The rough ‘n’ rumble 21st century is full of enough tirades and tensions to make you ill. Too bad no one’s figured out an antidote.
Wait a minute – some destinations have.
At these 10 wellness retreats and spas around the world, you don’t just detox your body. Your mind and emotions get a vacation as well.
Y01 Luxury Nature Cure, United States
Relax at these wellness spas and retreats
The Catskills have long been an escape for harried New Yorkers looking to recharge and relax.
Enter Dr. Subhash Chandra, chairman of the India-based Essel group, who built the area’s newest wellness retreat, “a place that allowed [sic] people to heal, to re-connect with nature, to regain their whole health,” says Chandra.
YO1 Luxury Nature Cure (YO1 means “youth” in Sanskrit) opened on the summer solstice and sits on the bucolic grounds of the former Kutsher’s Hotel and Country Club in Monticello, New York. This massive, all-inclusive country resort specializes in Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, massage, acupuncture, physiotherapy and for the truly coordinated, a Bollywood style dance class.
The rooms – most of which have idyllic lake views – are spacious and modern, and the food program is a winner.
Y01 Luxury Nature Cure, 420 Anawana Lake Road, Monticello, NY 12701; +1 845-237-9100
Simply Healing, England
Ever been tempted to try a juice fast but not the type who suffers privation easily?
Simply Healing specializes in personalized juice detox programs at Alliblaster House, a retreat located in a 19th-century Georgian mansion, less than two hours from London.
The ambiance is smart but far from formal. Therapeutic treatments are among the best you’ll find in the UK, the juices are delicious and filling and staff are kind.
Founder Vivien Kay is a keen traveler, and rooms are scattered with art and curios from her adventures. Walks in the surrounding countryside are glorious, too.
Simply Healing Detox Retreat, Hill House Lane, Rudgwick, West Sussex RH12 3BD, +44 1403 822117
Ananda, India
High above the Ganges in the Himalayan foothills, this retreat is renowned for its Ayurvedic healing programs, yoga and meditation, daily vedanta (philosophy) classes, wellness packages and spa.
In Sanskrit, “ananda” means “bliss,” and spa addicts worldwide rave about the magical qualities of the place – the tranquil setting, crisp mountain air, lush scenery and view of the holy Ganges.
Clients are well catered to with excursions, safaris and whitewater rafting.
Ananda, The Palace Estate, Narendra Nagar Tehri - Garhwal, Narendra Nagar, Uttarakhand 249175, India; +91 1378 227 500
Longevity Wellness, Portugal
The sun-soaked Algarve in southern Portugal might be best known as a golf and beach destination, but Longevity Wellness is putting it on the map for rejuvenation.
It offers a wide range of services in numerous areas. They include: stress management, mindfulness, yoga, bootcamp-stye fitness, weight loss, detox programs, posture realignment and more.
Longevity Wellness has two locations:
Vilalara Longevity Thalassa & Medical Spa, Praia das Gaivotas, Alporchinhos-Porches, 8400-450 Lagoa, Algarve, Portugal; +351 967 108 244
Longevity Cegonhan Country Club, Estrada de Alubufeira, 8125-300 Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal; +351 967 108 244
Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman
How many spas can you paraglide into? Zighy Bay’s Bond-ish arrival option ranks as one of the coolest on the planet. But it’s not all adrenaline-charged. The resort is geared toward relaxation and repose, with a dedicated spa.
Located in the Musandam Peninsula, with mountains to one side and beach on the other, one could hardly ask for a grander setting. Equally tantalizing are the three-, five- and seven-day detox, fitness, destressing and adventure programs with options you can customize.
Six Senses Zighy Bay, P.O. Box 212, Dibba-Musandam PC 800, Oman; +968 2673 5555
Fordoun Hotel & Spa, South Africa
Dr. Elliot Ndlovu is a Zulu spiritual healer and director of Fordoun, one of South Africa’s top-rated spas. The family owned place is located on a former dairy farm in the hills of Kwazulu Natal province’s Midlands and surrounded by a working cattle farm.
Its motto is “Ubuntu,” a Zulu phrase that roughly translates as “treat others as you would like to be treated.”
The indigenous-themed treatments, walks, birdwatching, trout fishing and ballooning are all restful activities, but the star attraction is a session with Ndlovu, who a few years back traveled to the Oscars in Los Angeles to give readings to a bevy of A-list stars.
Fordoun Hotel & Spa, Nottingham Road, Midlands, KwaZulu-Natal, 3280, South Africa; +27 33 266 6217
Kamalaya, Thailand
Kamalaya consistently garners rapturous reviews. It’s on the island of Koh Samui and built around a cave once inhabited by a Buddhist monk.
That pretty much sets the tone. There’s an impressive roster of therapists and visiting experts, as well as 14-day wellness programs, including ones devoted to stress and burnout and sleep enhancement.
Yoga, pilates, meditation, a library, swimming pool and landscaped gardens provide more ways to find peace and quiet.
Kamalaya, 102/9 Moo 3, Laem Set Road, Na-Muang Koh Samui, Suratthani 84140 Thailand; +66 (0) 77429800
Spa Eastman, Canada
This spa has two locations – one in the country and one in the city.
In Quebec’s Eastern Townships, an hour from Montreal, Spa Eastman is one of Canada’s top spas and also one of its more affordable.
It’s in a beautiful location, with unobstructed views of Mount Orford and some good hiking options. Aside from a selection of therapies, fitness offerings and guided walks, the spa specializes in “thermotherapy” with a Turkish bath and outdoor pools.
In the urban spa in Montreal, you can opt for a massage, facial or an igloo shower, and there’s even a spot to take a 30-minute power nap.
Spa Eastman (Eastern Townships), 895 Chemin des Diligences, Eastman, QC J0E 1P0, Canada, +1 450-297-3009
Spa Eastman (Montreal), 666, Sherbrooke St. West, 16th floor, Montreal CQ H3A 1E7; +1 514-845-8455
Gaia Retreat & Spa, Australia
Subtropical Byron Bay is home to this award-winning retreat and spa. Fun fact: Olivia Newton-John is one of the founders. With just 19 bedrooms and views of the Pacific Ocean, it’s a magnificent healing space.
The retreat attracts some of Australia’s finest healers, therapists and fitness experts, and there’s everything from hypnotherapy to sound healing, acupuncture and even tennis coaching alongside spa indulgence.
Stays are tailored for guests looking for a “personal, purpose driven retreat.”
Gaia Retreat & Spa, 933 Fernleigh Road, Brooklet NSW 2479, Australia; +61 2 6687 1216
BodyHoliday, St. Lucia
The location is superb: a quiet cove of white sand beach on the Caribbean Sea, with tropical gardens and rainforest completing the backdrop.
BodyHoliday will let you personalize your treatments before you arrive. And it offers an array of wellness options: Massage, body wrap, Thalasso Therapy and facial are just some of them.
Ayurvedic cuisine from ancient India is offered as one of its healthy-eating possibilities.
BodyHoliday, Cariblue Beach, Castries, St. Lucia, West Indies, St. Lucia; +1 758-457-7800
This article was first published in January 2013 and updated in June 2018. CNN’s Brekke Fletcher and Forrest Brown contributed new material.
