The results are in for the 2026 Readers' Choice Awards destination spa rankings, and three names top their respective lists: Gleneagles in Perthshire for the UK, Palazzo Fiuggi in Italy for Europe, and Chiva-Som in Hua Hin, Thailand, for the rest of the world.
Gleneagles pipped Surrey's Beaverbrook to the UK crown by a whisker — 98.85 versus 98.52 — with well-rounded scores across every category rather than one standout strength. Beaverbrook's edge came partly from its therapists, including Amanda Porter, known for abdominal treatments. Further down the UK list you'll find Cliveden House (fifth), Chewton Glen in Hampshire (fourth) and Lucknam Park in Wiltshire (third), plus city entries like Claridge's and the Corinthia London.
Italy's Palazzo Fiuggi, an art nouveau property in the historic spa town of Fiuggi, took the European title with 97.78, ahead of Buchinger Wilhelmi Marbella (97.52) and SHA Spain in Alicante (97.12). The European list leans heavily on medical and fasting-focused retreats — Austria puts in a strong showing with Park Igls, Mount Med and Mayrlife, while Germany's Lanserhof Tegernsee and Schloss Elmau also feature. Design credentials helped the limestone-clad Bürgenstock on Lake Lucerne secure fourth place.
In the global list, Thailand's Chiva-Som (98.24) held off Bali's Como Shambhala Estate and fellow Thai retreat Kamalaya on Koh Samui. Bali appears three times in the top five overall, with Revivo and Fivelements also making the cut. India's wellness pedigree shows too: Ananda in the Himalayas, a list regular since 2000, sits ninth on the strength of its ayurvedic treatments and dosha-led nutrition, while Six Senses Vana also ranks in Uttarakhand.
What's striking is the range of ages among these winners. Golden Door in California opened in the 1950s, and Denmark's Kurhotel Skodsborg dates to the late 19th century — proof that longevity (the wellness industry's current obsession) applies to the retreats themselves. Fasting specialist Buchinger Wilhelmi and Chiva-Som scored particularly well on their wellness concepts, which is worth noting if your priority is a structured programme rather than a pampering weekend.
For travellers, this list doubles as a decision-making shortcut. If you want a country-house spa within reach of London, Gleneagles and Beaverbrook lead the pack. If you're after a medical reset — fasting, diagnostics, gut health — Spain's Alicante coast and the Italian and Austrian Alps dominate. And for a proper far-flung reset, Thailand and Bali between them claim six of the global top ten. Scores are reader-driven, so they reflect real guest satisfaction rather than critic hype — a useful filter when a week at any of these runs into the thousands.
