20 Wellness Resorts and Hotels You Should Book Right Now

The most extraordinary hotel wellness experiences today have evolved far beyond a massage at the spa. More travelers than ever before intend to boost their well-being on their trips, and many retreats are responding with results-driven experiences that aim to improve the mental, physical, and spiritual status quo of their guests. We’ve been reporting on this trend and have also rounded up a list of 20 hotels that stand head and shoulders above the rest in the wellness category. This list is our first edition of our new Hotels We Love series. The places that made our list have the tools to transform our mind, body, and spirit, but not just with personal regimens and programs. They also connect us to destinations in meaningful ways by tapping into local cultures and traditions, using raw natural ingredients from the area where possible, and putting nature front and center. From a palatial spa complex in Marrakech to a boot camp–style retreat in Italy, these 20 hotels set a benchmark for wellness retreats today.

Courtesy of Post Ranch Inn

1. Post Ranch Inn

• Big Sur, California
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For more than 30 years, the Post Ranch Inn, which sits along a cliff 1,200 feet above the Pacific Ocean, has been a go-to retreat for devotees who believe well-being starts with a place that honors its natural environment—and treads lightly on it, too. Big Sur architect Mickey Muennig designed the 40 guest rooms that rely on solar power; all were fashioned out of recycled wood, and the structures blend in with the Santa Lucia Mountains. Views through enormous windows face either the Pacific Ocean or the mountains. Wellness plays a role in every experience on offer, whether it’s a reflexology treatment, a shaman healing session, a doctor-led sleep program, or a private guided hike or meditation session in the nearby ancient forests.

Courtesy of Miraval Arizona

2. Miraval Arizona

• Tucson, Arizona
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Located an hour outside of Tucson in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, Miraval Arizona opened in 1995 and joined the Hyatt portfolio in 2017. The 118 guest rooms are housed in adobe buildings and feature a modern, desert-style aesthetic with wood furnishings and private patios—some with tiled fireplaces. Wellness here is holistic and immersive: The Miraval Equine Experience involves working with horses in a way that allows guests to notice their own personal patterns and inhibitions, while Discover Your Dosha teaches guests about their Ayurvedic constitutional type (dosha) and how it can be optimized for health and wellness. The resort also offers workshops on nutrition and sleep, both nourished during a stay.

Courtesy of Sensei Lāna‘i, a Four Seasons Resort

3. Sensei Lāna‘i, a Four Seasons Resort

• Lāna‘i, Hawai‘i
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There are not one, but two Four Seasons resorts on the beach-fringed island of Lāna‘i, the secluded, 140-square-mile island that billionaire Larry Ellison mostly owns. But Sensei Lāna‘i, a Four Seasons Resort, developed by Ellison in collaboration with U.S. physician Dr. David Agus and chef Nobu Matsuhisa of Nobu restaurant fame and located in the island’s green interior, is why wellness seekers make the 45-minute charter flight from Honolulu. Here, an evidence-based program is centered on three paths: move, nourish, and rest. On-site experts guide guests through their personal goals, be it weight loss or mindfulness, and daily activities range from restorative aerial yoga to forest bathing. The 92 guest rooms, with their neutral hues and Japanese-inspired architecture, are sanctuaries unto themselves, while the manicured grounds feature the work of such contemporary sculptors as Fernando Botero.

Photo by Robert Rieger / Aman New York

4. Aman New York

• New York City
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In the heart of one of the world’s most frenetic cities is a hotel that feels like a true sanctuary. When it opened in 2022, Aman New York aimed to be an escape from the hustle of Manhattan. And indeed, it is: Travel to the 14th floor of the historic Beaux Arts Crown building and the soaring, neutral hued atrium of the lobby lounge exudes peace. So do the 83 suites, whose pivoting partition walls reference Japanese shoji screens. The spa on the 9th, 10th, and 11th floors, which spans 25,000 square feet, includes a 65-foot indoor swimming pool flanked by fireplaces. Here, wellness programs are wide ranging, depending on the goals of guests. One can conceivably consult with a Harvard-trained doctor and use state-of-the-art lab diagnostics, find inner peace chanting with a Tibetan Buddhist monk, and get an epic, two-hour CBD oil–infused massage all in the same stay. The restaurants, including Italian-inspired Arva and Japanese-focused inspired Nama, offer delicious menus that focus on nutrition and seasonality.

Courtesy of Palmaia, House of Aia

5. Palmaia, House of Aia

• Playa del Carmen, Mexico
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Google won’t reveal much about Palmaia, House of Aia, a retreat with 234 airy, whitewashed rooms located where the beach meets the jungle in Playa del Carmen. And that’s the point: This new all-inclusive wellness resort in the Riviera Maya wants visitors to come with an open mind. The founders, who are fans of alternative living (think vegan menus and lots of yoga mats), aspired to weave together indulgent beach vacation activities like pool lounging and frolicking on white sands with more introspective, spiritual elements. As part of the resort’s “Architects for Life” program, guests can opt for such activities as yoga, tai chi, or chakra alignment or spend time meditating with a shaman. The five restaurants on property are all vegan or vegetarian, but diners can opt to add animal protein to any dishes on order.

Photo by Jessie Beck

6. The Ranch Italy

• Fiuggi, Italy
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With a program more focused on fitness and weight loss than spirituality and relaxation, the new Italian sister property to iconic California-based the Ranch Malibu brings the retreat’s boot camp mentality to the medieval town of Fiuggi in Lazio outside of Rome. Here, mineral-rich waters have attracted wellness seekers for centuries, many as guests at the 1910 Palazzo Fiuggi, where guests (dubbed Ranchers) stay. Just as in Malibu, the Ranch Italy participants follow a daily routine of early wake-up calls, hikes, workout classes, massages, and communal, vegan meals—but with a slightly more laid-back, Italian twist. Think trails with views of the Apennine Mountains, vegan takes on locally inspired dishes, and bedding down in one of the Palazzo Fiuggi’s 102 serene, neutral-hued guest rooms.

Courtesy of Schloss Elmau

7. Schloss Elmau

• Bavaria, Germany
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Situated in the forested Bavarian mountains, Schloss Elmau has welcomed travelers seeking physical, mental, and spiritual well-being since a German theologian opened the hotel’s doors in 1916. Today, the six (yes, six) on-site spas are the main draw. They include the adults-only Badenhaus Spa, which features three pools and relaxation rooms with fireplaces, a sprawling Turkish hammam with three domes, and a spa for children with an indoor pool. The 162 guest rooms, with hardwood floors and large soaking tubs, have hosted their share of high-profile visitors (the retreat hosted the G7 Summit in 2015 and then again in 2022). They’re the home base for guests, many of whom opt for results-driven programs, including weight loss and yoga retreats. The hotel’s concert hall showcases as many as 200 musical performances each year, while 10 on-site dining options include the two-Michelin-starred Luce d’Oro, featuring Japanese French cuisine.

Courtesy of the Retreat at Blue Lagoon

8. The Retreat at Blue Lagoon

• Grindavík, Iceland
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Built directly into 800-year-old lava rock on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, the minimalist, 62-suite Retreat at Blue Lagoon and its extensive wellness program were built around the volcanic landscape. Well-being starts with a swim in the mineral-rich private lagoon that’s open exclusively to hotel guests and a limited number of day guests. At the center of the subterranean spa is the Ritual, three connected chambers where guests can slather themselves in the area’s moisturizing silica and algae, plus the exfoliating minerals naturally found in the Blue Lagoon’s geothermal seawater. The most immersive treatments submerge guests in the lagoon itself. The in-water massage is exactly what it sounds like—a massage in the lagoon’s warm waters. Sustainability runs throughout: The Retreat’s electricity, heating, and hot water are all 100 percent powered by a nearby geothermal power plant.

Courtesy of Six Senses

9. Six Senses Ibiza

• Ibiza, Spain
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Despite its party reputation, the Spanish island of Ibiza has been drawing an introspective, nature-seeking crowd to its sun-kissed shores for decades. Helping to reinvigorate this lesser-known side of the destination is the Six Senses Ibiza, which opened in 2021 on the more laid-back northern reaches of the island. The resort’s 12,900-square-foot spa, armed with a fleet of wellness experts, embraces the scientific-meets-spiritual reputation of the global, sustainability-minded Six Senses hotel collection. Health screenings can be arranged on site in advance of tailored programs that focus on longevity, skin, better sleep, and more. Many of the 137 light-filled guest rooms feature terraces facing the Mediterranean Sea, while for larger groups, 19 residences and two mansions range from three to 10 bedrooms. Each year in the cooler fall months, the resort encourages community building through events and workshops at its three-day Alma festival, which brings together like-minded travelers and experts.

Courtesy of Sha Wellness Clinic

10. Sha Wellness Clinic

• Alicante, Spain
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Located in the city of Alicante on Spain’s southeastern coast, Sha Wellness Clinic has become a well-regarded destination spa known for blending medical and holistic approaches to wellness. Founded in 2008 by real estate mogul Alfredo Bataller Parietti, who recovered from colon cancer thanks in part to natural remedies including a better diet, the retreat aims to treat major illnesses while also offering preventative programs. Guests can choose among five themed paths, including Detox, Optimal Weight, and Healthy Aging; plans are all tailored to individual needs, and include seasonal plant- and seafood-forward menus. Visitors stay in the 93 minimalist suites or 11 residences, some with views of the Mediterranean, and can spend as much time as they’d like exploring the area by sailing, diving, and hiking along the sun-soaked coast.

Courtesy of Fairmont Windsor Park

11. Fairmont Windsor Park

• Great Windsor Park, England
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On the outskirts of the former hunting grounds of Windsor Castle, Fairmont Windsor Park is housed in a former private residence on 40 acres of manicured grounds. It’s home to a 27,000-square-foot spa with all the trappings of a modern clinical wellness center (from injury rehab to cryotherapy), with personalized programs to help guests sleep better, improve their nutrition, and move more. Visitors in search of a more sybaritic stay can also take the path of full-on pampering, perhaps by booking a deep tissue or herbal poultice massage in one of the 18 treatment rooms, taking a dip in the hydrotherapy pool, or getting a black soap scrub in the hammam. The 251 guest rooms and suites, decorated in soothing neutral hues and muted floral accents, face the property’s idyllic landscaped gardens.

Courtesy of Chenot Palace Weggis

12. Chenot Palace Weggis

• Weggis, Switzerland
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In 2020, the renowned Swiss wellness group Chenot, which operates spas around the world from Morocco to Italy, opened its flagship, Chenot Palace Weggis, in a tiny resort town at the foothills of the Alps beside Lake Lucerne. This medical spa isn’t for the faint of heart. Chenot Palace is at its core a detoxification retreat, where guests are prescribed 850-calorie vegan meals each day, giving up such substances as caffeine, sugar, salt, and booze. It’s a no pain, no gain approach, but devotees swear by the clarity of mind and renewed metabolic efficiency from the Chenot Method that Dr. Henri Chenot has been prescribing since 1974. At close to 54,000 square feet, the spa facilities offer advanced medical screening to help guests make changes in their lives back home in the name of long-term longevity. Even in the middle of a detox, it’s easy to appreciate the picturesque surroundings of this Alpine town, along with the 97 neutral-hued, wooden-floored guest rooms, some of which face Lake Lucerne.

Courtesy of Villa Stéphanie & Spa Wellbeing

13. Villa Stéphanie Spa & Wellbeing

• Baden-Baden, Germany
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In the thermal springs town of Baden-Baden, in Germany’s Black Forest, Villa Stéphanie Spa & Wellbeing offers visitors a chance to reboot with a team of sought-after wellness experts. The 15-room villa is on the grounds of the 1872 Brenners Park-Hotel and Spa, part of the Oetker Collection of luxury hotels. The program is led by Dr. Harry König, a trained biological cancer therapist and a practitioner of integrative medicine. He also happens to be a secret weapon for a clientele of billionaires, celebrities, and athletes. At Villa Stéphanie, outcomes are focused on long-term results, and programs are personalized to each visitor, whether they’re hoping for a full annual medical assessment, healing from an illness, or looking to tune up their nutrition and fitness regimens. The villa’s 15 guest rooms, with Loro Piana fabrics and private balconies, are sumptuous surroundings for a transformative getaway.

Courtesy of Auberge Resorts Collection

14. Hacienda AltaGracia, Auberge Resorts Collection

• Pérez Zeledón, Costa Rica
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Set in a tropical forest filled with birdsong in Costa Rica’s Talamanca Mountains, Hacienda AltaGracia harnesses its surroundings as part of its wellness-driven offerings. The resort is home to an outpost of New York City–based holistic health center the Well, which organizes retreats themed on such topics as longevity, movement, and astronomy, often with visiting experts. The 20,000-square-foot facility offers hydrotherapy tubs, health consultations, and mindful movement classes like aerial yoga. Because the landscape is such an integral part of the wellness experience—the Nicoya Peninsula is one of the world’s five Blue Zones where lifespans and health spans exceed the norm—the resort encourages off-property trips to connect with area residents in an Indigenous Boruca village or a hike in nearby Corcovado National Park. The 50 casitas have one or two bedrooms and feature heated private plunge pools on terraces that face the surrounding green landscape.

Courtesy of the BodyHoliday

15. BodyHoliday

• St. Lucia
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Flexibility is the key word at BodyHoliday, a center for health and well-being on a hill along St. Lucia’s northern coast. The resort’s extensive wellness programming has created a loyal following: Each year, as many as 50 percent of guests are repeat visitors, according to the hotel. They stay in one of the 155 French Caribbean–style accommodations, some of which are stand-alone villas. Here, traditional vacation activities such as snorkeling, sailing lessons, and cocktails on the beach are on offer alongside serious wellness endeavors at the Moorish-inspired Wellness Center, from Ayurveda and acupuncture to weight loss. The all-inclusive pricing model, which includes a spa treatment each day, makes the experience especially palatable to a wellness newbie looking to try a variety of experiences; the friendly staff make planning a breeze. Not to be missed is the resort’s new farm-to-table dining experience, where Rastafarian hosts walk diners through traditional medicinal and harvesting practices in an on-site garden before enjoying a vegan meal.

Courtesy of Joali Being

16. Joali Being

• Bodufushi Island, Maldives
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Joali Being isn’t a wellness retreat that deprives partakers of pleasure. It sets you on a transformative path of personal renewal, but ensures that you have a lovely time while doing it. The resort’s philosophy is based on four pillars—mind, skin, microbiome, and energy—and everything is connected to one of them, including the delicious food created by chefs who understand nutrition. Days are filled with sound therapy, physical therapy sessions, and herbology tailored to guests’ needs. Sprawling villas hew to biophilic design principles that blend into the surroundings, with a color palette of sand and pistachio. But it’s also the simple things here that bring a calming sense of joy, whether you’re in the sound garden with instruments that vibrate at a cellular level, on the cycling route that winds beneath palm trees, or floating in the warm, clear waters.

Courtesy of Ananda in the Himalayas

17. Ananda in the Himalayas

• Rishikesh, India
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Set within a 100-acre estate above Rishikesh— the yoga capital of the world—Ananda in the Himalayas integrates traditional Ayurvedic treatments with international health, fitness, and nutrition pursuits. While the terraced guest rooms and spa menu are on offer for short stays, a week is necessary to participate in one of Ananda’s personalized holistic wellness programs. As of 2022, programs also include emotional healing guided by experts in hypnotherapy, inner child therapy, and more. Nowhere is Ananda’s interdisciplinary approach more apparent than the palatial 25,000-square-foot spa. A cutting-edge physiotherapy wing opened there last year, as did a traditional Chinese medicine section. In the maze of treatment rooms, guests will also meet graduates of the Ananda Spa Foundation, a not-for-profit spa training program for local women nominated based on financial need.

Courtesy of Aro Ha

18. Aro Hā

• Glenorchy, New Zealand
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At Aro Hā, a 20-room wellness retreat in New Zealand’s Southern Alps, you’ll find that being in a remote wilderness makes everything about a transformative stay more appealing. The resort holds multi-day retreats, many centered on a full overhaul of daily habits to improve the health and immune system and manage stress. The day begins with the hum of Tibetan singing bowls, which rouse you for sunrise yoga. After a delicious gluten- and dairy-free breakfast, you can take part in vegetarian cooking demos, enjoy a therapeutic massage, practice meditation, or head out on a three- to four-hour hike through Mount Aspiring National Park. By dinnertime you’ll be asking for seconds of carrot tacos with “living” green chili corn chowder.

Courtesy of the Royal Mansour

19. Royal Mansour Marrakech

• Marrakech, Morocco
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Within the 53 pink-walled private riads of the Royal Mansour, the craftsmanship—from the carved marble fountains in the atriums to the intricate tilework—feel fit for the owner, who happens to be the King of Morocco. Just as palatial is the gleaming white 27,000-square-foot spa. Wellness seekers can choose individualized programs focused on rebalancing, weight control, rejuvenation, or immunity boosting; they range from three to 14 days with the support of experts and chefs who assist on nutrition plans. Art therapy workshops harness the power of painting, pottery, or calligraphy to reduce anxiety and promote introspection in a glass-walled greenhouse. There are 10 spacious treatment rooms and three spa suites and, this being Morocco, an on-site hammam that uses clay from the Atlas Mountains and roses sourced from the Kalaat Begouna Valley nearby.

Courtesy of Como Shambhala Estate

20. Como Shambhala Estate

• Bali, Indonesia
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With Indonesian names that translate to earthy concepts like “wind song” or “forest in the mist,” the terra-cotta and thatched-roof residences at the 22-acre Como Shambhala Estate encourage quiet reflection. They jut from the hillsides and line the Ayung riverbed, offering refuge from the frenetic scene nearby in Ubud. Most people come here as part of a yoga or health retreat, and everything—from dining to custom health programs—is designed to guide guests toward reaching their wellness goals with help from a cadre of resident experts, including a dietician, Ayurvedic doctor, reflexologist, and an Oriental medicine specialist, plus fitness, yoga, Pilates, and qigong instructors. But it’s not all work. After a day of rugged outdoor adventure—the resort can arrange for hiking, biking, and paddleboarding down the Ayung—retire to your private spring-water infinity pool and meditate on events yet to come.