This story is featured in the May/June 2024 issue of ESSENCE.
From the best hotels for sleep tourism to sober-curious excursions and fitness-centered getaways, wellness tourism is growing in popularity and options. With the industry expected to generate $1.3 trillion in revenue by 2025, more travelers are seeking unique experiences at programs that are tailored to their health interests and objectives. If you’re searching for your own holistic experience, look no further than the following retreats and destinations—they’ll encourage you to rest, rejuvenate and reach your goals.
Detox your body at The Farm at San Benito, Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines
A lack of good nutrition and poor lifestyle choices can have you feeling lethargic. Detox your mind and body at the Farm—and leave feeling renewed and revitalized. With a range of cleansing treatments, natural spa therapies and fresh, raw vegan cuisine, you will restore balance in your life and improve your overall well-being. You can personalize your detox goals, choosing from hydrotherapy sessions and specialized juice diets. Additional programs are geared to mental health, menopause, raw-food retreats and yoga.
Stay sober in Sin City at The Wynn Las Vegas
Who says you can’t be sober in Las Vegas? Thanks to the “Drinking Well” program at The Wynn Las Vegas, you can. The iconic hotel supports guests committed to a healthy lifestyle. Visitors can explore a range of nonalcoholic beverage options, available throughout the resort. Innovative ingredients such as reishi mushrooms and ashwagandha make for a unique sober-sipping experience.
Try out equine therapy at Miraval, Austin, Texas
Country settings and new-age wellness are interconnected at Miraval Austin, the gorgeous 117-room retreat in the hills overlooking Lake Travis. Aside from its challenge course, yoga classes, crystal meditations, line dancing, tarot card readings, photography workshops and sound baths, it offers equine therapies, including riding lessons and time spent with horses, as a healing exercise.
Relax, relate and release at Shou Sugi Ban House, Water Mill, New York
Located 90 miles from the overwhelming hustle and bustle of New York City, Shou Sugi Ban House promises to help you unwind. Surrounded by immaculate beaches and farm life, the wellness haven features a plethora of services, from spa treatments to nutritional education, spiritual healing, meditation and more. Inspired by the Japanese principle of wabi-sabi, or finding beauty in imperfection and letting events unfold naturally, guests can find restoration in the perfect weekend getaway.
Mothers rejoice at the Boram Postnatal Retreat, New York City
New mothers have a place to unwind and bond with their infants at Boram, where they receive 24/7 support, with a team available to help care for the babies. Located inside the ritzy Thompson Central Park Hotel in Midtown, a Hyatt property, Boram provides moms with help in the form of nourishing foods, therapeutic services, and lactation and recovery assistance. Prepare to be pampered.
Level up your fitness at Skyterra Wellness Retreat, Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
Skyterra Wellness Retreat, a resort that’s all about fitness and wholeness, is designed to help guests lose weight, gain muscle and eat well. There is also a focus on mental health, as guests learn ways to cope with stress and pour into themselves. Stay for as short as a week, or three weeks and longer, as you take care of your body, mind and spirit.
Restore yourself at Sensei Lanai, a Four Seasons Resort, Lanai City, Hawaii
Sensei Lanai’s Rest & Recovery program encourages guests to reflect on and find ways to improve their physical health, as well as their mental well-being. After being analyzed by resort staff, who assess your health history and provide exercise insights through the use of a wearable tracker, visitors can learn techniques to help them with stress, nutrition, fitness and more. And the resort’s “Sleep 1:1” program monitors how guests physically respond to tension and other factors that can impact getting their Zzzs, providing solutions so guests can cultivate habits that prioritize better rest.