The best Edinburgh spa hotels

This modern hotel has everything you would expect from the brand, with bells on. Although predominantly aimed at business travellers, the location, range of rooms and services, luxurious spa and well-regarded restaurant make it the perfect choice for travellers who like to know exactly what they’re getting. The wellness offering is brilliant, making it one of the best Edinburgh spa hotels around, with a 19-metre infinity swimming pool, thermal suite with seven treatment areas, ESPA treatments, gym, café and utterly relaxing rooftop hydro-pool. It’s located on Festival Square on the Lothian Road overlooking the west side of Edinburgh Castle, an easy walk from the city centre or the Old Town.

This neo-Renaissance building with its massive clock tower has been an Edinburgh landmark for more than a century. With elegant bedrooms and over-the-top marble bathrooms, and the Palm Court for champagne afternoon teas, this is a 21st-century version of a grand hotel. The exceptionally large spa offers Rocco Forte Rituals and ESPA treatments, and has a 15-metre lap pool, sauna, steam room and gym. It’s next to Edinburgh’s main Waverley railway station, at the eastern end of Princes Street, and a short walk from the National Gallery and shopping areas.

Driving down the long front avenue through 50-odd impeccably landscaped acres, it is hard to believe Edinburgh airport is only two miles away. It’s a comfortable stepping off point for flights or a peaceful alternative to staying in the city. Located in a stunning sunken-glass building in the old walled garden, the splendid spa has swimming and hydro pools, steam and sauna rooms, treatment rooms (including double treatment rooms for friends/couples) offering a range of treatments, all with Elemis and Ishga (made from Hebridean seaweed) products. The health club boasts a serious gym and exercise studio, and there’s a bright café-bar and outside terrace.

Charles Dickens – once a guest in Edinburgh’s first purpose-built hotel – certainly would not recognise this latest incarnation. It displays its intent from the moment you enter the dramatically contemporary lobby: palely gleaming marble floors, deep purple walls and snazzy lighting. The Yu spa, though a little compact, has a gym, steam and sauna rooms, ozone pool and a good choice of Elemis based treatments including a ‘Frangipani Body Nourish’ and ‘Lime and Ginger Salt Glow’.

Imagine a health club with rooms and you won’t be far wrong. It’s a faux-hipster-meets-shopping-mall mash-up, but with better upholstery. You can sweat, steam, swim, spin and spa before hitting Starbucks, or the bar and grill, then retire to pleasingly simple, comfortable bedrooms. The spa includes a 20-metre pool; a vast gym full of shiny equipment; a spinning studio with 40 bikes; studios and classes; and a sauna, steam room and whirlpool spa. There’s also waxing, wrapping, tanning and tinting (must be pre-booked) in the beauty spa.

The Caledonian is an imposing and historic building in the heart of Edinburgh, with a Galvin restaurant, castle views and a lovely spa, complete with fitness room, swimming pool (it actually overlooks Edinburgh castle), steam room and sauna, plus thoroughly spoiling massages, facials and beauty treatments by 111SKIN and Ground Wellbeing. The restaurant collaboration with London’s Galvin brothers is one of the hotel’s greatest strengths alongside its location in one of the city’s premier spots – great for shoppers and sightseers alike.