SpaSeekers’ Guide to Types of Spas
As the spa and leisure industries continue to thrive, a greater variety of spa days and resorts are emerging. Knowing what is offered by each can be confusing, for both newcomers and spa-veterans alike, particularly as some spa categories can be used interchangeably.
Our A-Z glossary of different spa types below should help make things clearer, but if you’re still confused about which spa type may serve your needs best, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Spa types defined: A-Z
Ayurvedic spa
Originating in India, Ayurveda - meaning ‘the knowledge for long life’ in Sanskrit - is the oldest known health practice in the world and the focus of spas with the same name. The treatments aim to boost immunity and prevent disease, delay ageing and promote overall wellbeing. All Ayurvedic treatments are prescriptive. A consultation with a specialised physician will determine the unique needs of your skin and body. Daily yoga and meditation classes are often included as part of packages at Ayurvedic spas.
Ayurveda spas are ideal for stressed and tired individuals looking to rekindle their mind, body and spirit.
Always check the website of Ayurvedic spas of interest to confirm inclusions and facilities.
Bootcamp spa
Bootcamp spas offer the treatments one would expect at a traditional spa (massages, facials, manicure etc.), in addition to vigorous workout classes and educational talks, which aim to help participants learn how to make better lifestyle choices for improved health. Many bootcamps are weight-loss or detox-focused, promising inch-loss and improved vitality at the end of their two-night to one-week durations. Guests will feel rejuvenated thanks to nutritional - and delicious - meals, fun team games, and well-earned post-workout pampering.
Some bootcamps demand higher fitness levels than others - always check official resort websites to determine whether you’re up for the challenge.
Inclusions vary between bootcamp spa packages - always check individual listings.
Club spa
Club spas are day spas located within a larger gym or health club. Adjoining fitness and health facilities at club spas are often exclusive to those paying a monthly, or annual, membership fee (though day passes are available at certain times, in order to encourage new sign-ups). Clubs spas often feature a deluxe spa, fully equipped gym, a cafe, a relaxation lounge and/or bar, and occasionally a hair and/or beauty salon also (individual spa specifications vary).
Club spas are ideal for both fitness fanatics and less-active individuals seeking occasional pampering.
The prevalence of club spas is growing - they can now be found in most major cities across the UK.
Day spa
Unlike spa hotels, day spas provide no overnight accommodation. Guests are welcome to enjoy massages, facials and body scrubs and wraps (note: individual spa menus vary), and make use of onsite leisure facilities during normal working hours, on weekdays and weekends. Day spas can differ greatly. Some are large, luxurious and self-contained affairs, while others are quainter and comprise several rooms within a sizeable hair or beauty salon.
Smaller day spas may not feature a steam room or Jacuzzi, and might have a smaller treatment menu (always check individual spa websites to confirm inclusions before booking).
If you’d like to treat a loved one to a relaxing spa day, consider our pamper day gift vouchers.
Dental spa
Going to the dentist can be nerve-wracking for many but opening wide and saying “Ahhh!” is far easier in a stylish and calming setting designed to mimic a spa. Dental spas are ideal for those who find traditional dental practices intimidating, as well as those seeking the very best maintenance and care for their teeth.
Dental spas offer a wide range of cosmetic dentistry procedures, including laser whitening, air polishing, veneers and inlays, to help your smile look its very best.
Some dental spas do not provide traditional spa therapies (massages, facials etc.) and instead offer treatments usually available at medical spas (dermal fillers and Botox, for example). Be sure to check the services offered by individual dental spas.
Destination spa
Destination spas (i.e. health farms) exist to boost the overall health of guests. Traditional spa treatments help guests unwind, while a full itinerary designed to promote a healthy lifestyle is also provided. Nutritional meals, fitness and stress reduction classes, and educational lectures informing guests how to remain healthy once they have returned home are often included. The term ‘destination spa’ is sometimes used interchangeably with ‘spa resort’.
Some destination spas do not allow guests to stay for less than two nights, for the benefits of their itinerary cannot be fully felt or appreciated within a shorter timeframe (check individual resorts for minimal stay durations).
Weight loss and detox-focused destination spas are available, with their food menus reflecting these goals.
Hammam spa
At these spas, guests can experience the Middle East’s variation of the steam bath, otherwise known as the ‘Turkish bath’. Hammams are communal places to cleanse and socialise in Middle Eastern countries, though the experience (often called ‘the wet cousin of the sauna’) has been made private - and more luxurious - within Western spas. Guests unwind inside a warm room, before entering another to undergo head-to-toe body exfoliation and soaping. After rinsing off in a pool of cold water, guests enjoy a massage before ending their treatment inside an invigorating cooling room.
The use of warm, moist air is what makes hammam spas so cleansing and therapeutic - those with a low tolerance for hot temperatures may prefer a different spa type.
Western interpretations of hammam spas can vary greatly - always check individual listings to determine applicable procedures.
Health farms/Health spas
‘Health farm’ and ‘destination spa’ are two terms which are often used interchangeably. Generally speaking, health farms offer a personalised experience with a high staff-to-guest ratio, personal fitness and dietary advice readily available, no children, a daily schedule of exercise and activity classes included as standard in with package price, menus are calorie-counted. It’s the norm to lounge around in towelling robes throughout all areas and typically the spas boast idyllic settings.
Please refer to ‘Destination spa’ for more information
Browse all health spas on SpaSeekers.com
Health spa
Please refer to ‘Destination spa’.
Spa hotel
These are spas within hotel environments. While destination spas prioritise pampering while offering accommodation, guests at hotel spas are less likely to stay simply to enjoy the spa alone. Rather, the spa is a fantastic additional facility to enjoy. These spas often appeal to those who would like to combine a spa visit with other holiday activities.
Spa days at hotel spas are often available, but access to certain facilities may be limited for those without a hotel booking.
Be sure to check individual listings to confirm inclusions before finalising your hotel spa booking.
Medical spa
Medical spas (or ‘med spas’) employ fully-licensed medical staff who administer non-invasive cosmetic treatments - like Botox, microdermabrasion, fillers, chemical peels and laser hair removal - in addition to more traditional spa treatments (individual menus vary). Such spas are a cross between a day spa and a GP’s office. They operate under the supervision of a fully-qualified doctor to ensure safety and desirable results for all patients.
The (often) clinical atmosphere of medical spas can be reassuring for those investing a significant amount in anti-ageing treatments and improving the appearance of fine lines/other blemishes.
If you’re seeking a relaxing spa experience and have no intention of undergoing injection-based treatments, medical spas are probably best avoided.
Mineral spring spa
These spas comprise a natural source of spring water, in which guests can bathe. Mineral water has long been known within the spa industry for its healing properties, and many have soaked in such to relieve pain and skin ailments. If the water source is naturally-heated by the earth’s crust, the venue is likely to be referred to as a thermal spa. If the water is cool, the spa may choose to heat it, so that it is a more comfortable and therapeutic temperature for guests.
Massages, facials, manicures and other traditional spa treatment are typically available, as are fitness facilities (always check individual listings).
Many large mineral spring pools are communal - research individual resorts to determine the level of privacy available during your spa visit.
Mobile spa
Mobile spas allow customers to be pampered by a fully-trained professional within the comfort of their own home, or another personal space. The services offered vary between each ‘spa on wheels’, with some therapists providing cosmetic procedures (e.g. tooth whitening and Botox), tanning and hair salon services, in addition to traditional spa facials, massages and manicure treatments.
Mobile spas are ideal for those with long working hours - many operate during evening hours and weekends, meaning you can book a convenient appointment.
Mobile spas can save you money, as these businesses often have lower overheads than traditional spas. However, you may find the experience less relaxing if your home decor does not resemble the tranquil surroundings of a spa.
Relaxation spa
Relaxation spas are also referred to as ‘pampering spas’ or ‘pampering and relaxation spas’. As these names suggest, stress and tension relief are the aims of these venues, which offer prescription massages, body scrubs, hydrotherapy treatments and thermal therapies to help guests escape life’s worries. relaxation spas are typically located within larger holiday and health resorts, and are self-contained (i.e. the spa experience does not extend to the resort/"s cuisine, and fitness classes are seldom provided).
Relaxation spas are ideal for those unlikely to make use of the free health and sports facility access offered by alternative spas.
Facilities and treatments vary - be sure to check individual package listings to confirm inclusions.
Spa resort
‘Spa resort’ is the generic name applicable to any spa offering hotel accommodation. While spa days are often available, guests typically visit spa resorts for overnight breaks, in order to make the very most of the site’s facilities. Many comprise state of the art gyms, fine restaurants, relaxation rooms, some of the country’s best golf courses and even more to enjoy besides. Some spa resorts (such as bootcamp spas and destination spas) are highly health-focused, while others prioritise leisure and relaxation.
Inclusions vary between resorts and packages - always check individual listings.
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Thalassotherapy spa
Thalassotherapy (from the Greek word thalassa, meaning ‘sea’) is the medical use of seawater as a form of therapy. Thalassotherapy spas often feature a warm, mineral rich thalassotherapy pool comprising powerful hydrotherapy jets to massage, tone and soothe tired and aching muscles, in addition to affusion showers (massaging and invigorating indoor sprinkler systems). These pools and showers can be filled with natural sea or spring water, or minerals may be added to pumped water for similar effect. Dead sea and seaweed spa treatments are commonly provided at Thalassotherapy spas, as are fitness facilities.
Thalassotherapy pools are great for combating cellulite and soothing joint conditions like arthritis.
Inclusions vary between Thalassotherapy spas and packages - always check individual listings.
Thermal spa
These spas feature an onsite source of thermal water, which is heated naturally by the earth’s crust. As well as providing traditional spa treatments and thermal therapies (e.g. heated body wraps and hot stone massages), in thermal spas, guests bathe in the naturally warm water, which is thought to boost blood flow and remove toxins from the body. Water from natural sources is considered particularly healing, due to its high mineral content. Those without ailments will also enjoy a day - or two - of thermal spa TLC just as much.
The water at thermal spas is believed to aid digestion and metabolism, and can provide relief from sports injuries and skin conditions.
Check individual package listings to confirm inclusions - facilities and services can vary.
Wellness spa
This term is increasingly common within the spa industry. This is because ‘wellness spa’ can be used to describe any resort at which strict nutritional food plans, fitness and stress reduction classes, and healthy lifestyle workshops are also provided for guess, as opposed to indulgent spa pampering alone.
Also see bootcamp spa, health farm, health spa and destination spa.
