The Best Luxury Wellness Retreats To Try This Summer

Inhale, exhale and get ready to leave the stress of daily life firmly behind with our pick of the best luxury wellness retreats to try this summer.

From yoga and pilates to surfing and hiking, get ready to switch off in true Wordrobe style…

1 Best for re-focusing: The Light Retreat at Ockenden Manor, West Sussex

Feeling sluggish, slow or just generally a little shattered? Head to the idyllic Ockenden Manor in West Sussex for a three-day transformational retreat with global wellness and beauty practitioner, Katie Light.

Specially designed to leave you feeling energised, re-focused and with a renewed sense of positivity and purpose, enjoy a combination of workshops, activities, consultation and therapy sessions to leave feeling not only revitalised but with a better understanding of how to control your own mindfulness.

Katie’s unique approach to wellness has secured her place amongst the top therapists in the world, with over 25 years’ experience in the health, beauty and wellness industry, treating clients and educating professionals across the globe.

Just an hour’s drive from London and ideal for a country-esque escape, Ockenden Manor combines sublime seasonal cuisine with beautifully elegant interiors and old worldly charm.

Need to know:
When: 1 Sunday 28th April to Tuesday 30th April 2019
2 Sunday 8th September to Tuesday 10th September 2019
Where:  Ockenden La, Haywards Heath RH17 5LD
Wallet: Prices from £695. To find out more and make a booking, please click here.

2 Best for stress-free sunshine: The Mindfulness Wellness Retreat at Longevity Cegonha Country Club, Portugal

There’s no better place to find sunshine than the Algarve in Portugal. Providing a unique wellness getaway experience, Longevity Cegonha Country Club has launched a new ‘Mindfulness Wellness Retreat’ programme.

Rediscover inner wisdom and build knowledge on stress reduction by working on how to intentionally stay present.

The intensive program is based on the content of the famous ‘MBSR’ (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction’) programme, focusing on burnout prevention, stress management and anxiety reduction.

The programme will be centered around empowering the focus and generating greater physical and mental energy, with eight sessions that combine moments of practice such as mindfulness of the breath, mindful walking, mindful eating and body scan meditation, with moments of reflection.

These themes include the role of perception, emotions, defining stress, learning how to respond instead of react and how to communicate mindfully to transform relationships at a professional and personal level.

PLUS: Read our expert review of Longevity Cegonha Country Club here.

Need to know:
Wallet: The 5-night ‘Mindfulness Wellness Retreat’ starts from €875/£754 per person sharing a double room.
When: October 2019 (dates to be confirmed).
Where: Algarve, Portugal

3 Best for a sustainable escape: Lucy Mills’ Conscious Living Retreat, Norfolk

4 Best for a new way of thinking: Azura Retreats ‘Sounds of Africa’ wellness programme, Mozambique

Taking place on Azura Benguerra Private Island in Mozambique, the ‘Sounds of Africa’ wellness programme aims to promote the benefits of hyperconsciousness, incorporating a range of activities that acutely direct attention, encourage non-attachment to distractions and cultivate a new way of thinking to care for mind and body.

The wellness expedition focuses on the sight, smells, sounds and tastes of Africa and willfeature African drumming therapy, mindful walking meditation accompanied by the sounds of Black Sunbirds and Dark-capped bulbuls and silent mornings on untouched beaches with the sounds of the waves.

Guests will feel compelled to pay attention to their environment and disregard distractions, learning a unique set of skills renowned for various benefits including reducing anxiety and improving cognition.

On departure, guests will also receive a complimentary Africology Sleep Gel, infused with chamomile and lavender, to help them continue the relaxation upon returning home.

Need to know
Where: Azura Benguerra Private Island, Mozambique
Wallet: Prices start from: $695 per person sharing per night. Find out more and make a booking by clicking here.

4 Best for countryside chic: Daylesford’s Cottages Restorative Wellness Retreat, Gloucestershire

Found just 90 minutes from London, Daylesford’s cottages are beautifully converted farmhouses, restored to retain their original features.

Four of the self-catered cottages are just a few steps away from the organic farmshop and one is in the village of Daylesford – and even better, you can even take the pooch.

Just in time for summer, they’ve launched an exciting new Restorative Wellness retreat, available for midweek stay only, which includes several Bamford treatments/classes and healthy welcome pack.

Designed to nurture your body and ground your mind, the dedicated wellness retreats are your chance to seek that restorative break amid the peaceful surrounds of our Cotswolds farm.

The retreats include:
• 4 night stay in the Wood Store
• 1 hour Bamford treatment per adult with an added treatment B Silent treatment (B Silent is a new added treatment)
• Bamford Sound healing or meditation class
• Bamford yoga class
• Welcome Botanical Drink in the Old Spot or newly opened The Legbar
• Welcome pack – Different to the original welcome pack, it includes healthy snacks and a Bamford botanical pillow mist which is not included in the normal booking:
• Freshly cut flowers
• Bamford Botanic Pillow Mist
• Daylesford organic eggs, milk, butter, toasted nut 3 grain muesli, bread and kefir
• A selection of nuts and Eat to Be Healthy crackers
• Daylesford Organic chicken bone broth
• Leoube rosé
• A selection of Daylesford teas, still and sparkling water
• Lily’s kitchen dog treats for four-legged guests

Need to know:
Where: Gloucestershire GL56 0YG
Wallet: £2,200 – £2,900 for the whole group package, depending on the time of year, for a 4 night stay at the Wood Store sleeping up to 6 people.

5 Best for stretching off the stress: The Holzhotel Forsthofalm’s yoga retreats, Austria

Yoga lovers, you’re in luck. Back by popular demand, Forsthofalm in Austria has doubled its programme of yoga retreats for 2019.

The luxury alpine retreat now has seven retreats to choose from throughout the year, with all classes taught by a dedicated instructor. Attendees will also have full use of the hotel’s spa and wellness facilities, as well as the chance to sample their new menu concept “cooking the rainbow”, featuring unbeatably healthy vegan and vegetarian cuisine.

Make the most of everything from sunrise yoga to trampoline fitness, as well as a heated rooftop pool with panoramic views of the mountains on all sides. Enjoy treatment products that are made using handpicked alpine herbs, as well as a delectably nourishing vegan menu.

Need to know
When: Select dates
Where: The Holzhotel Forsthofalm, Leogang, Austria
Wallet: €600 per person for a 3-night package, which includes ¾ board accommodation, all classes and activities as per the programme and a 50-minute massage. To find out more and make a booking, please click here.

6 Best for the surf crowd: Surf & Yoga Retreats at the Salty Pelican, Portugal

Wave this way… Salty Pelican hosts the number one yoga & surf retreat in Cascais, Portugal (just 30 minutes from Lisbon), offering interactive lessons on land and sea for those looking to perfect their pop-up and practice mindfulness.

The recently announced retreats for 2019 are set to offer a seven-night package that includes surf lessons, 11 yoga classes, daily meditation sessions, and all yoga and surf equipment in one of Portugal’s most relaxing towns.

Guided by certified instructors, guests’ inner yogis and surfers will be professionally coached to get the most out of the experience.

What’s more, guests can also participate in the Sunset Awareness Hike  – a trek to the beautiful Praia da Ursa, where you”ll practice meditation on the golden beach against the backdrop of the Portuguese setting sun.

Need to know
Where: Cascais, Portugal
Wallet: Prices start from £415 per person during April – October 2019 in a shared room. To find out more and make a booking, please click here.

7 Best for better sleep: Cap Maison’s Sleep Retreat, St. Lucia

Located on the northernmost tip of St. Lucia in Cap Estate, Cap Maison’s 49 beautifully-appointed suites are the perfect place for catching up on a few ‘zzz’s.’

Improving sleep is the biggest health ambition for a quarter of UK adults, with nearly a third of adults suffering from insomnia, following results from a recent Aviva ‘Wellbeing Report’. 

With the problem becoming so widespread, Cap Maison, has introduced a new ‘Sleep Retreat’ designed for guests to unwind and learn the art of a perfect night’s sleep.

Firstly, guests are accommodated in rooms where the only sounds are of the waves, tropical birds and the gentle call of the indigenous tree frogs.

Key to any sleep retreat is a good bed, and the hotel’s US King-sized beds get rave reviews from guests. Participants in the programme are also encouraged to switch off their phones and devices for a true digital detox and to help the sleep process.

The ‘dreamy’ package includes:
1 One-to-one session with a ‘sleep expert’ – guests are coached by a sleep expert and can get personalised tips on how to get a better night’s sleep.  They then have their sleep monitored and analysed during their stay with a Fitbit that is provided.
2 Breathing Workshop – in the morning or at sunset, guests can learn to use their breathing to exfoliate the toxins from the body and improve relaxation.
3 Sleep-Friendly Pillow Scents – guests are given a choice of fragrance on their pillow.
4 Meditation – led by an expert with breathing techniques to calm the mind.
5 Personalised Menu – a personalised menu full of healthy choices based around ingredients known to help sleep is devised, and if required, intermittent fasting may be recommended.
6 Reiki Healing – a Japanese technique said to cure insomnia and used for stress reduction to help sleep and encourage ‘natural healing’ of the body.
7 Aromatherapy Massage – a treatment based around essential oils that naturally promote sleep, such as lavender or camomile.
8 Evening Reflexology Session – a non-invasive treatment, this involves working on certain acupressure points to encourage a deeper state of relaxation and sleep.

Need to know: 
Where: Cap Maison, St. Lucia
Wallet: Elegant Resorts offer seven nights at Cap Maison, St Lucia from £2,575.00 per person based on two persons sharing a garden view room. To find out more and make a booking, please click here. 

8 Best for ocean lovers: The ‘At One with the Ocean’ Retreat at Hurawalhi Island Resort, Maldives

Embrace the healing power of the ocean with this special retreat. Hurawalhi Island Resort, Maldives have announced new dates for their new ‘At One with the Ocean’ wellbeing getaway, which uses the healing power of the ocean.

Drawing upon the gifts and talents of some of the world’s most spiritually connected and sought-after healers, Hurawalhi healing creates an intricate connection between mind, sound vibration, energy waves, meditation and the restorative powers of the ocean.

Hurawalhi’s seasoned healers offer guests the opportunity to take part in a combination of professionally led, life-changing programs including; chakra balancing, yoga, mindful meditation, visualization techniques, sound healing, Ayurveda, marma chikitsa and Reiki – all of which can practiced during sunrise or sunset on Maldivian sand, underwater at 5.8 or in the privacy of a luxury villa.

The retreat also includes spa treatments in the award-winning Duniye spa, guided reef snorkelling with a marine biologist, aqua fitness classes and healthy cuisine at the resorts main Canneli restaurant.

Need to know:
When: 17th – 20th June, 14th – 17th August, 27th – 30th October
Where: Hurawalhi Island Resort, Maldives
Wallet: Prices start from $4,500/ £4,165 on a single occupancy, full-board basis in an Ocean Villa.

9 Best for giving back: Souljourn Yoga Foundation’s ‘A Tribe Called Tibet’ trip

Souljourn Yoga Foundation, a non-profit organisation created in the US, is hosting a retreat that not only aims to relax its guests but helps to raise awareness and funds for girls’ education and empowerment.

Inspired by seva, the Sanskrit word and yogic principle of selfless service, Souljourn, will live out its mission this year by hosting retreats in the beautiful countries of Morocco, Peru, China and Rwanda.

One of these includes a special adventure in the far East. Taking place from May 25 – June 1, the retreat will start in Lanzhou China and will continue through the province of Ganzu, arriving at your home for the week at Norden Camp.

Surrounded by the majestic natural beauty of the Tibetan Plateau and immersed in profound culture, Norden will take you deep in to the nomad experience with luxurious comfort and authentic Tibetan hospitality.

A week will consist of morning vinyasa practices, evening gentle flow, restorative and meditation, a guide hike to Labrang Monastery, a visit to a local Tibetan village and Norlha Textiles.

Expect moments in between the journal for soaking up the sauna, spa, cocktails and cuisines and will end with a transformative day with the girls of Educating Girls of Rural China, a non-profit dedicated to providing high school and university educations to impoverished young women from rural regions of Western China. National Geographic has named Norden Camp one of the best eco-lodges in the world.

Need to know:
When: May 25 – June 1.
Wallet: To find out more and make a booking, please click here.

10 Best for hiking: Hike Caribbean’s Sugar Ridge escape

Specialist Caribbean travel company Hike Caribbean has introduced a new five-night hiking and yoga group retreat on 1st May 2019.

The trip will be based at Sugar Ridge hotel in Antigua and is perfect for those looking to relax with restorative yoga sessions, while exploring the Caribbean islands on foot in the company of likeminded people.

Enjoy twice daily yoga classes at the hotels new impressive Yoga space called The Shed. There’s also the Antigua Nature Walk and Village Walk, offering the opportunity to see plenty of fauna and flora, scenic views and Antigua’s white sand beaches.

There’s also plenty of time to relax by the pool, hit the gym or book a spa treatment. It will also take place during Antigua’s famous sailing week, when the island will be buzzing with additional visitors, events and parties.

Need to know:
When: 1 – 6 May 2019
Where: Sugar Ridge, Antigua, Caribbean
Wallet: Prices for the five-night trip is available from £999pp based on two sharing a Deluxe King room on a B&B basis and includes transfers, hikes and yoga. Click here to find out more or make a booking.

11 Best for a soulcation: Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita

Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, a five-star luxury resort set amid 1,500 acres of coastal peninsula in the Riviera Nayarit region, has launched a dreamy Soulcations escape – transformative three and four-day mind, body and soul retreats inspired by the destination.

Guests can enjoy everything from a chakra balancing ritual and native Huichol Indian blessing to an intention burning ceremony and yoga atop a rock with ocean views, with their soulmate, soul sister/brother or soul companion.

Choose between a three-day Premium Soulcation, which includes three-days of spiritual, spa/wellness, culinary and art activities and luxury accommodations in an oceanfront suite, or a four-day Ultimate Soulcation in a presidential suite or villa with additional incredible experiences such as sea foraging with a chef.

Each soulful journey begins with the Resort’s chef meeting guests upon arrival to create personalised menus for their entire stay that are tailored to guests’ individual desires – ensuring a getaway that’s just as gourmet as it is relaxing.

Need to know:
Where: Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, Mexico
Wallet: Prices from $895. Phone +52 (329) 291-6000 to find out more or make a booking.