Escape for a spa-cation at these top Florida hotels — and be bathed in luxury
With white-sand beaches, gentle ocean breezes, swaying palm trees and tranquil views, it’s a given that a beach vacation should be relaxing. However, some hotels and resorts specifically cater to feel-good escapes with rich spa amenities coupled with backdrops that encourage serenity. Some Florida destinations even dedicate months to spa spoiling — Greater Miami and Miami Beach hosts Miami Spa Months annually during July and August, when participating spas offer special treatments and deals.
If you’re searching for the best spas in Florida, cue the relaxing music, slip on a robe and sink into a spa-cation at these top Florida spa hotels.
Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, Miami Beach
Located in a quieter area of Miami Beach, Carillon Miami Wellness Resort is the ultimate spa vacation for the mind, body and spirit. The beachfront resort stays on top of the latest wellness trends and is beloved for its thermal hydrotherapy circuit, which is available to hotel guests with or without a spa appointment. It’s a spa playground of hot and cold elements, with showers that imitate a Caribbean rainstorm with light and sound, bubbling tubs with powerful jets and aroma-infused steam rooms. Carillon specializes in anti-aging skincare treatments, using premium products like Skin Authority and Comfort Zone, unique massages like a rubdown nestled on a bed of warm quartz sand, and hi-tech touchless wellness experiences. Those unique services range from a prism light pod that bathes one in red light therapy, to a calming salt float bath, to a meditation pod that harnesses color, sound and energy.
The expansive fitness center is also impressive with a rock-climbing wall and group fitness classes that include salsa, boxing, yoga on the beach and more. Want the best sleep of your life? The resort’s one-and two-bedroom luxury apartments are uber-spacious (nothing is under 720 square feet), and every bedroom has AI-powered Bryte Smart Beds that allow guests to personalize the firmness/softness of the mattress and choose from a library of sounds to encourage sleep. Wash away any residual stress at the adults-only rooftop salt-water pool.
The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami
Once you cross the bridge from mainland Miami to the tranquil barrier island of Key Biscayne, you’ll instantly exhale. The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami is a truly special property where it feels like you’ve been transported to a private island oasis that’s your own, free to do as little or as much as you’d like. You’ll often see vacationers floating in the shallow waters until sunset every night, paddle boarding the blue-green water, or sunning themselves at the adults-only or family pools. Walk down the candle-lit hallways of the Caribbean-inspired spa to begin your “me” day with a rejuvenating spell in the steam room, sauna or whirlpool.
Many of the spa’s signature treatments call to Key Biscayne’s heritage, including a nourishing body treatment that’s a nod to the area’s former coconut tree groves, and the detoxifying Tequesta Ritual which is an ode to a tradition of the Tequesta Indians. The Tequesta Ritual will leave you floating on air; it’s 100 minutes of bliss that includes rigorous exfoliation and dry brushing, an algae body wrap, and a perfectly-executed rubdown that ends with a scalp massage. Snag a guest room that faces the ocean, kickback in one of the beachfront hammocks to read, or rent one of the themed pool cabanas (like a Lilly Pulitzer-designed family cabana or a mood-lifting Aperol-inspired cabana where the bright orange spritzers are flowing). At night, hints of Old Havana float through the air with live music in the lobby.
Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, Manalapan
Located on a tranquil slice of heaven in the town of Manalapan on Palm Beach Island, Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa is a spa lovers’ dream. The resort deservedly boasts a Forbes Five-Star rating for both its spa and resort, and Eau Spa is beloved for its indulgent amenities and spoiling like gratis cupcakes and flowing bubbly. Start your spa journey by placing a floating candle in the wishing well, then head to the expansive spa garden to dangle over the reflection pool in hanging chairs. The spa is open from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. so you could literally spend all day enjoying the steam room, sauna, jetted whirlpool and heated relaxation chairs. It’s all about you at this spa where treatment rooms are customized to your needs, from light color therapy to aromatherapy and music.
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Go for a skincare treatment that harnesses the exclusive French line Yon-Ka Paris, like the Vitamin C25 facial for brightening; or the Eau Spa Signature Massage where you choose the pressure and experience. Extra hotel perks that make it a great spa-cation: The oceanfront resort has never charged a resort fee, and the property offers two pools including an adults-only pool and complimentary daily fitness classes. Guest rooms are playfully dressed in Jonathan Adler designs, and you can elevate the spa-cation by booking a suite with oversized bathtubs.
LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort, Naples, Florida
Located on the west coast of Florida, Naples is the kind of place where it’s easy to slip into relaxation, whether you’re sitting on the beach watching for dolphins or catching an epic sunset. One of the best spa hotels in Naples is LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort. The recently renovated resort sits on a private beach fronting the Gulf and instantly lulls one into calm thanks to its prime waterfront locale and surroundings sheathed in lush landscaping.
Its signature spa, SpaTerre, feels like a charming seaside cottage and is exclusive to hotel guests so it’s never crowded. The spa offers nail services, facials, body treatments and massages, and shines with holistic treatments and exotic rituals. Go for the Himalayan salt stone massage (add-on a scalp massage) or the Balinese Massage which is an 80-minute treatment which intermingles acupressure, aromatherapy and stretching. Another blissful experience is a soak in their Japanese tub sprinkled with flowers. If you prefer the privacy of your own room, those staying in the Gulf Tower Suites can indulge an in-room massage.
After your spa treatment, treat yourself to a toes-in-the-sand dinner at Baleen where flickering torches set the perfect backdrop to watch the sun dramatically set. Rooms are also a dream, especially those that overlook the ocean or bay.
Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, Ponte Vedra Beach
Never heard of Ponte Vedra? That’s exactly what makes this northeast Florida destination a perfect getaway for solitude and rejuvenation. Tucked away in a ritzy beach enclave that’s 30 minutes from Jacksonville, the AAA Five-Diamond Ponte Vedra Inn & Club flaunts a rich history and aristocratic pedigree (many U.S. presidents, starlets and athletes have stayed there since its opening in 1928). The area is a coveted spot for its wide, expansive beaches that aren’t often found in Florida, and some of the resort’s guest rooms even offer walk-out access to the beach.
Create your own spa bucket list at The Spa at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, which offers more than 100 different services. Standout treatments are the pink Himalayan stone massage, the Collagen Ceremony facial, or any of the romantic treatments in the private couples’ suite. The sprawling spa is favored for its outdoor pool, where gaggles of women and men gather to sip cocktails and dip in the pool, while alternating between the spa’s steam rooms, saunas and Jacuzzis. The resort is big on tennis and golf, with two award-winning golf courses, and there are kayaks, paddle boards and bike rentals for guests — ideal for cruising the wide beaches.
The Don CeSar, St. Pete Beach
With a glamorous nickname like “Pink Palace,” you know the The Don CeSar in St. Pete delivers when it comes to luxurious pampering. The iconic pink hotel is a haven of relaxation, whether you’re floating in the oceanfront pool or soaking up the sun on a beach lounger. The 11,000-square-foot Spa Oceana hits all the right notes with pre-treatment amenities such as whirlpool baths and steam rooms, and extravagant services that range from Hawaiian-style lomi lomi massages to glow-up facials to exfoliating body polishes and body-firming wraps.
Don’t miss treatments that are inspired by oceans around the world like the Ocean Voyage: Indian Ocean which incorporates singing bowls, energy work, aromatherapy and more for a treatment you won’t find anywhere else. A highlight of the spa is the stunning rooftop terrace that overlooks the Gulf, a perfect spot for sipping Champagne before or after a treatment.
This story was originally published July 16, 2024 at 4:41 PM.
