[mezz]

There’s an energetic current running through this Byzantine retreat; through the surrounding land that was blessed by healers, through the aromatic pines and citrus trees that scent the Mediterranean air. It’s a feast for the senses: a powerful reminder to stop and appreciate each moment, every breath – and two years since opening, that message is more potent than ever. Euphoria means ‘intense happiness’ and derives from the Greek word euphoros meaning ‘healthy’ – which perfectly encapsulates the vision of its founder Marina Efraimoglou, whose brush with cancer led her to immerse herself in the world of alternative medicine. Euphoria is her way of offering a path to others that she has travelled herself. Muted golds and deep reds weave their way into the cosy guestrooms that adjoin the cocoon-like spa; a stairwell spirals upwards from a black-pebbled Kneipp pool to sapphire-blue skies. It’s a light-filled world; one where guests can float weightlessly in the Watsu pool, wallow in the steam of the hammam, and dive deep into a pool where the calls of dolphins can be heard below water. Therapies are designed to promote vitality: from ground-breaking Nutrigenomic programmes (Greek guru, George Leon, reboots metabolisms and triggers joy through the right fuel) to blockage-shifting craniosacral osteopathy and the quiet magic of traditional Chinese medicine, which lightens the body and quietens the mind. Some say that a trip can mend a broken spirit, others that it redefines what happiness means to them. Some call it life-changing. Healing Holidays (healingholidays.com) offers a five-night wellbeing detox programme from £2,499, including British Airways flights and transfers.

[osjak]

BEAVERBROOK, Surrey, UK [links]

[SkyN]

From healing hydrotherapies with an aquatic backdrop, to black lava and hot stone treatments to revive and invigorate, this year's spa guide was all about the six elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Wood and Metal [links]

[knightmb]

If you're hoping to shed a few inches—or simply kickstart a healthier lifestyle—here's where to go.

[melfn]

Looking to hit the reset button now that the calendar has ticked up another digit? Each of these 20 picture-perfect destination spas offers everything you need to relax, reprogram, or reshape yourself. Whether you want to jump-start serious weight loss, master a rock labyrinth, or indulge in daily rubdowns, book some time at one of these wanderlust-worthy health and wellness sanctuaries.

[BitSports]

To detox like the red-carpet-ready stars of Hollywood, head to the desert about 125 miles north of Los Angeles—but leave your fork and knife at the entrance. (And your squeamishness.) That's because the entire program is based on juice fasting—oh, and colonics. While that might sound painfully abstemious or downright torturous, We Care has a few key things going for it. For one thing, it works: guests looking to reset their bodies and minds emerge after long-weekend "tune-up" or weeklong "retreat" leave with enviably flatter bellies—thanks to a 1-3 pound per day weight loss— as well as clearer heads and brighter eyes and skin. Credit goes to both the clean liquid diet and to the raft of classes offered, including breath work, Reiki, sound-healing, yoga of every flavor, "creative visioning" and even sessions about transitioning back to solid food. Also, it's straight up gorgeous, surrounded by palm trees, cacti, flowering vines, and dramatic mountain vistas in the distance. About the colonics: they're not mandatory, but most packages include at least two. Wander the labyrinth walk, amble over to the far-infrared sauna, or just rest between classes on a floating bed and let the motion rock you to sleep. One unique spa treatment to try: Raindrop therapy, in which 9 essential oils are dropped in sequence along the spinal column and then massaged in specific directions, to help with inflammation, immune system, and breathing.

[redwine]

In the ancient world, the Spartans were famed for their fighting prowess, with only the strongest, fastest and most focused surviving their rigorous boot camps. Fast-forward a couple of millennia and Euphoria, one of Europe’s best destination spas, sits on the Peloponnese town’s doorstep. The Spartan Spirit of Adventure programme here certainly ticks all the boxes for modern-day workout warriors. It places emphasis on exercising outdoors, proven to burn calories, boost mood and lower blood pressure more efficiently than a gym session, with plenty of HIIT for devouring visceral fat. But, best of all, it weaves in the region’s history, putting a 21st-century spin on the games played by those musclemen of old. more

[Karmicads]

Quiet to the point of silence, apart from birdsong, and set in a national park an hour’s drive from the coast, MasQi is one of those discoveries that makes visitors feel torn. Remote and peaceful, it’s utterly restorative and not particularly expensive, and there are always cheap flights to Alicante, the nearest airport. So on one hand there’s the desire to shout about it from the rooftops. But on the other it’s tempting to keep quiet and hope that no one else will hear about it. On the approach, there’s a kind of literal departure from hectic daily life. The taxi has to leave the road and slow to a crawl for the last few hundred yards, inching down the hillside over rutted tracks. The benign energy of the place is instantly apparent. The main building, an elegantly restored 1880s farmhouse with eight uncluttered bedrooms, overlooks a pine-shaded lawn, and beyond that, mile upon mile of empty countryside. [links]

[benyclawn]

Healing Holidays (healingholidays.com 020 7843 3592) can arrange a 7 night stay from £4,379.00 per person sharing, including British Airways flights, transfers, full board accommodation, a wellness consultation, one daily treatment and £625 wellness credit. more

[cuu508]

This is one of the original destination spas in Asia, the kind of one-stop, fix-all properties that brings together soul-soothing heat and sunshine with physically and emotionally nourishing therapies. Its meaningful message has resonated globally, inspiring a worldly crowd of guests to invest deeply – with time and money – into their health. The offering is almost overwhelming, knocking on more than 150 different treatments, from traditional Thai and Ayurvedic modalities and chakra balancing to naturopathic consultations. Then there’s the perhaps surprising aesthetic-beauty department, plus serious remedial physiotherapy and rehabilitation, and the most prolific, high-profile roll-call of visiting therapists imaginable. No wonder David and Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss and Elle Macpherson have made numerous pilgrimages. more

[storm]

There is no shortage of spiritual retreats in India, but Vana is unique in combining traditional yoga, meditation, and ayurvedic medicine with organic cuisine, beauty treatments, and cultural outings. Your ayurvedic recipe is determined by a doctor, electronics are forbidden in public spaces (but the vibe is otherwise laid-back), and you’ll be urged to wear kurta pajamas to dinner (meat and wine are on the menu). The signature program is the 21-night Pancha-karma, an intense detox.
HOW LONG Seven-night minimum.
WHO GOES Spiritual seekers splurging on a five-star ashram with an undiluted version of ayurveda.
DON’T MISS An afternoon trip to Rishikesh, the yoga capital of the world. [links]

[translator]

The 32,000-square-foot spa at this 19th-century Yucatán hacienda is centered on a cenote and surrounded by Mayan ruins, and the therapies are rooted in ancient practices. There’s a resident shaman, detoxifying sweat lodge sessions, and full moon bathing rituals. The menu includes mouthwatering dishes like suckling pig with pickled Ixchil onions.
HOW LONG No minimum stay.
WHO GOES Travelers who want an alternative to Tulum and prefer jungle
to beach.
DON’T MISS Stone crabs at Los Pamponos, in the village
of Celestún. here

[pascal50]

Wellness and pleasure go together at this Asian brand’s first European outpost, in Portugal’s destination wine region. The programs, based on biomarkers (metabolism, body composition), are serious, and high-tech skin treatments are available, but most guests come to destress with wine tastings and vinotherapy treatments in the 10-room spa.
HOW LONG Three-day minimum fordedicated wellness programs.
WHO GOES Health devotees who believe in hearty doses of hedonism.
DON’T MISS The medieval town of Lamego. here

[ritobana]

This 500- acre retreat with windmills and 32 antiques-filled rooms could be mistaken for Provence. Even the restaurant has a French no-asceticism philosophy. Typical regimen: a predawn power hike followed by four more workouts (there are 120 classes, plus 20 types of yoga) and lots of spa time (vinotherapy treatments are a specialty).
HOW LONG Three, four, or seven nights.
WHO GOES Francophiles; those who would rather be coddled than commanded.
DON’T MISS A candlelit yoga session in the 18th-century chapel from Dijon. [links]

[yvethwarren]

The town’s mystic vibe has lured some of the world’s top healers to this 16-casita retreat, which specializes in Native American treatments and is located on sacred ground in Boynton Canyon. Most healing “journeys” include two daily spa treatments. Traditional therapies (pedicures, Swedish massage) are available, but try the alternatives: interactive aura readings, energy cleansing.
HOW LONG Three, four, or seven nights.
WHO GOES Hikers with hippie souls; wellness seekers who prefer buffalo burgers to tofu.
DON’T MISS A guided vortex (concentrated energy area) hike to Cathedral Rock. [links]

[mark4]

Keep an open mind at this year- old holistic retreat (already booked through 2018), which focuses on different chakras— wheels of energy along the spine—each day. Meditation teachers, sound healers, shamans, breathing specialists, and nutritionists guide treatments ranging from crystal light therapy to binaural beats that balance your energy fields. Communal dinners feature “living foods” (think carrot spaghetti and tomato tartare).
HOW LONG Seven nights.
WHO GOES New Agey types who embrace a kumbaya vibe.
DON’T MISS The tile designs at Adamson House, a late-1920s Moorish-Spanish- style villa.