What better excuse than the new year to rejigger, renew and revamp ourselves? Don’t do it without help. Spa expert & journalist Becca Hensley shares five stellar wellness hotels that pave the way to a new you in ’22. ⬇️🧖♀️
Alila Ventana Big Sur:
At this rustically chic enclave amongst the redwood trees, just off Highway 1, channel soul seekers like Jack Kerouac, who came to this untrammeled terrain on California’s coast to find the meaning of life. Imparting a heyday hippie vibe while being hedonistically swank, the inclusive retreat has myriad well being programs, from yoga to condor hiking, sure to steer you to new directions.
Shou Sugi Ban House:
Comprised of renovated old barns, the Hamptons’s first bonafide integrative wellness hideaway beckons on a three-acre, wooded sanctuary. Intimate, with such novelties as a ceremonial fire circle and a Healing Arts Barn with a tea bar, the retreat offers 4, 5 and 7 day curative itineraries. Invite your friends for a property takeover.
Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort:
Move, nourish and rest are the mantras you adopt at Larry Ellison’s flagship Sensei property, where each guest is matched with a sage personal wellness guide. Eat Nobu’s conscientious cuisine, as you indulge in state-of-the-art everything from the founder’s fleet of planes for transportation to Botero-filled gardens to Furo tubs in the spa hales.
Palmaïa – The House of AïA:
Expect “spiritual guides” and “architects” to lead you to wellness at this jungle-sided, lavish beach sanctum near Playa del Carmen. Movement (dance!), spa “ceremonies,” readings (think: tarot), plant-based dining and nature’s largesse jumpstart new beginnings. Choose the swim-out suites with direct access to the infinity pool.
Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa:
Recharge at the base of the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica. What could be a better metaphor for rising from the ashes? This eco-centric hotel in the rainforest has a naturally-flowing, mineral-rich hot springs, a stunning spa, and a constant howler monkey and toucan soundtrack. Al fresco treatments in outdoor bungalows seal the deal.
