Not all luxury holidays have to include sitting on a lounge chair and drinking cocktails. You might want your next vacation to be a luxury wellness excursion where you can cleanse your body and mind while enjoying the amenities of a glamorous hotel. Here’s a shortlist of some of the best, where you’re sure to return home glowing from the inside out, whether that’s because of the long hikes, power yoga and nutrition advice, or the aura cleansing river baths and hypnotherapy. The best part? You can do much of it in a robe.
Nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Ranch is one of the most famous luxury wellness retreats for a reason. Founded in 2010 by Alex Glasscock and his wife, Sue, the signature seven-day retreat beloved by celebrities such as Rebel Wilson, Mandy Moore and Lea Michele consists of daily four-hour hikes, strength-training classes, restorative yoga and massages at the “massage village”. You will also be placed on a 1,400-calorie-a-day organic, plant-based diet; snacks include six almonds or kale chips. The Ranch also offers pre and post-programme cholesterol testing and body composition analysis so you can track your progress. With only 25 attendees on the retreat at a time, there’s no hiding. You will be expected to push yourself physically and mentally. After giving the programme your all you can retreat to your private accommodation – one of 21 light-filled cottages with reclaimed wood floors, limestone bathrooms and serene colour schemes. There is a four-month waiting list. Based on a one-week minimum stay: double occupancy from £5,989pp, single from £7,250pp. Available all year
A stay at the secluded Como Shambhala Estate in the dense forests of Bali is one that can be personalised to your individual wellness needs. With the integrated wellness programme you get a consultation with one of the retreat’s wellness experts, who will suggest an eating plan, therapy schedule and wellness activities. That could include easy or deep-flow yoga, a bike ride through rice fields, a visit to an ayurvedic doctor or a dietician, and massages and body care treatments. When you’ve had enough, retire to one of the estate’s beautiful rooms, suites or villas. The garden rooms feature dark wooden floors and views of the jungle, suites are adorned with Indonesian-inspired decor and come with a whirlpool bath, and villas have their own private pool and outdoor deck. For nutrition, there’s also Glow, a restaurant that focuses on tasty, healthy meals, serving a variety of salad bowls loaded with vegetables and pulses as well as dishes such as steamed fish of the day in a ginger and shallot sauce, and spice-crusted lamb loin with Persian feta and herby salad. Rooms including the integrated wellness programme from £632 a night. On all year, three-night minimum booking
If you’ve struggled with burnout, a stay at Hacienda AltaGracia in the Talamanca Mountains of Costa Rica could set you on the road to recovery. The Well, a wellness club set up by Rebecca Parekh, who had exhausted herself as a former Deutsche Bank executive, first opened in New York but now has a base at Hacienda AltaGracia. The Well Integrated Experience is a four-day retreat programme that has four areas of focus – “purify”, “nourish”, “recover” and “restore”. Before you arrive you will have a virtual wellbeing consultation with your designated health coach. You will discuss your goals, lifestyle and dietary habits so that you can get the most out of the retreat. The classes and sessions are centred on celebrating Pachamama – Mother Earth. You’ll take a private mindful movement class and cleanse your aura in a natural river bath. The holistic health coaches Amanda Carney, Lauren Ferioli and Karim Soto are on hand, as is Dr Frank Lipman, an expert in acupuncture. There are five restaurants on site, serving cuisine from across Central America, so you won’t have to worry about getting bored of the food. A coffee farm and equine stables will help keep you entertained. The simple casita rooms offer plantation or mountain views, while the casas are equipped with heated plunge pools or swinging beds.Rooms from £1,282 a night plus integrated wellness programmes at £2,320pp
Amid the peaceful Himalayan foothills, the journey to wellness with Ananda has many different paths. On the foundation to wellness programme you can attend stress management sessions, yoga classes and fitness classes. If you’re looking for something more intense, the comprehensive wellness package gives you access to more programmes such as weight or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) management and dhyana meditation. You’ll have wellness consultations with experts and receive a personalised diet plan with an emphasis on wholegrains, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and low-fat dairy products, and the avoidance of artificial preservatives. Special menus are provided in consultation with the in-house ayurvedic doctor to best serve the specific imbalances people may be dealing with. Visiting masters pop in throughout the year. Recently Dr Roma Singh, a traditional reiki grandmaster and a clinical hypnotherapist, brought her skills to the retreat, as did Chandana Ganguly, a psychologist and energy healer. Staying within a palace estate might make your wellness journey just a bit easier. The simplest rooms offer views of the palace or the gardens, with either a porch or a balcony, whereas suites have their own private garden and separate dining and powder rooms. The villas have private pools, bathroom saunas and a butler service. Rooms including foundation wellness programmes from £583 a night. Rooms including comprehensive wellness programmes from £646 a night