The best wellness retreats for Christmas and New Year

Travel restrictions are being loosened over the holidays – with a five- day quarantine for people who test negative for Covid-19 – so why not nip those winter woes in the bud and treat yourself to a wellness retreat for Christmas and New Year? What a way to see out the last (very stressful) twelve months…

Best wellness retreats for Christmas and New Year

Bliss out with Helios Retreats, Bali

Immerse yourself in spirituality and Balinese culture in Ubud this January on a six-night ‘deep jungle and mindfulness’ retreat. You’ll start each day with an energising yoga or HIIT class before heading out to explore the surroundings. You’ll visit temples, waterfalls and rice terraces, as well as have a surf lesson in Uluwatu. There will also be plenty of time for relaxing by the pool with your fellow retreaters.

Dates: January 11th-17th and January 19th-25th 2021. Rates start from £1,576 for a double room or £2,175 for a single. Price includes daily fitness and yoga classes, most meals and airport transfers.

To book visit helios-retreats.com.

Wild Wellness at Gleneagles, Scotland

Gleneagles is inviting guests to master their inner calm on a holistic nature-based retreat set in the wild surrounds of the hotel. Studies have shown spending 120 minutes a week outdoors lowers the probabilities of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stress. Guided by this principle, this mindful and restorative wellness programme harnesses the healing powers of the Perthshire landscape. The schedule includes hill walking, fishing, foraging and forest bathing.

Dates: selected dates until March 2021. Rates for the two-night package start from £3,100 based on two people sharing or £2,700 single occupancy.

For more information email [email protected] or call 0800 704 705.

Step into Fitness: Shanti Som, Spain

This festive fitness escape combines yoga, training sessions and guided hikes with the orange groves and tropical gardens of Andalucia. Instead of running around looking for last-minute gifts you could be trekking up mountains and taking part in TRX sessions, with expert trainers on hand to give your physical health the reboot it deserves. Top it off with massages and therapies in the spa and you’ll be feeling merry and bright long after you leave.

Health and Fitness Travel offers six nights at Shanti Som from £2,260pp or £3,540 for single occupancy. Price includes full board, a fitness programme and return transfers.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow: Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti, Italy

Unwind in the wonderful winter wonderland of the Dolomite mountain range on this detoxifying wellness retreat. With a state-of-the-art wellness temple surrounded by incredible alpine views, you can indulge in energising massages and draining wraps and forget about the usual Christmas Day chaos. Lefay Dolomiti’s sustainable restaurants offer organic, healthy meals with spectacular backdrops, so burning potatoes and overcooked turkey will feel like a world away.

Health and Fitness Travel offers five nights at Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti from £3,145pp or £4,055 for single occupancy. Price includes breakfast, a detox programme and return private transfers.

Tis the Season to be Pampered: Borgo Egnazia, Italy

Start the new year the right way and trade dull winter days with a wellbeing boosting break to the stunning coast of southern Italy. A consultation on arrival will determine your personalised programme to allow you to reconnect with your inner self and prioritise your mental and physical health. With the spa offering hot stone massages, detoxification wraps and aromatherapy you’ll leave feeling like the festive season is, in fact, the most wonderful time of the year.

Health and Fitness Travel offers six nights at Borgo Egnazia from £5,370pp or £7,450 for single occupancy. Price includes full board, a wellness programme and return private transfers.

Have Yourself a Healthy Little Christmas: Euphoria Retreat, Greece

It’s beginning to look a lot like wellness on this energising detox retreat in the glorious winter sun. Consultation and tests on arrival ensure your holiday is tailor-made to your personal requirements. You’ll receive a selection of treatments and sessions that will enhance your emotional wellbeing ready for the new year. Balanced healthy meals will also compliment your fitness journey and allow you to indulge in delicious bites without the usual post-turkey food coma.

Health and Fitness Travel offers seven nights at Euphoria Retreat from £3,405pp or £3,870 for single occupancy. Price includes full board, a wellness programme and return private transfers.

Detox in a Weight Loss Wonderland: Fusion Maia, Vietnam

Grip life by the antlers and make your physical health the top priority on this redefining juice cleanse on the beautiful beach of Da Nang. Here you can set yourself up with a positive healthy mindset for the new year and avoid the tempting Christmas treats on offer as you immerse yourself in meditation, juicing workshops and customised treatments. This detox gives you a full-body reboot by targeting your immune system and directing you towards positive long-term changes for a healthier future.

Health and Fitness Travel offers seven nights at Fusion Maia from £2,045pp or £3,200 for single occupancy. Price includes full board (80% juice, 20% raw), a detox programme and return private transfers.

Yuletide Yoga & Pilates: COMO Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos

Rediscover the balance of your mind, body and (Christmas) spirit on this holistic holiday on the sunny beaches of Turks & Caicos. The private-island retreat includes daily yoga and Pilates sessions, alongside educational workshops, so you can progress with your practice whilst you soak in the spectacular sunshine. With catamaran sailing, windsurfing and paddle boarding on offer, you can relax your mind and throw yourself into a fun-filled festive experience that will leave you refreshed and motivated for 2021.

Health and Fitness Travel offers seven nights from £3,595pp or £7,010 for single occupancy. Price includes daily breakfast, a wellness programme and return transfers.

Dreaming of a White Wellness Christmas: Shanti Maurice Resort & Spa, Mauritius

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but Mauritius is so delightful! Relax your body and reset your mind with Shanti Maurice’s sleep programme that includes personalised treatments and specialist therapies aimed at remedying your stressful sleep problems. Unwind with Pranayama, Yoga Nidra and Reiki sessions, alongside massages and sleep therapy, to give your mind a well-deserved break. This restorative wellness experience allows you to walk away from the clamour of jingle bells and Christmas carols and be welcomed into the world of deep sleep.

Health and Fitness Travel offers seven nights at Shanti Maurice Resort & Spa from £5,510. Price includes half board, a sleep programme and return private transfers.

Festive Family Fitness Fun: Pine Cliffs Resort, Portugal

For a truly magical festive experience, take the whole family to the enticing beaches and majestic mountains of the Algarve. Embrace the variety of exciting activities on offer, including aquatics, badminton, yoga and circuit training. This exhilarating programme allows you to explore beautiful backdrops, enjoy family film nights and challenge each other to new pursuits, all while escaping the bitter weather of the English winter.

Health and Fitness Travel offers seven nights at Pine Cliffs Resort from £595 for 2 adults + 1 baby, £1,400 for 1 adult + 1 child or £1,975 for 2 adults + 2 children. Price includes breakfast, a wellness programme and return private transfers.

Holistic New Year Healing: Marbella Club, Spain

Let go of wintertime worries on this relaxing and soothing wellness experience, perfect to prepare or repair you for the frantic festive season. From lifestyle consultations and guided meditations, to sleep-inducing rituals and personalised massages, your holiday is tailor-made to your specific requirements. With relaxing treatments, gourmet food, and beautiful beach views, you can start 2021 as the best version of yourself.

Health and Fitness Travel offers seven nights at Marbella Club from £3,450pp or £5,395 for single occupancy. Price includes breakfast, a wellness programme and return private transfers.

A healthy slice of winter sun: BodyHoliday, St. Lucia

Treat yourself to a week of personal training, sleep-enhancing therapies and deep tissue massages on a well-earned break to St. Lucia. You’ll take part in invigorating activities, feast on gourmet food and get explore the island’s unspoilt rainforests and breathtaking waterfalls. Forget the Christmas jumpers and opinionated in-laws and indulge in a bit of ‘me time’ on this brilliant beachside retreat.

Health and Fitness Travel offers seven nights at BodyHoliday from £5,895pp or £6,045 for single occupancy. Price includes all-inclusive, a wellness programme and return private transfers.

Unwind in Moroccan Splendour: Es Saadi Marrakech Resort, Morocco

Es Saadi Marrakech Resort is collaborating with prestigious Parisian yoga club Le Tigre to host a series of yoga retreats designed to rest, restore and revive. In addition to daily yoga classes, guests can enjoy the use of the world-class spa, restorative walks in the resort’s famous gardens and leisurely swims in the private pools. They will also learn about Es Saadi Palace’s ‘slow food’ philosophy.

Dates: March, May and November 2021. Rates start from £790 for three nights and include full board, yoga classes, a hammam scrub and massage and airport transfers.

For more information email [email protected].

Flow, feast and forage: Wild Thing yoga retreat, Bath

Escape to a magical woodland eco-village just outside Bath where you’ll spend two nights staying in a cosy yurt or log cabin. Guests will receive two daily yoga sessions guided by Sadie Tonks and all meals will be prepared on an open fire by a renowned seafood chef and Kemp Kitchen. Other activities include paddle-boarding and wild swimming in a private lake.

Dates: 9-12th May 2021. Rates start from £450pp double occupancy and £650pp single occupancy.

To book visit sadietonksyoga.com.

Main image: Lefay Resort & Spa

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