Leading Hotels Recommends Stellar Spas to Start the New Year

Nothing beats the simple pleasure of a stunning location. What better way to unplug and recharge than to be surrounded by infinite sky and sea, or by seemingly endless mountains? These Leading Hotels boast incredible settings–and their spas make the most of them.

The 70,000-square-foot wellness center at Miami Beach's Canyon Ranch Hotel and Spa (pictured above) is set in a sleek high-rise on the beach and provides uninterrupted vistas. Here, a visitor's experience can be centered around new age and innovative treatments, exercise classes and excursions, life management courses, food sensitivity testing and Chinese medicine. For those looking for more traditional offerings, the spa also has such amenities as a Finnish sauna, herbal Laconium and thermal heated loungers.



The One&Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas nurtures all senses before, during and after a spa treatment, thanks to its seaside location. Waves lap against the sand, and winds rustle through palm trees, are the only sounds guests hear while enjoying a floral foot bath, massage treatment and soothing tea ceremony offered in the tranquil and flower-filled garden.



Cape Town's Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa is set against a backdrop of the famed 12 Apostles pinnacles that feature so prominently as part of Table Mountain National Park, and affords spectacular views of the coastline, sea and sky above the southern tip of the African continent. The spa menu includes treatments such as a pine-and-rosemary-infused body wrap, administered in glass-walled pavilions.



When it comes to making the most of its surroundings, The Mario Botta– and Carlo Rampazzi–designed spa at the Tschuggen Grand Hotel in Arosa, Switzerland is actually a part of the landscape – the entire center was built into a mountain and construction required 28,000 meters of rock and debris to be removed. Needless to say, the spa's relaxation room offers unparalleled views.



The European Alps don't hold a monopoly on stirring views. A magnificent rustic resort fashioned after the Great Camps of the early 20th century -- The Whiteface Lodge Resort & Spa is set in the charming village of Lake Placid in upstate New York. Taking its inspiration from the complex mosaic of Adirondack Mountain life, the 5,800-square-foot facility blends the bucolic beauty of its setting with a serene ambiance, to deliver luxurious treatments – like a Maple Bitter Massage and the Whiteface Peak Facial. The result? Supreme relaxation.



The spa at the western Mauritius Royal Palm Hotel acts as a respite from the region's famous sun and sand. Treatment areas are set among rainforest-like greenery, tranquil pools and thatched roof open-air pavilions. Guests often stay in the relaxation area long after their treatment has finished, in order to extend their state of blissful calm.

For reservations, visit www.LHW.com. In the USA & Canada please call 1-800-223-6800 or contact a travel professional.