The Best Spas for the Ultimate Self-Care Splurge in LA
Check in to unwind at these serene spas located throughout the city.
A spa day is the ultimate exercise in self care. Unplugging from work, family, and even your own indulgences for a day steeped in silence and innerwork can do wonders for the mind, body, and spirit—especially when you live in or are visiting a busy city like Los Angeles. Thankfully, it’s also one of the best cities to find a variety of spa services—whether at a five-star hotel or a little-known hideaway on a quaint street. You can soak in the only natural hot spring in the city, improve the flow and balance of your energy with a reiki session, sweat it out in your own private infrared sauna, or get a full body scrub down at a traditional Korean spa. From Koreatown to Malibu, an array of massages and facials live on every menu of this curated list of the best spas in LA. You’ll find all the classic spa services, like Swedish and deep tissue massages, and customized facials, along with coveted, high performance treatments, and ancient healing practices.
Malibu
Far from the grit of city life, Calamigos Guest Ranch and Beach Club resides up the winding Canyon Road in Malibu Wine Country on a 250-acre private estate in the heart of the Santa Monica mountains. The spacious resort is encapsulated by a sea of native oak trees, with luxurious yet laidback cottages, bungalows, and estate rooms lining winding walkways. The entire resort feels like a spa experience, while the spa itself brings its A game. Connect with nature during the In the Wild Massage, or take advantage of a Chakra Massage or reiki session.The anti-aging Glow Facial is not to be missed either—combining two therapeutic masques and LED light therapy to slough away dead skin and boost cellular renewal. If staying onsite, relax by the dreamy spa pool and treat yourself even further by ordering the best Kale Caesar Salad you will ever have, top it off with a glass of the exclusive Calamigos Ranch Malibu, Chardonnay.
Koreatown
This Koreatown gem is much like other traditional Korean bathhouses in its offerings, but with one unique addition. The spa is renowned for offering the only natural mineral thermal spa in the city. Soak in the springs pool, plunge into the cold pool, and sweat it out in the eucalyptus steam room and dry sauna. The popular body scrub/body care combo treatment is a must. Expect to be scrubbed down until every inch of dead skin has been eradicated from your body, then enjoy a soothing skin conditioning massage with milk, oil, a cucumber mask, and yogurt.
West Hollywood
What was once the House of Blues has transformed into the stately Pendry West Hollywood. The luxe hotel combines the glamor of Old Hollywood with thoughtfully designed modern touches throughout. When you’re not sunbathing at the rooftop pool, or sidled up at the moody Bar Pendry with a specialty cocktail in hand, head to Spa Pendry for a world-class spa experience. Indulge in the absolutely stunning steam rooms located in each of the two locker rooms. Then, try the Relaxing Stone Ritual, a massage treatment that uses hot stones to alleviate tense, tired muscles. The spa also has vibration therapy, body wraps and scrubs, red light therapy, and so much more. While at the property, don’t miss out on an incredible dining experience at Wolfgang Puck’s cozy Italian-inspired Ospero to follow up a day at the spa.
Downtown L.A.
The brand new Conrad Los Angeles is a vision from the inside out. High above the city life, the 305-room hotel designed by iconic architect Frank Gehry fuses modern luxury with whimsical, nature-themed touches. Residing across the street from the Walt Disney Concert Hall, guests can enjoy a myriad of Downtown city views along with five-star dining, a sweeping 16,000-square-foot pool deck and rooftop terrace, and a high-tech spa experience unlike any other. As you make your way past reception to the locker rooms, you’ll notice a series of “Recovery Cabins'' where you can enjoy NuCalm meditation, an infrared PEMF mat treatment, and compression therapy. There’s even an infrared sauna you can book out. But the magic continues as you step inside the locker room where a large dry sauna sets the scene for a pre- or post-treatment sweat. The relaxation room is on another level, with individual love seats, weighted blankets, and curtains for added privacy. Services include a host of exciting treatments, from an intuitive massage to body planing, body toning, and a range of facials. Don’t leave Conrad without dining at award-winning chef José Andrés’ San Laurel, a haven for Cal-Spanish cuisine, with an expansive patio overlooking the concert hall.
Larchmont Village
Constructed on the site of a century-old home in historic Larchmont Village, and blessed by nine Tibetan monks from the Garden Shartse Monastery, this indoor-outdoor spa offers a tranquil respite from everyday life. Blending Eastern and Western philosophies, Larchmont Sanctuary Spa prides itself on using natural and organic ingredients in their treatments that are free of chemical preservatives, artificial fragrances, and are cruelty-free. Couples treatments are especially popular at the boutique spa. Sip champagne in the private copper jacuzzi for two, then enjoy luxurious couples’ treatments, including massages, facials, salt scrubs, and more.
Beverly Hills
This 20,000-square-foot spa features a stunning, coed magnesium-infused mineral pool that travelers flock to for its Instagram-worthy grandeur. There’s also a sauna, steam room, and hot tub in each of the two locker rooms. Every massage on the menu includes the use of breathwork, sound bowls, and hot stones. A variety of innovative body and facial therapies are also available to book, including lymphatic drainage techniques, effective nerve point therapy, and chakra balancing. Be sure to stop by The Terrace restaurant on the weekend to indulge in Afternoon Tea with loose-leaf teas from around the globe, Laurent-Perrier Champagne, and traditional sandwiches.
Silverlake and Santa Monica
Both the Silverlake and Santa Monica locations of The Raven Spa are outfitted with Bohemian flair that creates a serenely chic atmosphere. Amid a jungle of live plants, Moroccan lanterns, and cozy rattan egg chairs, you’ll feel transported to a healing haven where a bounty of nourishing treatments await. A range of massages and facials entice, including a Lomi Lomi massage—a body work technique derived from ancient master healers of Hawaii—and “The Facelift,” which combines a face, head, and neck massage and a homemade organic yogurt and oat mask. Raven Spa also offers reiki, acupuncture, and an infrared salt sauna treatment. The Santa Monica location is equipped with a hammam, allowing guests to relish in a Turkish soak within a clawfoot tub.
Pacific Palisades
Surya Spa is a breath of fresh air as far as spa menus are concerned. Locals flock to the artisan ayurvedic clinic for highly-personalized treatments following an in-depth consultation. Set amid a peaceful canyon in Pacific Palisades, the spa provides a range of enticing treatments—many unique to what a typical spa goer might expect. You’ll find (y)oni steams prepared with traditional Ayurvedic herbs, a pair of Surya therapists working in tandem during a deep tissue massage, chakra light balancing, Craniosacral therapy-focused treatments, and much more. Helmed by Martha Soffer, who started the spa after her education in Ayurveda at Maharishi University over two and a half decades ago, you won’t be let down by the attention to detail and care at Surya Spa.