If you’ve been to a hotel in the last year or so, you may have noticed something new. Nearly every hotel, from the casual roadside stop to the all-inclusive resort has all of a sudden started to focus on wellness. There are mocktail menus at complimentary happy hours, group yoga classes, locally-sourced in-room snacks—the list goes on and on into varying degrees of what one might consider wellness. This is by design because, well, we all are obsessed with being well right now. Wellness, however you define it, has stopped being something just a few travelers want and become something nearly every traveler expects. Hotels are not dumb, either. They know that we, as travelers, are willing to pay big bucks for wellness. The global wellness market was valued at $893.9 billion in 2024, according to Statista, and is showing no signs of slowing down.
This influx, from our perspective, is not a bad thing. We’re already working to well-ify our lives back home, so why would we want to leave that behind when we travel? But we also say this with confidence: not all wellness travel is created equal. We believe that to truly classify as a wellness destination worth traveling for, you have to offer more than just non-alcoholic mini bar options and a treadmill in the “gym.” In order for a hotel or resort to really be a wellness destination in our book, they have to offer something unique that you can’t get anywhere else and more than that, they have to integrate wellness into every aspect of the property.
These are tall orders but luckily for the wellness-obsessed like us, more and more properties are moving in that direction. Some are brand spanking new built from the ground up with wellness in mind. Others are more established, but have gone back to the drawing board to redefine what wellness means to them and truly create something new. Still others have quietly been on the wellness tip for years but have pushed the envelope by providing new resources and new experiences built on their wealth of wellness knowledge. We spent the year traveling the globe to find the most exciting, most innovative and most unique new wellness destinations around the world for this list. So whether you want to train better, sleep better, eat better or just feel better, these are the places worth booking a visit.
Merano
Best For High-Level Optimization
When you first walk through the front doors to the Palace Merano, you instantly feel like you’re walking back in time. The opulent building has been a magnet for European elite seeking rest and relaxation in the Italian Dolomites since it was first built in 1906. The hotel itself has undergone a stunning restoration, keeping every inch of gilded old world charm that you’d expect from a building with such a storied history. But if you think the reason people still come here to lounge around in Gilded Age glamour, you’re in for a surprise. Twenty years ago, with the debut of the Revital method, the Palace Merano transformed into one of the most cutting edge wellness clinics in Europe. It is now host to a rotating roster of celebrities, royals, billionaires and professional athletes who come to detox, reset and reap the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet, daily spa treatments and, now, state of the art medical treatments.
Not only does Palace Merano feature a brand spanking new medical clinic on the entire fifth floor of the hotel, which is home to a full-time staff of doctors, nutritionists, aestheticians and nurses who administer everything from Dexa scans to IV therapy to colonics, but the program itself has evolved. This year marked the debut of a new Sports Performance program, specifically designed for the athletes that frequent the property, that includes fitness assessments, biomechanical testing, cognitive training, fully customized personal training and more. The week-long program was developed in consultation with iconic footballer Zenadine Zedane, a long-time guest of the clinic, and focuses not just on detoxing your body, but making sure you perform at your highest level after you leave. Like the other programs, the Sports Peformance program begins with a battery of tests and an extensive review with a physician who helps conceptualize your unique treatment schedule based on your test results and goals. Multiple meetings throughout the week allow for tweaking and further customization.
Days are anchored by the daily hydromud treatments (which are essentially mud wraps and baths) followed by extensive therapeutic massages in addition to a battery of other treatments designed by your specific treatment team. In our case, for the Sports Performance program, that meant personal training sessions followed by dry cryotherapy, daily cognitive training and AI-assisted fitness assessments coupled with extensive reviews of how we could improve everything from our balance to vertical jump. The state of the art equipment and extremely friendly training staff made it clear why Palace Merano is an essential part of many professional athlete’s lifestyles. But it’s really the seamless blend between old world relaxation and ultra-modern wellness that gives Palace Merano its unique je ne sais quoi. Guests are encouraged to dress for dinner, which like all other meals, is served by white gloved waiters al fresco. The food leans on local ingredients to recreate delicious Italian recipes within the anti-inflammatory of the (strict) Revital diet that are so good you forget there’s no cheese.
The Vibe:
European opulence meets modern medical-informed wellness with long term effects.
Features:
Newly renovated medical clinic, new Sports Peformance program designed by and for athletes, program oversight by physicians, fully customized programs, daily hydromud and massage therapy, high end food prepared to nutritionist directions.
Don’t-Miss Treatments:
Dry cryotherapy, biomechanical testing, cognitive training, ozone therapy, dexa scan.
Hotel Esencia
Best For A Celeb-Endorsed Chillout
You can’t walk right up to Hotel Esencia. Nestled in sprawling and meticulously landscaped grounds that feel more like you’re stepping into a jungle than a resort, the hotel prides itself on privacy and, though it’s smack-dab in the middle of the Mayan Riviera, it feels like its own world unto itself. Turn one corner and you may encounter a peacock crossing in front of you; turn another and you might spot a celebrity on vacation. It’s designed to be an escape from reality and after spending just a few hours there, you begin to question why you would ever leave.
The property began life as a vacation home for an Italian Duchess, but now is an ultra-chic, traditional-yet-minimalist boutique hotel, kind of like if Wes Anderson designed a Mexican vacation home for the coolest royal you know. Everything is painted white, all the towels are striped and the rooms are peppered but not cluttered with local art and prioritize privacy. Personal butlers leave morning coffee in special boxes outside your door and anything you could want is just a WhatsAppp message away. Three on-site restaurants feature a rotating selection of local dishes, but if you want pizza or sushi you can get that, too. And just a short walk away is a private lagoon that’s home to families of manatees that the staff will gladly take you to see via paddleboard.
But really, the main event is the spa, which was fully reconceived, renovated and reopend in 2025. Drawing inspiration from local traditions and state of the art modern wellness treatments, the circular structure creates a zen vortex of calm and houses one of the most well-designed hydrotherapy circuits we’ve ever seen. Every room has an enormous picture window that looks out into the jungle, bringing nature into every aspect of the spa. Outside is a traditional temezcal (think, an Azetec sweat lodge) where you can not only sweat, but scrub, mask and massage. A variety of unique massages and treatments seamlessly blend different indigenous and global techniques for some of the most interesting treatments we’ve ever received, like the Shiro-Maya massage that uses an Ayurvedic technique to activate your third eye as well as relax the body. Upstairs is a sensory deprivation tank, which used before a massage, delivered one of the most out of body spa experiences we’ve ever had. Local healers and energy workers are also available for deeper work as well. If Hotel Esencia is the gold standard of an understated luxury resort, the spa is the crown jewel.
The Vibe:
Ultra-private, understated zen hideaway with traditional Mexican flare.
Features:
Three on-site restaurants, personal butlers, well-appointed gym, off-site excursions including manatee spotting, luxurious rooms, wide variety of spa options.
Don’t-Miss Treatments:
Shiro-Maya massage, Temezcal, Floating Journey, Hydrotherapy.
Rosewood Hotel
Best For The Urban Explorer
When you talk to an American about traveling to Brazil, inevitably Rio is what comes to mind first, but there is a lot more to Brazil than just beaches. Case in point: Sao Paulo, the country’s largest city and a bustling metropolis that rivals New York (seriously there are, like, 3 million more people). The city hums with energy and art is visible on almost every surface, creating a kind of visual buzz that gives the buildings a life of their own. But if you think the fast-paced city lifestyle is antithetical to wellness, you’d be wrong. Hidden in the middle of the city like a gem is the new Rosewood Sao Paulo, a surprisingly serene oasis in the middle of the thrum.
The main building of the hotel was once a maternity hospital which has now been painstakingly renovated and restored into new life as an ultra luxury hotel. Situated on a compound that includes other buildings, like a restored chapel and a new modern tower covered in a vertical garden, it’s hard to remember that the Rosewood is in a city at all. The grounds are quiet and meticulously landscaped and the pool area feels more like you’re swimming in a jungle lagoon than a hotel pool. Almost every inch of the property, both inside and outside, is covered in work by Brazilian artists reflecting the city’s vibrant culture. And speaking of vibrant, once the sun goes down, the property’s five restaurants and bars are bustling with locals there for the live music, flowing cocktails and innovative menus.
But, honestly, it all comes down to the spa. Housed in a building behind the main hotel, the sprawling spa is immaculately designed as a world-class wellness destination. Seamlessly blending traditional Brazilian techniques with modern spa amenities, not to mention the only spa in Brazil that uses Guerlain products, it’s the kind of place you want to book your entire trip around. The focal point is the crystal room, which is covered in hundreds of quartz points, where you can get reflexology or simply vibe out. Down the hall is an enormous private spa suite with it’s own soaking pool and lounge area that connects to private treatment rooms. We suggest booking a jiu jitsu class in the adjoining gym (one of the best hotel gyms we’ve ever been in) and then recovering with a Brazilian feather massage, a sensory massage that uses special tools to mimic the feeling of feathers on your skin and is unlike anything we’ve ever experienced.
The Vibe:
Artistic and eclectic high luxury with a local, urban twist.
Features:
Large modern rooms, incredible pool with private cabanas, five restaurants and bars, exceptional gym, in-house art curator for guided tours, live music many nights, large brand new spa floor, on-site salon.
Don’t-Miss Treatments:
Brazilian Feathers massage, crystal room, Aura Nobile facial, jiu jitsu class.
champion spirit country club
Best For The Weekend Warrior
Sure you could go to The Bahamas and spend your time lounging by the pool or playing round after round of golf, like so many do. No judgement, but if you’re the kind of person that wants more than just frozen drinks and sunburn from your vacation, allow us to introduce you to Champion Spirit Country Club. Calling Nassau’s newest wellness resort a country club is a bit of misnomer when it’s actually a state of the art performance training facility where you can do anything from play pickleball with your family to climb a high ropes course with your friends to train with former Olympic athletes.
Founded by French world-champion boxer Abdoulaye Fadiga, Champion Spirit is an enormous full-service athletic wonderland. Designed for both tourists and locals, the membership club features a staggering range of options from gymnastics, boxing, functional training, the aforementioned pickleball and soon even more, with an Olympic sized pool opening in the near future. Trainers on staff teach a variety of daily classes and offer individual sessions in their fields of expertise. Have you ever wanted to train with a former coach of an Olympic gymnastics team or track and field medalist? You can. And once training is done you can recover in the 4-seater hyperbaric chamber or treat yourself to a traditional thai massage before enjoying a meal at the on-site restaurant that utilizes local ingredients for delicious fare, including eggs from the property’s own chickens.
Utilizing the app to book our schedule, we started with a full biometric assessment that informed our program over the coming days. After an intro on the high ropes course (a must do for those not scared of heights), our days were packed with sessions with the biggest draw of the club – the staff. Training with professional athletes was a rare experience that offered not just incredible workouts, but lessons and tips we took home to improve our usual training. The work was hard, but it made the recovery – namely the daily massages – even sweeter. With on-site wellness residences opening later this year, Champion Spirit is poised to become the biggest wellness destination in The Bahamas.
The Vibe:
Open air training facility with state of the art, high end touches and Bahamanian nature vibes.
Features:
On-site restaurant, high ropes course, classes and activities for the whole family, on-site spa and wellness center, incredibly knowlegeable staff and trainers, forthcoming residences.
Don’t-Miss Treatments:
Hyperbaric chamber, Thai massage, biomechanical assessment session, personal boxing session with Mr. Fadiga himself.
Zadun
Best For A Mindful Reset
In the Laguna Beach era, what happened in Cabo, stayed in Cabo. Sure, you can still find all-night ragers if that’s your vibe, but for travelers like us who want a more mindful experience, the newest wellness destination on the Baja peninsula is where it’s at. Sensei is a full-service wellness center housed at Zadun, an ultra-luxe Ritz-Carlton Reserve resort that offers exacting guests a variety of customizable programs that focus on everything from whole-body optimization to nutrition to sleep. Conceived with holistic integration into the resort’s extensive list of amenities, Sensei allows guests to experience whole body wellness while enjoying the luxury of a five star property.
Each program at Sensei begins with an Intention setting meeting with a mentality coach in which guests discuss what they want to get out of their program and set intentions that inform their plan of treatments and services. These services vary widely depending on what program they select and their personal health and wellness goals. One day you could meet for a personal training session followed by a lesson in mindful eating at one of the property’s local-infused restaurants. The next you could experience the signature Move massage that uses hand-made herbal poultices to gently pound out the tension from your body followed by a sound bath in a room custom built for deep acoustic healing. In between you may find yourself at the private Sensei pool that also happens to be one of the largest hydrotherapy circuits in Baja. Each treatment is carefully planned out by the team to help you achieve your intentions.
What is unique about Sensei is the focus on mindset. A session with the mindset coach ended up morphing into something more akin to a therapy session, where we discussed not just our inventions for our visit but how we could bring lessons home once we left the property. The focus on the mental component of wellness is not something you often find in spas like this and we were struck at how it not only informed what treatments the team recommended, but how it deepend on our experience as a whole. We were encouraged to keep our eyes open for new experiences, like seeing the whales play in the surf just off shore of the beach, and slow down to appreciate the natural surroundings, which we did on a morning hike through the nearby hills that was miraculously populated by thousands of butterflies. The Sensie experience, we realized, isn’t just about what happens in the spa treatment rooms, but it’s something that is lived–and enjoyed–on every level.
The Vibe:
Indulgent desert-meets-ocean five-star Mexican luxury.
Features:
Three on-site restaurants, large private rooms many with plunge pools, personal butler service, educational activities, well-appointed gym with on-site trainers, live music most nights, off-site excursions.
Don’t-Miss Treatments:
Move massage, mindset session, minful eating session, sound bath, hydrotherapy, temezcal.
Natelee Cocks
Best for Fitness Freaks
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.
Courtesy of The Ranch
Best for Getting Outside
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, Patrick Dempsey, Kevin Love 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 four-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 (and now, 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, Bod Pod body composition analysis, acupuncture
MAUREEN M.EVANS
Best for Detoxing
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
Courtesy of Hotel Royal Evian
Best for Old-world Charm
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.
Courtesy of Murrieta Hot Springs Resort
Best for Day-trippers
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.
