Santani Resort & Spa, Sri Lanka
Harmony guides everything at Santani Resort & Spa, a wellness retreat in Sri Lanka that has the word in its very name. Balance is key, with the resort encouraging a holistic sense of care in its guests, while respecting the countryside that it is embedded in, creating as little an impact as possible. While the nature that surrounds it is naturally relaxing and rejuvenating, Santani focusses on personalised programs and diets, and activities like yoga and ayurvedic spa treatments to let guests unwind and learn how to refocus and create that harmony and balance in their lives. Santani is one of the best wellness retreats in the world, having been named in internationally renowned magazines and websites as a spectacular place to visit.
The rooms at Santani are open to the fresh air outside, without the artificial use of air conditioning, as the climate simply does not call for it. This also saves energy, thus lessening their impact on the earth. The philosophy at Santani is free and easy, and guests can meditate by rivers and roam around rice fields and jungle life. The food is an especial highlight, created from organic, local ingredients and deliciously prepared.
2. Little French Retreat, France
Owned by the multitalented Tamsin Chubb, Little French Retreat is a cosy space that reminds one of home. If you’re looking to book a wellness retreat that is as comfortable as it is warm, then look no further. Chubb believes that the mind, body, nutrition and environment are integral to the wellbeing of an individual, and she has brought together her experience as a yoga instructor, cook, and coach to create a retreat that will make guests feel invited as they take on a special wellness journey. The surrounding French landscape is soothing and beautiful, and wholesome, nutritious food coupled with Yoga and Ayurvedic practices makes for a serene vacation. Ayurveda seeks to balance the body, mind, and spirit, and Little French Retreat manifests this in its environment, activities and the food provided. The retreats are designed to give guests an unhurried, placid space to rethink their lives, and to achieve a sense of balance by finding their focus.
3. SHA WELLNESS CLINIC, Spain
Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea between the bay of Altea and the natural park of Sierra Helada, SHA Wellness Clinic uses the SHA method, which integrates natural therapies with nutrition, combining it with preventive Western medicine. Taking inspiration from a vast number of sources, such as natural medicines and western technology, the SHA method is also conducive to modern daily life, making it an effective therapy. Flexible, practical and highly personalised, the SHA method has to be experienced to be fully understood. The wellness clinic focusses on re-educating habits, inner focus and achieving long term results. There are conferences, cooking classes, meditation, yoga and other activities that help guests understand how to take control of their lives in the long run. There is special focus on anti-ageing, and the clinic also encourages a holistic view of fitness.
4. Cala Luna Boutique Hotel, Costa Rica
A luxurious boutique hotel, Cala Luna looks to combine the concept of a getaway vacation with perfection in comfort and personalised service with a wellness component that has guests using the nature that surrounds them to have a healing experience. On the white sands of the nearby beach, guests can go surfing, practice yoga in the ocean breeze, and enjoy an array of spa treatments that will soothe and rejuvenate. These treatments include massages, acupressure, sound therapy, reiki, and shiatsu. The open-air Yoga studio brings guests into harmony with the earth, and the serenity that surrounds the studio makes for a unique meditative experience. This ideology carries over into the cuisine as well, as local, organic ingredients are used to make delectable dishes that are unique.
5. Ananda in the Himalayas, India
A truly magnificent resort, Ananda in the Himalayas is a luxurious retreat that coalesces differing points of India’s culture and history, from the palace Maharaja of Tehri Garhwal that has been home to some of India’s renowned heads of state to the principles of Ayurveda that saturate the practices and activities and very philosophy of the place. The staff treats guests as with the warm courteousness reminiscent of royalty, and there is a sense of authenticity and history to the place that is breath taking. The traditional ayurvedic practices are the most important part of the resort’s wellness regime, ranging from diet to massages to lifestyle changes that aim to cleanse the body then relax and revitalise it. The Yoga practiced at the hotel is purely traditional, a form of discipline that traces to Hatha yoga. The hotel also offers active fitness, that uses goals to motivate and encourage guests to adapt effective techniques into their daily routines.
6. Aro Hā Wellness Retreat, New Zealand
Aro Ha offers what they call a radically different kind of adventure and looking over the resort gives one an inkling of what they mean. Marrying luxury, wellness, and rugged adventure together, Aro Ha promises to thrill, revive and encourages guests to enjoy both a sense of relaxation and community. An award-winning retreat, Aro Ha immerses its guests in nature, allowing them to find what’s missing in their lives, as per co-found Damian Chaparro who said, “It’s hard to know what we are missing until we’ve found it.” For those who have lost their sense of adventure, Aro Ha wants to give them the opportunity to find it again, to reconnect with themselves and their senses. The resort is committed to being ‘earth-friendly’ as it helps guests nourish themselves within themselves as well as beyond themselves.
7. Amanemu, Japan
Japan is a country with a long history of focus on wellness, and Amanemu is built on these foundations. The practice of hot baths in particular is a well-recognised form of taking care of oneself, and the hotel features an unparalleled experience. A rustic, ryokan-inspired retreat, Amanemu integrates ancient Japanese hospitality with a contemporary aesthetic that focusses on natural textures makes for a restful and extremely pleasant space. Natural hot springs around the resort encourage guests to try traditional onsen bathing, while the restorative waters help them feel soothed. The location is stellar, as several sacred forests and Unesco trails are nearby. Amanemu’s crowning jewel is an outdoor thermal spring garden featuring two onsen pools with naturally heated water infused with salt, known for its curative benefits such as the soothing of joint and muscle pain. There are also wellness programs that guests can choose to enrol in.
8. Anantara Kihavah, Maldives
A private island in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Anantara Kihavah is the quintessential island resort, surrounded by pristine sands and miles of gentle blue waves of the lagoon that give way to darker, serene waters of the ocean. The island has been respected, with trees standing where they have grown, and villas making their around them. The design of the resort is inspired by the wayfarers who stopped at the island in the past, from Arabs to the Portuguese, all using indigenous materials. Anantara Kihavah has a water spa sanctuary that features water suites, with massages that will melt stress. The atmosphere is calming, reflecting the peaceful life in the ocean below. Using Ayurvedic techniques, the masters of wellness at this resort will help guests find their balance and understand themselves, all while providing gentle encouragement.
9. Nobu Hotel Los Cabos, Mexico
The resort features spectacular views of the sea below it and is a luxurious sea scape. With a spa, private cabanas, and infinity pools, Nobu Hotel Los Cabos invites guests to unwind and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere surrounding them. The spa is Asian inspired, going back to nature to provide guests with a charming and wonderful experience. There is an outdoor hydrotherapy garden with an experiential shower, jacuzzi, as well as steam and sauna areas, all making for wonderful water therapies that can ease pain and encourage relaxation. Fitness areas also have space for exercise and yoga.
10. Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, Germany
Another quintessential luxury wellness retreat, Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa is situated in the world-famous spa town of Baden-Baden. This resort offers luxurious spa treatments and cures that will refresh guests long after they have left. The building is grand and is decorated with works of art that will invigorate the mind as the spa rejuvenates the body. Art is an important aspect of the hotel, and the hotel has a curated collection of bespoke art. This collection is displayed in areas such as the bar, kitchen, and restaurant. Wellness is of course an important aspect of the hotel, and the resort focusses on combining beauty, nutrition, emotional balance and medical care.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/10-best-wellness-retreats-for-2020
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/travel-dining/g14470442/best-wellness-retreats-2018/
https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/the-best-wellness-retreats-in-the-world
