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Spa Hotels, Scored on Their Spas

SpaRator™ is our independent score out of 10 for spa and wellness hotels in America: the spa first, then the whole stay, from documented data and guest reviews.

A small square pool with turquoise water and grey loungers at Mii amo in Sedona, set against red rock cliffs.
SpaRator 8.6: Outstanding8.6 of 10Mii amoSedona, Arizona

138 hotels scoredsix categories per scorehotels cannot pay for a score

SpaRator analysis by James Sinclair · Founder & EditorUpdated

  • SpaRator Analysis

    40+ data points analyzed at every spa hotel we review

  • Live Spa Hotel Rates

    Live prices for your dates from Google Hotels, booking and hotel sites

  • Latest Spa Menus

    Treatments, durations, prices and wellness programs with the month captured

  • Hidden Fees Counted

    Resort fees, service charges and taxes counted in Value for Money

  • Editor's Verdicts

    James Sinclair, founder and editor, signs off every spa hotel analysis

  • Spa Guides & More

    Guides cover treatments, costs, hot springs, wellness trends and where to try

  • Independent

    No hotel can pay for coverage, placement or a score

What We Do

Find the Best Spa Resorts and Wellness Getaways with SpaRator

Compare spa hotels side by side: every property is scored on the same scale with the same method across six essential categories that define a great spa and wellness getaway.

Spa treatment suite with hand-painted botanical wallpaper, soaking tub and singing bowls at Faena Hotel Miami Beach
Pictured: Faena Hotel Miami Beach

What the Scores Mean

How many of the 138 hotels scored earn each grade

  1. SpaRator 9.0: Exceptional9.0 and above0 hotels
  2. SpaRator 8.0: Outstanding8.0 to 8.915 hotels
  3. SpaRator 7.5: Strong7.5 to 7.925 hotels
  4. SpaRator 7.0: Solid7.0 to 7.447 hotels
  5. SpaRator 6.0: Modest6.0 to 6.939 hotels
  6. SpaRator 5.9: LimitedBelow 6.012 hotels

How SpaRator Works

Top 10 Spa Resorts We've Scored Right Now

Ranked by SpaRator score alone, with tied hotels sharing a rank. The order shifts as we score new hotels and re-score existing ones.

Top Three

  1. Cedar-lined sauna and mosaic-tiled plunge pool with skylight in the spa at Mii amo, Sedona1
    SpaRator 8.6: Outstanding

    Mii amo

    Sedona, Arizona

    A Forbes Five-Star spa resort in Boynton Canyon, one Journey bundling treatments, rituals and meals.

    Read the analysis: Mii amo, Outstanding

  2. Natural mineral hot spring pool set between canyon rock walls and tall palm trees at Castle Hot Springs, Morristown2
    SpaRator 8.5: Outstanding

    Castle Hot Springs

    Phoenix, Arizona

    Arizona's oldest wellness resort, where lithium-rich water outworks a three-cabana spa.

    Read the analysis: Castle Hot Springs, Outstanding

  3. Therapist drizzling warm oil onto a guest's back beside French doors at The Spa at Pebble Beach3
    SpaRator 8.4: Outstanding

    Casa Palmero at Pebble Beach

    Carmel, California

    The best spa access in Pebble Beach comes with the smallest hotel and biggest bill.

    Read the analysis: Casa Palmero at Pebble Beach, Outstanding

Ranks 4 to 10

  1. 4SpaRator 8.3: Outstanding

    The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Outstanding

    Carmel, California

    The spa is the best thing at Pebble Beach that isn't a golf course.

  2. =5SpaRator 8.1: Outstanding

    CIVANA Wellness Resort and Spa, Outstanding

    Scottsdale, Arizona

    Scottsdale's only true wellness resort earns its keep in class, not in the room.

  3. =5SpaRator 8.1: Outstanding

    The Standard Spa, Miami Beach, Outstanding

    Miami, Florida

    A co-ed hammam-to-plunge circuit included with the room, plus a 97-service priced menu.

  4. =7SpaRator 8.0: Outstanding

    Acqualina Resort & Residences, Outstanding

    Miami, Florida

    Book for the cold-plunge circuit and the 20,000-square-foot beachfront spa.

  5. =7SpaRator 8.0: Outstanding

    Bernardus Lodge & Spa, Outstanding

    Carmel, California

    Book Bernardus for the grounds and the 24-hour tub, not the treatment rooms.

  6. 9SpaRator 7.9: Strong

    Carmel Valley Ranch (The Unbound Collection by Hyatt), Strong

    Carmel, California

    The freshest spa in Carmel, the deepest activity program, and the costliest way in.

  7. =10SpaRator 7.8: Strong

    Faena Hotel Miami Beach, Strong

    Miami, Florida

    Book for the hammam-led circuit, included for hotel guests, on the Miami Beach oceanfront.

  8. =10SpaRator 7.8: Strong

    Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia, Strong

    Scottsdale, Arizona

    No spa in Arizona is more beautiful, and the rooftop pool is the payoff.

  9. =10SpaRator 7.8: Strong

    The Global Ambassador, Strong

    Phoenix, Arizona

    The sharpest skin-science spa in Arizona, attached to a hotel that runs loud.

Hotels move to the newest method version one at a time, so the ten can come from different versions. Each hotel's analysis states its version.

Compare Every Destination

Where to Go

Our Top Spa Destinations

Desert and red-rock spa resorts in Arizona, Miami Beach, the Gulf Coast, and the Keys in Florida, and the California coast: every city page ranks its scored hotels, so you can compare before you book a spa getaway.

  • Craftsman-style hillside cottage with wooden porches and stone steps among oaks at Meadowood Napa Valley, St. Helena, California

    Napa Valley, California

    18 spa hotels

    SpaRator 8.5: OutstandingTop rated Meadowood Napa Valley

  • White plaster building exterior with flagstone stairway, bougainvillea, and saguaro cactus at CIVANA Wellness Resort and Spa, Carefree

    Scottsdale, Arizona

    17 spa hotels

    SpaRator 8.1: OutstandingTop rated CIVANA Wellness Resort and Spa

  • A cream two-story tower with a sign for Playa Largo Resort & Spa stands among royal palms and pink bougainvillea in Key Largo.

    Florida Keys, Florida

    15 spa hotels

    SpaRator 7.0: SolidTop rated Playa Largo Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection

  • Treatment room with a massage table, mosaic-framed mirror and candle holders at Opal Spa in Opal Sands Resort, Clearwater Beach.

    Tampa, Florida

    13 spa hotels

    SpaRator 7.3: SolidTop rated Opal Sands Resort

  • An oval tub with steel handrails, planting beds, and wicker loungers at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando in Orlando, Florida.

    Orlando, Florida

    11 spa hotels

    SpaRator 7.7: StrongTop rated The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

  • Palm trees, a turquoise pool, and a long white dock along green bay water at The Standard Spa, Miami Beach.

    Miami, Florida

    10 spa hotels

    SpaRator 8.1: OutstandingTop rated The Standard Spa, Miami Beach

  • Tower at dusk over a pool deck with loungers and terrace at JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, Marco Island. (Pictured: JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort)

    Naples, Florida

    10 spa hotels

    SpaRator 7.7: StrongTop rated Naples Beach Club, A Four Seasons Resort

  • Grey cabins with red metal roofs and a lawn ring of Adirondack chairs around a lit fire pit at Castle Hot Springs, Morristown

    Phoenix, Arizona

    10 spa hotels

    SpaRator 8.5: OutstandingTop rated Castle Hot Springs

  • Aerial view of the Manor House, great lawn and twin pools against the Santa Ynez Mountains at Rosewood Miramar Beach, Montecito

    Santa Barbara, California

    10 spa hotels

    SpaRator 7.8: StrongTop rated Rosewood Miramar Beach

  • A brick-toned resort wing of balconied rooms below steep ridgelines, saguaros and flowering shrubs at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson.

    Tucson, Arizona

    10 spa hotels

    SpaRator 7.7: StrongTop rated Loews Ventana Canyon Resort

  • Heated outdoor pool with loungers, umbrellas and a tiled-roof loggia under oaks at Casa Palmero, Pebble Beach

    Carmel, California

    9 spa hotels

    SpaRator 8.4: OutstandingTop rated Casa Palmero at Pebble Beach

  • A large L-shaped pool with turquoise water and white umbrellas at Enchantment Resort in Sedona, with a red rock cliff behind. (Pictured: Enchantment Resort)

    Sedona, Arizona

    5 spa hotels

    SpaRator 8.6: OutstandingTop rated Mii amo

Compare Every Destination

Start With the Experience

Ways to Spa

Start with the spa experience you want: hot springs resorts, thermal and hydrotherapy circuits, destination spas, or spa access included with the room. Then see which scored hotels deliver it.

What Kind of Spa

  1. No Spa2
  2. Treatment-Only13
  3. Full-Service49
  4. Thermal Complete13
  5. Destination-Grade11

Across 88 published analyses with a tier

  • Spa whirlpool with blue diamond tile surround and tall arched windows at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples, Naples Florida

    Hot and Cold Circuits

    23of 97 hotels we checked have one

    Pictured: The Ritz-Carlton, Naples

    See the 5 in Miami

  • Circular steam hammam with domed skylight and hexagonal stone centerpiece at Faena Hotel Miami Beach

    Spa Access Included

    11of 101 hotels we checked include it

    Pictured: Faena Hotel Miami Beach

    See the 3 in Miami

  • Aerial view of the resort's four mineral pools, orange umbrellas and buildings ringed by mountains at Calistoga Spa Hot Springs, Calistoga

    Hot Springs Resorts

    6hot springs resorts listed

    Pictured: Calistoga Spa Hot Springs

    Read the Hot Springs Guide

  • Elevated view of modern atrium guest rooms along a winding pathway with red rock panorama at Ambiente, Sedona

    Desert Retreats

    42hotels scored in Arizona

    Pictured: Ambiente, A Landscape Hotel

    Explore Arizona

  • Aerial view of palm-lined beach with bungalows and lounge chairs at Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, Little Torch Key

    Coastal Florida

    59hotels scored in Florida

    Pictured: Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, Little Torch Key

    Explore Florida

Plan Your Stay

Our Spa Guides

From massage and facials to hot springs, hammam and sauna, our guides explain what each is, what it costs, and where to try it at scored hotels.

Spa Treatments Offered

Who We Are

Why You Can Trust Our Ratings

James Sinclair

James Sinclair

Founder & Editor, Spa Hotel Finder

James Sinclair is the founder and editor of Spa Hotel Finder and creator of the SpaRator methodology; in 2019 he founded Blue Astoria Media Group, which publishes the site. He has spent more than 20 years at leading media and travel publications, including The Telegraph, Condé Nast International and Time Out Group, across strategy, commercial and editorial roles, and visited hundreds of spa hotels across six continents.

Our analyses are synthesized from desk research, not first-hand visits, unless a dated "Visited by James" badge on the page says so.

ProfilesLinkedInMuck RackWikidataQwoted

How We Rate

  1. Six Categories, One Scale

    Every hotel is scored on the same six categories, and cities move to the latest method version one at a time.

  2. Dated, Checked and Corrected

    Each city's rates carry a capture month, and errors are corrected in the open under our corrections policy.

What the Data Shows

138
hotels scored, in 12 cities across 3 states
23 of 97
hotels we checked have a hot-and-cold circuit
11 of 101
include spa access for hotel guests; 32 publish no policy at all

Rates captured September to October 2026

Where Every Score Comes From

SpaRator is built from evidence anyone can check, and we say where every piece comes from.

Guest Reviews
For every hotel, we read and count guest reviews on Google, TripAdvisor and Booking.com.
Rates
Rates come from Google Hotels, which gathers the prices listed by Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, Kayak, Agoda and the hotel's own site. Scores use dated captures: room plus resort fee and tax.
The Hotel
Facilities, treatments, prices and policies come from the hotel's own website and its published spa menu.
Our Research
Our research turns these into more than 40 documented data points per hotel, scored by the same method.

Your Questions, Answered

What Is SpaRator?

SpaRator is our score out of 10 for a spa hotel, led by its spa. It combines three spa and wellness categories (Spa Treatments, Spa Facilities, Wellness Programs) with three that cover the whole stay: Staff & Service, Experience, and Value for Money. All six are equally weighted and averaged. Each score rests on more than 40 documented data points, independent facility research and the hotel's guest reviews.

What Is a Spa Hotel?

A spa hotel is a hotel with a spa, but spas range widely. SpaRator sorts spas into five tiers: No Spa (pools and hot tubs are not a spa), Treatment-Only (treatment rooms, no thermal or relaxation facilities), Full-Service (at least four treatment rooms, spa changing rooms, lounge), Thermal Complete (full-service spa plus a heat-and-cold circuit), Destination-Grade (that plus scale and a hammam or mineral pool). Every analysis names the tier.

What Is the Best Spa Resort in the US?

Right now, the highest SpaRator score among the hotels on our city pages is Mii amo in Sedona, Arizona at 8.6 (Outstanding). Our ranking updates as hotels are scored and re-scored; the Top 10 on this page lists the rest.

How Much Does a Spa Day or Massage Cost?

Across 95 scored hotels with published menu prices, a standard 45- to 60-minute massage runs from $100 to $375, and the median starting price is $195. Taxes, service charges (often around 20%), resort fees and add-ons usually come on top, and we count them into Value for Money. Spa access for non-guests (day passes) varies by hotel, and each analysis states the access rules.

Why Not Just Read Hotel Reviews?

Hotel reviews score the stay in general and rarely measure the spa. SpaRator starts from the spa and wellness facilities, then still scores the service, guest record, and value of the whole stay. We read thousands of guest reviews and combine them with facility and pricing research, so you see both.

Why Are Some Cities Still Unrated?

Napa Valley, Orlando, and Tampa list their hotels without scores while their analysis is still in progress. We publish a score only after the full research and review work is done, and we don't promise a completion date for those pages.

Do Hotels Pay to Be Listed?

No. Properties cannot pay to appear, to improve a SpaRator score, or to influence what an analysis says, and no hotel has hosted or paid for an analysis. A score is earned on the evidence, not on a relationship.

How Current Are the Prices?

This homepage shows scores, not prices. On each city page, every hotel shows one off-season all-in price per night (room plus resort fee and tax), labelled with the month it was captured, or "Rate not captured." Live rates for your chosen dates load on each hotel's page.

Can I Book Through Spa Hotel Finder?

No. Spa Hotel Finder does not take bookings. Most hotel pages link to booking partners: Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, Kayak, and Agoda. A few hotels sell only direct, and every page links to the hotel's own website. We may earn a commission on some partner bookings at no change to your price, and it never affects a score.