The top 10 pamper palaces

1. Meditate in Mauritius

Why go there: Sister property of the acclaimed Ananda in the Himalayas, the Shanti Ananda Spa Maurice in Mauritius opened in December. Set in 35 acres of tropical gardens, it is a beachside property overlooking the Indian Ocean. The hotel offers all-inclusive health and wellness spa packages aimed at guests who want to submit themselves to a serious regime of diet, yoga, meditation and treatments. This new Ananda also offers guests the opportunity of indulging on a tropical beach. The hotel is less than an hour's journey from the airport so is much easier to get to than the property in the Himalayas. There are 55 spacious suites and villas ensuring privacy for guests.

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On the menu: The spa offers ayurvedic and Espa body and beauty treatments. There are 17 treatment rooms with specialised areas for each discipline and an experienced team of nutritionists, ayurvedic physicians, spa therapists and personal trainers.

The bottom line: Erna Low Body & Soul Holidays (020-7594 0290; body andsoulholidays.com) offers a seven-night, fully inclusive, Shanti Ananda ayurvedic rejuvenation programme for detoxifying, destressing and revitalising from £2,815 per person, based on two sharing, including return flights with Air Mauritius from Heathrow, transfers, consultations and a combination of ayurvedic and aromatherapy treatments, Watsu, yoga and meditation.

2. Bubbling under in Jamaica

Why go there: Opening in spring at the five-star Half Moon hotel, the massive Fern Tree Spa at Montego Bay will feature nine luxurious treatment suites. The spa is set in landscaped gardens with its own swimming pool and greenhouse yoga studio. Six signature beachfront spa suites are also being built and will feature oversized bedrooms, a private spa/fitness studio, luxury bathrooms, large living areas and private covered terraces overlooking the sea. Designed to provide areas for relaxation, the spa suite bathrooms will feature chroma-therapy bubble massage tubs, which emit various colours that are said to provide colour therapy healing through the eyes.

On the menu: Treatments include massage, facials and body therapies using essential oils from Blue Mountain Aromatics. There is a thermal wet treatment suite and rooms with outdoor shower, soaking tub and private garden patio. Guests can select individual spa treatments or experience a step-by-step tailor-made programme by the Spa Elder.

The bottom line: ITC Classics (01244 355527; itcclassics.co.uk) offers a seven-night room-only break at Half Moon hotel in a superior room from £1,254 per person, based on two sharing, including return flights with Virgin Atlantic from Gatwick and transfers. Treatments not included.

3. A salty cure in Spain

Why go there: At the Thermae Spa recently opened at the Hotel Villa Padierna in Marbella, ancient Rome meets cutting-edge technology. Guests move from one room to another following traditional therapies based on the elements of air, water, earth and fire. There are steam rooms, saunas, a cold-water plunge pool, a large indoor swimming pool with massage jets, showers of oil, an ice fountain, relaxation areas and a gymnasium. Highlights include the Vapour of Salt, comprising two large white marble statues and a pedestal filled with sea salt. Bathers scrub their bodies with the salt to exfoliate the skin and then sit on marble chairs to soak in the steam.

On the menu: There are 12 treatment rooms for massages, facials, body wraps, manicures and pedicures. The signature treatment is the Turkish hammam massage with full-body exfoliation scrub.

The bottom line: Thermae Spa at Villa Padierna (00 34 952 889150; hotelvillapadierna.com) offers a seven-night b&b Reconnect Package from £1,145 per person, based on two sharing, including a spa circuit every day. Other spa treatments are extra. Flights not included. GB Airways, operated by British Airways (0870 850 4850; ba.com), flies from Gatwick or Heathrow to Malaga from £84 return.

4. Channel energy in Jersey

Why go there: The Ayush Wellness Spa, which opened in December, is in the rooftop of the Hotel de France in Jersey's capital, St Helier. It has four pools, six treatment rooms, including one for couples, as well as an ayurvedic consultation suite, corporate treatment suite, a spa library, a quiet room and yoga studio. Nearby are some of the island's prettiest beaches where revitalising sea air complements the well-being brought about by the ayurvedic treatments.

On the menu: During an ayurvedic consultation, guests undergo diagnosis of their Dosha. The signature treatment is Shirodhara, which is said to still the mind and soothe the central nervous system.

The bottom line: Hotel de France (01534 614172; defrance.co.uk) offers a seven-night, b&b, Pure Cleanse ayurvedic programme from £1,142 per person, based on two sharing, including ayurvedic consultation and follow-up assessment, abhyanga massage, shirodhara oil pour, udvartana herbal massage, padaghata massage, nasya face and sinus treatment, reiki healing, one-on-one private yoga class, five yoga and pranayama classes, five meditation classes and an ayurvedic workshop. Flights not included. Flybe (flybe.com) flies to Jersey from Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Exeter, Gatwick, Manchester, Norwich and Southampton from £50 return.

5. Keep it cool in Bahrain

Why go there: The Banyan Tree Al Areen Spa and Resort in Bahrain, due to open in May, aims to take centre stage as the only all-villa, private-pool spa resort in the Arabian Gulf and the most luxurious and expensive hideaway in the Middle East. In a landscape of well-preserved forts, edifying museums and the oldest mosque in the Gulf, Banyan Tree's spacious villas will be styled to blend into their natural desert environment.

On the menu: Banyan Tree Spa combines the therapeutic qualities of modern health science with age-old wellness wisdom of the body, mind and soul. There will be numerous hydrothermal facilities, including rain mist showers, a samarium, an igloo, a pelotherapy chamber and a brine cavern.

The bottom line: Spiritual Spa Collection (01494 675636; spiritualspa collection.co.uk) will offer a five-night b&b break in a desert pool villa from £2,150 per person, based on two sharing, including return BA flights from Heathrow. Treatments not included.

6. Cosseted in the Cotswolds

Why go there: Set in the heart of the Cotswolds in a private estate, Wyckhill House in Gloucestershire is a 54-bedroom converted manor dating from the 18th century. The house has been transformed with luxury modern interiors and an Elemis Spa, which opened last week. The spa caters for both sexes and has specific package treatments for pregnant women. Couples can also take advantage of a dual therapy treatment room. Other spa facilities include a nail bar, make-up by Ariane Poole, St Tropez tanning and a marble steam and sauna.

On the menu: There are six therapy rooms and a variety of luxury treatments, including a tri-enzyme re-surfacing facial and exotic coconut rub as well as a milk ritual wrap.

The bottom line: Wyckhill House (01451 831936; wyckhillhouse.com) offers double rooms from £185 per night on a b&b basis. Treatments not included.

7. Over the water in the Maldives

Why go there: In its own lagoon on the edge of North Male Atoll in the Maldives, Huvafen Fushi, has just refurbished the world's first underwater spa rooms. The new spa has six over-water treatment rooms, each with a glass floor and two underwater double rooms and a separate relaxation area with views of the Indian Ocean coral life through the expansive clear Perspex. Huvafen Fushi is part of the Per Aquum Spa collection, which will soon be rebranded as Lime, offering individual tailor-made treatments.

On the menu: The signature massage, carried out underwater, is the Unite Me Crystal Ritual, which uses sand from the beach in a steaming sand poultice scented with a hint of lime.

The bottom line: Rooms at Huvafen Fushi (00 960 6644 222; huvafen fushi.com) cost from £355 per night on a b&b basis, for single or double occupancy. Treatments not included. Flights with Emirates (0870-243 2222; emirates.com) from Gatwick to Male International via Dubai cost from £630 per person.

8. Hands on in Vietnam

Why go there: Due to open this summer, the Princess D'Annam Resort and Spa in Vietnam is a three-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City in Ke Ga Bay. It will combine classic French Vietnamese charm with 21st-century style. There will be 57 villas, eight pools, two restaurants and an Aquamarine Spa. The spa team will offer bespoke treatments using natural oils renowned for their medicinal properties.

On the menu: Signature treatments will include hot-stone therapy, twin synchronised massage, herbal detox, anti-ageing facials and body scrubs.

The bottom line: Western & Oriental (0870-499 0677; westernoriental .com) offers a seven-night, b&b break from £1,559 per person, based on two sharing, including return British Airways flights from Heathrow to Bangkok and to Ho Chi Minh with Vietnam Airlines and private transfers. Treatments not included.

9. Riviera retreat

Reopening in May for its 40th anniversary, Byblos, the jet set haunt in St Tropez, has had a £3m renovation, with a new spa. It will be set around a secluded rustic patio with olive trees and will include six treatment rooms and a VIP treatment suite. Seasons in Style (01244 202000; seasonsinstyle.co.uk) offers seven nights' b&b at Byblos from £1,920 per person, based on two sharing, including British Airways flights from London to Nice and private transfers.

10. Irish getaway

Set in more than 1,000 acres of walled parkland, 30 minutes from Dublin, Carton Housewas built in 1739 as a country estate and now has a Molton Brown spa housed in converted stables. Carton House (00 353 1 5052000; cartonhouse.com) offers b&b from £107 per room per night, based on two sharing. Flights and treatments not included. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Stansted to Dublin from £35 return.

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