Five Blissful Hotel Bathhouses
- Danielle Dybiec
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Since my first soak in the miraculous mineral waters at the Roosevelt Baths in Saratoga Springs State Park, I strongly advocate for everyone to try thermal spas, mineral soaks, and spa features at your hotel to feel relaxed and rejuvenated.
Virtuoso article below by Josie Sexton from 1/16/2025 can be found here.
Roman baths, Japanese onsen, Finnish saunas, and more destination-worthy immersions.
English Countryside
Whimsy is a given at Estelle Manor, which sits like a fairy tale between Oxford and the Cotswolds. Designed by Roman and Williams, the 108-room country house hotel and members’ club spans a wooded 85-acre estate and labyrinthine 30,000-square-foot bathhouse with a vaulted marble pool hall as its centerpiece. Spend the better part of a day circuiting among four Roman baths, a domed hammam, and a hay sauna (in which local grasses infuse the hot air). Pause for a break inside the opulent tea lounge, then finish at the “breathwork” pool, soaking by a wood fire while taking in night-sky views. Virtuoso travelers receive breakfast daily and a $100 dining credit.
Norwegian City Break
A signature tile mosaic by Norwegian muralist Per Krohg presides over the pool house at Sommerro hotel, a 231-room ode to art deco Oslo that holds the reincarnation of the city’s beloved Vestkantbadet (West-Side Bath). Throughout much of the twentieth century, residents of Oslo’s well-to-do Frogner neighborhood frequented the public swimming spot, which opened in 1932. More than 90 years and one careful renovation later, hotel guests, members, and day visitors cool off in the restored pool and cold plunge, located below the hotel, before hitting the Finnish or infrared saunas. Virtuoso travelers receive breakfast daily and a $100 hotel credit.
Traditional Japan
A block from UNESCO World Heritage site Nijo Castle, mineral waters bubble from 3,000 feet underground at the tranquil, 160-room Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto, up to onsen in the spa and some guest suites. In The Mitsui’s Thermal Spring Spa, travelers float amid boulders and waterfalls, while staff suggest bathing methods aimed at relieving ailments from insomnia to fatigue. Sessions in a private onsen set in a lantern-lit Japanese garden come with tea service. Virtuoso travelers receive breakfast daily and a $100 hotel credit.
French Riviera
It’s tough to leave the lap pool overlooking Nice’s sun-drenched Old Town and the Mediterranean Sea beyond, but 88-room Hôtel du Couvent makes a strong case for staying indoors for a spell. The former convent’s Roman-style bathhouse, a tribute to the ancient ruins in nearby Cimiez, is lined in stone columns, with soaring skylights and the occasional marble statue. Take the waters the Roman way – from warm to hot, with a final, frigid plunge – or just immerse at your leisure, on Riviera time. Virtuoso travelers receive breakfast daily and a $100 hotel credit.
Neapolitan Island
Off the coast of Naples, Ischia rouses from its winter slumber every April to warm up for high summer travel on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Devotees of this larger and less touristed neighbor to Capri swear by one hotel stay in particular, the 48-room Mezzatorre Hotel & Thermal Spa, perched over a rocky beach and a natural volcanic hot spring. The latter makes shoulder seasons on the island particularly cozy – Mezzatorre guests drop in to three spring-fed hydrotherapy pools that range in temperature from 97 to 104 degrees. Bathers alternate soaking sessions with thermal mud wraps, cold plunges, and steams. Virtuoso travelers receive breakfast daily and a $100 hotel credit.
Start planning inspired travel and read more about me and what I can do for you!
Nine Muses Travel designs journeys to inspire artists, arts lovers and the culturally curious.
Danielle Dybiec
Founder & President
WHY USE A TRAVEL ADVISOR?
Nine Muses Travel offers a premium experience with flights, guides, drivers, rental vehicles, and the best accommodations to maximize your time, with expert advice on how to get the most out of any destination. We can include amenities for you at the world's finest hotels, the BEST OF THE BEST!
Complimentary room upgrades at check-in, subject to availability
Complimentary daily breakfast
Early check-in / late check-out, subject to availability
Complimentary Wi-Fi
And more!
Nine Muses Travel works with exceptional suppliers who add unparalleled value:
Expert guides: artists, historians, naturalists, unique locals with insider tips & insights
Flexibility with your touring - See and do as much, or as little, as you prefer!
Custom-designed routings
Exclusive experiences
24/7 real-time support
Comprehensive travel protection plans
留言