Take a break and reboot your life

Whether it’s sea, sun and a fabulous spa, or something more hard-core, these wellness holidays come with self-care guaranteed

the romanos, greece

Best for… seaside serenity Three hours from athens, Costa navarino covers over 1,000 hectares of lush Messinian olive trees, white sandy beaches including Voidokilia, one of the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world, and the crystal-clear ionian sea. Here you’ll find The romanos, perfect for a break that involves long walks, swimming and chilling. at its enormous spa, enjoy floating pools, an extensive range of light therapies, ice-grotto rooms and herbal saunas. eat at Barbouni Beach Bar restaurant, the hippest beach shack imaginable with a well-stocked wine cellar.

the lowdown five nights in a deluxe garden room B&B, including flights, start from £995 per person; chiclocations.com.

buchinger-wilhelmi, germany

BEST FOR… A HARD-CORE CLEANSE Based on more than 100 years of experience, Buchinger-wilhelmi is all about therapeutic fasting that cleanses the body and rejuvenates the spirit. Located on the shores of Lake Constance, enjoy breathtaking views over the forest-lined shores to the snowtopped peaks of the Alps, and rooms that are modern and restful. A combination of tea- and juice-fasting with an addition of vegetable broth ensures your body is sufficiently provided with vitamins and minerals so you can get on and enjoy the many activities. In addition to daily Nordic walking, there’s water gymnastics, yoga, qi gong or tai chi, plus a wide range of treatments. Meditation and contemplation are part of the daily ritual, as well as autogenic training, a relaxation technique that helps calm the mind.

THE LOWDOWN Three days from £875 per person, including accommodation, a consultation, daily check-ups, tailored organic food and beverages, and daily activities; buchinger-wilhelmi.com. Fly to Zurich with ba.com or easyjet.com, and then it’s an 85-minute drive.

atmantan wellness centre, india

BEST FOR… HOLISTIC WELLNESS Built on a natural crystal bed deep in Pune’s Sahyadri Hills, Atmantan’s 106 luxurious guest rooms and villas are set in a lush valley overlooking Mulshi Lake. A holistic wellness retreat founded on the pillars of atma (soul), mana (mind) and tann ( body), common goals include enhanced yoga practice, stress management, better sleep, restored energy levels and weight loss. Each programme includes a wellness consultation on the first day, along with selected therapies, daily fitness and leisure activities. Ayurvedic doshas can also be assessed and, where relevant, a bespoke detox menu prescribed. All the products used in the spa are natural.

THE LOWDOWN Five nights from £1,830 per person, including accommodation, meals and the Wellbeing Booster programme, which includes a daily 50-minute massage, one 60-minute private Pilates, yoga or fitness lesson, group activities and unlimited use of the water therapy suites and pool; wellbeingescapes.com. Fly to Mumbai from £475 with ba.com.

royal mansour, marrakech

Best for… Being pampered like a princess Just a stone’s throw from the medina, the 53 individual riads of the royal Mansour exude sheer opulence and absolute privacy; in fact, guests have a whole three floors to themselves with a separate living area and rooftop pool. The outstanding spa – spanning three floors – offers massages, facials, manicures and hydrotherapy treatments. particularly memorable is the hammam experience, which uses a delicious combination of native black olive soap, mountain rose water and rich argan oil. the lowdown four nights in a superior one-bedroom riad including breakfast and flights, from £1,920 per person; wixsquared.com.

bodhimaya, england

Best for… Beating Burn-out a Kate Moss fave, a Bodhimaya retreat (founded by brothers Cornelius and Daniel o’shaughnessy, the latter a nutritional therapist and meditation expert) aims to remedy modern-day burn-out using a combination of eastern philosophy and pioneering bio-science. results include a fresher complexion, improved energy levels, and better mental clarity, along with weight loss. at the heart of the method is intermittent fasting (if), giving the body periods of digestive rest when it can use its energy and attention to repair and rejuvenate. There are Bodhimaya retreats in the uk and france. The one at the 16,500-acre West sussex estate, Cowdray House, leaves plenty of time for a massage, swim or long country walk. the lowdown six nights from £2,695 per person, including accommodation, meals, juices, oneto-one consultations, classes and talks; bodhimaya.com.

gstaad palace, switzerland

Best for… fresh Alpine Air The family-owned Gstaad palace hotel boasts views of farms and hamlets dotted over the lush Alpine slopes, and its mountain spa comes with fabulous vistas too, along with indoor and outdoor heated pools, saunas, steam baths, and a signature Jardin des Monts massage using wooden rollers to rub in local mountain herbs and spruce oil. enroll on the six-day ‘ Yoga in the Mountains program’, which includes meditation and three styles of yoga. every evening there’s a gong sound-bath meditation to encourage a good night’s sleep. other activities include mountain biking, hot-air ballooning and horse riding. hike up to the Walig hut with maitre d’ Maurizio, who will rustle up lunch on a woodburning stove. Back in the palace, try the truffle and champagne cheese fondue. the lowdown from £385 per room, per night, half-board; palace.ch. fly to Geneva international airport with easyjet.com and a car will collect you.

baumanière les baux de provence, france

Best for… A Gourmet treat Baumanière, with its exquisite cluster of relais & Chateaux villas scattered along a hillside, is Mediterranean wellness at its discreet best. family-run for the past 70 years, the hotel has long been the haunt of celebrities and today its 55 spacious rooms and suites combine provençal charm with modern luxury. its spa uses the deliciously scented handmade brand of local olive oil products, une olive en provence; while two fabulous restaurants include the two-michelin-starred l’oustau – do dine outside under the lime trees. if in the mood to explore, you’re also near three of france’s most beautiful cities: Avignon, nîmes and Arles. the lowdown four nights from £400 per person, room only; relaischateaux.com. fly to Marseille with ba.com or easyjet.com, then it’s an hour by car.