The Best Spa and Wellness Hotels to Book in Montevideo, Uruguay

In the Ciudad Vieja district, right on Plaza Independencia, is the modern 207-room Radisson with views of the neo-Gothic Palacio Salvo landmark and the adjacent harbor. Its comfortable rooms are dressed up a little with modern art on the walls whilst suites are larger, with bay views. The Radisson is the top Montevideo choice for jocks – there’s a multi-laned, glass-and-steel-roofed pool and hot tub, sauna, full gym, aerobics room and an indoor green-floored jogging track. Spa Victoria offers a full range of massage and treatments.

About an hour’s stroll east along La Rambla from Ciudad Vieja is Punta Carretas – one of Montevideo’s most upscale neighborhoods. It’s got a golf course, a shopping mall and a Saturday street market in Parque Villa Biarritz. Hotel Cala Di Volpe is just up from La Rambla and a 10-minute walk to small Estacada beach and the Nautilus Yacht Club. Its suites are the top pick, with massive windows out to the Río de la Plata. Standard rooms have river views too, they’re smaller but perked up by dashes of red. You can see the water from the outdoor raised hot tub and from the fitness centre, although not from the small sauna. Borrow a bike and explore the area.

Punta Carretas is home to the 90-room Vivaldi Hotel Loft, near the park with the Saturday street market. The hotel’s decor is a blend of soothing whites, creams, greys and taupes; its sleek, minimalist rooms also have black integrated kitchenette cupboards. The rooftop pool with its lounge chairs is the place to be – stretch out here and you’ll be protected from the wind by glass walls – and you’ll get to enjoy views over Montevideo to the Río de la Plata. If health is on your agenda, hit the small fitness room – handily, it is open 24/7.

Two blocks from the Vivaldi is the modern Dazzler, near several shops and restaurants and a 10-minute walk from the long arc of Pocitos Beach. Keep an eye on the street scene below through the fitness centre’s floor-to-ceiling windows. The large rooftop pool is the ideal place to watch the sunset over the Río de la Plata. Be sure to book time in Ananda Wellness & Spa to soak in the square stone hot tub, sweat in the wet and dry saunas and get an invigorating cold-water shock in the Scottish shower. Rooms have Eames-style lounge chairs to help rejuvenate you before even more Montevideo exploring.

At the other end of Pocitos Beach is the Pocitos neighbourhood, one of the city’s oldest with a mix of modern towers and renovated houses. With 178 rooms, the Hyatt Centric feels more like a boutique hotel than a big international brand. Idle away a few hours with something to read plucked from the floor-to-ceiling bookcases in The Corner reading lounge. Alternatively, get stuck into the farm-to-table cuisine in Plantado Restaurant. The indoor heated lap pool is a serene space, all shiny grey and green tiles. Before your massage, recline on a white chaise longue or a round sofa bed. The 24/7 fitness centre has a wide range of Life Fitness machines.

The prestigious Carrasco neighborhood is near the airport, about half an hour’s drive east of the Ciudad Vieja. It’s home to the city’s most luxurious spa and the Belle Époque palace of the Sofitel, across the street from La Rambla and Playa Carrasco. The hotel’s 116 rooms and suites are resplendent in sophisticated shades of grey with dark-wood furniture; many have views of the river. Opulent public rooms have fresh flowers and chandeliers dripping with red and white crystals. Wellness-wise, find citrus water and fruit on offer. After your SoSpa treatment, relax in the hammam, sauna, or on the white spa beds overlooking the columns and stone tiles of the indoor pool. There’s an outdoor garden pool too, plus the SoFit gym.

Regency Park Hotel is on the northern edge of Montevideo amongst parkland next to the Zonamerica tech complex. Staying here, you’re about 40 minutes from Cuidad Vieja and 10 minutes from the airport. Its low brick building overlooks a large outdoor pool and a kayaking pond. Explore the green space on a bicycle or on horseback from the ranch next door. Indoors, there’s a smaller heated pool, hot tub, sauna and spacious gym. Rooms feature dark wood four-poster beds with rails and wood floors. At the top of the scale are the Presidential and Bridal Suites, both with relaxing hot tubs.

Over in the west of Montevideo, towards Colonia and the ferry to Buenos Aires, is a large estate with a hacienda-type luxury hotel – La Baugala Hotel de Campo. It’s ideal for a wellness-focused stay thanks to its surrounding green space, outdoor pool, tennis court, spa and fitness center. Swim or walk on the beach, or visit the equestrian centre for horseback riding. Each of La Baugala’s 12 suites and its pair of two-bedroom homes is unique, with high ceilings, traditional tile floors and wood furniture – all in all, the perfect place to relax and switch off in Uruguay’s capital.