Spa
Spa: pick what suits you. Options for beginners, families or groups, in the finest settings there are.
Duration
1 hour – a day
Difficulty
Very easy
Location
Spa centres, hotels, resorts or places built for it
Season
All year round
What does a spa experience involve?
A spa is a place to unwind, with access to facilities and services put there for your comfort.
The programmes can bring together quiet corners, water, a sauna, beauty treatments or whatever else the place offers.
What is on offer varies by spa and by the package you choose.
Right for
Adults
People after time to unwind and be looked after.
Couples
Time to unwind, just the two of you.
Friends
Visits made together with other people.
Visitors
Part of what a stay or a holiday includes.
Corporate
Relaxation programmes for teams.
Spa: the kinds of experience
Day spa
Access to the facilities for a few hours or a whole day.
Hotel spa
Spa services within a place you are staying at.
Spa for two
Packages put together for two people.
Private spa
Sessions booked out for small groups.
Wellness package
Several relaxation services put together.
What you can do there
Use of the pool
Use of the water facilities on site.
Sauna
Access to the sauna facilities.
Massage
A service on offer at some places.
Places to unwind
Spaces set aside for resting.
Beauty treatments
On offer depending on the spa.
How does it work?
Arriving and checking in
The guests report to reception.
Using the facilities
Access to whatever the package includes.
Booked treatments
Taking whatever you have chosen.
Wrapping up
Closing the visit.
At a glance
How long the visit lasts
From a few hours to a full day, depending on the package.
Booking
Worth doing for booked treatments and at busy times.
Access
It can be by ticket, by membership or by booking.
Rules
Every place can set its own terms of use.
What may be on offer
Pool
Water areas on offer at some spas.
Sauna and heat rooms
On offer depending on the place.
Places to unwind
Spaces set aside for resting and for comfort.
Changing rooms
Somewhere to change and leave your things.
Somewhere to sit with a drink
Some places offer drinks or other extras.
Services on offer
Massage services
On offer depending on the spa and on your booking.
Beauty services
Treatments offered by some places.
Combined packages
Services put together by the operator.
Memberships
Some places let you in on a membership.
Advice for participants
Book what you want
Some treatments have to be booked ahead.
Get there early
Leave time for checking in and getting ready.
Check what is included
Some places lend towels or kit; others ask you to bring your own.
Follow the rules of the place
Every centre can set its own rules on access and on using the facilities.
House rules
Spa — frequently asked questions
For some services yes, above all for massages or booked packages.
It depends on the place; some centres lend kit, others ask you to bring your own.
Yes — many centres let you in for a few hours or a whole day.
A spa is about the facilities and the treatments; wellness covers a much wider range of experiences.
Yes — many places offer packages for couples, groups or private occasions.