The vibe: Mere metres from the River Thames and sandwiched between bustling commuter hotspots Charing Cross, Waterloo and Victoria, you might be surprised to discover the capital’s most serene spa. Spread over four floors and covering an enormous 3,300 square metres, ESPA Life at Corinthia is a haven of undisturbed bliss, offering a smorgasbord of revolutionary lifestyle programmes, treatment therapies and grooming experiences that nourish you from the inside out. Subtly sexy in its aesthetic, rich, opulent darkness offers up a new take on bright, modern spas, with strong, curved cocoons and ambient fireplaces rendering the vast space entirely intimate.
Come with: Your partner for a blissfully relaxing, sensual afternoon full of peaceful indulgence. Make a weekend of it and stay in one of the hotel’s exquisite bedrooms, decorated in muted green, grey and blue tones, which come complete with just about every hotel luxury you could dream of – from heated bathroom floors to deliciously soft dressing gowns and ESPA bath products.
Hero treatment: All of them, but particularly the Clarifying Facial. Dr. Barbara Sturm has a great reputation for a reason, and this treatment – formulated for blemish-prone skin – is everything. So often facials feel a bit tentative and ineffective, or at least only temporarily effective, but this one packs a real punch. A cleanse, exfoliation, extraction, steam, moisturise and even a little micro-needling, there’s no chance you’ll leave feeling short-changed.