Wellness for One, Please

Morning meditation, Hatha in the afternoon, stress-relieving soak before bed, repeat. A Kiwi Collection Hotel Awards winner, Ananda – In the Himalayas is a mountainside haven dedicated to realigning mind, body and spirit through yoga and Ayurveda. Their customizable and comprehensive wellness programs, ranging from a week to 21 days, cover all kinds of interests, including healthy ageing, enhanced immunity and spiritual growth. They also welcome visiting Masters, some of whom they share more widely with the world through Instagram live sessions.

Talk about a luxurious one-stop shop for all things wellness. Overlooking the loveliness of Lake Lucerne, Chenot Palace Weggis integrates Western and Eastern medicine, with a 5,000-square-foot medical facility for comprehensive diagnostics and testing. There’s a treatment room for almost everything—hydrotherapy, cryotherapy, intravenous therapy. Cosmetic services too, and truth be told we’d rather not see anyone we know after a micro-needling session.

The Salzkammergut region is The Sound of Music country and we reckon if Maria had had the option she’d rather be sent to Schloss Fuschl for a spa break for one. Spend her mornings Nordic walking or skiing and afternoons getting body treatments at the spa. Maybe even take a cooking class to improve her culinary skills, then sleep soundly knowing she didn’t have to govern seven children the next day.

Across its collection of Chilean lodges, Tierra Hotels has perfected the adventure plus pamper combo, particularly for those traveling solo. Excursions are guided and range from short horseback rides to full day treks. At Tierra Chiloé Hotel & Spa, among charming stilted fishing villages, one can spend a day exploring the national park or a local farm and the next day indulging in a massage and long, stress-relieving soak in view of the Pullao wetland.

A two-hour train ride from Tokyo, Gora Kadan is arguably the best kind of ryokan, an onsen ryokan—tapped right into a mineral-rich natural hot spring. For quiet, private soaks, reserve the private onsen, complete with steam sauna, or take one of the rooms that come with an open-air bath. Break up all the bathing and shiatsu massages, by exploring the nearby museums or Mt. Fuji viewpoints, such as Lake Ashi and the Owakudani Volcanic Valley.

In a hilltop Italian city known for its labyrinth of whitewashed buildings, Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa transformed its old water cistern into a retreat complete with hydromassage basin, steam bath, chromotherapy spa shower and a relaxation lounge with Himalayan salt walls. Dressed in frescos, linens and velvets, the property also stakes claim to the city’s largest private garden—the perfect spot for polishing off some pleasure reading.

The beauty of a choosing a city for a self-care escape? Pampering plus people watching. In the City of Light, La Réserve Paris Hotel & Spa sets guests up in urban opulence thanks to designer Jacques Garcia’s Versailles-inspired flourishes, and a pool, hammam and fitness center that’s open 24 hours a day. Each room and suite has a dedicated butler who is also always available.

Outside of India, Bali is a top destination for yoga retreats. Here, at Como Uma Ubud, the practice is central to their wellness offering. In the open-air yoga pavilion overlooking the lush Tjampuhan Valley, take the daily complimentary classes or book a private session. They’ll also connect you with a Balian healer and set up excursion to the Tirta Empul temple for a traditional water purification ceremony. There’s also tubing down a lazy river or biking through rice paddies, that’s wellness too.

Just minutes from Scottsdale, yet tucked away under Camelback Mountain, Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa is an award-winning desert oasis. Solo spa treatments can be taken indoors, outdoors or in one’s very own room, and alongside facials and massages, there’s acupuncture and reiki. When it’s time to get active, there’s group fitness classes, tennis and guided hikes.

On the shores of Loch Lein, The Europe Hotel & Resort provides picture windows for all the leisurely lake gazing one could wish for. That level of relaxation is bolstered by an award-winning ESPA with 16 treatment rooms and half or full day rituals. There’s also a sauna, steam room and number of pools to dip into. Venture out in the lush landscape on foot, horseback or aboard a boat.