Study: The world's best spa city is in England — and the full 2025 rankings have lessons for every UK spa owner

Which city in the world offers the best spa experience? The answer might surprise you. It's not New York, Paris, or Tokyo. It's Bath, England — a Georgian city of honey-coloured stone, cobbled streets, and thermal waters that have drawn visitors since Roman times.

To find out where spa culture is truly thriving, we ranked 55 cities worldwide across five factors: spa density, guest satisfaction, digital demand, luxury provision, and affordability. Bath came out on top. And for spa owners and operators in the UK and Europe, the full results make for compelling reading.

Knowing where spa culture is thriving can help you identify your market's strengths and spots for growth. If you're a spa owner in the UK or Europe thinking about expanding, cities with strong demand for wellness signal plenty of potential clients. On the flip side, areas with growing interest but fewer spas could be the perfect place to open a new location and get ahead of the curve.

Key takeaways

• Bath, England, ranks first in the world — leading globally for spa density and placing fifth for spa-related search interest
• Geneva (Switzerland) and Milan and Rome (Italy) dominate the global luxury market, with Geneva ranking first worldwide for high-end spa provision
• Osaka and Kyoto (Japan) offer the most affordable spa experiences of any city studied, while Glasgow, Scotland ranks third globally for affordable spa provision
• São Paulo (Brazil), Kyoto (Japan), and Scottsdale (US) earned the highest guest satisfaction scores globally, each rating above 4.3 out of 5

Where spa culture thrives: the top global destinations

The world's top spa cities balance four things well: accessibility, affordability, quality, and popularity. Our study ranked 55 cities across all of these dimensions — and a British city came out on top.

Bath, England, with its centuries-old wellness traditions, ranked first for spa density and placed fifth in spa-related search interest. It also stood out with a notable presence of luxury spas, securing 13th spot for high-end offerings.

Palm Springs, California, earned the top position for digital demand, with the highest number of spa-related searches per capita. Miami, Florida, rounded out the global top three with strong showings in both spa density and search interest.

Want to know which other cities made the list? Check out the full ranking of all 55 cities.

The rankings are based on five key factors, ensuring a comprehensive guide to the best spa destinations globally.

Bath tops the world — here's why

Bath's number one ranking isn't accidental. The city recorded 157.3 spas per capita — more than any other city in the study — making it easier for visitors and residents to find a spa than virtually anywhere else on earth. It also placed fifth globally for spa-related search interest, and 13th for luxury spa provision.

The heritage runs deep. Bath was founded by the Romans in the first century AD, who believed the area's natural hot springs had healing properties. Those same thermal waters still flow today, and in 2021 Bath was listed as one of the Great Spa Towns of Europe by UNESCO — recognition that its wellness identity is as much cultural as commercial.

For UK spa operators, Bath's ranking is a powerful proof point: British spa culture is world-class, and there is a ready audience to match.

The European picture: luxury, heritage, and the Glasgow surprise

While Bath tops the overall rankings, the European picture goes well beyond one city. When it comes to luxury spa provision, Europe dominates the global stage.

Geneva, Switzerland, ranked first in the world for luxury, with half of its spas classified in the highest pricing tier. Milan (33%) and Rome (20%) followed closely behind, confirming that continental Europe sets the international benchmark for premium wellness experiences.

But Europe's spa story isn't only about luxury. At the other end of the pricing spectrum, Glasgow, Scotland, ranked third in the world for affordable spa provision, with 83% of its spas in the accessible pricing tier — behind only Osaka and Kyoto in Japan. That makes Glasgow one of the most accessible spa cities on the planet, and a market worth watching for operators targeting value-conscious clients.

It's also worth noting that Barcelona and Madrid ranked among the bottom three cities globally for spa density, and Hamburg ranked in the bottom three for search volume. For operators considering European expansion, these figures point to markets where consumer demand may not yet be matched by supply.

This has practical implications for UK operators at the premium end of the market. European guests — particularly those who travel between London, Geneva, Milan, and other major cities — arrive with expectations shaped by the world's finest spas. Understanding what Geneva and Milan do well is directly relevant to how you position and price your own offering.

Guest satisfaction: what the highest-rated cities have in common

High density and luxury positioning don't automatically translate into happy guests. The cities that scored best for satisfaction — São Paulo, Kyoto, and Scottsdale, each rating above 4.3 out of 5 stars — share a consistent culture of service quality and personalised treatment.

For UK operators, the lesson is that guest experience is the most replicable advantage. You don't need Bath's Roman heritage or Geneva's price point to earn exceptional reviews. Consistent, high-quality service is achievable at any scale.

How to use these insights to grow your spa

Expansion opportunities: Cities and regions with rising wellness interest but relatively few spas represent the clearest opportunities. Use local search trend data to identify where demand is outpacing supply in your area.

Market positioning: If you operate in or near a strong UK spa market, your competitive advantage lies in quality and digital visibility. Make it easy for guests to find you, book you, and review you.

Setting the right standard: Geneva and Milan set the global benchmark for premium spa experiences. If you're at the top end of the market, these are your reference points for treatment innovation, environment, and pricing.

Pricing strategy: Our study found that Geneva prices boldly at the top end, while Japanese cities demonstrate that accessible pricing can coexist with exceptional quality. Consider whether your current pricing reflects your market position — and whether tiered offerings could open up a wider client base.

Digital demand: Palm Springs had nearly 44,000 spa-related searches per 100,000 residents — far ahead of any European city in our study. UK and European spas have significant room to grow their digital presence. Investing in local SEO, online booking, and review management could meaningfully shift your position in search results.

The world's best spa city is in the UK. What comes next?

Bath's number one global ranking confirms something the industry has long known: the UK has the heritage, the infrastructure, and the appetite to lead in wellness. The question for British and European operators is how to build on that foundation.

Spas offer more than just relaxation — they reflect a city's culture of care, self-investment, and hospitality. For spa owners and operators, these findings pinpoint the ingredients of a thriving spa market: accessible services, quality experiences, and strong local interest. The opportunity? Take these lessons and consider where your business could grow next.

From online booking to guest retention, Zenoti gives UK and European spa operators the tools to compete at a world-class level. Explore how the platform could work for you.

Methodology

This study ranked the best cities in the world for spas using a combination of Yelp data and Google search interest. The analysis was limited to cities with sufficient Yelp coverage and spa-related listings.

Study criteria and data sources

We evaluated global cities that met the following inclusion criteria:

• At least 20 spa listings available on Yelp to ensure data reliability
• Available population data to calculate spa density per capita
• Search interest data based on 2025 Google search volume for "spas near me"

Each city's final score was calculated using a weighted index based on the following five factors:

• Number of spas per capita on Yelp (30%): measures accessibility and density of spa services
• Average Yelp rating of spas (25%): reflects customer satisfaction and quality
• 2025 search volume for "spas near me" per capita (25%): gauges demand and interest in local spa services
• Percentage of luxury spas (10%): defined as spas labelled with "$$$$" on Yelp
• Percentage of affordable spas (10%): defined as spas labelled with "$" or "$$" on Yelp

Exclusions and limitations

Cities were excluded if they had fewer than 20 spa listings on Yelp or lacked sufficient search volume or population data. Due to these data availability constraints, some notable cities may not appear in the ranking.

While Yelp and search data offer valuable insight, the study does not account for unlisted spas or those on platforms outside of Yelp; spa quality indicators not reflected in reviews (e.g. certifications, facilities); or variations in data collection methods across countries.

The rankings reflect only the cities that met our inclusion criteria and are based on the defined variables and weights. As such, "top" or "best" cities refer specifically to those ranked highest among this dataset, not necessarily all cities globally.

About Zenoti

Zenoti provides an all-in-one, cloud-based software solution that empowers salons, spas, clinics, barbershops, and fitness studios to seamlessly manage every aspect of the business in a comprehensive mobile solution.

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