The Best Day Spas In NYC For Urban Relaxation

The city never sleeps, so it’s all the more important to find a moment of much-needed peace (when possible). Want to fly off the radar for the day? Then make sure to book yourself into one of these stunning NYC day spas. From muscle-melting massages and rejuvenating facials to advanced skincare treatments, these are the best day spas in New York City to discover now.

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The Best Day Spas In NYC 2024

1. Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown

Best For: Urban luxury

A jazzy venue in the heart of TriBeCa, the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown serves up urban chic by the bucketful. The hotel’s health and wellness floor, which offers a globally-inspired treatment menu, spans a seven-room spa, pool and a state-of-the-art fitness centre overlooking Downtown.

Treatments To Book: Expect the works at The Four Seasons, from massages and body work to facials and nail care and body rituals. The hotel recently partnered with 111SKIN, and is currently the only establishment in New York City to offer treatments from the cult skincare brand brand. The collaboration has produced a range of exclusive facial treatments at this NYC spa, designed to restore, revitalise and repair all skin types. Highlights include the Celestial Black Diamond Non-Surgical Lift Facial,  which uses 111SKIN’s Intensive Collection to treat signs of aging and leave skin more lifted and youthful, and the De-Puffing Cryo Facial, a cryotherapy treament that increases microcirculation to reduce puffiness and detoxify skin. Browse the full menu of treatments at this NYC day spa here. The spa also offers more holistic treatments through its Resident Healers programme, where guests can choose from a selection of services including acupuncture, crystal therapy, meditation and sonic alchemy. You can find rates for the Resident Healer’s programme here.

Address: 27 Barclay Street, New York, NY 10007

BOOK IT: fourseasons.com

2. Equinox Hotel

Best For: Treatments with a view

Hailed as ‘an urban oasis’, Equinox is the go-to destination for ultimate relaxation (with all the bells and whistles). The spa, which offers treatment rooms overlooking the Hudson River, invites guests to clear away the cobwebs and unwind under the hands of its talented health and beauty team.

Treatments To Book: At Equinox’s spa, treatments are tailored to an individual to achieve inner and outer body excellence. Guests can choose from a menu of treatments spanning five categories: beauty, performance healing, temperature therapy, inner body and sleep. Pick a few you like the look of, or try multiple through an integrated circuit which dips into all five categories. Highlights include limited edition facial treatments by plastic surgeon Dr. Lara Devgan and science-led skincare brand Augustinus Bader, as well as a CBD recovery massage and sessions in a private infrared sauna. You can explore the full range of treatments on offer at this NYC day spa here.

Address: 33 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001

BOOK IT: equinox-hotels.com

3. QC NY

Best For: A city escape

Having only opened its doors to the public in March 2022, QC NY is one of the newer names making its way up within NYC’s wellness scene. Located on the 172-acre Governors Island on New York Harbour (you’ll need to hop on a ferry if you’re coming from the city), the spa combines classic European elements with a signature New Yorker edge.

Treatments To Book: There’s a variety of wellness experiences available to book at QC NY, from Vichy showers, infrared beds and saunas to hydro jets and steam baths (all with a beautiful view of the city across the water). This is an experience-led spa, so you won’t find an overwhelming list of treatments on offer – but you’ll find one of the most relaxing destinations in NYC. The spa is packed with themed rooms designed to immerse guests in a calm atmosphere, from the 1920s-themed Jukebox Club Room to the aromatic Alchemist Room. If you’re after a more traditional spa experience, you can book a regenerating massage to coincide with your visit. Browse the menu for this NYC day spa here.

Address: 112 Andes Road, Governors Island, New York, NY 10004

BOOK IT: qcny.com

4. The Peninsula Spa, The Peninsula New York

Best For: Unrivalled facilities

Five-star luxury hotel The Peninsula is known for offering a grand service to its guests from its coveted spot on 5th Avenue. Guests are invited to live the Manhattan lifestyle to its fullest, with Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Broadway and shopping and dining experiences all a stone’s throw away. The hotel’s spa is part of a larger wellness hub, which also comprises a fitness centre, pool and salon (owned by Vu Nguyen).

Treatments To Book: The Peninsula Spa features 10 treatment rooms, including a private suite, men’s and women’s private relaxation lounges, an Asian tea lounge and changing rooms with luxurious heat experiences, where guests can relax the day away in a grown-ups only environment. Enjoy one of the many treatments listed on the spa’s menu (we’ve got our eye on the Blissful Marma Massage, a 90-minute stress-relieving treatment that helps to align your centre and includes an aromatic facial), or opt for a Day Retreat: a three to four hour experience which includes access to the spa, fitness centre, pool and sun terrace as well as a choice of treatments. Browse the full menu of treatments exclusive to this NYC day spa here.

Address: 700 5th Avenue at 55th Street, New York, NY 10019

BOOK IT: peninsula.com

5. House of Pietro Simone NYC

Best For: Bespoke skincare treatments

Launched in October 2022, House of Pietro Simone NYC is a new skin clinic from celebrity facialist and skincare professional Pietro Simone (whose client list includes Lorraine Kelly, Poppy Delevigne, Fearne Cotton and Lisa Snowden). Pietro already has successful clinics in London’s Mayfair, Singapore and Miami, but this will be his first in the Big Apple. The clinic will deliver personalised treatments to to offer an experience unique to each guest, based on their skincare needs.

Treatments To Book: Since this is a skin clinic, you won’t find all the facilities you’d get in a traditional spa (although the Italian-inspired hospitality more than makes up for it) – but you can still expect a relaxing day out in NYC. Skincare treatments follow a methodical approach based on addressing the needs of individual skin layers, with the goal of supporting, correcting and enhancing the entire skin ecosystem. We’d recommend starting with the Introductory Facial if it’s your first time visiting, as this will help determine your skin’s needs and set you up for more targeted treatments later down the line. Beyond facials, there’s a range of body treatments, as well as micro-needling and contouring. See the full list of treatments here.

Address: 145 Spring Street, Soho, New York, NY, USA

BOOK IT: pietrosimone.com

6. Shou Sugi Ban House

Best For: Holistic wellness

Those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a day can check in to Shou Sugi Ban House, which is located just outside NYC in the Hamptons. Surrounded by neatly cultivated gardens, this is a wabi-sabi-inspired wellness retreat that focuses on treatments rooted in the natural world with an emphasis on the curative properties of the ocean, local pine forests, wild flora and indigenous herbs. This is the place for you if your idea of relaxation involves reconnecting with nature.

Treatments To Book: A spa day visit to Shou Sugi Ban House from NYC comes with a programme consisting of two treatments minimum, as well as a meal from its kitchen (which offers locally sourced, organic dishes through hyper-seasonal collaborations with local growers and purveyors). The spa’s Wellness Menu offers a holistic approach, with therapies designed to create a space for each guest to find their own slice of relaxation. Guests can choose from treatments spanning hydrotherapy, massage and bodywork, body treatments and facials, or tread off the beaten path with life-enhancing therapies (based on longevity science), healing arts (for physical, mental and spiritual healing) or book onto a multi-sensory series course (think meditation, intuitive painting and breathwork). Guests are also encouraged to try one of the many yoga, fitness and nutrition workshops on offer during their visit.

Address: 337 Montauk Highway, Water Mill, NY 11976

BOOK IT: shousugibanhouse.com

Featured image: The Peninsula New York