4 Gorgeous Destinations for an Ultimate Wellness-Inspired Getaway
A week-long reset is calling your name.
Yoga with incredible views at Ulum / Photograph courtesy of Ulum
Taking time for your total well-being is a high priority in today’s go-go-go world. If you’re looking for a total mind, body, and soul reboot, plan a visit to one — or all — of these four worldwide wellness destinations. OOO message: Set.
The Ranch Hudson Valley
Sloatsburg, New York
The Ranch isn’t for the faint of heart. The celeb-favorite wellness program, which debuted in Malibu in 2010 and in the Hudson Valley last year — the brand has also popped up in Vail, Colorado and in Fiuggi, a small town about an hour east of Rome — touts its results-driven ethos via an itinerary of intense workouts, a disciplined diet, and an emphasis on recovery.
No matter your reason for visiting, the Ranch’s hiking-based wellness program will reinvigorate you. It’s similar to camp — if camp took place at the former lakefront estate of J.P. Morgan’s daughter. Today, the early 20th-century mansion has 25 guest rooms, a ballroom-turned-gym, a solarium, two pools, a dining room, and plenty of cozy nooks.
One of the pools at The Ranch Hudson Valley / Photograph courtesy of The Ranch Hudson Valley
You’ll awake at 5:30 a.m. to the gentle sound of chimes. A stretch session under the ballroom’s coffered ceiling begins each morning’s activities, which include a two- or four-hour hike. You can make your decision midway; you’ll frequently be walking alone-ish, taking in the beauty of the forest, and four hours go by quickly. Later, expect a full afternoon: strength training, yoga, and a massage (daily!). Steel yourself for contrast therapy (great for circulation) in the solarium’s window-lined sauna and cold plunge.
Warming up in the sauna / Photograph courtesy of The Ranch Hudson Valley
The Ranch has a reputation for being a “detox” retreat, with three meals per day plus snacks that are vegan, gluten-free, and anti-inflammatory — alcohol and artificial sugars are nowhere in sight. Chef Michael Narciso and his team use nutrient-dense ingredients for their recipes, and bonus, you’ll be emailed the recipes when you return home.
After experiencing the program for ourselves, we get why people swear by it. (Our wellness editor Laura Brzyski went to the Fiuggi outpost in 2023, and our lifestyle and wedding editor Kristen Schott to Hudson Valley late 2024.) Though the program is tough, we came home feeling more energized than exhausted, and empowered, not defeated. Your time there will be rigorous, but will remind you that nature is good for the body, mind, gut and soul — and that the views from the top are always worth the climb. Three-night program from $2,955 (double occupancy) and $3,975 (single occupancy); four-night program from $3,940 (double occupancy) and $5,300 (single occupancy). —L.B. & K.S.
Civana Wellness Resort & Spa
Carefree, Arizona
Photograph by Lisa Diederich/Civana Wellness Resort & Spa
This desert retreat near Scottsdale makes wellness versatile, from exercise and mindfulness offerings to seasonal organic meals and an extensive spa menu that will help you relax before you (begrudgingly) head back home.
The expansive fitness spaces are filled with light and feature epic mountain views but feel intimate thanks to the small class sizes. And there are a ton of options for getting moving: aerial yoga, barre, stretching, HIIT-based Pilates, inverted wall yoga and more. You can also rent bikes to explore the town of Carefree or take part in forest bathing or a hike in the nearby hills.
At Civana’s standout spa, you’ll get a total self-care experience, with unique services like the relaxing medicine garden scrub, which exfoliates your body in a nourishing sugar scrub, and the watsu relaxation treatment in the quiet outdoor pool. (There are also hot stone massages, cleansing facials and prenatal services.)
Enjoy a pickleball lesson or an hour at the indoor aqua circuit area, which offers plunge pools at various temperatures, before refueling with fresh and healthy fare. Terras offers perfectly portioned dishes ranging from zucchini enchiladas to grass-fed filet mignon, while Seed has plant-forward grab-and-go options like grain bowls and superfood lattes. (The Mindful Dopamine, made with matcha, dragon fruit and lion’s mane, was a favorite.) Rooms from $359. —T.R.
Ulum
Moab, Utah
Photograph courtesy of Ulum
The first sign that you’re close to Ulum, the luxury glamping resort about 25 miles south of Moab, Utah, is Looking Glass Arch — the roughly 400-million-year-old natural rock formation that emerges from the desert like a massive cresting wave. Just beyond, amid the rugged red-rock landscape, 50 safari-inspired tents dot a 200-acre expanse. Creature comforts include king-size beds, ensuite bathrooms with coveted showers and Aesop products, and woodstoves to fire up on cooler nights.
A central lobby houses a cafe and all-day restaurant serving a bounty of plant-based dishes plus the chef’s take on regional classics, like honey corn cakes with bison sausage gravy. Outside, a sprawling deck is home to tables for alfresco dining, daily yoga classes, and sound-bath sessions.
Both Arches and Canyonlands national parks are within an hour’s drive, and Ulum’s Adventure Concierge can arrange excursions like stand-up paddleboarding on the Colorado River, hiking to see the iconic spires known as the Needles, and climbing to the top of Looking Glass and rappelling back down. (Hit the trail-mix bar before heading out!)
Back onsite, partake in spectacular stargazing — the resort adheres to International Dark Sky standards — plant-medicine walks guided by the resident certified herbalist, classes in tea-blending and soap-making, and refreshing dips in the hot and cool pools.
As you watch the sun start to dip, sip on a cocktail or mocktail that draws on prickly pear and other local flora, or roast marshmallows over one of the firepits — all with a world-class view of that arch. Rooms from $629. —R.F.S.
Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Photograph courtesy of Four Seasons Peninsula Papagayo
Costa Rica has long offered adventure-seekers a tropical getaway, but those who want a wellness escape can also find refuge. Located on Peninsula Papagayo, this massive five-star resort has not only adapted the brand’s amenities to a jungle landscape; it incorporates the local ecosystem in the full experience.
“Pura vida” is steeped into every aspect of your stay, whether via an ancestral spa treatment or coffee made with a chorreador. Speaking of the spa, guests can elevate their typical deep-tissue massage with native elements. For the Tsuru ancestral cacao treatment, for instance, you’re covered in pure cacao and wrapped in banana leaves before you blissfully enjoy bodywork. The entire treatment lasts two hours and can be enhanced with add-ons like a coconut oil scalp massage (highly recommend!).
The dining options onsite are inspired by cuisines from around the globe but have a taste of the peninsula; imagine sushi using fresh-caught fish and locally grown avocados and mangoes. Even the Italian food offered at Pesce features fresh anchovies and ingredients sourced from local farmers.
There are also a slew of ways to move your body, including kayaking, SUP yoga, Latin dance classes, walks through the mangroves, and golfing on the 18-hole course. I loved Animal Flow, taught by wellness ambassador Jose Pablo — it’s a blend of yoga stretching and martial arts — and the SurfX program, which will get you riding waves on the resort’s bay side. Rooms from $1,200. —T.R.
