By now you would’ve guessed I’m quite partial to a spa day!
I’ve been fortunate enough to have massages, body treatments and facials in some of the best day spas in the world from New York to Melbourne, in the thermal springs of Bath, at a beach spa in San Sebastián, Turkish hamam on the western coast of Turkey to Dubai and Hong Kong.
If I have a few free hours and there’s a spa in the city I’m traveling in or the hotel I’m staying in, you can bet I’ll be in it. And I don’t usually miss out on an appointment time either because I book in as far in advance as possible.
I’ve had scrubs and polishes, hot stone massages, ancient body rituals and facials to experiencing Vichy showers, steam rooms, hot tubs and Finnish style saunas. You name it, I’ve tried it.
So it would come as no surprise then that I’ve tried any dayspa in Rome that’s worth trying (by the way that doesn’t mean this list couldn’t be expanded in future!).
In Rome, these are not only my favourite place to escape from the craziness, but also the best luxury day spas in the city.
Happy pampering!
Caschera Spa, Palazzo Montemartini, (Centro, Termini)
Located within the uber boutique hotel, Palazzo Montemartini (poignantly right by the ancient Roman baths of Diocletian), the spa here is what you’d expect of a Caschera Spa and more. Open to external guests, in addition to treatment rooms, it features a hydrotonic indoor heated pool plus a jacuzzi with bubble beds where you can sit and let your worries float away. There are sensory showers, a salt room, sauna and relaxation area , cervical waterfalls, swimming aganist the tide, sensory showers, chromotherapy sensory showers, Finnish shower, sauna, Turkish bath, salt room, relaxation area with herbal teas and water plus the exclusive range of Florence based toiletries by Lorenzo Villoresi in the change area. Their signature treatment is the only one of its kind in the world.
The Roman Otium Ritual is just divine and is the ultimate in pampering treatments. Start off with a full body scrub and then after your shower, a body mask is applied to then be sensuously scraped off with a strigile – a brass cupping utensil inspired by an ancient roman technique. Finish up with a massage and you really won’t know yourself! Treatments here start from €120 and this particular ritual costs €220 for 80 minutes.
Just to add to the luxurious experience, the Caschera Spa has a concierge desk in the hotel lobby, for quick and personalised entry.
Caschera Spa at Palazzo Montermartini. Largo Giovanno Montemartini, Ph: 06 45661. Open 10:00am-9:00pm daily.
Rocco Forte Spa, Hotel de Russie (Centro, Piazza del Popolo)
Walking into the Rocco Forte Spa at Hotel de Russie – one of Rome’s premier luxury hotels – the loudness and craziness of Rome is but a distant thought. Think, a true oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the grand metropolis.
Here, a group of highly qualified and expert staff provide the ultimate in service and treatments; from body and facial treatments right though to beauty therapy and a hair salon. The spa features various treatment rooms (including a couples’ suite), a steam room, salt water hydro pool and spa, sauna, relaxation zone and state of the art fitness center, it is one of the largest and best in Rome.
In keeping with Rocco Forte’s holistic wellness philosophy, the Spa recently added a series of bespoke rituals to their repertoire including a divine ancient Roman ritual which starts off with a warm foot bath with volcanic stones and essential oils. Complete with a scrub, foot mask and reflexology massage, it’s the perfect way to relax after a day full of sightseeing. This ritual costs €160.
Massages and body treatments start from €95 and facial treatments from €120.
External guests are always welcome and the added advantage is that if you’re visiting for a day of pampering, you can have lunch, a snack or even just a cocktail in their garden bar and restaurant Le Jardin de Russie (the club sandwich is fantastic and the extensive weekend brunch at €55 per person is well worth it!).
Rocco Forte Spa, Open daily, 10am-9pm, Via del Babuino 9, Ph: +39 06 32 88 81
Kami Spa, (Centro, Barberini)
Put simply, Kami Spa is a pure haven of total relaxation and luxury treatment. The prices here are exorbitant (for Rome) but the setting, variety and quality of the treatments, very much worth the splurge every now and then. You can choose from relaxation to hot stone to Lomi Lomi (Hawaiian) to Balinese to traditional Thai. The options here are endless.
Massages range from 60 – 120 minutes and start from €100 but special promotions are held each month and advertised on their website. The hot tub and steam room can be booked without a treatment and are open to spa guests.
Kami Spa*, Open daily 10am-10pm, Via degli Avignonesi 11/12, Ph: +39 06 42010039
Aqua Madre, (Jewish Ghetto)
Located right by Largo Argentina in the Jewish Ghetto area, this place is a full service hammam complete with steam rooms, Turkish bath and options for massage and other treatments. You can purchase an exfoliating gloves and slippers on arrival or bring your own. Prices start from €50 for full use of the spa facilities and massages and other treatments from €60.
Aqua Madre, Open 11am-9pm daily except Monday (some selected times for women only), Via di San Ambrogio 17, Ph: +39 06 6864272
Baglioni Spa by Caschera Spa, (Centro, Via Veneto)
The is the brainchild of hospitality management entrepreneur, Paolo Caschera, Baglioni SPA by Caschera Spa is small and intimate but state-of-the-art. This wellness center features a wet zone complete with a hydrotherapy hot tub, Finnish-style sauna, steam room and an emotional shower to revitalize the senses. And the exclusive line of Caschera products, are made with essential oils and natural ingredients.
Choose from a range of body and facial treatments for relaxation, rejuvenation or anti-aging. Massage options include deep-tissue, lymphatic drainage, aromatherapy, hot stone therapy and Ayurveda techniques.
Massages are available in 50 or 80 minutes formats and range from €110 to €180. One of their signature treatments is a special four-hands massage with two therapists. At €230, this treatment lasts for 40 minutes.
Baglioni Spa by Caschera, Open daily from 10 a.m. to 8pm, and supplements can also be paid for private and after-hours reservations. Via Vittorio Veneto 72, Ph: 06 421111
Signing off from Trastevere,
Baci, Maria
Acknowledgements: I have been a paying customer at these day spas and even a guest on occasion at some of them. All thoughts expressed are my own; nobody tells me what to write on my blog. Note – *Kami Spa photo credit: Kami Spa Facebook.
