This year, invest in yourself. We round up the best wellness retreats – home and away – that will nourish you inside and out.
GET AWAY FROM IT ALL
Kamalaya Koh Samui, Thailand
Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa is a multi-award-winning wellness sanctuary located on the southern coast of Koh Samui, Thailand. Founded by John and Karina Stewart in 2005, the resort’s holistic wellness experiences integrate healing therapies from East and West, a beautiful natural environment, inspired healthy cuisine and various results-oriented wellness programmes.
The Detox & Cleanse programme is a great starting point for achieving your health goals. Choose three or five nights accommodation and enjoy Kamalaya’s delicious and healthy Detox cuisine, as well as a wellness consultation and a range of holistic therapies and massages for cleansing the body, mind and spirit. kamalaya.com
SHA Wellness Clinic, Spain
Located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea between the bay of Altea and the natural park of Sierra Helada, this stylish wellness clinic in Alicante offers a range of health programmes guaranteed to make you feel good – inside and out.
SHA offers three different types of healthy eating menus (SHA, Biolight and Kushi), alongside the health programmes in order to meet each guests’ needs and goals. Don’t expect salads and detox juices – any foodie would love to eat here. There are gastronomic desserts, too, so you can enjoy the sweet pleasures in life. shawellnessclinic.com
Lefay Resort & SPA Lago di Garda, Italy
A healthy holiday to Lefay Resort & SPA Lago di Garda blends wellness with luxury. This exclusive eco-friendly health resort in Gargnano, Italy is found in 11 hectares of natural park, surrounded by gentle hills and natural terraces rich in woods and olive groves – and has spectacular view of Lake Garda.
There is a variety of wellness programmes, such as Harmony of The Body –which stresses the importance of awareness of diet and lifestyle by aiming to change eating habits, recover optimal weight and restore energy – and Integral, for a full rebalancing and rejuvenation of body, mind and soul. Plus, a lavish spa filled with beautiful saunas and swimming pools, an expansive fitness centre and two gourmet restaurants.
The food served champions the Mediterranean diet and the most authentic flavours of the region. On the menu you’ll find dishes made from seasonal ingredients, extra virgin olive oil (which is produced on Lefay’s farms on Lake Garda and in Tuscany), citrus fruits from the lake and locally grown herbs. lefayresorts.com
CLOSER TO HOME
Doxford Hall, Northumberland
Escape away from it all and relax in a large heated swimming pool, spa bath, sauna or steam room at Doxford Hall’s beautiful spa. There are a range of personalized spa experiences from one-off treatment to full or half-day pampering sessions available.
Proving popular with guests are the Ytsara treatments. Launched in October at Doxford Hall spa, Ytsara is a 100%
natural, vegan spa range, which harnesses the healing properties of ‘living’ water, along with plant and marine extracts, including rare Oriental botanicals, delivered with methods derived from ancient wisdom from the Far East.
The Mohom Deep Pressure massage is designed to encourage blood flow, stretch the muscles and ease the joints, while the Coconut Head Massage focuses on pressure points in the shoulders, neck and head to promote whole body energy flow. Why not book the One Night Spa Escape overnight package which includes spa access, a bespoke treatment, accommodation and dining in Doxford Hall’s award-winning George Runciman Restaurant for a truly indulgent getaway? doxfordhall.com
Cliveden House, Berkshire
Nestled within 376 acres of National Trust parkland in Berkshire, which guests are free to explore, Cliveden House is well-known for its beautiful location, stunning rooms and rich history. Its new spa has raised the bar even higher. At the spa, guests can relax poolside by the sublime indoor pool before wandering into the garden to find the infamous ‘Profumo’ pool; the last remaining listed outdoor pool in England. There is a state-of-the-art Technogym, stimulating timetable of classes in the fitness studio, as well as outdoor hot tubs and indoor jacuzzi.
Guests can also tuck into clean, nutritious dishes at the Spa Kitchen. The menu combines beneficial proteins, fats and carbohydrates which form the key to healthy living, allowing guests to not only eat guilt-free, but also feel fantastic. clivedenhouse.co.uk
Lime Wood Hotel, Hampshire
Herb House Spa at Lime Wood Hotel in Hampshire is a spa dedicated to natural wellbeing and inspired by its forest surroundings. Designed over three levels, Herb House has a huge sauna and indoor hydro pool with stunning forest views, a mud house, a steaming outdoor hot pool, eight spacious single treatment rooms and two magnificent double treatment rooms – the perfect place to escape from the world in the heart of the New Forest. After all that pampering and relaxing, visit Raw & Cured, Herb House Spa’s food bar for delicious, natural and healthy food, including freshly made salads, cured fish and meat from Lime Wood’s own Smoke House. There are also fresh juices and smoothies. limewoodhotel.co.uk
Matfen Hall, Northumberland
Starting again in January 2019, and available in May and October 2019, is the popular 8-week Body Transformation fitness programme at Matfen Hall’s Aqua Vitae spa. Helping to kick-start your tailored fitness regime and transform your body – whether that’s losing weight or bulking up, the programme will teach different types of training from cardiovascular to strength and conditioning and toning, along with the benefits they bring. As well as introducing new techniques to transform your body into the one you want.
All participants will be supplied with an Aqua Vitae diary to track all food, drink, exercise and mood. And, even though this course is all about fitness – it’s also important to look after your mental health and wellbeing, so take time out from your normal routine to relax by the pool or book in for a facial or massage. matfenhall.com
