Destination Wellness
Whilst many of us are dreaming (always) or planning (rejoice!) indulgent summer travels, we know health and wellness will continue to be a growing travel trend for years to come. Studies show that working from home during the pandemic has extended our work hours, and those of us who have also home schooled…how do I put this mildly…could use a little, er, “me time.”
There is no better way than to jump-start a much needed reset than a dedicated wellness retreat in a new destination. With many of you vaccinated and ready to travel, we thought we would take the opportunity to share some of our favorite wellness destinations which make the perfect solo, couples, mother/daughter or girlfriends journey.
*As always, talk to us about entry and COVID requirements…obviously New Zealand and Thailand are wish list destinations for a future date
I have just returned from a transformative week at this multi-award winning retreat on New Zealand’s South island, 45 minutes from glorious Queenstown. Founders Chris Madison (former hedge fund manager) and Damian Chaparro (software engineer turned yogi who harnessed his extensive retreat experience including LA’s Ashram which thoughtfully informs his Aro Ha touch) have curated a very special brand of wellness. Your 5 or 7 night retreat combines yoga, hiking and a range of advanced wellness practices for a full mind and body overhaul. The plant based, whole foods menu, much of it grown on site in their vast organic gardens, is serious and elevated cooking, thanks to talented chef Marika and her kitchen team (cookbook is in the works!)
The setting in NZ’s Southern Alps is drop dead gorgeous which makes the intensive daily hikes pass with ease and instils a deeply renewed sense of gratitude for mother nature. Aro Ha promised a radically different type of adventure and delivered on every level, and then some. This is one of those truly special places that is greater than the sum of it’s amazing practitioners, setting and accommodations. I can’t wait to return.
Set half way between Cancún and Tulum and nestled between undisturbed jungle and glistening Caribbean sea, lies Mexico’s latest and most progressive wellness offering, Palmaïa, The House of Aïa.
Less Canyon Ranch and more of a Burning Man vibe, it will be your “Nomadic Guide” who reminds of your afternoon sound bath, with a Shaman reading chaser. As one may expect, the wellness offerings err on the more progressive, rooted in ancient rituals and making the most of local ingredients. There are four on-site restaurants, all primarily plant-based, with themes that range from Mediterranean to Asian influenced.
Capping it all off is the opportunity to sink your toes into the sugar like sand and take a dip in the 50 shades of blue Caribbean water. Perhaps their @instagram bio sums it up best…”a mystical place where nature, happiness and holistic life merge with great food, deep music and chill vibes.”
Family-owned since 1940, Rancho La Puerta is a 3,000-acre wellness retreat at the base of Mount Kuchumaa in Tecate, Mexico - one hour south of San Diego.
Proudly Mexican, the colorful accommodations housed in red brick casitas enjoy sunny decks and patios to enjoy the flower filled gardens. Whilst there are all the typical offerings in fitness, yoga, farm-fresh cuisine, hiking and spa treatments, it is the veteran practitioners that keep guests returning year over year (some twice yearly!).
Some of you may remember this property as the Four Seasons Lodge at Koele, sister hotel to the Four Seasons coastal offing on Lanai. Whilst the Lanai property reopened to rave reviews in 2016 after an extensive renovation, this new wellness offering at Sensei has been a few more years in the making, just debuting last year.
The Hawaiian island of Lanai is a beautiful setting for a journey to well-being. Enjoy Sensei as a stand alone offering to pursue your personal wellness goals or combine it with a few nights on the coast
(and dinner at Nobu and a round at the Jack Nicklaus designed Manele golf course).
People often ask me about my all time favorite travel destination and it would have to be Provence and Cote d'Azur, France. So a destination spa that combines a wellness retreat with luxurious European spa philosophies, a 90 minute drive from my home in Los Angeles is a no brainer.
Voted North America’s #1 Destination Health Spa by Travel + Leisure, Cal-a-Vie is an award-winning fitness and health spa retreat located in scenic Vista, California (40 mins from San Diego airport and 2 hours from LAX). Owners Terri and John Havens modeled the property after their passion for historic antiques and family trips to France, pairing a gorgeous 450-acre setting with wellness programs inspired by a commitment to a healthy lifestyle. I’ve enjoyed a handful of stays here over the years and the word that comes to mind is elegant. With a robust program of fitness classes, there is as much challenge and physical pursuit as you desire and wonderfully restorative spa treatments to relax and unwind.
Mii Amo has something of a cult following for those in the know - the boutique spa within a spa offering attached to Enchantment Resort, nestled in the red rocks of Sedona. Mii amo, which means “journey” in a Native American language, focuses on one’s “personal journey to health and wellness” with 3, 4 or 7 night programs.
Speaking of journey, after 20 years Mii Amo is taking a little “Mii time” and currently closed preparing for version 2.0. We and it’s devotees will eagerly await their new offering and in the interim, their dedicated practitioners are available at Enchantment.
A word of caution for the uninitiated, a first time stay at Kamalaya Koh Samui certainly won’t be your last, with the majority of guests returning again and again for the healing powers of what many regard as the best spa in the world (just last year, Kamalaya was for a third time named ‘Worldwide Health & Wellness Destination of the Year’).
Kamalaya takes a unique approach to wellness combining ancient Eastern healing traditions with Western medical research. Programs include contributions from Naturopaths, Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors, Yoga teachers, fitness trainers, massage therapists, Meditation and Life Enhancement Mentors. One for the wish list!