Welcome to Vogue’s first ever spa guide—a compendium of the 100 best spas worldwide, pulling from the expertise of our global editors. There is a lot out there in the world of wellness, and we are here to sort the cryo from the cold plunge, the infrared light treatment from the IV infusion. Or if your path is a more holistic one—there’s something for you here, as well.
Why go here?
Few spas leave you contemplating (and Zillowing) the prospect of moving your whole life to be near them. But the just-opened spa at INNESS resort in Accord, NY—a 7,000 foot temple lofted between the Catskill and Shawangunk Mountains—does just that, thanks to founder Taavo Somer’s trademark elevated design and effortless bonhomie.
Photo: Courtesy of INNESS
What’s the vibe?
A bit like you’ve done everything right in your life, and now your reward is that you’re getting a massage at a place where Taylor Swift will someday write a nature-inspired album. As a resort, INNESS combines hotel clientele with year-round members, infusing the entire campus with neighborly campfire vibes. The atmosphere is relaxed verging on utopian: Kids romp freely, dogs are welcome, and so few adults are looking at their phones it feels like you’ve slipped through a portal. I visited the spa on the brink of its opening, so these observations are based on the overall atmosphere as well as what the spa has planned. Somer wanted a “social spa,” for instance, a place that extended the ambience–think immaculate light and eleven foot ceilings–while blending itself into the mountaintop views and twenty-four-hour birdsong. Every finish is studiously deliberate—where else can you find treatment rooms that nod to the art of James Turrell?—but nothing about INNESS, within or beyond the spa’s cedar and limewash walls—veers into snobbery.
Photo: Courtesy of INNESS
The history
Having launched iconic Manhattan spots including Freemans and The Rusty Knot, amongst other ventures, restaurateur and architect Taavo Somer was a city legend long before he put his stamp on the country. When he and his family began to spend weekends in the Accord (that’s AK-cord, like Akron, for when you go), Somer remembers feeling slightly disconnected at first. “We knew a bunch of different families, but unless you had a party to go to at someone’s house, the only way you’d see them is if you bumped into them at the grocery store. I wanted to create a real gathering place year-round—somewhere that, if you’re up here by yourself, you can pop in and spend time. For people who move here, it can accelerate that social circle.” A spa anchoring the resort was always part of Somer’s plan, but COVID delayed its fruition. Afterwards, Somer was even more determined to make sure the facility felt like a place to convene—hence its hammam-inspired flow and conversation nooks flanking the tranquility pool.