9 best hyper wellness retreats across the world to heal the mind, body, and soul

Open bars, presidential suites and bottomless buffets are all great, but the ultimate luxury that we’re all entitled to is holistic wellness. With bespoke menus at spas located in remote locales, here’s where the mind, body, and soul are pampered ad infinitum. Whether you’re opting for yoga on the rocks at Amangiri in Utah or ozone therapy at Soneva Soul in the Maldives, you cannot escape the serenity that these healing havens offer.

Layan Life by Anantara, Phuket

This newly opened property, adjacent to the family-friendly beachside paradise of Anantara Layan Phuket Resort, offers unique treatments that combine ancient Thai principles with cutting-edge technology. Guests can choose between three-to-10-day programmes, modelled on a ‘Whole of Life’ approach that celebrates key life stages. Designed by expert Thai practitioners, each offering is themed on the four elements of Earth, water, wind, and fire. The duplex structure boasts consultation rooms, physiotherapy, aesthetic treatments, intravenous therapy procedures, an ice pod, hyperbaric chamber, and hydro-colonic therapies. Don’t forget to stop by the Thai herbal dispensary to peruse personalised herbs as per prescription. For some outdoor wellness, opt for wall climbing in the activity zone or a 3D body scan to analyse your overall well-being. Sitting amid tropical gardens, powdery sandy beaches, and the Andaman Sea, Layan Life is a piece of peace-laden heaven with the quiet promise of solitude. 

Soneva Soul, The Maldives

Tune into zen mode at Soneva Soul, where the vistas of the Maldives pair all too well with the bespoke offerings at the luxury resort. With an aim to help guests attain their utmost wellness potential, the property boasts Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese treatments such as cupping, gua sha, qi gong, aesthetic acupuncture and micro-needling. Wellness seekers can also indulge in herbalism and medicinal mushrooms, or opt for therapeutic biomodulation, which includes heart rate variability testing, platelet-rich plasma (PRP therapy), nutrient intravenous therapy, cryotherapy, ozone therapy, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Head to the crystal clear waters of the Maldives to feed your soul at Soneva Soul!

CGH Earth: SwaSwara, Karnataka

Inhale serenity and exhale stress at this nature-themed property tucked away in a comely corner of Karnataka. The property’s healthcare portfolio leaves guests spoilt for choice with its naturopathy centre, Prakriti Shakti, and two ayurveda hospitals Kalari Rasayana and Kalari Kovilakom. Here, experience the wondrous world of wellness under the watchful eye of a skilled vaidya (doctor), or opt for panchakarma to detoxify. Nourish your body and soul with the in-house special medicated ghee, as part of the special Vicharna diet, or practice yoga on the beach for blissful moments of seclusion. Tap into your creative etheric with tribal warli painting or try your hand at clay moulding using a traditional potter’s wheel. We expect you’ll return rejuvenated, relaxed, and replenished!

 Amangiri, Utah

Desert your worries at this desert-based resort in Utah. The property, with its minimal aesthetic, thrives on experiential wellness to make its guests feel at one with the rare flora and fauna that surrounds them. From yoga on the rocks at the Amanagiri mesas, to a floating meditation session in a heated desert pool, wellness just got an upgrade. Indulge in retail therapy at the apothecary of wellness products that are infused with nature’s rarest bounty including homoeopathic metals, amethyst, jade, frankincense and palo santo, as well as alkalizing, oxygen-rich spring water, wild-harvested Amazon butters and rainforest muds. The al fresco sessions at Longevity Retreat led by Buddhist monk Geshe La are a highlight!

Amanzoe, Greece 

Nestled amid UNESCO-protected ruins, Amanzoe in Greece is a contemporary Acropolis, that boasts postcard-perfect views of olive groves and the expansive Aegean Sea. Blessed with stunning views and thriving gardens, the resort roots its wellness philosophies in renowned Greek physician and philosopher, Hippocrates. Visitors can indulge in sea bathing whilst soaking in the spa specials, including a gamut of heavenly body scrubs and wraps. A key offering is the athlete-inspired journey created in partnership with tennis champion Maria Sharapova, that combines the goodness of physical and mental fitness. Bask under the glory of the Aegean sun with a dip in the Watsu pool or head to the Hammam for some pampering with organic skin products such as Savon Noir (black soap) and natural rock clay. Once the night has come and the moon is the only light, attend a full moon yoga class where nocturnal bliss awaits!

Kamalaya, Koh Samui

To experience a sense of calm with immediate effect, turn to this multi-award-winning wellness sanctuary aptly located within a lush tropical landscape on the southern coastline of Koh Samui, Thailand. With a synergistic wellness experience that focuses on achieving optimal well-being, Kamalaya leaves no stone unturned to deliver on its promise of peace. Guests may opt for gut cleansing treatments including ozone and bioresonance therapy, intravenous therapy (energy and endurance), vagus stimulation, kati vasti for those universal, incessant back spasms, G6PD enzyme tests, and more.  Don’t miss the healing touch of the Chi Nei Tsang treatment, designed to relax the nervous system, or the non-invasive Transcranial Photobiomodulation Therapy that enhances cognitive development. ‘Kamalaya’ translates to spiritual growth, a nod to the committed offerings at this upscale property. 

La Mamounia, Marrakech

Frequented by celebrities such as the Kardashians, this palace hotel in Marrakech, with its ornate architecture instilled with Art Deco elements, is a utopian take on Arabian Nights. Sign up for the royal treatment at the capacious spa which features two traditional hammams as well as one private, zellige-tiled one. Here, guests can experience an intense cleanse courtesy of a kessa glove with Miel d'Ambre exfoliating body balm and Infusion d'Orange shower milk. Alternatively, visitors can simply glow with the flow at the Royal Hammam with a rejuvenating ghassoul clay mask. But wait, there’s more: greet serenity at one of the ten treatment and massage rooms or with a dip in the heated pool. A seamless blend of traditional Moroccan rituals and luxury, it is a wellness oasis that’s perfect.

Ananda in the Himalayas, Himalayan Foothills 

“Ananda” refers to an extreme state of happiness. Overlooking the mighty mountains of the Himalayas, this pristine property is a microcosm of solace in itself, with the location harmoniously playing along. Tenaciously committed to healing, your journey to well-being will start before you even enter the premises, with customised, goal-oriented treatments on offer. Spoil your soul silly with the programmes on immunity boosting, fertility enhancement, menstrual health, PCOS management, chronic pain, sleep enhancement, and more. Tap into tranquility with medicine-free hatha yogic cleansing, that balances the solar and lunar energies within. Spiritual wellbeing is sure to follow, with daily Vedanta talks conducted by veterans in the field. What better place to embrace healing than in the birthplace of Ayurveda, yoga, and meditation itself?

Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya, Mexico

Hidden amid the evergreen mangroves of the magnificent Riviera Maya, Conrad’s wellness spot in Tulum has its roots firmly fitted in the profound teachings of the Mayans, while its contemporary amenities exude a futuristic appeal. Let your soul go wild within the leafy pathways of this jungle retreat that specialises in treatments inspired by the Gods. Embark on a spiritual sojourn during a ceremony with an in-house sherman, or opt for some aura cleansing with a copal limpia ceremony or the copalli purifying ritual. Experience the beauty of Tulum in its entirety with a sacred cenote ceremony, or get experimental with indigenous Wixáritari healing stone treatments. Ditch the drudgery and wave your troubles goodbye with an ocean wave massage using warm water pillows, or take things up a notch with a chakra massage that uses volcanic hot stones, if that’s more your thing. Do try the cocoa exfoliation for moments of sweet serenity, before catering to your spiritual wellness for which you could choose between a blessing and abundance ceremony, full moon sacred fire ceremony, soul reading, and much more. The Mayans knew exactly what they were doing. 

 

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