5 New Wellness Resorts That Will, Literally, Change Your Life
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Traveling looks different these days. Instead of booze-fueled raging and beachside vegging (that’s a vibe left behind once you’ve aged out of Spring Break), we’ve all become, dare we say, activity people. The world is now officially obsessed with wellness travel. Globally, the wellness-travel industry is worth $651 billion and is showing no signs of slowing down, according to the Global Wellness Institute. Travelers of all stripes are booking trips with a specific wellness focus—detoxing, rejuvenating, relaxing, fitness, or some combination of it all.
Hotels are taking notice. Many are renovating their spas, bringing in new treatments and programs, offering group classes in everything from core strengthening to cooking, and hosting wellness-focused retreats. But just updating your spa menu isn’t going to cut it for much longer. Travelers are looking to be completely immersed in wellness from the moment they check in to the minute they leave. To meet that demand, a growing number of new hotels and resorts are being created with the express purpose of well-being, and it’s being integrated into everything from the room design to the food offerings to even the location of the resort itself (and, of course, newer, better, and more unique spa treatments). These resorts represent the future of travel as a way to not only disconnect from your life back home but also experience something new.
Just like wellness travel is not one-size-fits-all, wellness resorts come in a wide range of styles, philosophies, programming, and aesthetics. So whether you’re looking to commune with nature, lose a few pounds, increase your bench PR, or just chill in a bath for a while, there is a wellness resort for everyone. We spent months jetting around the globe trying the newest wellness hotels and resorts to experience them firsthand. These are the ones worth booking.
Best for Fitness Freaks
SIRO One Za’abeel Dubai
One of the most difficult things about traveling can be keeping on top of your fitness goals–or maintaining any fitness routine whatsoever. Believe us, we’ve had to work out in some pretty gnarly hotel gyms, cobble together body-weight workouts in our tiny hotel rooms, and jog through some less-than-desirable outdoor areas just to keep our bodies moving while traveling. Thankfully, fitness is actually the focus at SIRO One Za’abeel Dubai, the first fitness- and recovery-focused property from the brand-spanking-new ultra-luxe hospitality brand. (New properties are planned in Montenegro, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico in future years.)
Staying at this futuristic, modern, technology-focused hotel is like living in the best, most state-of-the-art gym you could possibly imagine. In fact, saying that the gym in this place is the largest hotel gym we’ve ever encountered is an understatement. Everything revolves around the gym space, which takes up nearly an entire floor of the hotel. You can book one of the expert personal trainers (many of whom are former professional athletes from all over the world) for your stay; take one of the 50 weekly classes, like spinning, HIIT, boxing, and functional fitness; sign up for private Pilates; or wind down with a variety of yoga and movement classes. The gym itself, which guests can use at any time, even without booking a session, is the ultimate fitness person’s fantasy, complete with panoramic views of the Dubai skyline. And if that’s not enough for you, the Fitness Suites (where we stayed during our visit) have in-room equipment like treadmills, stationary bikes, punching bags, free weights, and a library of digital classes that can be projected onto the wall to do in the privacy of your room.
At SIRO, you may be able to work out hard, but you can recover even harder. The full-floor Recovery Lab isn’t your average hotel spa. The entirety of the space and treatments is recovery focused, from the requisite saunas, steam rooms, and cold plunges in the locker rooms to the specially developed Modular Stretch Massage (a combination massage and assisted stretching protocol), myofascial cupping, physiotherapy, and Skin Workout (a massage-heavy facial that lifts and tightens your face the same way a lifting session does for your body). Treatments are heavy on wellness tech, like cryotherapy, IV drips, and red-light therapy, giving the entire experience a biohack-y, spa-of-the-future feel.
It even extends to the food, which is able to be completely customized to your dietary specifications with the help of the in-house dietitian. (We met with her a week before our trip and arrived to a complete meal plan based on our strict diet that combined room service, hotel meals, and specific orders at local restaurants.) There is no mistaking SIRO as anything but a top-tier luxury hotel, and while you don’t have to be a fitness person to enjoy the sleek modern design and plethora of amenities, we can say that it was the first time ever that we felt like our fitness and wellness routine actually got better while traveling.
The Vibe:
Ultra-futuristic, modern high-rise hotel in the heart of ultra-futuristic, modern Dubai.
Features:
Incredibly large hotel gym, over 50 fitness classes per week taught by expert trainers (free to guests), Recovery Lab with state-of-the-art recovery treatments and hydrotherapy circuits, in-house dietitian, multiple outdoor pools, rooms with temperature-regulating mattresses and wake-up technology, specialized fitness and recovery suites, in-room wellness cabinets.
Don’t-Miss Treatments:
Modular Stretch Massage, Skin Workout, Vibroacoustic therapy, Triple Detox by MLXi3 Dome, cryotherapy.
Best for Getting Outside
The Ranch Hudson Valley
Since it opened in 2010, the Ranch Malibu has become one of the most iconic wellness destinations in the country. It has played host to big names like Michelle Obama, Oprah, and more who are drawn to the rigorous weeklong program of sunrise hikes, plant-based food, daily yoga, and massage sessions. The Malibu location is considered one of the OG modern wellness retreats but is also known to be not for the faint of heart.
With the opening of the first location outside of California this year in the Hudson Valley (about an hour drive from New York City), the Ranch has entered a new phase of wellness hospitality. Housed in a renovated Gilded Age–era mansion in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains, each session can host up to 25 guests, creating an intimate and community-oriented experience. All meals are communal and eaten as a group, allowing time for connections and conversations over the plant-based menu. The program itself, while it still contains the tenets that the Ranch is known for, has been slightly altered. Instead of the requisite week, Ranch Hudson Valley guests can choose a three- or five-night stay. No matter how long you’re on-site, each day follows the same flow. Wake-up is at 5:00 A.M. for stretching and breakfast, followed by a morning hike that lasts either two or four hours depending on your comfort level. (Each day is a different hike of slightly increasing intensity.) Upon return, lunch is served, followed by exercise classes, a daily massage, optional additional treatments (things like chiropractor visits and hypnotherapy), and plenty of free time to enjoy the sprawling grounds that include indoor and outdoor pools and a hydrotherapy circuit.
While the atmosphere and program at the Hudson Valley location are less rigid (and some would say less intense) than the original flavor of Malibu, this is still very much a wellness retreat. The food is delicious and plant based to help decrease inflammation while still providing nourishment (bonus: this location allows coffee). The wake-up calls are very early, and the hikes are fairly rigorous. But after the second day of getting up before the sun, it got easier, and we found ourselves looking forward to getting out into nature. The grounds are immaculate, and the historic house has been updated perfectly to preserve the familial feel. Of course, the daily massages are very welcome, and the other treatments we had were equally good. (Don’t sleep on the hypnotherapy, which was surprisingly deep and affecting.)
More than anything, we were struck by the communal aspect of this stay—and how much we actually liked it. Guests are encouraged to mingle and forge relationships, and while many guests in our group (us included) were wary at first, by the third night it was like we had all known each other for years. One of the most underappreciated aspects of wellness and longevity is social interaction, and the Ranch proved to us just how important that is. The hiking, food, and treatments were all great, but having people to share them with made all the difference.
The Vibe:
Nature-focused wellness without the crunchiness wrapped up in a luxurious country estate.
Features:
Daily hikes, daily massages, additional wellness treatments, daily exercise classes like yoga and HIIT, multiple pools, hydrotherapy circuit, all meals included.
Don’t-Miss Treatments:
Hypnotherapy, IV therapy
Best for Detoxing
SHA Mexico
Part wellness clinic and part resort, Spain-based SHA is one of the most popular wellness destinations in Europe, drawing guests from all over the world with its unique blend of holistic wellness. The SHA integrative-wellness program has nine pillars like diet, functional medicine, inner balance, and cognitive health. This mostly translates into a strict, mostly plant-based and anti-inflammatory diet; healthy movement; and a variety of therapies that can range from massage and facials all the way to intravenous therapies, acupuncture, and more medical-based procedures. The first North American location—just outside Cancún—takes the SHA program to new heights in a gorgeously designed beachfront location that feels like a real-life White Lotus resort.
SHA offers several different programs (we did the four-day Rebalance and Energize program, but others can focus on detoxing, weight management, stress relief, or longevity), but each one starts the same way: with a battery of intake tests meant to measure everything from body composition to cognitive function, medical history, nutrition, and more. The SHA doctors and experts use these tests to develop a customized program for your stay, including what you are going to eat at each meal and what treatments they recommend you do while you’re there to achieve your goals. (Some are included in the price of the stay; some are not.) The building itself—designed with indoor/outdoor living in mind, with curving, organic lines and an incredible amount of plants—houses the luxurious guest rooms as well as a fully functioning wellness and medical clinic. You’ll often see guests wearing robes all day while on their way to spa appointments, medical procedures, midday meals, and ocean- or poolside relaxation. Meals, while not communal, are all served in the restaurant, where waiters are armed with iPads that detail the exact food specifications for each guest customized by the team of dietitians. On-call concierges are available to message at any time of day with questions or changes to your personal schedule (which can be found on the SHA app).
If you’re going to go for a detox, it’s hard to imagine a better place to do it. Adjusting to the food can be a bit jarring at first (the SHA philosophy is fairly restrictive, not just in what you eat but also how much), but the food itself is delicious and uses mainly local ingredients. The building, rooms, and location are beautiful and give an impression of soft luxury that feels like a cocoon. The ability to customize your program with the help of actual doctors and experts is important and something that not many other wellness resorts can provide, especially considering that most of the building is an honest-to-God clinic. Nearly the entire top floor is a gym where guests can book personal trainers and take yoga, Pilates, or meditation classes. But don’t let the White Lotus vibes fool you–this is serious Wellness (with a capital W), and while customization is available and encouraged, the program is strict. For instance, the diet is focused on weight loss and detox, and the staff has a harder time adjusting it to more athletic- or performance-based goals. But the team is willing to work with everyone as best they can. SHA may be able to reset your body and mind, but you have to be willing to go along for the ride.
The Vibe:
Latin American organic luxury combined with serious wellness in a undeniably beautiful beachfront location.
Features:
Multiple programs to choose from, on-site state-of-the-art wellness clinic, spa treatments, longevity services, customized plant-based diet (meals included), luxurious rooms (most with ocean views), large on-site gym.
Don’t-Miss Treatments: Icaros VR Training, Hydroenergetic Detox Cure, Ozonetherapy, acupuncture
Best for Old-world Charm
Hôtel Royal Evian
When the Hôtel Royal opened in 1909 on the shores of Lake Geneva at the base of the Alps, it quickly became a go-to destination for European royalty, titans of industry, and celebrities of the time. It’s all thanks to the water in Évian-les-Bains, which was often prescribed to heal medical ailments (you know, “taking the waters”), as well as for its wellness and relaxation properties. It could very well be considered one of the very first wellness resorts, ushering in an era of tourism that blended health with pleasure. Though Evian water is now available in bottles at grocery stores around the world, Hôtel Royal is still a wellness destination for the same reasons it was way back then.
Since it opened, the five-star Hôtel Royal has undergone an extensive renovation and update, blending modern luxury with the original old-world charm that makes it so famous. Everything from stately rooms to the jaw-dropping gathering spaces to the cozy restaurant retains a sense of history and opulence that makes it clear why this was the preferred vacation spot of aristocrats across Europe. The crown jewel is the brand-spanking-new Evian spa, which reopened in 2024 and answers the question “What would it be like to bathe in Evian water?” The humongous indoor and outdoor pools are just the beginning. In the spa you’ll find an indoor/outdoor hydrotherapy circuit with heated pools, saunas, hammams, cold plunges, and a “snow room,” where flakes of frozen Evian water literally fall from the ceiling. (It’s a welcome respite between saunas.) As if that weren’t enough, the second floor is populated with treatment rooms for a variety of massages, facials, and more complex rituals all with a view of Lake Geneva outside.
Situated on a hillside above Lake Geneva, Hôtel Royal is a true resort. The grounds give way to a maze of hiking trails, and depending on the season, guests can partake in a variety of outdoor activities like golf and skiing. We found during our visit, however, that it was nearly impossible to tear ourselves away from the spa. It is one of the largest hotel spas we’ve been inside, with multiple levels of options but all centered around the pools. Europe has a rich bathing culture, and the Evian spa updates and modernizes it. Yes, it’s all about the pools, but new trends like contrast therapy are driven home thanks to the variety of temperature-controlled rooms and pools. We spent hours hopping between hot and cold rooms while dipping in and out of the pools. (Spa access is free to guests even without a spa treatment.) The treatments themselves, which are inspired by the “life cycle of Evian water” are thoughtful and relaxing. We especially loved the three-hour Le Précieux ritual, which includes a private steam session, a massage, a facial, and a bath all back-to-back. Truly, there is nothing like an Evian bath.
The Vibe:
Old-world opulence with modern wellness updates.
Features:
Evian spa with hydrotherapy circuit and multiple pools, large spa menu, modern gym, enormous grounds with a variety of outdoor activities, large gathering spaces with bars, on-site restaurant.
Don’t-Miss Treatments:
Le Précieux spa ritual, Visage Lumière facial.
Best for Day-trippers
Murrieta Hot Springs Resort
Bathing may be one of the most accessible forms of wellness, and it certainly is one of the oldest. The natural hot springs in Murrieta, California, have been used for their healing abilities for centuries, dating back to the Native Americans. It’s thanks to the natural geothermal pools that are rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and more. Used to treat ailments like rheumatism, these hot springs still draw visitors not just because they’re relaxing and fun, but also due to their purported healing properties. That’s why Murrieta Hot Springs resort has been a wellness destination since 1902. After a few decades as a private Bible college that prevented outside visitors, it has now reopened as a modern wellness resort. Not only are the 20-plus natural pools still intact, but now the property features a new spa, a state-of-the-art gym, a farm-to-table restaurant, and newly renovated guest rooms in the restored college buildings. The entire property has an old-school California vibe mixing woodsy, outdoorsy buildings with Spanish-inflected architecture. The sprawling grounds are all centered around the cluster of pools of varying temperatures and sizes, but all are meant to draw bathers and wellness enthusiasts to take to the waters.
To bring the wellness resort into modern times, there are new programs, like guided plunges, contrast circuits, aqua yoga, in-water sound baths, and more, all of which take place in the pools. There is also a brand-new spa with a humongous indoor hydrotherapy circuit including saunas and steam rooms, as well as a variety of treatments like massages and scrubs that are designed to enhance the water-based wellness idea. Additionally, the large gym on property is class based, with fitness offerings designed by pro trainer Brad Davidson using a HIIT-focused philosophy of circuit-based cardio and weight training. The cold plunges are right outside for easy post-workout recovery. Think of it as a wellness water park packed with amenities and activities for all ages and interest levels.
Staying overnight at Murrieta Hot Springs is possible and comfortable. As a bonus, overnight guests have access to the pools pretty much around the clock, which can be nice since the main pool areas can get fairly crowded during the day. Since many of the rooms are in former Bible-college dormitories (or in cabin-like structures situated around the property), they can feel pretty rustic. That’s part of the charm, however, since it’s impossible to escape the old-school California vibes of this place. Day passes allow you access to the pools and many of the amenities (some others, like the gym classes, will cost extra), making this an ideal wellness spot even if you’re just passing through.
The Vibe:
Old-school California architecture with family-friendly water-based wellness.
Features:
More than 20 geothermal pools, a variety of classes and activities, on-site state-of-the-art gym, newly renovated spa with unique treatments, on-site farm-to-table restaurant.
Don’t-Miss Treatments:
Aqua sound bath, hydrotherapy circuit, Serious Sleep massage.
Traveling looks different these days. Instead of booze-fuelled raging and beachside vegging (that’s a vibe left behind once you’ve aged out of Spring Break), we’ve become, dare we say, activity people. This is a collective “we,” by the way, since it seems that the world is now officially obsessed with wellness travel. Globally, the wellness travel industry is worth $651 billion and is showing no signs of slowing down, according to the Global Wellness Institute. Travelers of all stripes are booking trips with a specific wellness focus whether that be detoxing, rejuvenating, relaxing, fitness or some combination of it all.
Hotels are taking notice. Many are renovating their spas, bringing in new treatments and programs, offering group classes in everything from core strengthening to cooking and hosting wellness-focused retreats. But just updating your spa menu isn’t going to cut it for much longer. Travelers are savvier to the wellness world and are looking to be completely immersed in wellness from the moment they check in to the minute they leave. To meet that demand, a growing number of new hotels and resorts are being created with the express purpose of wellness and it’s being integrated into everything from the room design to the food offerings to even the location of the resort itself (and, of course, newer, better and more unique spa treatments). These resorts represent the future of travel as a way to not only disconnect from your life back home but experience something new and, hopefully, adopt some wellness ideas to take home with you once the vacation is over.
Just like wellness travel is not one size fits all, wellness resorts come in a wide range of styles, philosophies, programming and aesthetics. So whether you’re looking to commune with nature, lose a few pounds, increase your bench PR or just chill in a bath for a while, there is a wellness resort for everyone. We spent months jetting around the globe trying the newest wellness hotels and resorts to experience them first hand. These are the ones worth booking.
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