A Wellness Compass
Eager to kickstart your 2020 fitness and wellness journey? Our Editor- at- Large for Travel shares a rundown of some of his favourite health hubs around the world
It’s January, which means it’s time for brushing away the Christmas cobwebs, setting some 2020 goals and focusing on getting in shape! Wellness travel is one of the fastest growing segments of the market. Across the world, amazing hotels have popped up, offering all sorts of ways to get your mind and body back to their best. Here are my recommendations for the best health, fitness, and wellness focused properties to visit this year.
Equinox Hotel, New York City
Definitely my favourite hotel in New York, the newly launched Equinox Hotel at Hudson Yards elevates fitness, culture, and community to luxurious new heights.
Guests become Equinox members throughout their stay and are invited to reimagine how they move, eat, sleep, work, and live while maximising every moment. From a stunning new flagship Equinox Club and a regeneration-driven spa to dynamic dining destinations and exquisite rooms designed to ensure that every night of sleep is a dream come true, the property has set the standard for wellness luxury across the world.
Rooms are designed with complete blackout blinds, mini bar, and healthy room amenities that promote sleep. The inroom dining menu is also the healthiest I’ve ever seen.
Bawah reserve, Indonesia
Bawah Reserve, one of Indonesia’s most exclusive, offgrid resorts, has just launched two restorative wellbeing programmes for guests—the Journey to Calm and Journey to Vitality. During their personalised journey, each guest will learn and practice the six key pillars of well-being: physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, and environmental.
The two programmes incorporate the natural elements of Bawah’s six tropical islands, 13 beaches, lush forests, and three lagoons, paired with expert spa treatments, healthy organic meals, meditation, and activities.
The Journey to Calm programme is designed to combat stress and help guests find their inner calm. Guests will take part in a life coaching session with a co-created action plan, tailored movement session focusing on breathing and mindfulness, daily yoga, and floating meditation where weightlessness is used to release mental blocks. Daily spa treatments are also included, as well as other island experiences allowing guests to disconnect from the world on these untouched paradise islands. The Journey to Vitality acts as a reboot programme for guests looking to enhance their physical health and wellness. Activities include personal training sessions, a postural analysis, paddleboard yoga, and private cooking classes using ingredients picked from the reserve’s permaculture gardens. Daily treatments and activities such as daily snorkelling, kayaking, sailing, and hiking are also on offer.
North Island, Seychelles
With just 11 villas, North Island, A Luxury Collection Resort, is located 30 kilometres from the mainland and is accessible by a scenic helicopter flight or an hour boat ride, giving guests an immediate sense of escapism. The island
“Wellness travel is one of the fastest growing segments of the market. Across the world, amazing hotels have popped up, offering all sorts of ways to get your mind and body back to their best”
has been expertly designed with pioneering conservation programmes. It offers the highest standards of hospitality, cementing its status as an award-winning sustainable travel destination. The island not only offers a calming refuge from the modern world, but also an invigourating, refreshing getaway connected to the island’s natural beauty. The North Island Spa is dwarfed by giant granite peaks, enjoys an open sea breeze, and overlooks turquoise waters. Guests are invited to the spa on arrival where they are immediately immersed in ‘island life’ with each tailor-made treatment starting with a ‘barefoot ritual.’ A private consultation to create a bespoke spa experience is then formulated as part of a holistic journey of visual and textural contrasts, arousing the senses and rejuvenating mind, body, and soul.
singita sweni lodge, Kruger National park, south africa
Singita, the long time leader in African conservation and ecotourism, has introduced some of the continent’s most impressive wellness offerings. Top of mind is Sweni Lodge in Kruger National Park.
The property has woven wellness into its entire guest experience. This includes a farm-to-table food journey, which often ties in with community partnerships for sourcing fresh produce, and focuses on menus that feature smaller portions, and less meat. These are also less wasteful and celebrate fresh seasonal flavours. Guests are encouraged to participate in everything from soothing yoga sessions and meditation on their private decks to bush walks. Nourishing African body treatments that tap into the continent’s ancient healing rituals and essences one also can offer.
The opportunity to spend hours each day in wideopen spaces in complete silence, breathing in fresh air and connecting with nature, is the culmination of new luxury, and a mainstay of Singita’s offering.
Embracing a philosophy of wellness and well-being that creates an environment for urban weary guests to reconnect with nature and enjoy the luxury of time and space at every touchpoint is their expertise. Massage menus honour Africa’s most healing rituals and ingredients, and each holistic treatment—which can be enjoyed in-room, outside or in dedicated treatment areas—is a sensory experience. They’re specifically designed to restore a sense of balance, connect guests with the pristine surroundings of the lodges, and offer nourishing benefits, while soothing and revitalising both body and soul.