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Scotland's top day spas

Sample boho chic and classic pampering in Scotland

Whether you fancy a holistic healing session that balances chakras or a mud marinade in an ancient castle, you can find trendy treatments and old favourites in this select list of Scotland's best.

• Edinburgh - Cowshed at The Scotsman, One Spa
• Ayrshire - The Spa at The Westin Turnberry Resort
• Peebleshire - Stobo Castle

Edinburgh
Cowshed at The Scotsman
20 North Bridge
Edinburgh, EH1 1YT
Tel: 0131 556 5565
www.thescotsmanhotel.co.uk

The scene
Less than a year old, The Cowshed at Edinburgh's stylish Scotsman Hotel is the sister spa to the Cowsheds at Babington House and Soho House, New York. Although equally stylish, the Scottish Cowshed feels a little rustic, a little boho but ultimately very cool. One of the best things about the spa is the fact that all the Cowshed products are made in Somerset and some have been tailored especially for the Scottish Cowshed. Make sure you snap up a bottle of the Highland Cow Bath Blend (which you'll also find in the bedrooms of the hotel) to take home with you.

Star treatments
The Horns to Hooves package (£100) is, as it suggests, a top-to-toe treatment designed to remove toxins from your body. It lasts for nearly two hours, and leaves you feeling relaxed, scrubbed and pampered to within an inch of your life. Starting with a Rawhide exfoliation (don't worry it's not that rough), you are scrubbed with natural sea salt, removing dead skin and toxins before a full body massage and a facial.

The cost
You can pop into the Cowshed for one-off treatments. A 55-minute Organic Cow facial starts at £55, a 40-minute Stressed Cow massage costs £40 and a Cowboy facial (for men) is £50.

One Spa
The Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa
8 Conference Square
Edinburgh
Tel: 0131 221 7777
www.one-spa.com

The scene
One Spa has the reputation of being the best spa and hydrotherapy centre in Scotland. Striking the right balance between a holistic heaven and a super hi-tech hangout, the spa is incredibly stylish and yet very relaxing. In addition to the hammam, rock sauna and scented mist showers, you can paddle in an amazing hydropool with indoor and outdoor areas (just check out the views). It may be linked to a big hotel (with a rather noisy gym nearby), but One Spa is a destination in its own right. Choose from a range of treatments -- they do all the usual rubs and scrubs here -- although make sure you have enough time to luxuriate in the hammam and showers.

Star treatments
It's hard to choose from the list of incredible treatments -- many of which use E'SPA products. However, the Chakra balancing massage (£130) using hot stones comes highly recommended. In Ayurvedic medicine, chakras are believed to be seven energy centres in the body that affect our well-being and, if blocked, can affect us both mentally and physically. During the hour and a half massage your therapist massages Ayurvedic oils into the skin, using hot stones that are positioned along your spine and energy points. You'll float out of the treatment room

The cost
This spa attracts Edinburgh's monied set and is a little on the expensive side. However, it is regularly voted one of the best in the UK and the sauna, hammam and swimming pool make the experience worth it. A detox massage lasting 55 minutes costs £65, as does a re-hydrator facial.

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