For the Ultimate Wellness Escape – Visit Ireland!

By Michelle Mahoney

Known for its majestic scenery, exciting music, food and drink, Ireland is also catching on as a haven for wellness and rejuvenation. With an impressive variety of spas and treatments, what really sets the Emerald Isle apart is the sense of vitality you’ll find – everywhere from the scenic coastline to the vibrant cities. It’s a getaway that refreshes body, mind and soul. Explore the exceptional locations and details at ireland.com. 

Indulge in Luxury 

Set in the heart of the Boyne Valley, just outside of Dublin, Bellinter House Hotel & Spa is as restorative as it is beautiful. Along with the renowned Bathhouse Spa, the setting features a new outdoor thermal suite with a heated infinity pool, multiple Harvia saunas, a plunge pool and Jacuzzis, all with panoramic countryside views. For something more personal, book a Private Pod Experience, complete with seaweed baths, massage chairs and your very own sauna or Jacuzzi.

Named one of the top one percent of all five-star hotels worldwide by TripAdvisor, Monart Spa has also been voted Best Spa in Ireland in the Irish Independent’s Readers Choice Awards for eight consecutive years. With 15 treatment rooms, dark and light relaxation areas and a thermal suite with options ranging from saunas to a salt grotto, this award winning “destination spa” is designed for relaxation.

Nature Inspired Rejuvenation 

CABÜ by the Lakes Nature Spa in the Killykeen Forest Park on the shores of Lough Oughter offers the perfect opportunity to deepen your connection to nature. Guests are invited to relax in the forest bathing area, enjoy a Japanese bath or spend time in the outdoor hot tubs. It’s a truly holistic experience meant to invigorate all five senses.

Take a rest on the shores of Lough Corrib, one of Ireland’s most scenic lakes. Spend some quality time at Lough Corrib Adventures in the heart of Connemara. Here you can unwind in a wood-fired lakeside sauna, paired with a rejuvenating cold-water swim. Follow it up with a warm drink from Corrib Coffee for a taste of local flavour. 

Treetop Spa at The Old Inn brings together forest views and peaceful luxury. Perched above Crawfordsburn Country Park, this spa is a perfect rural retreat where guests can soothe body and mind in a hot outdoor bath, followed by a detoxifying and cleansing treatment in the sauna and steam room. End your night with sweet dreams as you cozy up on a heated waterbed.

Historic Luxury and World Class Relaxation

For a modern retreat Dublin’s Hot Box Bolands Mills draws on global inspirations, while Ashford Castle in County Mayo offers a resort experience in a historic setting with an iconic legacy. Read on to discover insider insights from Hot Box Sauna and Ashford Castle, as they share what makes them and Ireland an increasingly popular wellness destination. 

The Hot Box Sauna 

Insights from Dan O’Connor, Co-founder & Chief Marketing Officer at The Hot Box Sauna

H: What wellness experiences are tourists asking for most right now? Have any recent requests surprised you?

Dan: We’re seeing a huge demand for experiences that feel both local and world-class. The big one is still sauna and cold plunge, for a lot of visitors it’s become a real “must-do” when they’re in Ireland, especially for couples and groups.

What’s been interesting is how many people are now specifically asking for guided sauna rituals, not just a sauna session. People are coming in with sauna culture already on their radar from places like Scandinavia, Germany, or even New York and London, and they’re actively looking for something a bit more elevated than a standard sauna/cold plunge facility.

The surprise hasn’t been that people want wellness, it’s that they want something with a story and an experience around it, not just a typical self-guided session. 

H: Are visitors leaning toward quick, feel-good treatments or longer, immersive wellness experiences?

Dan: It’s a mix. Some people just want to come in and use the space the way they always would, their own routine, their own pace, in and out in 45 minutes to an hour.

But we’re also seeing a lot of curiosity around new ways to experience it. That’s where the interest in sauna rituals and guided experiences has really grown recently. Those sessions tend to last a bit longer and are more immersive, and people seem to love having something that feels a little more structured and different from a standard visit.

H: Do travellers come in already knowing what they want, or are they excited to try wellness rituals once they arrive?

Dan: More and more travellers come in with a baseline knowledge, they know cold plunge benefits, they’ve seen sauna content online, and they’ve heard friends talk about it but they’re still really excited to be guided once they arrive. 

Lots of people are confident booking a sauna and cold plunge experience but fewer people know exactly what rituals like Aufguss or Pirtis are. But once you explain it as “a guided ritual that changes how the sauna feels,” they’re instantly in.

Also, that moment of discovery is a big part of the magic: visitors love feeling like they’ve stumbled onto something new they’ve never heard of before and now get to experience. 

H: How do you see wellness tourism in Ireland evolving?

Dan: Ireland is moving from “wellness as spa” to wellness as experience and it’s going to become a much bigger part of how people plan trips here. A few shifts I’d bet on:

• Experience-led wellness becomes standard: ritual saunas, contrast therapy, breathwork, guided formats not just massages and hotel spas.

• Ireland’s natural environment becomes the wellness asset: with access to an abundance of areas of natural beauty and nearby water sources such as the sea, rivers and lakes, the landscape serves as the USP (Unique Selling Proposition) for many wellness operators.

• Dublin continues to grow premium, high-end, spa-grade facilities, while regional areas lean into nature & community wellness.

• Wellness becomes a social activity (groups, couples, corporate travellers) rather than something people do alone in a hotel.  thehotboxsauna.ie 

Ashford Castle 

Insights from Joanna Moran, Spa & Wellness Director at The Spa at Ashford Castle

H: What wellness experiences are tourists asking for most right now? Have any recent requests surprised you?

Joanna: Guests are asking for treatments that support longevity and long-term skin health. There’s so much noise out there about what’s “good” for the skin and the latest wellness trend that people want reassurance and scientific backing. Our partnership with Augustinus Bader – the first and only spa in Ireland to offer their treatments – has been a huge draw because guests trust the research behind it. They want facials that feel deeply restorative but are also rooted in real science. I’ve also noticed guests becoming more aware of how stress settles in the body, and how a focused therapy, such as reflexology, can release tension and help them feel balanced again. It’s been a lovely shift toward more purposeful, mindful wellness.

H: Are visitors leaning toward quick, feel-good treatments or longer, immersive wellness experiences?

Joanna: Guests are absolutely leaning into longer, more immersive experiences. Ashford Castle truly offers a natural ‘Calmcation’ encouraging people to slow down – the grounds, the stillness, the sense of escape all work together to create space for deeper relaxation. In the spa, we build on that by allowing guests to unwind at their own pace and really drop into their bodies. Treatments become part of a wider exhale, a chance to step away from the noise and reconnect with themselves. 

H: Do travellers come in already knowing what they want?

Joanna: Many guests arrive with a sense of what’s bothering them – tight shoulders, tired skin, areas they want to focus on. But once they’re here, they’re very open to exploring new rituals and trusting our therapists to guide them. The reputation of Augustinus Bader often piques their curiosity and once we understand what their body is asking for, we can shape treatments they might never have considered before. 

H: Have you noticed wellness becoming a bigger part of why tourists choose your property, rather than just a nice add-on?

Joanna: Absolutely, in the luxury market, wellness has moved from being an afterthought to being central to why guests choose to stay with us. People now look for destinations that support every part of their wellbeing – mind, body and spirit. Fitness-led travel is growing just as quickly as spa-focused travel, and guests are seeking environments where they can eat fresh, nourishing food sourced from our own Kitchen Garden, spend time in nature, unwind properly and support their long-term health. Longevity continues to be a major theme, and guests are choosing Ashford Castle because it allows them to reset in a truly holistic way.

H: How do you see wellness tourism in Ireland evolving?

Joanna: Wellness tourism in Ireland is evolving quickly, especially in the luxury space. People want to feel better, but they also want connection – that’s why wild swimming and group-based wellness experiences are booming. There’s also a growing focus on women’s wellbeing across different life stages – and wellness is becoming even more multi-generational. Younger travellers are incredibly tuned into their emotional and spiritual health, and families are beginning to make wellbeing part of their stay together. Ireland’s landscapes, community feel and growing expertise make it a naturally nurturing place for this evolution. ashfordcastle.com/wellness-and-spa