“Travel is like a tonic to me,” Norman Rockwell once said. “I need it to recharge my batteries.” At no time can that statement feel more true than when the calendar strikes January 1. With the season of holiday overindulgences behind us, a fresh new year awaits. What better way to kick it all off than with a wellness-focused break to reset mind, body, and soul? (Though to be clear, an R&R holiday is appropriate for any time of year.) From unlocking the key to longevity in Germany to getting pampered like a princess in Hawaii, here are T&C‘s top 20 picks for the best healthful retreats to book for 2024.
Biohack like the Ancient Romans
Where: Rome, Italy
Mind and body resets—without sacrificing that plate of bucatini.
Is it really possible to achieve peak wellness in the middle of a city as indulgent—for the senses—as Rome? Six Senses believes so, which is why the brand, which is famous for its spa-centric resorts nestled in much quieter corners of the world, chose the Italian metropolis for its first city property. You’ll almost forget where you are as you get lost in the massive, two-floor wellness center. A reservation to spend a few hours soaking in the Roman baths are a must but if you want to take your wellness journey even further, sit for a personal consultation to devise a treatment plan tailored to your goals, whether it’s hacking sleep, improving fitness, or detoxing from one too many glasses of Chianti.
Perfect For:
What:all
Good Vibes in Ojai
Where: Ojai, California
Perfect For: Card-carrying members of the Woo Woo Establishment.
What: For 100 years the Ojai Valley Inn has lured A-listers with its promise of tranquility and vortex-enforced good vibes (and those famous pink sunsets). Even those who don’t believe in woo woo things will find it hard to be charmed by the hotel’s 31,000-square-foot spa village, which has two pools, a packed calendar of classes, an apothecary, and a cafe. Recently it has also introduced a new mental health and spiritual wellness program, with things like life coaching, sound baths, reiki healing, and even time with a medium on the menu.
Anti-Aging in Palm Beach
Where: Palm Beach, Florida
Perfect For: P50 addicts—#IYKYK.
What: The Eau Palm Beach & Spa is already a favorite for local grande dames in need of a great facial (which uses Valmont products, by the way). Now its 42,000-square-foot spa has become even more in-demand thanks to a series of new treatments by Biologique Recherche, the cult favorite skincare brand that is the secret weapon of everyone you know with glowing skin. Facials will use pharmaceutical-grade hyaluronic acid and patented technologies to deliver maximum anti-aging results. And we can’t forget about the body: book the Peaks of Slimness massage treatment, which promises to blast away cellulite in just 10 sessions.
Where: Luberon Valley, France
Perfect For: Mindfully indulgent Francophiles.
What: Feasting on the beautiful bounties of Mother Earth is essential to a perfect Provençal holiday and now, thanks to a new wellness program coming early 2024 at the Coquillade Provence Resort & Spa, terroir applies not just to food and wine, but to wellness pursuits too. Botanical and medicinal plants for healing therapies, body oils and scrubs made from grapes grown in Coquillade’s vineyards, an on-site naturopath and herbalist—these are just some of the things on the menu. Take it all a step further and stay in one of the brand new spa pool suites—each grants private access to the spa and has its own private pool and garden, with picture perfect views of the region.
Jetset Pampering in Mexico
Where: Costa Mujeres, Mexico
Perfect For: Post-Tulum atonement.
What: The original SHA Wellness Clinic on Spain’s Costa Blanca is a regular stop for jetsetters in need of a post-Ibiza cleanse. In January, a second location opens in Mexico to render a similar service to Caribbean-hopping revelers. What makes SHA so sought after? Its extremely comprehensive approach, for starters: the signature method is based on the tenets of nutrition, natural therapies, preventive medicine, advanced aesthetics, cognitive and emotional health, wellbeing and inner balance, and physical performance, all of which are incorporated into uber-personalized plans (ranging from 4- to 21-day programs) to fit your goals, whether it’s to destress, lose the holiday weight, or anything in between.
White Glove Wellness in Maui
Where: Maui, Hawaii
Perfect For: When you need a break from the kids.
What: Relaxing spas are par for the course at any luxury resort but Maui’s Four Seasons Resort at Wailea is leveling up by partnering with Next Health, a concierge longevity company with locations in New York and L.A. with treatments that read like a Silicon Valley tech bro’s wishlist (stem cell and ozone therapies, plasma exchange, vitamin shots). Some of these are now available at the Four Seasons for anyone who really feels like splurging (prices are $44,000 per person). Or you can just luxuriate in the hotel spa, which is also fabulous.
Chinese Medicine in the French Alps
Where: Courchevel, France
Perfect For: Zen with a side of excellent skiing.
What: It’s the best of both worlds at Aman Le Mélézin, where the pistes are top notch (along with the other snowy pursuits on offer here, like moonbiking and tobogganing down to Courchevel Village), and so is the property’s sprawling spa (a godsend after a long day on the slopes). This being an Aman, the treatments and facilities are state-of-the-art—TRX machines, a Turkish hammam, a lap pool and cold plunge. This season the property is expanding its repertoire with traditional Chinese medicine experiences, from acupuncture and reflexology, to tai chi and qi gong.
Longevity Secrets in Germany
Where: Sylt, Germany
Perfect For: For diehard health = wealth types.
What: Anyone who has visited a Lanserhof will say it was life-changing—which is not surprising since the Austrian company has been in the business of health, wellness, and extreme detox for more than 35 years. It’s also not for the faint of heart. The program at Lanserhof—its third location, in Sylt, also known as the German Hamptons, opened in 2022—is built around fasting. But thanks to its team of medical experts, and with more than 280 treatments on the list, each individual gets a hyper-tailored plan featuring high-tech things like a 3D body scan for melanoma screening, chronotherapy to adjust circadian rhythms, special beds to promote air purification, hypnotherapy, cryotherapy, personal training, and plenty of massages.
Girl Power in Thailand
Where: Koh Samui, Thailand
Perfect For: Mastering menopause like a Hollywood star.
What: Blending Eastern traditions with Western practices is the hallmark of Kamalaya, the 76-room luxury wellness resort on Thailand’s most famous island. Wellness programs here target a number of needs—sleep management, gut health, emotional healing, better immune function, etc—but the property’s most notable offering might be a new program, called Radiant Bliss, dedicated entirely to women’s health. All stages of womanhood—from PMS and fertility concerns, to menopause symptom management—are targeted via a personalized plan crafted with consultants, naturopaths, and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. The list of treatments is comprehensive: think cupping, acupuncture, plenty of various massages, IV therapy, yoga, and enzyme tests, to name just a few.
Push Your Boundaries in the Canadian Wilderness
Where: British Columbia, Canada
Perfect For: Thrill-seeking adrenaline junkies.
What: Just 25 ultra-luxe tents on 600 acres of pristine nature reserve—what could be more healing than that? Especially if it’s adventure you want for your wellness journey, Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge is perfect. It has many of the amenities you might find in other wellness-minded properties—but all IRL. Fancy a cold plunge? Do it in the glacial waters of the Bedwell River. Want to try your hand at rock climbing? Do it outdoors on the face of a mountain, with spectacular views as your reward. How about a nice hike? Here, they do heli-hiking, which, yes, is exactly how it sounds.
Bucket List Wellness in Fiji
Where: Fiji
Perfect For: The one with a lot of miles to spend.
What: Go truly off-the-grid at VOMO Island, a 255-acre private island floating in the middle of the South Pacific. Simply having completed the journey to the remotest ends of the earth will instantly put you in a better headspace, but so will the wellness offerings at the resort. A new spa menu is all about celebrating the region’s natural ingredients, from the seaweed that comes from the neighboring Yasawa Islands to coconut oil harvested on VOMO. And then of course you must take to the waters. Windsurf, kayak, paddleboard, swim with turtles, and marvel at all the coral—this is the soft coral capital of the world.
Find Serenity in Wine Country
Where: Calistoga, California
Perfect For: The one who still believes wine is healthy.
What: Lean into tranquility on 22 beautiful acres in the heart of California’s gorgeous Napa Valley, where, at Auberge Resorts’ Solage, you can take dips in geothermal pools, melt worries away in anti-gravity chairs, and indulge in innovative spa treatments that change seasonally. The property also features a state-of-the-art-gym, a yoga and movement studio with daily classes, new pickleball courts, and even in-room Pelotons available upon reservation. And have we mentioned it’s in wine country?
Detox like an OG
Where: Malibu, California
Perfect For: Oscars prep.
What: Long before wellness retreats became mainstream, there was the Ranch Malibu. The celebrity favorite is legendary for its stringent programs: we’ve all heard about those grueling 14-hour hikes with just a handful of almonds as fuel. Well, it’s popular because it’s effective, and the Ranch’s expansion plans are proof. It now has a permanent outpost in Italy and, come March 2024, will set up another home in the Hudson Valley.
Pampering in the Poconos
Where: Hawley, Pennsylvania
Perfect For: All-inclusive wellness.
What: Whether you’re in need of a one-day refresh or a weeklong transformation, the Lodge at Woodloch, referred to by regulars as simply the Lodge, is set on 500 pristine acres of Pennsylvania woodlands. Like a luxury summer camp for adults, guests curate their wellness-focused itinerary with things like forest bathing, intense Tabata classes, chakra meditations, and ample time at the spa, which has an extensive list of treatments that includes float therapy, magnesium massages, and craniosacral therapy.
Recenter in the Connecticut Countryside
Where: Washington, Connecticut
Perfect For: Manhattanite design snobs in need of a break from the city.
What: Auberge Resorts’ ultra-chic and sumptuously cozy Mayflower Inn and Spa is far enough from New York for prime rebooting of mind, body, and soul, but close enough that you don’t need to jump on a plane. Given that the spa here is an outpost of The Well, the Flatiron members-only wellness sanctuary, it’s a destination in and of itself. And a highly Instagrammable one at that—because why shouldn’t you have your sound healing therapy and lymphatic drainage and get in a little geotag brag too?
Equine Therapy in Austin
Where: Austin, Texas
Perfect For: Aspiring horse girls.
What: A little bit country and a little bit new age wellness is what you’ll get at Miraval Austin, the serene 117-room retreat in the hills overlooking Lake Travis that strikes a great balance between abstinence (phones are discouraged) and indulgence (there is alcohol). There are endless experiences to choose from a la carte: a challenge course, yoga classes, crystal meditations, line dancing, tarot card readings, photography workshops, sound baths, the list goes on. We particularly love Miraval’s innovative work in equine therapies, from riding lessons to the soundtrack of Texas music to simply spending time with a horse as a powerful healing exercise.
Find Your Guru in Hawaii
Where: Lanai, Hawaii
Perfect For: Solo wellness seekers.
What: Sensei Lanai, the sister property of the Four Seasons on the island of Lanai, is made specifically for wellness retreats. Located farther inland and surrounded by mountains and foliage, the 96-room oasis is all serene Japanese-style clean lines and minimalism. An expert helps tailor each itinerary, whether you want to do yoga and meditate, get a thermal body mapping and sleep analysis, or simply just relax in the spa, which is equipped with infrared saunas and Japanese onsen soaking tubs. The food, naturally, is by Nobu.
Go All Out in Southern California
Rancho Valencia
Where: Rancho Santa Fe, CA
Perfect For: The one who wants to do a little bit of everything.
What: A team of preventative medicine and epigenetics specialists helped curate the Southern California property’s popular Wellness Collective program, which is divided into various themes, like Movement & Fitness, Nutrition & Detox, Sleep & Respite, and Stress & Balance. Depending on which route you take, you might have a daily private fitness session, or a lymphatic drainage massage, or a meditation. In addition to the all-inclusive program, the 49-room property, the only Relais & Châteaux in Southern California, has 18 tennis courts and a calendar of 95 fitness classes a week.
Emulate the Mayans in the Yucatan
Where: Punta Maroma, Mexico
Perfect For: The spiritually open-minded.
What: Purifying reiki treatments. Showering with quartz. High frequency rituals designed to stimulate the immune system. Clearing spiritual blockages with a Mayan elder. Such are a few of the things you can expect at Chablé Maroma, the luxury wellness resort on Riviera Maya, whose new menu of wellness and spa offerings blends ancient traditions and local elements that are as much a celebration of Mexican culture as an excellent way to reset mind and soul.
Find Balance in the Caribbean
Where: Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
Perfect For: Water sign introverts who crave remote island solitude.
What: 2024 will see the debut of a new wellness center at Oil Nut Bay, the 400-acre resort tucked into the tip of Virgin Gorda with nothing much around except the crystalline waters of both the Caribbean and the Atlantic. And this won’t be just any run-of-the-mill center—it’s going to be situated overwater, so marine life below can be visible through the glass floors. The spate of healthy offerings are just as tuned in with Mother Nature: full moon intention-setting ceremonies, aura cleansing with sage and palo santo, swimming with turtles, paddleboard races, and therapeutic afternoons at the Animal Rescue Barn, which has horses, emus, and flamingos, are on the menu.
Leena Kim is an editor at Town & Country, where she covers travel, jewelry, education, weddings, and culture.
As the deputy digital lifestyle director at Town & Country, Roxanne Adamiyatt covers fashion, beauty, wellness, design and travel.