If you dream of taking a spa vacation, but also want the nightlife, arts, and culture that only a city can offer, staying in a spa hotel allows you to have it all.

Dublin, Ireland

A city once famous for its tumultuous past and plethora of pubs (more than 1,000 within the city limits), Dublin has transformed into a cosmopolitan city complete with hip eateries, a thriving nightlife, and shopping adventures to rival New York and London.

Exploring the city’s stunningly restored Georgian architecture as you wander through the streets past tiny bookshops and designer boutiques can take its toll on your feet. A Dublin spa break will have you back out shopping for handcrafted items on Grafton Street and unique bargains at the George’s Street Arcade in no time.

Among the spa hotels in Dublin, the Castleknock Hotel and Country Club best exemplifies Ireland’s love of outdoor recreation and leisure time. Located just nine km from the city center on the sprawling grounds of Somerton House, Castleknock Hotel is a modern luxury spa hotel reminiscent of Ireland’s grand estates. One of Dublin’s premiere spa resorts, Castleknock offers world-class spa treatments, alternative therapies, and leisure activities.

Follow-up a pint at Temple Bar near the River Liffey with a round of golf at Castleknock’s 18-hole championship golf course set amidst beautiful gardens and lakes. Or, after a day of exploring Dublin Castle, the Dublin Writer’s Museum, and Trinity College, indulge in a relaxing massage followed by a honey body polish at the Castleknock’s Lavender Lane Spa.

Once a getaway for Dublin’s high society, the lands of Castleknock now offer travelers a beautiful, restorative base from which to explore the best of the city.
 

Malága, Spain

 
The gateway to the Costa del Sol (“sunny coast”), Malága is Andalusia’s largest city with one of the most important harbors in the south of Spain. Evidence of the region’s Arabic history and influences can be found at the Alcazaba, a Moorish fortification that dates back to the 8th century.

Visit the museum dedicated to Malága’s most famous son, Pablo Picasso, and wander the streets of Old Town in search of a quaint taverna. But visitors to Malága come for the beaches and the nightlife, and so join the tourists that opt to stay in spa resorts along the Costa del Sol just minutes from the city.

Located about 35 minutes from Malága, Marbella sits at the foot of the Sierra Blanca Mountains and offers visitors, fantastic beaches and a vibrant nightlife. A playground for the rich and famous since the 1950s, Marbella is home to the Gran Hotel Guadalpin Marbella Spa .

Situated on the beach on the “Golden Mile,” the most exclusive area of Marbella, this spa hotel is the ultimate in luxury accommodation. The Puerto Banús, the famed marina and shopping complex built for the jet set, is only a short walk away.

In the Costa del Sol, you cannot indulge too much. Your stay at the Gran Hotel Guadalpin Marbella Spa allows you be pampered in the lap of luxury in the hotel’s Guadalpin Spa. The numerous hydrotherapy treatments at the Guadalpin Spa refresh and revitalize, and the spa’s signature Winetherapy and Chocotherapy treatments are the pinnacle of decadence.

After a day of sunbathing and socializing on the beaches of El Fuerte and La Fontanilla, a little spoiling at the Gran Hotel Guadalpin Marbella Spa makes this spa vacation the stuff of legends.

A spa break is the best way to explore the best cities of the world. Take it all in, and then retire to your spa hotel to let it all go. Now that’s a vacation!