Bali: Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
With a history of traditional healing therapies, health and wellness are long-standing within Balinese culture. Rooted in this ethos, Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, which means “temple” in Sanskrit, offers hotel guests a “temple” to call their own and a luxurious sanctuary for inner discovery and serenity. Drawing from Bali’s ancient cultural practices, guests can have a holistic experience with Ibu Ketut Mursi, an extraordinary, intuitive blind healer who has been gifted with instinctive awareness and touch. During each session, Ibu assesses and assists with emotional and physical issues and may make recommendations for appropriate herbs to treat various conditions. This may include Ketut’s family secret herbal oil blend passed down from her grandfather, a Balinese healer. Accompanied by her assistant Ibu Kis, both of them work harmoniously to realign and release any blocked energy pattern through bodywork or reflexology. With translator assistance, she will provide suggestions related to health and well-being and guests are left with a transformative wellness experience to kick off the New Year.
Kenya: JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge
A luxurious retreat centred on well-being and connection JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge sits within the Masai Mara National Reserve in southwestern Kenya, one of Africa’s most renowned wildlife and wilderness conservation regions. The recently opened hotel offers guests an elegant and harmonious retreat to discover the Reserve’s abundant wildlife and endless plains, balancing the thrill of a game drive with opportunities to switch off and relax. Embodying a holistic approach to well-being and enrichment, the lodge is a luxurious haven imbued with tranquillity and connection to its environment. Capturing the essence of relaxation and rejuvenation, The Spa by JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge emulates the serenity of the Reserve by offering tailored experiences that nourish the mind, body and spirit. The Spa’s signature treatments blend locally inspired techniques and therapies complimented by natural and organic products sourced from the continent’s powerful minerals, oceans, flowers, herbs, fruit, seeds, and oils by renowned African skincare brand Healing Earth. Treatments extend beyond body to mind and spirit with guided yoga, breath-work and sound therapy, and a ‘Mara Celebration’ treatment using local botanicals and therapies.
United Arab Emirates: The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert
A healing sanctuary aptly situated in the middle of the Arabian desert, The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert invites guests to connect with nature and culture amid the luscious 1,235-acre protected reserve. The hotel’s spa is an oasis of serenity featuring traditional Arabic architecture that blends harmoniously with the rolling dunes of the desert. Along with lavish treatment pavilions and state-of-the-art hydrotherapy facilities, the spa boasts a unique rainforest-themed journey where guests will be guided through 16 hydrothermal stations designed to restore balance to the body and mind. The Rainforest Experience will take guests on a wellness journey like no other and includes a brine cavern, an ice igloo, and a tropical rain shower that controls the rise and fall of body temperature for the ultimate soothing and relaxing experience. The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert, is also pleased to introduce their guests to HydraFacial treatments, which utilise groundbreaking technology to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturise the skin, making for a pampering, soul-nourishing experience.
Scottsdale, Arizona: Boulders Resort and Spa
With over 400 miles of beautiful hiking trails, a nourishing farm-to-table dining scene, and tranquil desert-inspired spas, Scottsdale, Arizona, is the perfect place to embark on a wellness break to remember. The secluded and natural haven of Boulders Resort and Spa, offers the ideal setup for those choosing Scottsdale as their next place to recharge and replenish. With stunning 12-million-year-old boulder formations set among the untouched landscape and thriving flora and fauna throughout, Boulders Resort and Spa is incredibly unique and offers visitors an experience like no other. Guests can restore their minds and bodies at the resort’s spa and indulge in massages using locally sourced healing clay and refreshing therapies infused with the desert environment. The desert’s bounty is incorporated into the spa treatments, best showcased in the ‘Desert Rose Radiance’ body treatment, which utilises jojoba and desert rose exfoliation and a soothing aloe mask from the succulent plants found in the surrounding landscapes.
Bermuda: Grotto Bay Beach Resort
With its beloved pink-sand beaches, luxury spas, and epic wild-water swimming spots, Bermuda is the ultimate destination for those seeking a wellness getaway. When it comes to finding somewhere to stay, there are few pleasures in life as dreamy as Grotto Bay Beach Resort’s Natura Spa, which offers visitors a truly one-of-a-kind experience. Situated inside an ancient 500,000-year-old natural cave featuring a breathtaking azure underground lake, guests can enjoy soothing spa treatments in a private gazebo while gazing down into the shimmering turquoise-hued waters with the relaxing sound of dripping water in the background. Treatments include indulgent massages, facials, and body scrubs that use only organic products, including Dead Sea salt infused with herbs and citrus oils. Nearby, islanders can swim in the island’s hidden caves. The increasingly popular phenomenon of wild water swimming is not only destined to leave swimmers feeling totally rejuvenated, but it’s also been proven to boost the immune system, reduce stress, and provide a healthy dose of endorphins. Home to a fascinating system of underwater caves, Bermuda invites travellers to explore its unmapped waterways and redeem the rewards while swimming in the turquoise-hued waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Head to Walsingham Nature Reserve, a breathtaking 12-acre natural wonderland, to find secret wild water swimming spots away from the beaches, including the infamous Blue Hole Park.
Puerto Rico: Casa Alternavida, ‘House of Transformation’
Nestled between Puerto Rico’s famous El Yunque National Rainforest and the serene turquoise ocean, Casa Alternavida is a luxury wellness centre specialising in mentoring guests to unwind and detach from the complexities of modern life. Sustainability is a primary focus at Casa Alternavida, reflected in their meat-free, organic, locally sourced food and their passionate attention to detail regarding recycling and reducing carbon emissions. The retreat is sculpted to transform guests’ ingrained approaches to mental and physical well-being and offers an array of treatments ranging from traditional massage and breathwork sessions, to a unique sunset fire ceremony, where guests can embrace and ignite their inner passions. For guests seeking to challenge their physical fitness, Casa Alternavida also operates a selection of more demanding daily movement classes, hikes and beach adventures across stunning natural landscapes. Retreat packages are all-inclusive, with three daily organic meals prepared by the local chef and served around a communal table. Positioning the overall comfort and enjoyment of guests at the core of its philosophy, Casa Alternavida truly is a paradise of relaxation for the body, mind and soul.
The Maldives: The St Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort
Nestled between verdant rainforest and white-sand beaches on a private island, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort overlooks the alluring waves of the Indian Ocean to provide travellers with the perfect peaceful retreat. With yoga emphasising the importance of being present and finding a sense of balance for the mind and body, guests can nurture the soul at Yoga & Meditation Studio, where activities such as anti-gravity yoga are sure to lift the spirit. Those seeking a reflective sanctuary can retreat to the beachfront library, which includes over 800 book titles from across the globe for guests to peruse and borrow during their time in residence. The hotel’s signature Iridium Spa promises a transformative journey in an oasis of tropically inspired sophistication, offering holistic treatments from chakra blessings and ayurvedic rituals to an indulgent caviar journey, which draws on the anti-aging properties of caviar extract to revitalise the skin.