1 Thermae bath spa, Bath
Sink into a pool of natural thermal water as you gaze across the skyline of historic Bath in the new open-air pool at the Thermae Bath Spa. When the state-of-the-art spa finally opens its doors in December, it will be the original and only natural thermal spa in the UK. Architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw has successfully combined the old and the new with his 'glass cube' over the historic spa buildings.
As well as a series of thermal pools, including the more intimate, open-air Cross Bath, there's a Steam Floor where essential oils are infused in steam in four circular glass pods, and an Inner Space zone for yoga, meditation and pilates classes. A restaurant and shop are also on site, and a free Spa Visitor Centre in the Hetling Pump Room describes the social and cultural history that grew round Bath's spa. Interactive displays and exhibits unfold the story, from the founding of Roman Bath, through Saxon, Elizabethan and Georgian times to the recent revival of Bath's spa quarter.
At the on-site drinking fountain, visitors can sample the unique flavour of the waters for themselves.
The deal: A two-hour spa session costs £17. Cross Bath costs £10 for adults and £7.50 for teenagers between 12 and 16. Spa packages including treatments and use of the spa facilities start from £45.
Contact: 01225 331234, thermaebathspa.com The Bath Priory Hotel & Restaurant (01225 331922, thebathpriory.co.uk), with a Michelin-starred restaurant and its own spa facilities, is offering a two-night break for £360 per person based on two people sharing a double room and including two Ayurvedic treatments at its own spa, three-course à la carte dinner on one night and a half-day visit and complimentary transport to the Thermae Bath Spa half a mile away.
2 Dead Sea, Jordan and Israel
The Dead Sea's unique climate holds the key to its healing. At 400m below sea level, it's the lowest point on Earth and one of the safest places to sunbathe because the more harmful ultraviolet rays are filtered out. Sunbathing is a major part of the treatment for skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema because it dries out the skin. Bathing in the saltiest sea in the world and slathering mineral-rich mud all over your body helps too. The treatments also claim to help breathing problems, rheumatic conditions and psychological disorders.The Mövenpick Spa Resort in Jordan overlooks the Dead Sea and has its own medical centre with resident doctors who will prescribe a treatment programme tailored to your condition. There's an in-house spa, which offers pampering treatments such as massages and Dead Sea mud wraps and has swimming pools, steam room, sauna, exercise room and gym.
The deal: Body and Soul Holidays (020 7594 0290; bodyandsoulholidays.com) has a seven-night stay at the Mövenpick from £855 per person based on two sharing including half-board accommodation, return flights and transfers. A medical programme starts from £120 per week. A spa programme starts from £91 a day including three treatments.
3 Baden Baden, Germany
Most famous and stylish of Germany's spa towns. The public thermal baths, Caracalla Thermae, named after the Roman Emperor who visited the town in 213AD, have an indoor and outdoor pool and seven saunas. Many hotels have their own spas and some, such as the four-star Steigenberger Badischer Hof Hotel, pump thermal water into some guest bathrooms.
The deal: A three-night break at the five-star Brenner's Park Hotel costs £689 including return flights, first-class rail travel from Frankfurt to Baden Baden, B&B and two spa treatments at the hotel.
Contact: Moswin Tours (0116 271 9922, moswin.com
4 Spa, Belgium
Next March a state-of-the-art Nouveau Thermes de Spa will open in Spa, the town where the word originates from. Set on top of a forested hill overlooking the town, it replaces the original nineteenth-century thermal bathhouse and is bigger with more modern facilities including indoor and outdoor pools, fitness facilities, steam rooms, saunas and Jacuzzis. There are high-pressure showers, peat and carbonated baths and massage rooms. Experts have identified the different health-giving properties of the town's numerous springs.
Iron-rich water from the main mineral spring, Pouhon-Pierre-le-Grand, for instance, is good for new mothers and babies who drink it as part of a week-long postnatal therapy including underwater massage and carbonated baths. Rheumatism, circulation and breathing problems and high blood pressure are also treated here.A funicular lift will link the spa with the town centre and the Radisson SAS Palace Hotel, also scheduled to open next year.
The deal: Rates for the Radisson are not yet available but the existing Radisson SAS Balmoral Hotel (00 800 3333 3333, radissonsas.com) has rooms from £103 per night. The mother and baby package at Thermes de Spa (00 32 8777 2560, thermesdespa.com) costs €531 (£379). A baby-minding service is available.
5 The Grotta Giusti Spa Hotel, Tuscany
This nineteenth-century villa, which has attracted celebrities such as Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, has its own thermal grotto - an underground lake in a natural cave offering a detoxifying steam bath. Guests can take three consecutive baths - aptly called Paradise, Purgatory and Hell - which gradually increase in heat. An in-house medical centre offers inhalation treatment, ozonised baths, mud therapy and osteopathy. Set in a park with a swimming pool and tennis courts, the Grotta Giusti has 58 rooms and six suites.
The deal: Three nights from £536 half board per person including British Airways flights and car hire.
Contact: Italian Journeys (020 7370 6002, italianjourneys.com)
6 Termas de Puyuhuapi Hotel and Spa, Patagonia, Chille
Sit in a thermal pool surrounded by pines and ferns in the grounds of this spa hotel, which also offers hydromassage, cold-water pool and a warm sea-water and thermal-water Jacuzzi. Thalassotherapy treatments are available. The hotel overlooks Dorito Bay and is surrounded by snow-capped mountains, waterfalls and natural thermal pools.
The deal: Journey Latin America (020 8747 8315, journeylatinamerica.co.uk can tailor-make a package to the hotel. A 10-night itinerary, including a five-night stay at the hotel with unlimited use of thermal pools and spa, three nights in Chile's Lake District (which has a number of hot springs) and two nights in Santiago with an excursion to a local vineyard starts from £2,107 per person, based on two people sharing.
