Welcome to the third iteration of Vogue’s global spa guide, a compendium of the 100 best spas in the world, compiled based on first-person reviews and careful editing. This year, we’ve renewed our focus on establishments that have established a reputation for exceptional care of body and mind, though there is a great variety in the list. Whatever you are seeking when it comes to wellness, there is something here for you.
Why go here?
Among wellness resorts, Canyon Ranch is an icon and a benchmark for the many ones that have followed it in the decades since it first opened in 1979. The original Tucson location is set amidst 150 acres at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains; the city’s position, framed by five mountain ranges, has earned it the nickname Sky Island, for the feeling you have of being perpetually floating among the clouds. Really, it’s the ideal backdrop for all that contemplative gazing off in the distance that you’ll be doing during your stay and for resting and resetting, which is exactly what everyone comes here to do. That Canyon Ranch is not a buzzy hot spot for wellness influencers filming TikTok reels is, to be frank, a big part of the appeal; the clientele here (most of them frequent and repeat visitors) is one that largely values substance over style and could care less about whether something is algorithm-approved. And that’s precisely why this OG remains a destination.
What’s the vibe?
Sedona may be famous for its vortexes, but Tucson’s Sonoran Desert location has its own powerful energy. Which is all to say that the vibes at Canyon Ranch are pretty damn good. The desert setting is not just the backdrop, but also the stage for activities like walking meditations through the creek-side labyrinth, rock climbings, and canyon hiking and biking. Even strolling between appointments means meandering through the kaleidoscopic array of cacti dotting the property; each one has identification labels, and you’ll develop favorites (mine was the barrel cactus, known for growing low and slow). The architecture and design are conceived to both complement the surrounding desert landscape and integrate with it, which translates to soft-edged adobe and Spanish Colonial–style structures and earthy color palettes and textures. The spaces are not peak luxury, but they have an inviting warmth and ease that is intended to provide a restorative atmosphere and to calm the nervous system; it works. “Just be here and tune out the outside world,” one therapist advised while presenting me with essential oil options before a massage. They are words that could serve as Canyon Ranch’s credo. The therapist’s name was, aptly, Bliss.
The history?
When Mel and Enid Zuckerman first happened upon the property in the 1970s, it was a dude ranch called The Double U. Mel, a successful real estate developer who had suffered from asthma since childhood and was contending with a barrage of new health issues in midlife, decided to head west from his New Jersey home on a personal wellness journey. After righting the course of his own health, that evolved into a desire to help others. In a recording before he passed away in 2023, Mel said: “I was fortunate enough to have a certain experience that transformed everything about my life, and it dawned on me, if I could have it happen to me, I could make it happen for others.” The couple opened Canyon Ranch in the late ’70s, espousing an integrative approach to beauty and health that didn’t focus on deprivation (it’s not Michelin cooking, but the food is quite good, and you won’t be denied coffee or alcohol). It was, at the time, groundbreaking. A 1980 print advertisement exclaimed: Take your body where it’s never been! After Tucson, Canyon Ranch opened in Lenox, Massachusetts, and briefly had a boutique retreat in Woodside, California, (it closed in 2025 as the smaller size didn’t fit with their overall goals) and a large location is slated to open in Austin later this year.
The approach at each is the same—healthy eating, plenty of spa time, movement, and nature, and a dose of spirituality—so people are really just tasked with picking a setting, says Laura Hittleman, guest experience ambassador. “The core philosophy at every Canyon Ranch has always been to give people the tools to be your healthiest self and to live younger longer,” she says, echoing what has now become standard longevity-speak. For Canyon Ranch, the longevity focus they pioneered is something they are now championing more loudly. To wit, the newest immersive offering is called Longevity 8, a spendy (ahem, $20K) four-day program that is a one-stop shop for your most crucial health information, says Hittleman. It’s Enid who may just be the best evidence of Canyon Ranch’s approach: At 94, she still lives in her own home on the property and can be seen regularly holding court during lunch hours at the restaurant.
What should you try?
You will not be starved for options here; in fact, should you want to fill up every hour with a wide variety of treatments and activities—from Hydrafacials to Ammortal chamber sessions to pickleball to sound baths—it’s entirely possible. What you’ll find in the spa, says spa director Jackie Flory, are offerings both classic and cutting-edge that aim to balance pampering and efficacy. “We’re all about a combination of science, modern wellness, and ancient rituals,” says Flory. “We have lots of technology in our services, but we also really want to ensure that team members are able to provide education and results with their hands.” And they certainly can. I started my stay with the Detoxifying Ritual, a lengthy Turkish hammam-style scrub, followed by a massage using rigorous upward strokes and plenty of pressure, then a soak—a combination recommended for anyone post-air-travel; it quashed my stubborn airplane bloat, and I felt so light I could barely walk a straight line afterwards. The Qi Beauty Magnetic facial epitomizes the science and modern wellness mash-up, combining biomagnetic therapy with a sculpting, lymph-stimulating massage, gua sha, and both abdominal and intraoral massage. And Canyon Ranch excels at the classics, so skip yoga or aqua fitness. You would also be remiss to visit without dipping into some of their extensive spiritual wellness offerings like astrology, Reiki, and breath work; after all, there is an entire metaphysical department here.
What else do we need to know?
The identical robes guests are frequently padding around the property wearing have become a Canyon Ranch signature. They’re dark gray with a plush lining that the woman with a locker next to mine equated to wearing a teddy bear (an accurate assessment!), and if parting with yours at the end of your stay proves too unbearable you can buy one ($135) to take home as a souvenir.
Who can go?
The Canyon Ranch spa is open to guests at the hotel, Canyon Ranch members using membership nights, and owners of the highly coveted Canyon Ranch residences.
Booking details for Canyon Ranch
Address: 8600 E Rockcliff Rd, Tucson, AZ 85750
Read more from Vogue’s Global Spa Guide.
