The Best Wellness Resorts in the World for a Health-Focused Getaway
Words by
Jemima Sissons
13th September 2024
Body, mind and spirit are all nurtured in our pick of the best wellness resorts in the world for a health-focused getaway.
An aerial view of Teranka in Formentera reveals its verdant setting
Away from the razzmatazz of Ibiza, on Formentera’s Migjorn coast, Teranka is accessible only by boat. Set in a fragrant pine forest, in an area known for drawing a free-spirited crowd, it is the prefect location for transformative retreats, from breathwork to group mediation and yoga or kickboxing. There are 35 rooms set across three stone barns with a library. Restaurants offer fresh fare from the kitchen garden alongside local red prawns and Iberian pork. The hotel’s dedicated wellbeing retreats take a deeper dive into fitness and holistic experiences, which include lymphatic drainage, osteopathy, ayurveda and anusara yoga. Discover the island’s beauty on guided hikes, or by kayak or paddleboard, or go wild swimming in hidden coves. It’s not all immersive nature -— DJs and jazz bands visit regularly and you may be lucky enough to catch the handpan musicians.
From £1,200 per night, teranka.com
JOALI BEING - best tropical escape
Joali Being's design is based around biophilic principles
Located in Bodufushi in the Raa Atoll, Joali Being is the Maldives’ first complete wellbeing island. The resort is built on
the principles of biophilic design (no ‘negative energy’ or sharp corners) with 33 beach villas and 35 water villas, each with its own butler. A team of naturopaths, therapists and movement experts creates bespoke programmes that draw on the resort’s hammams, watsu baths and hydrotherapy facilities. Every diet is catered for, and there are specialised packages focused on mothers to be, sleep, and male wellness.
From £1,050 per night, joali.com
Joali Being offers a range of water-based therapies
siro - best for urban wellness
Siro's tower location offers views right across Dubai's modern cityscape
Temples of wellness are frequently found in lush jungles or Teutonic lakeside settings. Less usually, the first outpost of Siro, the new wellness brand from Kerzner (which brought us One&Only, among other hotels), is set in a glass tower in the heart of Dubai. With sweeping views of Old Dubai to one side and Burj Al Arab to the other, the seven-floor destination is dedicated to first-class fitness and wellness. This means a sprawling gym staffed with a willing team of master trainers and classes such as Functional Fitness, designed by the fitness boffins at AC Milan. It is for those who fancy a spin or a reformer pilates class before heading to explore Dubai’s Museum of the Future, and whose idea of heaven is a minibar stocked not with Ruinart but pomegranate juice and protein powder. A stay feels like stepping into 2050, with cryotherapy and infrared pods, meditation beds and IV stations. Those who want a beachside bottomless brunch, look away now.
From £240 per night, sirohotels.com
sha - BEST FOR COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION
SHA in Mexico prioritises carefully devised, personalised programmes in beautifully designed settings
The much-loved Spanish SHA wellness hotel and retreat has opened a second outpost in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Programmes range from four to 21 days; focuses include Rebalance & Energise, Detox & Optimal Weight, Well-ageing & Prevention, and Leader’s Performance. The SHA approach combines nutrition, preventive ageing strategies, holistic medicine, cognitive stimulation, advanced preventive diagnostics, wellbeing, inner balance and physical performance, which together form what has become known as the SHA Method. Wind down by exploring the largest coral reef in the Americas.
From £1,800 for a four-day programme, shawellness.com
THE WELL - best for sauna FANS
Fine dining at The Well's Asian-inspired Mori restaurant
Located 15 minutes from Oslo, The Well focuses on the ancient Scandinavian tradition of bathing and is the largest spa in the Nordics. With 11 different pools, 15 saunas and steam baths, and 100 showers it includes everything from Japanese bath houses to oriental hammams and rhassouls. Prepare to strip off (there is an entire section on the website titled ‘natural to be naked’) for a full day of saunas and treatments (including the intriguing Flower Power aufguss sauna ritual) before feasting at the Asian-inspired Mori sharing-plate restaurant and bedding down in comfortable hotel rooms, all of which include breakfast and access to spa, gym and meditation room.
From £148 per night, thewell.no
The impressive exterior of The Well, the largest spa in the Nordics
broughton SANCTUARY - best for familIES
The Yorkshire estate is a healthy, inspiring playground for families
Set amid 3,000 acres of rolling Yorkshire pasture, Broughton Sanctuary is the ancestral seat of the Tempest family, which aims to transform it into one of Britain’s most alluring family nature retreats. There are two offerings; one is more adult-centred, and includes a Grounded Pilgrim retreat and tantric healing. The other will appeal to families, with foraging, meadow picnics, wild swimming and cycling along ancient tracks through the Dales. Connect with ancestors in the Bronze Age cairn circle or retreat to the Hermit Hut to swim in the lake and toast marshmallows at an open fire. During school holidays, the Wild Explorers club gives children the chance to spark fires from flint and run free in the forest. The hall’s four-poster splendour can be hired; otherwise stay in one of the estate’s cottages, decked out with contemporary artworks and mid-century furniture. Hearty vegetarian food is served in the glass-fronted Utopia restaurant.
From £520 for three nights, broughtonsanctuary.co.uk
A traditional Broughton interior
