Image courtesy of Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya
The best hotels mind the details — especially when it comes to their spas. An excellent spa can be magical, and the products they choose only add to that holistic magic. From the packaging to the testing to the integrity of the raw ingredients, results-driven skincare brands are chosen for a reason.
Below, we’ve listed seven of our favorite hotel spas and the brands they partner with — the ultimate matches made in heaven. Connect with Fora for a VIP booking experience, and to obtain that vacation-induced glow.
Passalacqua x Seed to Skin
Images courtesy of Ruben Ortiz for Passalacqua
Everything about Passalacqua, a dreamy palazzo surrounded by gardens on the banks of Lake Como, feels like a fairytale. This is especially true of its spa.
“When the moment came to pick a line for our beloved Spa at Passalacqua, our aim was to find something that was inspired by our same values and reflected our philosophy: 100% Italian and full of love,” Valentina De Santis, Passalacqua’s owner and founder, said. “Seed to Skin came very naturally as a choice!”
The brand was founded by Jeanette Thottrup, a close friend and the founder of Borgo Santo Pietro, “a jewel in the Tuscan countryside,” Valentina said. Location matters. Seed to Skin’s clinically tested products are crafted from wild and organic ingredients inspired by the region. (The brand grows much of the raw materials on their own farm.)
“Its connection with the Tuscan environment reminds me of our love for the beauty that surrounds us — our strong bonds with Lake Como, its landscapes and moods — that make me think every day, in every season that I live in the most beautiful place in the world,” Valentina added.
Images courtesy of Ruben Ortiz for Passalacqua
Valentina said a crowd favorite at Passalacqua’s spa is the Jet Lag Remedy, an elaborate ritual that starts with a Sicilian sea-salt scrub followed by a massage that incorporates healing herbs, flowers and oils. The experience ends with a mini facial designed to increase lymph flow and leave skin feeling plum and renewed.
“For guests coming from far away, this treatment serves as the perfect antidote,” she added, “restoring a profound sense of wellbeing that is essential for kicking off a well-deserved vacation at Passalacqua.”
Before your treatment, steam and sauna in the spa’s sottoterra, a secret underground passageway that leads to a heated pool (with garden views, no less). Inside the waiting room, relax beneath a hand-carved, intricately etched Moroccan chandelier, one of the few non-Italian artifacts in Passalacqua. Passalacqua is, in essence, an homage to Italian excellence.
"I lived in a real-life fairytale," Fora Advisor Lindsay Burkhead said. “Be prepared to be ruined for all hotels after a stay at Passalacqua.”
Fora Perks:
$100 hotel / resort credit, breakfast daily, an upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Lily of the Valley x Biologique Recherche
Images courtesy of Lily of the Valley
For Lucie Weill, the founder and owner of Lily of the Valley, partnering with the French skincare brand Biologique Recherche was a no-brainer.
"The brand’s philosophy blends science, luxury and personalization, making it a perfect fit for an exclusive wellness sanctuary," she said. "They don't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach and customize treatments based on each person's "skin instant," meaning the specific needs of the skin at any given moment."
Although Lily of the Valley has a suite of programs centered on the body — aging well, fitness, detox — Lucie advised not to miss out on a facial, which utilizes “amazing technologies” and targeted approaches. All treatments are done in the hotel’s Shape Club, a breezy, Mediterranean-villa-like complex centered on a sleek semi-Olympic outdoor pool. Her mandatory treatment is the Seconde Peau experience, which uses an electrospun hyaluronic-acid mask and mimics the skin's natural regenerative processes for an "immediate lift" effect.
Biologique Recherche has their own research-and-development team, and takes a rigorous, scientific approach to skincare (which is one of the reasons Lucie loves them so much). You’ll find high concentrations of plant and biotechnological extracts in their formulas, which are cold-processed to preserve the integrity of such meticulously sourced ingredients. What you won’t find is synthetic fragrances and other unnecessary fluff.
Everything at Lily of the Valley is personal. Biologique Recherche takes the same approach, as do Lily of the Valley’s incredibly talented facialists. The hotel’s skincare experts start by understanding your goals, identifying exactly what treatment you need.
"Skin care is self care," Lucie said. "Taking time to nurture your skin is as much about emotional well-being as it is about aesthetics."
Fora Perks:
$100 hotel / resort credit, breakfast daily, an upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Greenwich Hotel x Augustinus Bader
Image courtesy of the Greenwich Hotel
The subterranean Shibui Spa, in TriBeCa’s Greenwich Hotel, feels worlds away. Even waiting for your treatment feels luxurious. You’ll don a surprisingly heavy Japanese robe before entering the dimly lit waiting area, where herbal tea in a surprisingly heavy teapot awaits. The room’s soothing pool sits below the reconstructed frame of an old Japanese farmhouse. Next, you’ll be led to your treatment room, where rustic wood and a soothing Japanese aesthetic also reign.
Go for the Augustinus Bader facial. The brand’s namesake is a renowned biomedical scientist and physician. In addition to founding one of the world’s premier (and effective) skincare companies, Professor Bader is also the acting director of Applied Stem Cell Biology and Cell Technology at the University of Leipzig.
Unsurprisingly, his skincare line leverages the body’s own healing mechanisms — namely through their patented Trigger Factor Complex, or TFC8®. TFC8® is made up of powerful peptides, amino acids and vitamins that are naturally found in the body, supporting the skin’s innate ability to replenish and heal itself.
And if you want to try another clean skincare brand at Shibui Spa, try the Natura Bissé facial. The treatment uses the Spanish brand’s collection of concentrated products designed to nourish and fortify skin at every stage of life.
Fora Perks:
$100 hotel / resort credit, $45 daily breakfast credit, an upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection x goop
Images courtesy of Nicole Franzen and Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection
It’s easy to fall in love with Mauna Lani — with its “amazing blend of casual elegance,” per Fora Advisor Jill Hirsberg. But it’s even easier knowing that the resort’s spa — its own airy, tropical oasis — is the sole place where you can get a goopGlow facial.
“My favorite part about goop's skincare products has always been that they provide immediate results!” Psalm Quinn, Mauna Lani’s Spa Director, said.
Jill agreed, adding how goop’s products feel “luxurious and sophisticated, like you are putting something really good for you on your skin, but also something really effective and decadent.”
The goopGlow facial uses the brand's clinically tested, clean products. Goop is especially serious about exfoliation, so expect your skin to, quite literally, glow after your treatment. There’s a reason Psalm’s desert-island goop product is their Microderm Instant Glow Exfoliator, a marshmallowy whip of micro-minerals like quartz and garnet. (Mauna Lani is also home to Hawaiʻi’s only goop store, so be sure to pick up a jar on your way out.)
“My favorite part about the goopGlow facial is that every single product has the intention and purpose of leaving your skin feeling silky smooth, plump and, best of all, hydrated,” Psalm said. “I am always amazed at the glow following a goopGlow facial!”
Fora Perks:
$100 food / beverage or spa credit, breakfast daily, an upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Related article: Let's Go to Paradise: Our Essential Guide to the Big Island of Hawaiʻi
Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya x Guerlain
Images courtesy of Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya
The famed French beauty house Guerlain is all about tapping into nature’s wisdom. The brand is especially partial to bees and orchids. Honey and royal jelly (a secretion produced by worker bees to feed the queen) are skin superfoods — they brighten and soothe the skin. Same with orchids. The robust flower supports skin longevity.
“Their attention to detail, from the luxurious packaging to the carefully selected natural ingredients, truly sets them apart,” Fora Advisor Kaitlynn Schryer said of Guerlain. “I always feel like I'm indulging in something special with their products, knowing that each one is crafted with such care and expertise.” (Guerlain is also a member of the Union for Ethical BioTrade, we might add.)
In many ways, Belmond and Guerlain were made for each other; both celebrate and respect nature. At Belmond Maroma, in the Riviera Maya, the spa doubles as a way to learn about ancient Mayan healing traditions. The spa has its own apothecary and a garden filled with herbs and native plants you can use to make balms and scrubs.
“The French know what they are doing when it comes to skincare,” Fora Advisor Kay Hart said, “but it's the spa and its curated experiences that make this a standout.”
Book one of Guerlain’s signature honey-based treatments, and go for Kay’s top recommendation: any ritual inspired by one of the four elements (fire, water, earth and air). Guerlain’s products are the best of the best, but so, too, are their techniques. The brand’s technical mastery is grounded in both traditional and innovation, and has been honed by its in-house experts for nearly a century.
And, “If the spa isn't what brings you to Maroma,” Kay added, “have it be the master tortilla-maker Olivia Cortes, who serves up the best tortillas for breakfast you have ever tried in your life.”
Fora Perks:
$90 hotel / resort credit, welcome amenities, breakfast daily & an upgrade whenever possible.
Related article: 4 Questions with Belmond: A Recap of Our Fora x Belmond Luncheon
The Lanesborough London x Tata Harper
Image courtesy of The Lanesborough London
The Lanesborough Club & Spa is as exclusive (in the best way) as they come. It’s a premier London address, open only to members and hotel guests. There are thermal suites, a sleek hydro-pool surrounded by loungers and tons of (very chic) space to relax and unwind. Fora Advisor Gunjan Sarma called the spa an “amazing sanctuary” in the middle of London. Her favorite part? “The amazing butlers who pamper you!” she said.
There are many treatments to choose from — mani-pedis, massages, microneedling, wraps — but a Tata Harper facial is not to be missed. Choose from four such facials, all of which feature the Colombian beauty guru’s eponymous (and clean) products. (Many of her products are made on the Vermont organic farm she used to call home.)
If you have sensitive or damaged skin, book the Superkind Calming Facial. Harper’s Superkind line is extra sensitive (and hypoallergenic, free from fragrance and essential oils), designed specifically for those whose skin lean on the reactive side of the spectrum. Expect ingredients like soothing calendula, plumping squalene, hydrating jojoba oil and polishing cranberry enzymes.
For something more targeted, try the Hyperpigmentation Peel facial, where natural acids work their magic. The Remodelage Lift facial leverages the Regenerative Cleanser, which brightens skin with white willow bark and beta-hydroxy acid, and the Resurfacing Mask, packed with glow-inducing pomegranate enzymes and arnica. The treatment ends with a contouring Japanese facial massage.
Fora Perks:
$100 food / beverage or spa credit, breakfast daily & priority access to courtesy car, where applicable.
Related article: Destination Debrief: Central & West London
Blackberry Farm x Tammy Fender
Image courtesy of Blackberry Farm
Blackberry Farm, a luxury all-inclusive wellness retreat in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains, is magical. The entire property is dedicated to getting back to nature, with farm-to-table cuisine, outdoor activities (hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, et.al.) and an extensive wellness program centered on balance.
Blackberry Farm's Wellhouse Spa "feels like you are walking into an old but beautiful barn," Fora Advisor Stephanie Cavazuti said, with its towering ceilings, reclaimed wood and sliding barn doors. "A lot of hotel spas feel dark and tucked away in a corner. Not Wellhouse."
There are several treatments to choose from at the on-site Wellhouse Spa, but allow us to help narrow down your options: Book the Tammy Fender Signature Treatment.
Tammy Fender takes a holistic approach to wellness — and especially to skincare. Her collaboration with Blackberry Farm could not be more perfect. Both recognize the power of nature, and incorporate it into everything they do. The beauty guru has also hosted introspective workshops at the farm — the relationship is more than skin-deep.
Her signature facial combines ancient healing modalities, powerful botanicals and modern technologies like revitalizing ultrasound waves and oxygen therapy. Expect circulation-loving massage techniques, radiance-inducing botanical ingredients and a serious post-facial glow. Afterward, head to the spa's café for a smoothie or kombucha.