Wellness Retreat | The Year of Wellness Travel is Upon Us

January 13, 2022

Wellness travel is a niche market that has grown in popularity in recent years. Its traction within the industry is thanks - in part - to the consensus that in today’s world, humans need to slow down and actively take better care of ourselves. As we look to improve our mental and physical well-being, travelers may now find themselves reframing their travel plans to account for a slightly slower pace with more pampering and relaxation time built in.

Instead of a fleeting visit, many tourists now opt for a relaxed experience that affords them the chance to connect more with their surroundings. This desire, drives travelers to explore off-the-beaten-track destinations and remote, private experiences that are less mainstream.

Join us here as we take a look at 2022’s shortlist of the top destinations for wellness travel that will have you feeling relaxed and ready to take on the new year.

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Tropical Paradise: BodyHoliday, St. Lucia

Coupled with beautiful beaches and crystal clear waters, BodyHoliday has become one of the most sought-after places in the world for a wellness retreat. This St Lucian resort offers everything you need in order to start your wellness journey and to experience true rejuvenation. The aim is to stimulate the senses with relaxation, exercise, and restorative beauty as the key focus.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, BodyHoliday recently introduced four new wellness programs: the boost your immunity program (focused on prevention over cure), the corporate well-being program (focused on those suffering from burnout), the COVID convalescence program (meant for COVID survivors), and the wellness rehabilitation program (designed to help you get back in the wellness zone you aspire to).

Each program ranges from five to 21 days and offers a vast assortment of wellness activities that guests can choose from to mix-and-match in order to help reach their wellness goals. Activities include: Tai Chi, Reiki, Ayurvedic therapies, biking, and ocean swimming.

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Sky-lagoon-in-Iceland-by-art-In-Voyage-Wellness Retreat | The Year of Wellness Travel is Upon Us
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Art in Voyage
Art in Voyage

A Retreat in the Clouds: Sky Lagoon, Iceland

Opened in March 2021, The Sky Lagoon spa is built into a cliff just 15 minutes out of Reykjavik. Taking full advantage of the natural healing geothermal waters, Sky Lagoon also has its own signature skin-care line and offers picturesque panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean while you soak in the breathtaking infinity pool.

In order to get to the infinity pool guests must go through the seven step ritual, which takes them through a series of traditional bathing experiences. Starting in a cold glacier pool, guests move to a bright sauna, then to a warm waterfall shower, all of which will leave you feeling rejuvenated and renewed.

Travel Tip: You may be able to catch the Northern Lights while you’re there – Iceland’s peak viewing season is between October through February.

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Wellness in the Rainforest: The WELL at Hacienda AltaGracia, Costa Rica

No list of wellness travel destinations will be complete without Costa Rica. The country is world-renowned for its luxurious wellness offerings, and since November 2021, THE WELL at Hacienda AltaGracia has become the newest hotspot for wellness travel.

Set among 180 acres of lush Costa Rican rainforest, the retreat offers guests treatments that range from eastern to western therapies, from lunar gong baths to energy healing or craniosacral facials to an immersive riverside meditation at a nearby stream.

The Hacienda AltaGracia features eight rooms, a hydrotherapy tub and thermal suite, five seasonally-inspired restaurants, a range of movement classes, and with the added bonus of having the rainforest on your doorstep, there is endless potential for adventure.

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Art in Voyage
Art in Voyage
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The Seaside Getaway : Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa, New York

Wellness Travel just got an upgrade as the Gurney’s we have come to know and love will be relaunched with some serious changes: a newly-renovated seawater spa.

The 30,000-foot spa will have more of a Roman Bathhouse feel, and will feature four new bathhouse-inspired pools: a caldarium (warm pool), a vitality tub (hot tub with jets), a very cold plunge pool (meant for a quick dip), and a cool bath (slightly warmer than the cold plunge; meant for a 10-15 minute soak).

Treatment rooms have also received an upgrade, featuring new indoor/outdoor spaces that allow you to take in the fresh ocean air, while you’re being pampered.

Art in Voyage
Art in Voyage
Art in Voyage
Art in Voyage
Art in Voyage

Habitas Tulum: Tulum, Mexico

Travelers can discover powerful methods of rejuvenation at one of Mexico’s hottest wellness destinations, Habitas Tulum. Through locally inspired therapies, workshops, and local ingredients, Habitas aims to help you destress, and find a renewed love for life.

Wellness is in everything they do at Habitas, from the way they sleep, to the way they eat, and even the way they experience their day-to-day life.

Habitas has found the perfect balance by combining the best techniques and ancestral practices from all across the globe, without forgetting their own roots, and mainly leading their wellness experiences with a strong influence of the local Mayan culture.

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Healing in Costa Rica: Amatierra Retreat Center

Relax in paradise and enjoy rejuvenating holistic health treatments that will leave you feeling fabulous.

Situated in San José, Costa Rica, Amatierra Retreat Center is an all inclusive retreat that looks to serve your whole being by providing an oasis of rejuvenation and healing through yoga, healthy food, bodywork, fresh spring water, and a renewed awareness of the mind and body.

Amatierra provides some of the best yoga experiences with their magnificent open-air studio that overlooks the jungle, creating the perfect environment for finding yourself again, and to focus on your healing.

Allow yourself to relax in comfort from the peace and tranquility that the mountains of Costa Rica is famous for. Wake up to the sounds of nature, followed by a walk to the stream or hike to where you can see the Nicoya Peninsula in the distance.

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The Digital Detox: Willka T’ika Wellness Retreat, Peru

Willa T’ika was created in part to honor Pachamama, The Andean deity who represents Mother Earth. With such a strong focus on nature, Willa T’ika makes for the ideal place to disconnect from the world and focus on yourself. The rooms at Willa T’ika do not have televisions or phones , and only offers Wifi in designated areas – creating the perfect environment in order to realign yourself.

Although this wellness hotspot has been around since 1995, Willa T’ika has not stopped innovating and launched a new seven-day “Essential Wellness” program earlier this year, focused on helping restore your mind, body, and soul during the COVID-19 crisis.

Each day the program will target one of the seven chakras (energy centers)of the human body through healing ceremonies, yoga, breathtaking hikes, vegetarian farm-to-table meals, and time spent in the seven Chakra Gardens.

Travel Tip: When visiting Willa T’ika, don’t forget to meet with Layka, a traditional Andean healer who has been with the property for over 20 years, and who will give you a coca tea leaf reading, telling you more about their culture, and maybe even giving you insight into your future!

Hotels and other establishments have seen the growing demand around helping guests relieve stress, and have started implementing programs related to well-being. This allows travelers to keep up with their well-being rituals as they travel, along with getting to enjoy other activities during their vacation.

Don’t leave wellness at home on your next vacation, instead, make wellness your next vacation!