The world’s best luxury wellness retreats offer restorative pampering in spellbinding settings.
Wellness is all about harmonising the mind, body and soul. And its popularity is soaring. According to the Global Wellness Institute, the global wellness travel market is predicted to reach $8.5 trillion by 2027. From personalised fitness regimes to meditation, ancient rituals and high-tech skin therapies, wellness retreats allow guests to tune into holistic health in serene environments. Keep reading to discover the best luxury wellness retreats in the world and what makes them so sublime.
Aro Hā Wellness Retreat, New Zealand
Located in one of the planet’s most sublime mountain locations, Aro Hā (Maori for ‘love’) focuses on achieving optimal living practices, utilising results-oriented fitness, permaculture-based self-sufficiency and eco-accommodation. The vision is “zen-inspired luxury”, with offerings including nutrient-dense cuisine, healing bodywork and mindfulness programs. The Aro Hā philosophy is that movement is the cornerstone of health, so getting out into the mountain environment is a key feature of the program.
Schloss Elmau, Germany
Luxury wellness resorts don’t get much finer than multi-award-winning spa and Bavarian Alp locations. Schloss Elmau includes an Oriental Hammam, a Japanese Onsen, the Badehaus adults-only spa, four outdoor infinity lap pools, two Family Spas and a sauna. Add to that a French-Japanese restaurant helmed by a two-Michelin starred chef, a yoga centre and cultural programs, and you have a truly indulgent experience.
REVĪVŌ Wellness Resort, Bali, Indonesia
REVĪVŌ in Nusa Dua, Bali aims to soothe the spirit, rejuvenate the body and enrich the mind via a fusion of holistic spa treatments, relaxation activities and a curated diet. As one of the world’s best luxury wellness retreats, the resort also offers a schedule of three-night immersive programs to suit individual goals, including detox, destress, weight loss, anti-aging, emotional balance and longevity. Balinese style, grace and design is integrated into this lush, teak-forested property, with divine villa and suite accommodation.
Gaia Retreat & Spa, Byron Bay, Australia
This award-winning retreat located in the lush hinterland of Byron Bay taps into the spirit of Mother Earth, drawing on her beauty and healing qualities presented in a range of bespoke holistic spa experiences. From short breaks to mother/daughter retreats and pregnancy pampering, Gaia Retreat packages – which include accommodation and all meals – are designed to nurture, restore, revitalise and rebalance, with activities such as yoga, sound healing, meditation, organic cooking classes and nature walks complementing indulgent treatments.
Ananda, India
Yogis are naturally drawn to the birthplace of the practice, and Ananda, located in the foothills of the Himalayas near the spiritual town of Rishikesh is the ideal place to seek nirvana. This is one of India’s best luxury wellness retreats occupies a former palace, featuring an enormous spa with 24 treatment rooms, hydrotherapy facilities, an outdoor swimming pool and fitness centre. Traditional Ayurvedic therapies and Western spa treatments are on offer, while yoga – practised in the resort’s signature white pyjamas – is traditional Hatha style.
Amatara Wellness Resort, Phuket, Thailand
No-one does wellness quite like Thailand, and this luxury wellness retreat at Cape Panwa on Phuket sets the benchmark for tropical elegance. Personalised therapies and activities are tailored to meet health goals, with programs including detox, burnout recovery, yoga, weight management and family wellness. Amatara’s signature Welleisure retreat offers a unique Thai Hammam experience, combining traditional Thai wisdom and gentleness with Turkish/ Moroccan bathing practices.
Sukhavati Ayurvedic Retreat & Spa, Bali, Indonesia
Ancient healing techniques are the basis of the Panchakarma luxury wellness retreats at Sukhavati, a lush jungle estate located half an hour inland from Seminyak. Restore balance and relieve stress with a selection of spa treatments, yoga, Ayurvedic cuisine, meditation, daily health consultations and lifestyle seminars. Programs on offer range from a one-day taster to a transformative 21-day complete rejuvenation regimen. With just eight villas on the estate (four with private pools), Sukhavati guarantees its guests a tranquil, restorative experience.
Read: The world’s top resorts sparking a wellness revolution
Terme di Saturnia Spa, Italy
A true health sanctuary in the heart of Tuscany, Terme di Saturnia is set on the site of a 3,000-year-old thermal spring, where sulphurous 37.5°C waters detoxify, stimulate and relax bathers. Thermal, mud and water therapies top the bill with medical and high-tech treatments playing an important supporting role. Consultations unveil exactly what the body, mind and spirit need, with cryotherapy, naturopathy, stress management, nutrition, fitness and beauty treatments solving any problems that are uncovered.
COMO Shambhala Estate, Bali
COMO Shambhala Estate is a five-star Ubud resort with lush surroundings and natural spring water. One of the best luxury wellness retreats in Bali, the estate features nutritious food, soothing therapies and a variety of group activities aimed at improving physical and spiritual health. With everything from yoga to Ayurvedic massages and oxygen therapies, the spa’s friendly experts can find the right relaxation solutions for you with tailored diagnostics. And once you start to feel refreshed, you can take it up a notch with adventure activities like hiking and rafting.
The Farm San Benito, Philippines
Located in Lipa City, Philippines, The Farm at San Benito 48-hectare resort offers an exceptional healing environment for the holistic treatment and prevention of health-related conditions. Discover a range of holistic retreats including yoga and raw food programs, mental health retreats, postnatal care, electromagnetic radiation detox treatments, sleep recovery and pain management.
Euphoria Retreat, Greece
Euphoria Retreat, based in Mystras, Greece, aims to create healing moments through balance. A range of hand-picked programs and luxury wellness retreats are on offer, with an emphasis on both mindfulness and physical activity. Experiences such as the holistic leadership, self-awareness and Odysseus Journey retreats work to uplift and rejuvenate the mind. Yoga and Euphoria Fitness strengthen the body, which can be followed by a massage to relieve muscle tension. Relaxation is emphasised the most at this retreat, with a hammam, a sphere pool, a sauna, a tepidarium, a hot tub and a range of other world-class wellness facilities that provide the ultimate detox.
SHA Wellness Clinic, Spain
SHA Wellness Clinic is situated on a hilltop with sweeping views overlooking Alicante’s Mediterranean coast. The resort offers guests a wide variety of luxury wellness retreats to develop long-term life-changing strategies. Indulge in slow-cellular ageing treatments, benefit from a personalised macrobiotic food plan, or target physical fitness with a personal trainer.
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Chenot Spa Selman Marrakech, Morocco
Basking in the glory of the rugged Atlas Mountains, Chenot Spa Selman Marrakech is one of the most sumptious luxury wellness retreats in Africa. Arab-Moorish design influences create warm and calming spaces, while expert staff nurture individual wellness needs from aesthetics to nutrition and fitness. The resort offers one to six-day programmes designed to recharge energy in a charming oasis.
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Monart Spa, Ireland
Steeped in emerald green countryside amidst grazing horses and jagged mountains, Monart is an adults-only spa in a beautiful 18th-century Georgian house. Take to the state-of-the-art thermal area for caldarium experiences, paddling in the Kneippe cure pool and salt grotto treatments. The best luxury wellness retreats in the world usually offer extensive spa menus, and Monart is no exception. It boasts two-hour wellness relaxation rituals, stem cell body wraps, LED exfoliation, reflexology and transformative facials.
Kamalaya, Thailand
Kamalaya in Koh Samui offers an extensive range of programs to meet your personal wellness goals. Unwind with personal yoga synergy, learn how to enhance sleep, discover an enriched gut detox or focus on unwinding from stress burnout with revitalising spa treatments. Distinguishing itself as one of the world’s best luxury wellness retreats, the resort fosters an intimate community setting, limiting group sizes to 12 people, for enhanced connection and guest-tailoring.
Rancho La Puerta, Mexico
Surrounded by 1,618 hectares of gardens, meadows and mountains, Rancho La Puerta couldn’t be better situated to provide a natural, tranquil home in which to destress. Covering fitness, spa and diet, clients can start the day with aerial yoga, meditation or by trekking the Pilgrim Trail. They can then book into the spa for energy medicine, water flow therapy, biodynamic craniosacral therapy, Feldenkrais workshops or a range of specialty massages.
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Chiva-Som, Thailand
Chiva-Som has been serving up life-changing luxury wellness retreats for 30 years. A restorative menu of physical, mental and beauty wellness options such as Gyrotonic exercises, biofeedback stress management and wrinkle-targeting Picosure treatments, keep the spa at the forefront of its game. But it is best known for personalised programs, following an in-depth consultation, with a tailor-made itinerary hand-picked from 87 treatments, using indigenous ingredients like lemongrass, hibiscus flowers and sesame.
Six Senses Fiji, Malolo Island, Fiji
Escape to a tropical heaven where relaxation is bountiful at Six Senses Fiji. The idyllic resort is one of the best luxury wellness retreats in the South Pacific. Discover a unique suite of wellness offerings spanning immunity-boosting packages to yoga, sleep, detox, fitness and heart programmes. Personalised health assessments by wellness experts allow for tailored wellness experiences, treatments and nutritional information.
Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman
Unwind in the lap of luxury at Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman, where ancient holistic treatments at the Six Senses Spa and expert wellness practitioners will set you on the right path towards a healthier and happier lifestyle. From cleansing detoxes, to yogic practice, personal fitness and adrenaline-fuelled adventure activities, this luxury wellness retreat caters for your every desire.
Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, Australia
Up in the wild, natural hinterlands of Queensland’s Gold Coast, Gwinganna is a countryside haven for two- to seven-night retreats spanning nutrition, detoxification and overall wellbeing. Beautifully curated meals made with organic wholefoods, as well as sophisticated suites designed to soothe the mind, make this one of the best luxury wellness retreats in the world. The 33-room spa also offers treatments such as massages, organic facials, equine therapy, Eastern therapies, naturopathy, reiki experiences and unique Gwinganna experiences such the Sacred Women’s Ritual.
Original Mayr Medical Resort, Austria
Famous for its uncompromising approach and peaceful lakeside setting, the Mayr is willing to tackle almost any kind of health problems, from digestive and respiratory to hormonal disturbances. The Mayr way is to heal from the bowel out, and doctors in labs are lined up to take tests and prescribe treatments, which may include acupuncture, infusion therapies, metabolic analysis, micro-nutrient therapy, and psychological counselling. A Finnish sauna, sanarium, massage rooms and a private beach on Lake Wörthersee complete the experience.
Les Sources de Caudalie, France
Les Sources de Caudalie is one of France’s best-known vinotherapy retreats outside Bordeaux. Surrounded by the green vineyards of the Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte and a natural mineral spring, the ingredients of the life-enhancing spa treatments are right on your doorstep. Tapping into the therapeutic benefits of the polyphenol found within the grape seeds, the spa dishes up delicious treatments such as barrel baths, merlot wraps, crushed cabernet scrubs, pulp friction relaxing massages with fresh grapes and resveratrol facials.
This article originally appeared in volume 30 of Signature Luxury Travel & Style magazine. Subscribe to the latest issue today.
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