Inside two new spas to find sanctuary in away from bustling city life

Hectic schedules heading into London or Sydney? These two new spas are ideal for getting away from it all.

The Auriga Spa at Capella Sydney

Rooftop relaxation is the name of the game at the Auriga, the recently opened spa at the top of the Capella Sydney hotel. The sixth of the five-star franchise’s to be launched (and the first to open in Australasia), the hotel is set in a listed sandstone building that was designed in 1912 by renowned Scottish-Australian architect George McRae, and was once home to the country’s Department of Education. Set on the sixth storey in a former art gallery, Auriga’s showpiece is the 20-metre heated indoor pool, which, like the fitness facilities and much of the hotel’s communal spaces, features sizeable skylights to allow that famous Sydney sunshine to pour in. 

The emphasis on natural light and airy spaces is in keeping with the building’s baroque-style heritage, while still ensuring a thoroughly contemporary aesthetic, with plenty of greenery to encourage a connection with nature in the heart of the city. Treatment rooms are welcoming spaces that offer the utmost in comfortable luxury, from soft massage beds to aromatic skincare and oils created specifically for Auriga by Synthesis Organics in nearby Byron Bay.

Auriga takes its name from a constellation on the northern hemisphere, so naturally, there’s a major focus on time and tides. The spa’s philosophy centres around tapping into the cycles of nature and lunar motions to find equilibrium, and signature treatments such as the New Moon Renewal and Reflection, and Full Moon Cleanse and Grounding, work to energise and align, holistically treating both mind and body simultaneously. 

Everything is crafted with intent to give the ultimate localised experience, from the heated massage stones found across different corners of the country, to Rainforest Renewal body treatments, where essential oils from the Australian wilderness cleanse and refresh the skin, while antioxidants and minerals give a renewed sense of well-being. 

Other highlights on the treatment menu? A Shield session that aims to boost and support the immune system (ideal after a long flight), and the Australian Elemental Facial Alchemy, a thermo and cryo stone therapy that uses a combination of historic indigenous wisdom and natural elements from the Kakadu and Pilbara regions to rejuvenate the body into a feeling of wholeness and balance.

Aussies are famous for their love of fitness, so there’s a strong gym offering here too, with the latest in Technogym machinery and a yoga platform for classes and private sessions. Best of all, Auriga has collaborated with Fluidform, Kirsten King’s Pilates and wellness programme, bringing workouts filmed on site to either the privacy of your hotel room or through private sessions in the gym with a specialist trainer. Finish off your workout with a 90-minute Fluidform Rebalance treatment for recovery, wellness and longevity. Stewart Campbell. capellahotels.com

Surrenne at The Emory Hotel

Privacy is key at Surrenne, which shouldn’t be too surprising given it’s the ultra-exclusive members-only spa at The Emory, London’s first all-suite hotel from the team at Maybourne. Tucked away down a tiny lane in Belgravia, the hotel is the final word in inconspicuous luxury, so it tracks that Surrenne echoes that aesthetic to a tee. Open only to guests staying at the hotel, with a small set of memberships available for day visitors, the spa is set up over four impeccably designed subterranean floors, with interiors by one of the yacht world’s favourites, Rémi Tessier. 

More than 2,000 square metres are dedicated to health and well-being in a space where “high-tech meets modern ritual”. This is cleverly brought to life with a 22-metre pool that has an underwater sound system installed for in-water meditations, and a sauna and steam room area complete with a snow shower. Service in seated areas is available at the touch of a button on the coffee tables, and you can order juice, teas and healthy snacks from the Rosemary Ferguson-designed Surrenne Health Café.

Guests are kitted out in Alice Temperley-designed silk chinois robes as you wander between treatments, or you can shop the chic boutique that stocks swim, sportswear and tech favourites including Hunza G, Alo Yoga and Therabody. There’s a whole floor dedicated to fitness, with a PT and diagnostics room that uses Evolt 360, the most advanced body composition scanner around, while the gym itself is fitted with brands like Technogym, Woodway and Watson – again, the best in the business. 

Surrenne is also home to the UK’s first Tracy Anderson studio. Even the music played throughout the spa areas has been carefully created by a team of neuroscientists using AI to induce deep relaxation, and French artist Jean-Baptiste Huynh has hand-painted wall canvases with sunrises, sunsets and the sun and moon to craft a sense of connectivity with the wider world.

One of the most surreal aspects of the Surrenne experience is the realisation that this underground sanctuary is just moments from the frenetic energy of the actual London Underground and the hustle and bustle of nearby Knightsbridge. And if you fancy venturing up into the great outdoors, the team can take you wild swimming in the lakes at nearby Hyde Park too. Belle Rice. surrenne.com

First published in the February 2025 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.