![\"Estelle](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/01\/estelle-maonor-spa-tea-1-300x236.jpg\")
<\/div>\nI just tend to prefer being outside. But then, last year, I stayed at Forestis<\/a> in the Dolomites \u2013\u00a0a minimalist Scandi-style retreat with a gorgeous spa that completely changed my mind. I swam inside and out, looking up at the peaks, and tried saunas of several different types. I plunged in ice-cold mountain streams, breathing the scent of clover and pine, and enjoyed the best massage of my life.<\/p>\n Before that memorable pummelling, I was served a stone carafe of the spa\u2019s own stone pine cordial. It was pure, cool, and refreshing, and absolutely captured the sense of place. I resolved to make it my business to find out what other spa drinks would be trending in 2026.<\/p>\n Refreshments informed by the ancient Indian healing system of ayurveda are a big thing for this year.<\/p>\n At Eynsham Baths<\/a>, the spa at Estelle Manor in the English Cotswolds, guests can choose from a range of bespoke ayurvedic teas hand-blended from homegrown herbs and specialist ingredients from India. They\u2019re seasonal and matched to the treatment the guest is receiving, but a typical post-treatment tea might feature coriander, fennel, rose or vetiver, for cooling and hydrating.<\/p>\n Also on offer are elixirs and smoothies laced with adaptogenic ingredients including cordyceps, moringa, shatavari, and ashwagandha \u2013\u00a0plants favoured by many ancient schools of medicine for their potential mood-boosting and mind-balancing properties.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are seeing guests move away from champagne and alcohol towards drinks that help them feel better,\u201d says the spa\u2019s food and beverage manager Vipul Rana. \u201cOur teas and elixirs are designed to aid the body and the moment \u2013 calm the nervous system, support digestion, balance hormones, and deeply hydrate \u2013 without stimulates, alcohol or additives.\u201d<\/p>\n The drinks at the Amanbagh Spa<\/a> in Rajasthan, also have ayurveda at their core; they\u2019re considered \u201cpart of the overall wellness journey, rather than refreshments alone,\u201d says spa manager Puneet Sharma.<\/p>\n Upon arrival, guests are welcomed with a seasonal traditional drink \u2013 it\u2019s currently\u00a0tamarind and jaggery,\u00a0<\/strong>a time-honored preparation historically prized for its digestive, cleansing, and energising properties.<\/p>\n Following their treatment, guests are then offered a choice of\u00a0infusions which includes moon tea,\u00a0an esoteric tisane of lavender, brahmi (aka water hyssop), and ashwagandha that\u2019s so-named because it\u2019s traditionally prepared by moonlight, and known for promoting emotional balance, mental clarity, and calm.<\/p>\n \u201cToday, guests coming to the spa are not only looking for relaxation. They want to feel better from inside, both physically and mentally,\u201d says Dr Abby Krishnana, doctor of ayurveda at Six Senses Krabey Island<\/a> in Cambodia. \u201cMany guests ask about digestion, energy levels, hydration, immunity, joint pain, and overall balance. They are also interested in learning natural ways to take care of themselves, not just during the stay but also after they go home.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Drinks have become \u201can important part of the spa experience,\u201d says Krishnana. \u201cGuests are no longer satisfied with sweet or decorative drinks. They are looking to support digestion, reduce fatigue, help with gut health, joint care, and general wellbeing. There is a clear shift towards functional and natural beverages.\u201d<\/p>\n This spring, the Maybourne Riviera\u2019s Surrenne<\/a> spa is hosting a series of wellness retreats in collaboration with nutritionist and \u2018Queen of the Reset,’ Rose Ferguson. Highlights from the tailormade drinks menu include ceremonial grade cacao by Maria Cacao<\/a> and a liquid gold latte made with almond milk, turmeric, vanilla, ginger and energising MCT oil.<\/p>\n Guests can also pimp their smoothies or juices with a selection of nutrient \u2018boosters\u2019.\u00a0Dirtea<\/a> mushroom powders include performance-enhancing cordyceps and chaga, a powerful antioxidant. There\u2019s also a choice of protein powders and the option of Willpowder\u2019s Bovine Collagen<\/a>, reputed to improve hair, skin, and nails.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, hotel spas are embracing CBD \u2013\u00a0at the Hotel Caf\u00e9 Royal<\/a> in London you can rehydrate with InTune\u2019<\/a>s all-natural sodas (my favourite is the grapefruit and mint) while at Gleneagles<\/a> in Scotland they serve an array of adaptogenic drinks including Trip CBD<\/a>.<\/p>\n At the barefoot eco-retreat Buahan by Banyan Tree<\/a>, in Bali, the spa drinks draw heavily on local plants. The welcome drink is a Secang Wood & Lemongrass Tea, a herbal infusion rooted in Indonesian tradition, that\u2019s known for its calming and grounding properties.<\/p>\n Other refreshments on offer include Jamu Kunyit, a turmeric-based Indonesian wellness drink known for its anti-inflammatory and immunity-supporting benefits, and Loloh Cem-Cem, a traditional Balinese herbal beverage made from cem-cem leaves, that offers a refreshing, slightly sweet-and-sour profile associated with digestion and vitality.<\/p>\n Hippocratic medicine informs the spa drinks list at the Four Seasons in Athens<\/a>; a speciality there is \u2018Greek mountain tea\u2019 or sideritis, <\/em>which is made from ironwort, a flowering plant traditionally prized for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-supporting properties.<\/p>\n At the Tribe Hotel in Kenya<\/a>, meanwhile, they serve a range of artisan, African infusions including the Kenyan speciality \u2018purple tea\u2019, a high-altitude strain that\u2019s rich in a super-antioxidant called anthocyanin (also found in blueberries) which gives the tea its vibrant color. \u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Estelle](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/01\/estelle-manor-tea.jpg\")
![\"aman](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/01\/amanbagh-india-spa-drink-1920x2560.jpg\")
![\"buahan](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/01\/spa-elixir-drink.jpg\")