If your brain instantly serves you up an image of your wallet draining when you hear the word “wellness,” we don’t blame you. Between spa treatments, fitness classes and all the pampering in between, self-care can be e-x-p-e-n-s-i-v-e, full stop. Especially when you go all out and plan your whole vacation around it. But we’re here to prove to you that travel doesn’t always have to be this way.
Here, we’ve found eight of the world’s best wellness retreats that we *swear* aren’t out of reach. You’ve got a lot going on, so these respites may require some budgeting (in terms of your time and $), but these self-care-focused destinations deserve to be on your bucket list. Read on for some surprisingly accessible spots that’ll pack all the R&R your mind deserves into a single, utterly blissful weekend.
If your idea of wellness means eating well, go to…
Willows Lodge, Woodinville, Washington
Staying in Woodinville wine country comes with plenty of perks, like waking up to chicory beignets covered in huckleberry frosting and taking solitude walks in nature after a memorable meal at the Barking Frog restaurant. Bonus: Many of the overnight packages for these cabin-inspired rooms include wine, food, and spa time.
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Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa, Ojo Caliente, New Mexico
Those blistered shishito peppers you’ll be ordering after soaking in the soothing thermal waters at this desert resort? Grown 1,000 feet away. In fact, nearly everything here is sourced locally, including the herbs in the hydrotherapy hot-towel wraps used during spa treatments like the Satva Botanicals Massage.
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If you’re into nature, go to…
Lake Austin Spa Resort, Austin, Texas
Some of the offerings here (see: blue chi, sculling, bokken-do, floating meditation) sound a bit…unfamiliar. But Picnic, Paddle & Prosecco? That we get. And also love. As for the rest, on-site life coaches, mind-body experts, masseuses, energy workers, nutritionists, and personal trainers can explain (and customize) everything just for you.
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El Silencio Lodge, Bajos del Toro, Costa Rica
No synthesized spa environments here. Just a Costa Rican cloud forest with real waterfalls, chirping birds, and rain scents. You can take your spa treatments in your private villa, but you’ll need to head to the forest bathing deck for yoga, meditation, and sound healing classes.
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If you want to soak up some sunshine, go to…
Laluna, Grenada
Mornings here consist of sipping freshly squeezed juices and doing yoga on the beach before diving into the pool. Unless, that is, you’re more into Balinese massages, healing sessions, or hanging by the sea (honestly, who could blame you?). Either way, end your day with a full moon meditation practice for all the zen vibes.
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Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, Miami Beach, Florida
Prepare to return home with a different kind of post-vacation glow. Carillon’s board-certified physicians and skilled practitioners will tailor your experience to your specific wellness goals—physical, mental, spiritual, etc.—with absolutely radiant results every time.
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If you’re just not into yoga, go to…
Spa Eastman Health & Wellness Resort, Eastman, Quebec, Canada
All-inclusive at this Canadian resort means rooms, meals, and as many different daily activities as you could ever want, all set on 323 acres of Quebecian countryside. The At Your Wit’s End package even includes power-nap sessions in its NeuroSpa pod. The truly brave go for the Option Disconnect program and turn in their electronic devices at check-in.
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The Kentucky Castle, Versailles, Kentucky
Only in Versailles can you fall asleep in a private tower suite after a day of Reiki sessions, equine mindfulness experiences, and massages, all of which take place at a legit castle. Except, you know, this regal palace doesn’t require a passport or the inevitable jet lag.
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