World’s Best Resort Spas 2025: Costa Navarino Wins

This September, the World Spa Awards named The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino (Greece) the World’s Best Resort Spa 2025. The nominees span Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Caribbean, showing how resort spas now serve as full wellness destinations, not just hotel amenities.

1. The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino — Greece (Winner)

Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino — Greece. Photo credit: Expedia Travel Creator Program

The award-winning spa at Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino, features a 25-meter indoor–outdoor pool, panoramic olive sauna, Japanese bath, mineral and flower steam rooms, hydrotherapy circuits, and an ice fountain. Treatments use botanical formulations alongside luxury brands like 111Skin and Oskia. Guests can also join yoga, Pilates, and fitness sessions, making the spa central to the entire resort experience.

2. Anantara Spa at Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas — Malaysia (Nominee)

Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas. Photo credit: Expedia Travel Creator Program

Anantara Desaru’s spa houses six treatment rooms with private bathrooms, a relaxation lounge, and a boutique. Signature therapies include the “Roots of Malaysia” massage with long palm strokes and meridian pressure, as well as a bamboo massage using warmed sticks and a coconut–mint scrub. The spa also offers pregnancy-support programs using Biologique Recherche products, tying traditional practices to modern care.

3. Asaya Spa at Rosewood Sand Hill — California, USA (Nominee)

Rosewood Sand Hill — California, USA. Photo credit: Expedia Travel Creator Program

Located at the foothills of Silicon Valley, Asaya Spa emphasizes restoration and resilience. Facilities include treatment suites, outdoor relaxation areas, and a movement studio. Programs focus on integrative therapies, yoga, and mindfulness, appealing to both leisure guests and local wellness seekers in Northern California.

4. Neyrah Spa at Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve — Saudi Arabia (Nominee)

Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve — Saudi Arabia. Photo credit: Expedia Travel Creator Program

Neyrah Spa sits on the Ummahat Islands of the Red Sea. Its design incorporates indoor–outdoor treatment areas with views of the water. Treatments use desert botanicals and marine elements, reflecting the surrounding environment. As a Ritz-Carlton Reserve spa, it prioritizes personalized, locally grounded wellness experiences.

5. NIZUC Spa by ESPA at NIZUC Resort & Spa — Mexico (Nominee)

 NIZUC Resort & Spa — Mexico. Photo credit: Expedia Travel Creator Program

The NIZUC Spa is the first ESPA-branded facility in the Mexican Caribbean. It offers the “NIZUC Thermal Experience,” which guides guests through a circuit of sauna, steam, cold plunge, and hydrotherapy pools. The treatment menu combines European techniques with Mayan healing rituals, reinforcing the spa’s cultural connection to its setting.

6. One&Only Spa at One&Only Cape Town — South Africa (Nominee)

One&Only Cape Town — South Africa. Photo credit: Expedia Travel Creator Program

The One&Only Cape Town spa is located on a private island within the resort at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Facilities include multiple treatment villas, a yoga pavilion, and a relaxation garden. Treatments range from global wellness therapies to African-inspired rituals, positioning the spa as an urban oasis within Cape Town.

7. Spa by JW at JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa — Australia (Nominee)

JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa — Australia. Photo credit: Expedia Travel Creator Program

The Spa by JW offers treatment rooms with ocean views, hydrotherapy, and relaxation areas. Programs emphasize four pillars: Calm, Indulge, Invigorate, and Renew. Seasonal packages and wellness journeys are designed for both hotel guests and local visitors, making it a community wellness hub on Australia’s Gold Coast.

8. Sundara Spa at Oil Nut Bay — British Virgin Islands (Nominee)

Oil Nut Bay — British Virgin Islands. Photo credit: Expedia Travel Creator Program

Sundara Spa + Studio at Oil Nut Bay is a boutique island wellness center offering bodywork, skincare treatments, and fitness classes. The spa integrates natural oils and island botanicals into its therapies. With its secluded Caribbean setting, it delivers privacy and personalized wellness programs for villa guests.

9. Waldorf Astoria Spa at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi — Maldives (Nominee)

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi — Maldives. Photo credit: Expedia Travel Creator Program

The Waldorf Astoria Spa includes the Maldives’ first Aqua Wellness Centre, featuring a hydrotherapy pool with air and water jets, sauna, steam, and an ice fountain. Private treatment villas extend into the lagoon, offering ocean views during therapies. Guests can also access a meditation pavilion and wellness concierge services.

The 2025 Resort Spa category highlights the evolution of spa culture into destination-defining experiences. The Costa Navarino win shows how Greece is positioning itself as a serious wellness hub, while nominees from Malaysia to Mexico emphasize localized therapies and cultural identity.

The range—from Silicon Valley mindfulness at Asaya to hydro-based innovation in the Maldives—illustrates that today’s resort spa is no longer secondary to the hotel. It is the heartbeat of the property, shaping how travelers engage with place, health, and luxury.