In this bustling city, we can all do a spa day occasionally. The best spas in Chicago are designed to relax the busy mind and to drift off into serene solitude after a muddled week. Whether it’s been a busy week, a special date night, or you want to celebrate a birthday in solitude, here’s never been a better time to take a break for a little R&R.
If you’re seeking to relieve stress and regain your mental balance, ease aches, and pains in your bones and muscles, or simply find solace in a warm bath, spas can be a remedy for the mind, body, and soul. From therapeutic massages to rejuvenating facials, here are the best spas in Chicago that cater to all your needs.
AIRE Ancient Baths
Photo: AIRE Ancient Baths ChicagoLocated in a restored historic River West factory dating back to 1902, these baths are inspired by the traditional Roman, Greek, and Ottoman ancient bathing experience. This preserved structure has been restored to its original splendor, and you can now find optimum relaxation within the building’s exposed brick, wooden beams, and industrial columns.
The unique body and mind experience offers baths of different temperatures, relaxing massages, couples experiences, and more. The signature bath experience includes six thermal baths, including a hot bath, ice and cold plunges, a warm pool, a saltwater flotation, and a jet pool, making it one of our favorite spas in Chicago.
đź“ŤAddress: 800 W Superior St, Chicago, IL
The Peninsula Spa
You can bet your bottom dollar that a hotel that was recently ranked the best in the United States will have a good spa setup. Spanning the top two floors of The Peninsula Chicago, this Chicago spa offers an extensive list of modern and timeless treatments inspired by Ayurvedic and Asian philosophies.
These include “an all-natural hot stone massage that combines ESPA aromatic and holistic oils with the Abhyanga body recovery massage, a spiritually rewarding Ayurvedic massage.”
The hotel also boasts a 25-meter, 82-degree indoor semi-Olympic swimming pool surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows and a rooftop bar offering stunning sweeping views of the city.
The Peninsula Spa is one of only a few in the Midwest to offer Biologique Recherche, a French luxury skincare line using highly personalized facials made from botanical, marine, and biotechnical extracts.
In addition to a fitness center, a yoga area, a sun terrace, and an array of treatments, there is a euphoric relaxation lounge where a true Zen-like state can be accomplished courtesy of fluffy comforters nestled away in draped enclaves near a crackling fire. And
đź“ŤAddress: 108 E Superior St, Chicago, IL
Kohler Waters Spa
This 20,000-square-foot Lincoln Park spa is home to one of the best spas in Chicago, with its 21 treatment rooms, a thermal suite, a sauna, a steam room, a cool plunge pool, and an outdoor terrace. There are also 2 Kohler Custom Treatment Vichy Showers and Hydromassage Experience Pool— experiences custom-designed by Kohler’s hydro experts.
You’ll find a range of state-of-the-art amenities at Kohler Waters Spa and more than 50 innovative water services, therapeutic massages, and body treatments.
đź“ŤAddress: 2358 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL
đź“ŤAddress:775 Village Center Dr, Burr Ridge, IL
Langham Hotel Chuan Spa
Inside the 5-star Langham Hotel, Chuan Spa is a conveniently located award-winning spa. The spa’s many treatments are inspired by traditional Chinese medicine, which is why it is named ‘Chuan,’ meaning flowing water in Chinese.
Upon passing through the spa ‘moon gate,’ you’ll encounter herbal and saltstone saunas, oriental and eucalyptus steam rooms, and a healing liquid pool offering customized sound and light therapy, among many other amenities. Chuan Spa has something for every need, from acupuncture and cupping to HydraFacial MD facial treatments.
đź“ŤAddress: 330 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL
Palmer House Spa, Theater District
Palmer House Hilton’s three-level health club includes the opulent Palmer House Spa and a $2.2m heated indoor pool. There is everything you could need to relax and unwind. Specialty treatments like the Chicago Fire and Ice Massage, which uses a mix of heated and cooling salts, and Honore’s Hydrotub Immersion, which uses water to relieve stress, relax muscles, and help with blood circulation.
đź“ŤAddress:17 E Monroe St, 5th Floor, Chicago, IL
Allyu Spa, River North
Named after the Quechua word for community, the Allyu Spa in River North is a sustainably built and consciously operated luxury day spa. Unlike the hotel lobbies and lavish waiting areas that you’d expect from some of the others, upon arrival at Allyu Spa, you’ll find yourself waiting in a serene, dimly lit tented chamber.
That’s only the start of the unique experience offered here. Guests will walk through corridors sculpted with Wisconsin field stones and adobe cob seating before showering surrounded by Moroccan plaster walls. Allyu Spa is about simplicity over extravagance; you’ll find all the usual treatments and services here without overindulgence.
đź“ŤAddress: 600 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL
The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, Gold Coast
Some may recognize the 50-foot Roman-columned indoor pool and sky-lit dome from Home Alone 2. You know it’s going to be a pretty elegant setup if it’s been featured in a film, and The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Chicago certainly doesn’t let you down when experienced in real life. A wide range of seasonal treatments and healing massages offers something for everybody, but the unforgettable ‘Skylight Swim’ experience makes it one of the best spas in Chicago for couples.
Booking a ‘Skylight Swim’ costs a hefty $800, but for that, the 50-foot Roman-style indoor pool is closed to all other guests and transformed into “an exclusive sanctuary of serenity and romance.” The experience begins with a signature couple’s 80-minute massage and concludes in the pool area with a bottle of Champagne and canapes prepared by the onsite culinary team.
đź“ŤAddress: 120 E Delaware Pl, Chicago, IL
InterContinental Spa
Another spa in the heart of Chicago’s luxury shopping corridor is a three-level facility with private treatment rooms and Finnish hot, dry saunas. Here, you’ll find all the quintessential spa services.  All are available in a wide range of styles to provide the perfect experience for each body’s needs.
It’s the style of this spa, however, that makes it stand out as one of the best spas in Chicago. Boasting Gatsbyesque glamour, the InterContinental Spa is actually home to the oldest pool in Chicago. And has recently undergone extensive renovations.
The pool is surrounded by hand-painted Spanish tiles that give the spa a unique Mediterranean feel you won’t find in many other spas. There is also a stunning hand-carved terracotta fountain of Neptune to make you feel like you’ve escaped to another time in history.
đź“ŤAddress: 505 Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL
Waldorf Astoria
The Waldorf Astoria is another Gold Coast spa gem that offers a euphoric European escape. The hotel describes itself as having “Parisian-style charm, moments from Michigan Avenue, and its spa certainly isn’t lacking in elegance.
The 14,000 sq ft spa has everything you could need. Whether you want to swim in the lap pool, kick back in a hot tub, or relax in the eucalyptus in the steam room. For a real reset, however, the signature five-hour Restore Package includes a massage, a facial, a pedicure, and lunch.
đź“ŤAddress: 11 E Walton St, Chicago, IL
Piva Beer Spa
While spas on this list provide lavish 5-star experiences, Piva is known for one of Chicago’s most unique spa experiences. As well as various usual spa features, Piva offers heated halotherapy salt rooms. Â They’re beneficial for breathing, skin clarity, and general well-being.
However, as you probably guessed by the name, that’s not the only unique option at Piva Beer Spa. The headline act is, without a doubt, the beer soaks. It involves sinking back into a huge larch wooden tub filled with nearly 100-degree beer, herbs, and hops.
The spa claims that the extracts of hops, barley, and brewer’s yeast can help alleviate various respiratory conditions. It also helps to improve numerous ale-ments (sorry), like restoring damaged skin, revitalizing damaged hair, and helping to clear acne. Antioxidants in beer alleviate oxidative damage of cells, lipids, and DNA. While anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties help make the skin softer, clearer, and more hydrated.
đź“ŤAddress: 1052 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL
Essence Med Spa
Revitalize the mind, body, and soul at Essence Med Spa Treatments with various treatments. It remains one of the best spas in Chicago. You can get facial treatments such as Botox, Filler services, Kim Kardashian’s famous “Vampire” facial, a facelift facial, and more.
However, it doesn’t stop there. They have a selection of different massages, like a Thai herbal massage and a Bamboo massage. Or you can get body treatments like Acne Control and a Back Microdermabrasion—it’s truly endless.
đź“ŤAddress: 6413 N Kinzu Ave, Chicago, IL
Cowshed Spa
Situated within Chicago’s Soho House, the Cowshed spa provides a serene escape in the vibrant West Loop. The spa’s ambiance echoes the interior design of the rest of Soho House—charming, rustic decor. With its shimmering chandeliers and refreshing mint-colored seating, Cowshed Spa is one of the ideal spas in Chicago.
đź“ŤAddress: 113-125 N Green St, Chicago, IL 60607
milk + honey spa
If you’re a fan of Milk + Honey’s skincare products, you’ll be excited to know that they have opened a new spa in the Gold Coast. At this spa, licensed experts will work with you to address your specific concerns through their range of massages.
đź“ŤAddress: 945 N. State St. Chicago, IL 60610