James Sinclair
Founder & CEO, Spa Hotel Finder
James Sinclair, founder of Spa Hotel Finder, an independent spa-hotel review platform. James brings more than 20 years of experience in travel media and digital publishing, and has visited hundreds of spa hotels across six continents — from destination spas in the Alps to hot-spring resorts in California wine country. To date, he has personally scored more than 120 spa hotels with SpaRator.
How I review
Every hotel on Spa Hotel Finder is scored with SpaRator, the site’s proprietary six-category rating methodology, and reviewed with original, experience-led analysis rather than repackaged marketing copy. Reviews are never sponsored by the properties covered.
Background
James is Founder & CEO of Blue Astoria Media Group Ltd, the London-based publisher behind Spa Hotel Finder, Petal Republic, and Paris Playbook. Before founding Blue Astoria, he spent two decades in media, holding senior strategy, audience-growth, and commercial roles at The Telegraph, Condé Nast International, and Time Out.
For expert commentary on spa hotels and wellness travel, contact James via Muck Rack.
Latest spa hotel articles and wellness guides by James
August 12, 2026
13 min read
A resort spa menu will show you eight facials and sell you maybe five genuinely different treatments. Choose by the outcome you want for your skin, not by the name printed on the page.
August 5, 2026
17 min read
What a body wrap spa treatment actually does, honest pricing at US hotel spas, the truth on detox claims, and whether to book a wrap, scrub, or both.
August 4, 2026
16 min read
What is really in a spa mud bath treatment, what happens during the session, real benefits vs. marketing claims, and the cost versus a massage.
August 3, 2026
18 min read
Compare hot springs in Southern California: Glen Ivy, Murrieta and Desert Hot Springs day passes from $10 to $129, plus which wild springs are open.
August 1, 2026
15 min read
What do mineral springs and geothermal waters really do? See which hot springs benefits survive clinical scrutiny and how to pick a spa worth the trip.
July 31, 2026
20 min read
Compare 12 hot springs in the US with 2026 prices, permit rules, and safety guidance, covering both developed resorts and free wild soaks.
July 30, 2026
15 min read
A hammam is a steam bath built around an attended scrub ritual. Learn what happens step by step, what it costs, what to wear, and who should skip it.
July 30, 2026
14 min read
What a hydrotherapy circuit is, every station’s real temperature, the right order, what it costs, and the etiquette nobody posts. Learn before you book.
July 29, 2026
17 min read
Discover how communal bathing works across onsen, hammam, banya, and thermal baths: nudity rules, tattoo policies, etiquette, and where to try it now.
July 29, 2026
15 min read
A sauna guide for spa hotel guests: thermal circuit order, etiquette by country, Aufguss rituals, and what the research actually shows. Learn before you go.
July 29, 2026
21 min read
Discover 17 types of spa massage and how to choose from a hotel spa menu, with real resort prices, honest upcharge advice and booking tips for first-timers.
July 20, 2026
16 min read
The 9 spa and wellness travel trends 2026 will run on, each tied to a real US spa hotel, real prices, and an honest take on what actually works.
May 12, 2026
15 min read
From the Four Seasons’ 30,000 sq ft Sanctuary Spa to a boutique mangrove beach resort — we’ve reviewed and ranked Naples Florida’s 10 best spa hotels by SpaRator score.
March 30, 2026
15 min read
From Carillon’s 70,000 sq ft medical wellness resort to Faena’s South American shamanic hammam — we’ve reviewed and ranked Miami’s 10 best spa hotels by SpaRator score.
March 27, 2026
11 min read
The best time to visit Scottsdale spa hotels depends on what you want — perfect weather, lower rates, or uncrowded pools. Here’s when to book each.
March 3, 2026
22 min read
Ranked and reviewed by SpaRator, our independent assessment of 17 properties across the Scottsdale spa hotel market.
February 23, 2026
16 min read
We assessed 10 properties. Here’s what the longevity claims are worth, and where you’ll find the real biohacking hardware.
February 19, 2026
10 min read
Hotels have been claiming to offer exceptional sleep for as long as there have been thread-count numbers to print on the packaging. Now the industry has a name for it — sleep tourism — and a market valuation to match.
Recently reviewed spa hotels - every one scored with SpaRator.
Independent review of Little Palm Island: a private 4.5-acre island reached by boat or seaplane, five oceanfront treatment rooms, and no thermal…
Tucson's first resort, 1912. A garden that grows the treatments, a Tohono O'odham labyrinth, and no sauna, steam room, or plunge. SpaRator…
L'Apothecary's four treatment rooms, an apothecary blending station nothing else in Arizona has, sound healing, vortex hikes, and no sauna. SpaRator 8.0.
Tierra Luna's 28,000 sq ft spa, a rare Himalayan salt chamber, Sol Garden contrast bathing, and the service caveat nobody mentions. SpaRator…
Alvadora Spa reviewed: a herbalist menu guests never mention, a 2025 renovation, split treatment verdicts, and the $90-a-day fee math. SpaRator 7.4.
The waterfront's biggest resort runs its spa three days a week — maybe. Our SpaRator review scores the Hilton Beachfront 6.2 and…
Marrakesh tile, no Moroccan bathhouse — and the hotel admits it. Our SpaRator review scores Hotel Californian 7.3: downtown's prettiest small spa,…
The best view in Santa Barbara and its most complete small spa — with service drifting. Our SpaRator review scores El Encanto…
One of 15 hotels worldwide with the Forbes triple Five-Star. Our SpaRator review scores Miramar 8.3 — seven perfect treatment rooms, and…
42,000 sq ft, 36 treatment rooms — Santa Barbara's biggest spa, uneven service. Our SpaRator review scores Bacara 8.0 and says who…
No thermal circuit, no spa building to speak of — and it works. Our SpaRator review scores San Ysidro Ranch 7.6 and…
Side-by-side mud for $128pp, no resort fee, no added gratuity — Calistoga's cheapest credible ritual. Our SpaRator review scores Golden Haven 7.4.