You came. You saw. You convalesced. In 2022, these 12 wellness retreats are among the best around to cure whatever ails you. From one-off themed weekend escapes to recurring retreats that can be booked whenever the time is right, read on and exhale deeply just thinking about unleashing your lighter, happier, freer self this year. By Perri Ormont Blumberg
Sand Valley Resort, Wisconsin
When in Wisconsin, it doesn’t have to be all about brats and beers. In the awe-inspiring setting of larger-than-life tumbling sand dunes and 12,000 acres of rural Rome, you’ll delight in farm-to-table cuisine and elegant yet unfussy lodging as the backdrop to a retreat. To delve deeply into the Dutch icon’s cold therapy technique, devote the whole weekend to it at the Wim Hof Event on February 25-27, 2022 (from USD 750 or INR 55,633 for the weekend), during which you’ll partake in a two-day workshop in “The Iceman’s” principles led by certified instructors (yes, a guided cold exposure foray will be in the books). Both packages include accommodations, daily breakfast, a welcome dinner, and all resort activities excluding massages.
Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, Florida
Kicking off in 2022 at this Magic City hideaway, the five-star Carillon Miami Wellness Resort is offering two ongoing retreat options: Jump Start Your Health & Wellness (from USD 2,000 or INR 1,48,355) for individuals and Get Healthy Together (from USD 3,000 or INR 2,22,532) for two people. These four-night getaways feature a tailored itinerary based on your personal goals. Through the property’s anti-ageing and medical wellness centre, the biostation — led by the medical director, Dr Martin G. Bloom — guests will receive extensive diagnostic testing and personalised wellness plans, with a range of services from hormone replacement therapy to HGH peptide therapy. Through your stay, you’ll post up in a one- or two-bedroom luxury apartment and enjoy four touchless wellness experiences, like a meditation pod with colour, sound, and energy therapies or a saltwater float session, and the choice of some 65 weekly fitness classes.
Amanyara, Turks and Caicos
The focus at this Turks and Caicos retreat is on reaching a state of peace through shifting your mindset and working on letting go and acceptance, with itinerary highlights including mantra meditation classes, mindfulness coaching workshops, and that unbeatable desert stillness. Led by Lama Geshe Yong Dong, a master of the pre-Buddhist Tibetan Bon tradition, oceanfront oasis Amanyara will become your very own healing temple on the Journey to Peace retreat (from USD 4,151 or INR 3,07,910) from January 31-February 4. Your days will revolve around group chanting, mantra, and meditation sessions, and relaxing spa treatments and beach strolls will abound. Accommodations and meals are included for the retreats, as well as non-alcoholic beverages.
Lithia Springs Resort & Wine Garden, Oregon
Grab your best friend or college roommate for this two-night retreat (from USD 498 or INR 36,940 for a Garden View Room) in the Southern Oregon city best known for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. This package is run by holistic health and transformational lifestyle coach Andréa Matteson. During your stay, you’ll work with Matteson to practice self-compassion and overhaul negative mindsets, interspersed by dips in the sulfur-rich mineral waters and sips of Applegate Valley vino in the verdant wine garden. On day one, you’ll partake in the two-hour “Discover Session,” whereas day two is the equal length “Mindset Empowerment Session,” and you can make the most of your downtime with complimentary gourmet breakfasts, afternoon tea, outdoor jacuzzi sessions, or bike rides along the local trails.
Castle Hot Springs, Arizona
Journey 50 miles (80 km) outside of Phoenix any time of year, and you’ll be rewarded with an immersive nature experience in the Bradshaw Mountains that does the body and mind good from the moment you check into Castle Hot Springs. Named the No. 1 Arizona resort in Travel + Leisure’s 2021 World’s Best Awards, the pièce de résistance at this 30-room resort are its thermal hot springs, but those looking to re-align their chakras will also find salvation in the property’s digital detox philosophy. Between stand-up paddleboarding in the hot springs, yoga sessions, and conquering Arizona’s first via ferrata cable climbing course, this adults-only resort (from USD 1,500 or INR 1,11,266 per night) is ideal for a retreat-like experience without the formal structure and mandatory group meditations.
Casa Alternavida, Puerto Rico
Another great choice if you’re looking for an anytime adventure, this beachfront retreat centre (from USD 450 or INR 33,379 per day) has perfected the art of helping guests unleash their higher selves and learn powerful techniques to keep anxiety‘s nefarious head at bay. In the middle of the El Yunque Rainforest, you’ll work with a coach to quiet your mind while nature therapy does its thing. Your schedule includes three daily organic meals, movement classes, a personalised retreat program, and guided nature excursions. Bring your favourite travel journal and let that spiritual rebirth commence.
Chenot Palace Weggis, Switzerland
Yes, it will cost a pretty penny — a one-week stay at Chenot Palace Weggis starts at USD 8,668 (INR 6,42,970) — but it will be worth it. On the northern shore of Lake Lucerne, eudaimonia enthusiasts will be like a kid in a (sugar-free) candy store at The Chenot Molecular Lab for Optimal Living, which was unveiled in November 2021. The program uses mRNA-based molecular tests to create a customised treatment plan to supercharge your health. The famed luxury wellness retreat currently has three different programs you can also sign up for during your stay: Advanced Detox, Recover & Energize, and Prevention & Aging Well. All include a slate of Chernot diagnostic assessments, medical and nutritional consultations, mud treatments, massages, and more, along with features unique to the specific program.
Wild Hive Women’s Retreats, Various Locations
Those looking for a life-changing retreat in a gorgeous destination should add Wild Hive to their list. To date, the retreat outfitter has ventured to Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Joshua Tree, California, Tucson, Arizona, and Sonoma, California with the 2022 adventures currently being finalised. For each retreat, founder Mollie Krengel rents out an entire property, and the pillar of these getaways is an hour of freewheeling dancing every day. Beyond that, retreats may include philanthropic projects (in Guatemala, they installed water filters and stoves in the homes of Mayan women, for instance), poolside cocktails, and cultural and adventure activities. Women who are interested can fill out this intake form to ensure the program is a two-way fit and be kept in the loop about upcoming retreats, which start at USD 1,900 (INR 1,40,937) (accommodations, meals, and excursions are all included).
Royal Mansour, Marrakesh
There’s just something about Marrakesh that soothes the soul. At Royal Mansour, travellers can book this immunity-supportive agenda on an individual basis (from USD 12,785 or INR 9,48,359 for five days). As you follow your bliss, you’ll be showered with programming running the gamut from private sports lessons and Tibetan singing bowl therapies to oxygen facials and massages. Consultations with a nutritionist and wellness advisor, as well as a body composition and scalp analysis, are also part of the retreat, as are personalised menus. When you’re not flooding your cells with delectable fare from acclaimed chefs, enjoy the 27,000-square-foot spa, art therapy class in a glass-panelled greenhouse, or a chaise lounge by the pool.
Inns of Aurora, New York
This small, almost enchanted Finger Lakes village on the placid shores of Cayuga Lake is enough to leave you feeling restored and re-energised. The inviting lakeside boutique resort ups the ante with multi-day retreats, like the three-day Metta Retreat (USD 1,610 or INR 1,19,425) or two-day Duet Retreat (from USD 605 or INR 44,877) at The Inns of Aurora’s new 15,000-square-foot Spa at the Inns of Aurora. The Metta Retreat, for example, is inspired by the Buddhist practice of metta meditation, and guests work on cultivating kindness to themselves and staying grounded in the present. In addition to meditation, this mind shift is helped along by massages, facials, wraps, hydrotherapy circuits in the spa’s six indoor and outdoor pools, and other detoxifying treatments. Multi-day retreat packages start at USD 605 (INR 44,877) per person.
The Ranch Malibu, California
The Ranch Malibu hosts retreats year-round (from USD 8,600 or INR 6,37,926 for the signature one-week program; the seven-day program is also available as The Ranch Private for groups of one to four people travelling together, from USD 11,000 or INR 8,15,952). The celebrated fitness and wellness program seeks to adjust your mind, body, and spirit through an intense fitness and wellness routine paired with a plant-based diet. While you unplug from the dizzying daily array of smartphone alerts and Zoom calls, you’ll participate in four-hour morning group hikes, yoga, daily massages, and more. Other items on the holistic wellness menu include pre- and post-program cholesterol testing, a weekly sound bath, acupuncture, chiropractic treatments, cryotherapy, and IV therapy. The stunning views along the property’s 200 acres in the Santa Monica Mountains, just three miles (4.8 km) above the Pacific Ocean, doesn’t hurt the mind and body reboot, either.
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