Spa hotels in Prague | bohemian-style relaxation

Housed in a former Renaissance chapel, Mandarin Oriental’s Prague spa has been sensitively refurbished,and the results are impressive: the pristine polished glass floor shows off the original Gothic foundations while staying in keeping with the interior’s minimalist vibe.

The spa’s signature treatment is a happy marriage of East and West, combining sweeping Swedish effleurage movements with more stimulating Thai-style pressure as well as a touch of reflexology all tailored to fit your needs. The results will leave you tingling with endorphins from head to toe. Alternatively, opt for the digital wellness escape, an 80-minute massage which concentrates on combating the effects of being glued to your smartphone. Splash out on the Oriental Harmony treatment in which four hands soothe away life’s stresses and strains. Savour the experience over a green tea with lemongrass in the spa’s relaxation zone located where the chapel’s altar once stood. It’s an experience bound to make the soul soar. The only thing missing is a wet area with a pool – sadly, strict regulations protecting buildings of historic importance made this impossible – but a sauna is available in the hotel’s fitness zone.

It’s bring your own fluffy slippers but otherwise there’s no skimping at Miss Sophie’s new basement spa. This recent upgrade is further evidence of how this boutique budget hotel is punching well above its weight. Book the wellness centre and the whole place is yours for up to ninety minutes. Splash around in the generously-sized jacuzzi in your bikini or even nude while swigging a bottle of Bohemia Sekt from the mini bar. Protein bars and cashew nuts are available for the less rock and roll paleo devotees. The slogan painted on the main door reminds visitors that ve zdravem téle zdravý duch: in a healthy body resides a healthy soul. Indeed, just one fifteen minute spell in the infrared sauna soothed my muscles and shifted a lingering migraine.

The stripped-down on-trend interior – think bare bricks and exposed concrete with oversized retro style chrome fittings – is in keeping with the rest of the hotel’s chic contemporary vibe. While Miss Sophie’s may not be in Prague’s quietest or most picturesque spot, it is extremely central, with fantastic transport links. Its also within easy walking distance of medieval Nove Mesto’s less explored streets so have a wander and you’re guaranteed some original shots for your Instagram feed. Those on a shoestring might consider booking into Miss Sophie’s Hostel across the street.

Tucked away down a side street away from the tourist hoards traipsing along Kaprová street to Old Town Square but still only a short distance from the main sights, Emblem Hotel’s M Spa offers a haven of tranquility in the heart of Prague. Its two floors are equipped with a Finnish ice fountain to cool down in after a restorative spell in the sauna —the results are intense —as well as a Kneipp path, a special shallow bath where you walk over stones in warm water to massage tired feet and then step into the adjacent cold section to revive them. The aim? To help boost circulation and reduce feelings of heaviness.

There is also a roomy relaxation area with copious upmarket reading materials and complementary herbal teas but M Spa’s piece-de-la resistance has to be the rooftop jacuzzi. Order a bottle of champers and soak up the superlative view including Petrin Hill topped with its replica of the Eiffel Tower and the rambling complex of palaces around St Vitus Cathedral which make up Prague Castle. All treatments use Pure Altitude cosmetics with ingredients sourced from Switzerland and include an extensive choice of massages, facials, pedicures and manicures, with special options for men wanting to be well-groomed.

In centuries gone by the narrow cobbled lanes of Mala Strana which snake around the slopes of Prague Castle were filled with the workshops of alchemists such as Elizabeth I’s trusted astrologer, John Dee, searching for the secret of transforming base metals into gold. Located in the same environs, Alchymist Hotel’s basement spa offers a uniquely magical Alice-in-Wonderland-meets-the-Far-East style experience. Guests are proffered a selection of exquisite tiny glass bottles filled with various fragrant oils so they can select the perfect one for their massage according to their mood. They are then led over a pool across a wooden bridge through an enchanted grotto illuminated by candles to one of the treatment rooms each with its own unique vibe: some date back to the eleventh century.

Escotica spa’s signature therapy is a happy marriage of Balinese, Hawaiian and Swedish massage techniques. Also on the spa menu are an aromatherapy romance massage for couples and a Javanese bust rejuvenation as well as facials, pedicures and manicures. Maintain the post-pampering glow in the relaxation area with its splash pool and opulent 18th century Chinese day bed. Should you feel the need for something more active, hit the health club where you can build up your stamina on the Technogym cardio equipment or lift some weights beneath vaulted Gothic ceilings and crystal chandeliers.

It’s hard to believe that a well-known luxury hotel like the Four Seasons only invested in full spa facilities two years ago; the decision to swap their former HR office and a small number of guest rooms for a swimming pool, sauna and steam room was a smart one. Flanked by giant opalescent vases and boasting a view of Malostranske Namesti, the pool area is an intimate space which one can imagine James Bond would be proud to use for assignations in his Kensington pad! Ava Spa takes its name from the Celtic word for wild water: aptly enough the vitality pool is equipped with a variety of fiercely bubbling hydrotherapy jets which the child in me adored playing around with.

Once you’ve finished messing around or doing lengths, unwind further with the signature massage, La Boheme, in which only locally sourced products are used with massage oils derived from the linden tree, the Czech national symbol. Alternatively, soak away nagging aches in a traditional mineral bath enhanced with essential oils and flower petals. Inspired by the powerful healing hot springs in Bohemia’s famous spa towns such as Karlovy Vary and Marianske Lazne, the water used boasts healing benefits such as improved heart circulation and lowered blood pressure.

Formerly known as Boscolo but recently renamed after the legendary Czech king Charles IV, the Spa at Carlo IV remains superlative. Pearlescent mosaic tiles twinkle under the sapphire beams illuminating the steam room: the effect will leave you feeling anything but blue. In fact, the azure lighting is a theme here and can be found throughout the spa: it’s designed to have an overall calming effect.

There is also, of course, a sauna accompanied by a chilly splash pool to cool off in after a session. However, its the generously sized pool with its bubbling hydro-massage tubs which at 20 meters long is one of the largest in a Prague hotel and without question this venue’s standout feature. Those staying elsewhere can still book a treatment or massage and then spending two hours unwinding in the spa facilities free of charge. Choose from classic massages like the lava hot stones or try something a little more unusual such as the Fly with Icarus, a relaxing head and foot massage focusing on reflexology points to promote well-being, or the Touch of Medusa, a four hands massage which promises to reverse the Greek myth by transforming your muscles from rock hard to supple.