If you’ve decided to take a wellness vacation this year, you’re not alone. Post-pandemic, wellness tourism has surged in popularity with 16.6% annual forecasted expenditure growth, according to the Global Wellness Institute.
That’s a lot of lavender.
Many hotels and resorts are branding themselves as wellness destinations.
So, how do you find the right wellness retreat for you?
Do Your Homework Before Booking
The SheBuysTravel team has stayed at many of the top US and international resorts focusing on wellness experiences. What we’ve discovered is that there are 5 key factors to consider when choosing your wellness getaway.
- Focus: What’s the speciality for this resort? Popular activities include yoga/meditation practice, nutrition/fitness counseling, stress management, sleep aids or digital detox.
- Location: Desert. Mountain. Beach. City. A retreat’s location and vibe are important considerations impacting your wellness experience.
- Key Activities: Wellness resorts may have a wide range of scheduled activities, including group classes, individual counseling, spa treatments, nature walks.
- Accommodations: Know in advance whether you’ll be in a luxury suite or bunking dorm-style with strangers.
- Price: The cost of a wellness stay is highly dependent on the accommodations, meal options and programming.
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The Voice of Experience
As you develop the vision for your wellness getaway, talk to your family and friends to find out if they’ve had a wonderful experience at a particular resort. Ask about the rooms, programming, food and vibe.
Don’t be afraid to ask:
Was the overall stay worth the pay?
To help you on your wellness journey, we’ve compiled a list of top wellness retreats visited recently by SheBuysTravel writers. Some are in the US. Others are international destinations.
Several have extensive wellness programming.
But we’ve also included unique hotels and resorts with to-die-for spas.
Pricing is noted based on a general scale, with $ assigned to budget-friendly choices and $$$ marking luxury stays; your best resource for package and pricing are the individual resort websites.
Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa
Miraval is one of the legacy names in the wellness space, operating resort retreats since 1995. Located about a half-hour drive from Tucson, Miraval is a World of Hyatt property so members can earn and use points for their stay.
- Focus: Broad range of spa-focused experiences making Miraval a good choice for group travel.
- Location: Sonoran desert within easy reach of metro Tucson and Phoenix.
- Key Activities: Spa treatments including a Miraval exclusive Nâga massage, full day of scheduled activities, nearby hiking trails.
- Accommodations: Luxury rooms and large retreat suites with private plunge pools.
- Price: Rates include meals and activities excluding individual spa and counseling sessions. $$$
1 Hotel Hanalei Bay
This Hawaiian luxury resort in Princeville, Kau’i, calls its structured retreats Wellbeing Journeys. Guest goals are an important consideration. Island sightseeing add-ons are offered.
- Focus: Personalized body/mind treatments provide excellent options for solo travelers or couples looking to support each other’s fitness goals.
- Location: Tropical Hawaiian beachfront with pool, golf and tennis/pickleball.
- Key Activities: Flotation tank, massive fitness center, luxury spa, plant-based cuisine.
- Accommodations: Luxurious rooms and suites.
- Price: 4-night Wellbeing Journeys include food & beverage credit and multiple spa, therapy and counseling sessions. $$$
CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa
CIVANA is located just outside of Phoenix in a town called Carefree. Seriously. Guests are encouraged to disconnect; posted “quiet zone” signage is a reminder. Check out complimentary bikes to explore the desert landscape.
- Focus: Intention setting is encouraged at CIVANA, making this resort an excellent choice for solo travelers seeking time for introspection and self-exploration.
- Location: Easily accessed from the Phoenix airport, just north of Scottsdale, on a 20-acre desert property.
- Key Activities: 22,000 square-foot spa with hydrotherapy experiences including the only US sanarium sauna, multiple yoga classes and labyrinth, morning and evening rituals, plant-forward cuisine.
- Accommodations: Comfortable, minimalist interiors.
- Price: Rates include F&B, tons of daily activities and spa credit. $$$
Willka T’ika
A stay at this culture-based retreat in Peru’s Sacred Valley complements a bucket list trip to Macchu Picchu. Immerse yourself in local traditions for a historic, spiritual experience.
- Focus: Vegetarian cuisine, chakra explorations and engaging interactions with the Quechua people make this a wonderful experience for couples or close friends.
- Location: The high elevation is a consideration at this mountain retreat about a 75-minute drive from the Cusco airport.
- Key Activities: Digital detox, ancient healing rituals, meals sourced from property gardens.
- Accommodations: Small 26-room boutique property with single, double and triple garden-view rooms.
- Price: Rates are room only. $
Le Monastère des Augustines
Centrally located in the heart of Quebec City, this retreat hotel occupies a 400-year-old monastery building. Treatments are rooted in the historic traditions of the Augustinian sisters who founded the first hospital in New France in 1639.
- Focus: With opportunities for meditation, introspection and healing, a stay is ideal for those in need of a reset, like caregivers.
- Location: The building underwent a thoughtful renovation that retains its historic charm. You’ll find all of the attractions of this UNESCO World Heritage Site steps from the hotel entrance.
- Key Activities: Gentle yoga, healing massages, silent breakfast, sleep aids, private consultations available.
- Accommodations: Comfortable, contemporary rooms with private baths or historical cells with shared hallway baths.
- Price: Room rates include breakfast. Wellness options are a la carte. $
Wailea Beach Resort
Consider this Maui property if you’re a Marriott Bonvoy member so you can earn and use points during your stay. The standout feature at the resort is the Olakino, adults-only, wellness pool.
- Focus: The Olakino pool offers a sanctuary within a resort experience from 8 am to 4 pm, ideal for a friend group.
- Location: The Wailea is a large, luxury beachfront Maui resort with 5 pools, golf and on-site luau.
- Key Activities: Book the Olakino wellness pool and enjoy a shaded lounger, cabana or daybed, mini spa treatments, vitality shots, chef-prepped bites served throughout the day.
- Accommodations: Over 500 spacious rooms and suites. All have outdoor space.
- Price: Rates are room only. The Olakino Wellness pool is an available daily add-on. $$$
Hacienda Encantada Resort & Spa
Hacienda Encantada is a serene oasis in Cabo San Lucas, a Mexican resort destination better known for its party atmosphere. It’s a great destination for families offering both all-inclusive and European plan pricing.
- Focus: Destination resort with a world-class spa.
- Location: Cliffside, with ocean views (no swimmable beach), 40 minutes from the Cabo San Lucas International airport.
- Key Activities: Milagro spa, morning yoga.
- Accommodations: All-suite resort with multi-bedroom villas available.
- Price: $$
Cascada
You’ll have to go below to discover what makes this Portland, Oregon, hotel unique. An underground network of thermal pools, saunas and soaking tubs is ideal for your next girlfriend getaway.
- Focus: The spa is the highlight of this just-opened (2025) hotel. Overnight guests are provided with a spa robe and slippers and enjoy complimentary access (spa treatments and classes are extra). Day passes are available if you’re not a hotel guest.
- Location: Cascada is a great place to stay in Portland’s Alberta Arts District. It’s important to note that it’s not in the city’s downtown area.
- Key Activities: There are four distinct zones in the spa: The Sanctuary (silent space with 3 vitality pools, a cold plunge, sauna, steam room and ice fountain), The Conservatory (social space with 82-degree pool and day beds), Secret Garden (outdoor thermal pool experience opening summer 2025) and a fitness center.
- Accommodations: All rooms are king suites (2-bedroom units are available) with kitchenettes.
- Price: Nightly rates are slightly lower if you exclude the spa, but why would you? $$
Salish Lodge and Spa
This is another Pacific Northwest hotel ideal for those who find nature’s beauty therapeutic. It’s an indulgent stay with luxe lodging and a farm-to-table restaurant on-site.
- Focus: Ideal for a weekend getaway with a cozy award-winning spa, waterfall pool, destination dining restaurant and access to iconic Snoqualmie Falls.
- Location: Picture the PNW in your favorite movies and TV shows like Twilight and Twin Peaks. That’s the setting for Salish Lodge, about 50 miles from Seattle’s SeaTac airport.
- Key Activities: The Salish spa was named by Conde Nast Travel as one of the “Top 50 Hotel Spas in the United States.” If you’re visiting with your girlfriends, consider booking the Lower Waterfall pool with cocktail service.
- Accommodations: Luxe lodge rooms are comfy and spacious. Club-level suites include spa access during your stay.
- Price: $$
Liss Ard Estate
If you have the chance to stay at a Relais & Chateaux property in the Irish countryside, do it. The 150-acre estate property is the perfect place to get away from it all. Bring the whole family or a special someone for this bucket list stay.
- Focus: Destination resort for those who enjoy the finer things with a la carte wellness activities.
- Location: Buccolic setting with a lake and wooded trails near West Cork along the Wild Atlantic Way.
- Key Activities: Book a private, lakefront sauna. Take long walks through rolling green hills. Sound baths and tea ceremonies are also available.
- Accommodations: The hotel’s 26 rooms are located in three buildings on the property and feature elegant furnishings.
- Price: $$
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