Wellness retreats are a great way to unwind and reflect during an extended stay curated to make the most of each resort's offerings. These six wellness retreats from this fall and winter combine luxurious self-care with inner mindfulness to help guests awaken well-being within themselves.
1. Exploring the Feminine Psyche, Aleenta Resorts
Aleenta Resorts offered a series of specialist pop-up retreats called Beyond the Ordinary (BTO) Retreats throughout fall and winter. Hosted by visiting leaders in their field, these new additions to the retreat roster are facilitated at the Ayurah Wellness Center on the private, secluded grounds of Aleenta Phuket Phang Nga Resort & Spa.
Exploring the Feminine Psyche was led by yoga teacher Saniya Acharya in collaboration with naturopath Heidi Hogarth, plant-based nutritionist Samatha Haberli and psychologist/sex therapist Dr. Debbie Lovell. The retreat provided a safe space for women to meet and share with a tribe of impassioned souls to explore biopsychosocial needs, hormonal issues and menopause. This retreat integrated psychotherapy, sexology, integrative healthcare, naturopathy, plant-based cuisine, nutrition, drumming experiences, digestive health, exercise, movement, breathwork, yoga, traditional Thai medicine, massage, bodywork and beauty-focused care
2. The Essence of Ashram
Also at Aleenta, The Essence of Ashram was available for one week each month through November. The retreat welcomes guests to share their interest in yoga with Yogi Aayush Sharma as a fusion of an Ashram experience in a luxury setting. Guests will find abundant space, strength in connection with others and the privacy to suit their needs. This retreat offers a sublime and energizing entry into traditional yoga methods, with generous support from expert yogis, to develop an evolving pathway to deeper yoga.
3. The Energy Harmony Retreat, The Nautilus
The Energy Harmony Retreat at Ananda Spa's Nautilus offered a unique experience to those seeking to rejuvenate their mind, body and soul. The retreat at The Nautilus will focus on balancing and cleansing the chakras, the seven points of energy within the human framework, through yoga, breathwork, meditation, reflexology, massage and gourmet Ayurveda cuisine.
Throughout the six-day retreat, guests will work with Ananda’s Head of Yoga, Sandeep Agarwalla for three hours of daily yogic asanas, ancient meditation techniques, visualizations and guided breathwork, allowing them to explore the profound effects of these practices on the mind and body. Ananda's leading wellness expert Jyoti Singh also offered personalized therapy sessions such as Ananda Moksha, Reflexology, Kundalini massage and Indian Head massage.
The retreat includes luxurious accommodations, full-board dining (excluding beverages), return shared seaplane transfers and an extensive program of workshops, consultations, yoga sessions, meditation practices and wellness treatments.
Related: 5 Desert-Inspired Wellness Treatments from the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa
4. The Cretan Earth Yoga and Meditation Retreat, Cretan Malia Park
Cretan Malia Park, a member of Design Hotels, hosted The Cretan Earth Yoga and Meditation Retreat, a two-day journey for the mind, body and soul, led by Agapi Kefalogianni, author, coach, yoga teacher, Reiki practitioner and speaker.
The retreat included morning yoga with guided meditation and sunset yoga with blissful meditation by the sea. Guests will also participate in a culinary workshop and read from Kelfalogianni's book, "August Fifteenth," a meditation on coming of age on Crete.
5. Body & Mind Cleanse, TIA Wellness Resort
A Vietnamese beachfront escape, TIA Wellness Resort, embraced nourishing raw food cuisine, detox therapies and holistic wellbeing practices from sound healing to private yoga sessions in its Body & Mind Cleanse retreat package. The four-night or seven-night offering draws from different healing modalities so guests can detox and release toxins from the body, while also improving vitality through letting go of what’s holding them back on a mental level.
A key element of the new package is intermittent fasting, a practice where all the food consumed that day is eaten during an eight-hour window. Giving the digestive system 16 hours of rest in a 24-hour cycle can improve digestive health and overall well-being. When the fast is broken guests follow a plant-based raw food meal plan designed to give them more energy, vitality and nutrients. The carefully crafted meal plan is paired with a full schedule of healthy activities each day.
A typical day on the program starts with a private yoga lesson at 7 a.m. to activate oxygen flow and heat in the body. This is followed by a treatment in the wellness center, a private breathwork session and an 11 a.m. smoothie bowl breakfast. Guests can then enjoy the property's tropical gardens and two expansive pools before a three-course raw lunch at 1:30 p.m. Dishes include creative fare like Beetroot Ravioli, filled with cashews and garlic herbs, served on avocado carpaccio; along with decadent and nutritious desserts such as raw Banoffee Trifle, consisting of finely blended nuts, dates and fresh bananas.
There’s an optional creativity workshop that starts at 3 p.m., followed by the Detox Hydrotherapy Circuit or Sound Healing Therapy. At 5:30 p.m., there’s an opportunity for a 30-minute Tai Chi session before a 6 p.m. two-course raw dinner. The day ends with a treatment of the guest’s choice from a broad array, ranging from facials to massages.
For guests who opt for the seven-night option, day three starts early with a trip to the Marble Mountains, five karsts named for the five elements. This sacred spot, near the property, is famous for its lofty caves with religious relics and is the location for a private yoga class before the crowds set in. The experience is a variation of the TIA Tours launched in August, which are curated wellness experiences at nearby points of spiritual and cultural significance around the themes of Nourish (food), Flow (move), Breathe and Create.
6. 5-Day Wellness Retreat, Andronis Arcadia
The first of an annual offering, Andronis Arcadia held a 5-Day Wellness Retreat designed for the whole family. The retreat featured holistic workshops led by wellbeing experts, nutritional delights and advice, children's programs, hiking and exercise classes and more.
Highlights of the retreat included The Art of Chanting; the wisdom of chants from around the world, pilates and meditation classes, SANCTUM sunset hike; “Manifesting Abundance” from Andronis Concept to the Church of Prophet Elias, “The Chakra Energy” Breathwork by Eleni Panajotidis, Hand pan Singing Class, and a Get-together Dinner with a live DJ set.
The retreat includes 4 nights accommodations in guests' choice of a suite-level room, a “Kosmos Box” amenity upon arrival, daily breakfast, wellness snacks and brunch, access to the pool lounges and live DJ event and a spa voucher per person.
