the air, head for the hotel’s second-floor fitness center, ready and waiting with Technogym bikes and treadmills.
2. Mandarin Oriental, New York
Spa Hotel
3. Royalton Park Avenue
Spa Hotel
This bright and breezy base in happening NoMad is most popular in summer, when its lounger-lined pool terrace delivers a much needed cool-off session – plus it’s heated, so you can swim on cooler days, too. The rooftop and balcony cocktail bar both have an urban-garden feel, offering a small nature fix here among New York’s glinting skyscrapers and water towers. Rooms are modern-minimal, with outbreaks of fuchsia and cerulean, and the chatty team put you instantly at ease.
5. The Langham, New York, Fifth Avenue
Hotel
The Langham is a grand Midtown stay without an ounce of stuffiness – on the contrary, its high ceilings, large sun-trap rooms and curious artworks give it a fresh, contemporary feel. A pristine, mirror-trimmed gym continues the theme with its primary-colored balance balls and foam wedges, and kit like kettlebells and elliptical machines as well as the standard treadmills. Afterwards, dig into baby gem salad or grilled halibut at the bright, flower-filled Ai Fiori restaurant.
6. Gansevoort Meatpacking
Chain Hotel, Spa Hotel, Hotel
7. Park Hyatt New York
Spa Hotel
Another park-side pad with a smart clientele, the Park Hyatt wins fans with its unpretentious atmosphere and calm, glossy rooms in honey and charcoal hues. But its spa is equally welcoming – boxy lanterns dangle over the sunlit pool like huge raindrops, giant windows make the oyster-shell treatment areas feel like an urban oasis, and alluring couple’s packages, involving champagne and bathtub soaks, appeal to lovers.
8. The Peninsula New York
Hotel
Stone-carved goddesses soar around the Doric columns and metallic awning at the Peninsula’s entrance – inside, the hulking chandeliers and gold-trimmed marble continue the stunning decor. Yet its indoor pool feels more like a rural retreat: the warm glow from half-shuttered windows, potted palms and cushioned loungers are a world away from Fifth Avenue below. Guests can book into aqua-aerobics classes, or yoga and pilates in the gym – while an orchid-dotted spa has steam rooms, saunas and sigh-worthy massage beds.
9. The Plaza Hotel
Hotel
New York’s most seen-on-screen hotel, this urban palace at the southeast corner of Central Park is the showgirl of New York’s grand dames – and the tourist favorite. Razzle-dazzle sings from the stained glass and palm trees in its afternoon tea salon, its white-and-gold, embellished rooms, and whispers of scandals in the now-closed Oak Room. Escape the hubbub in its Guerlain spa: facials focus on firming and radiance; couples massages come with champers, truffles and a private steam room.
10. The Greenwich Hotel
Suite Hotel
Robert de Niro’s effortlessly cool, gentlemanly pad is reason enough to stay downtown, in celebby TriBeCa – even if it didn’t have a serene Japanese-themed spa in the basement. Descend from your individually-designed, apartment-like room – complete with butterscotch leather sofas, private saunas and stacks of art books – to the zen hush of its heated pool, with wooden beams and bamboo screens imported from Japan. Join fellow guests for poolside meditation, or book a shiatsu massage and a soak in the trad wooden tub.
11. Baccarat Hotel and Residences New York
Hotel, Apartment
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