5 Spas And Resorts To Improve Your Health, And Eat Well While Doing So
Salamander Resort & Spa is located in Virginia horse country.[/caption]
Yes, signing up for that gym membership was a smart move. But wellness means more than hitting the elliptical after a 12-hour workday fueled by coffee and Chipotle. You need balance: wholesome cooking, a restorative massage (or three) and a few iPhone-free moments of meditation. But that's likely not going to happen without a clean break, and possibly a short trip on an airplane. With that in mind, here are five health-related spas and retreats that will leave you feeling healthier. And don't worry, you'll still eat well, maybe even better.
Salamander Resort & Spa has been in the works for years, but its storybook setting makes all that waiting worthwhile. The 168-room property finally opened last summer in Middleburg, Virginia — bucolic horse and wine country — and guests flock to its centerpiece spa for massages with tiger-striped clam shells from the Philippines and to slather on re-mineralizing mud from a ceramic dome. Equestrians love it here, unwinding after a long ride with on-horse yoga (yes, this is a thing). Partake in one of the interactive studio cooking classes and you might be able to pluck green beans and thyme from the lush garden. But the best therapy comes in the form of the Blue Ridge Mountains' placid panorama. Rates from $275.
Located at the foot of the Himalayas — that backdrop is sure to snag you some peace alone — Vana, Malsi Estate in Dehradun, India emphasizes the principles of Ayurveda, Tibetan Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Before guests even arrive on the mango and lychee orchard–surrounded property, goals are assessed and custom plans are created around bespoke yoga sessions, lomi lomi massages and organic meals with ingredients sourced from local farmers. Zone out all you like by asking for one of the rooms with private meditation spaces. $515 per night including services and amenities for week-long stays.
Blending into the verdant landscape of Costa Rica's Northwest Pacific Coast is the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo, the company's entrée into Latin America. Bay of Culebra views, surfing amid unspoiled territory and ceviche served on Ostra Restaurant's wood terrace are all revitalizing. Designed by well-known local architect Ronald Zürcher, the hotel's aesthetic references ethereal seashells and cocoons. That dreamy feel is perhaps best captured at ONDA Spa, where from outdoor treatment rooms guests are lulled to sleep by forest sightlines and music inspired by the region's natural sounds. Rates from $450.
Tulum is typically the Riviera Maya's top choice for a relaxation immersion, but delve past the hordes of drunken spring breakers and there is reason to linger in Cancun: Nizuc Resort and Spa in Punta Nezu. Home to two beaches and several mangroves, this tranquil property faces the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Spend all day in the solarium, splashing around in the chromatherapy showers and wandering the meditation garden at ESPA while drinking fresh-pressed juice in the café. Mayan massages and sound therapy are among the more intriguing offerings, but good old yoga and Pilates classes also await the stressed. Rates from $465.
Sandy beaches make Phuket, Thailand a beloved Southeast Asian getaway. But shun the tourists for the solitude of Point Yamu, from COMO Hotels and Resorts. Located on Phang Nga Bay on the northeast coast, the cool turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea are reflected in the guestrooms and private villas imagined by acclaimed Italian designer Paola Navone. Here, days can begin with sunrise yoga and fresh juice at La Sirena, paving the way for hydrotherapy and an exquisite stretching session in one of the Thai massage alcoves. Be good and counter the street food that you will undoubtedly sample with the flavorful vitamin– and enzyme-packed dishes off the COMO Shambhala Cuisine menu. Rates from $300.
Salamander Resort & Spa: 500 North Pendleton Street, Middleburg, Virginia, 866-938-7370 salamanderresort.com
Vana, Malsi Estate: Mussoorie Road Dehradun, India (+91) 11 4060 0000 vanaretreats.com
Andaz Peninsula Papagayo: Guanacaste, Costa Rica, 506 2690 1234 papagayo.andaz.hyatt.com
Nizuc Resort & Spa: Blvd. Kukulcan Km.21 + 260 Punta Nizuc, Cancun, 855-696-4982, nizuc.com
Point Yamu by COMO: 225 Moo 7, Paklok, Thalang, Phuket, Thailand , (+66) 2 625 3322, comohotels.com/pointyamu