Health & Wellness
The meaning of wellness travel has expanded to include everything from somatic meditation to hormone replacement therapy and grief counseling. But of course, good old-fashioned pampering still plays a part. From the best new spa and retreat openings to the latest wellness trends, advice, and travel essentials, here’s what we’re most excited about in the health and wellness space.
Destinations
A Summer Wellness Getaway in Budapest's Storied Baths
In the Central European capital, calming vibes are as abundant as rambunctious bars.
Wellness destinations
Editor-recommended properties
One&Only Aesthesis
$$$ | Greece, Glyfada, Leof. PoseidonosSeaside seclusion with an unstuffy approach to ultra-luxury
Hot List SHA Wellness Clinic Mexico: First Guest
$$$ | Mexico, Cancún, Carr. a Punta Sam 84, 77420 Cancún, Q.R., MexicoOne of Europe’s premier health retreats opens a second location in a bold new Riviera Maya buildingHot List Sensei Porcupine Creek
$$$ | United States, Rancho Mirage, 42765 Dunes View Rd.This intensely private 22-key desert oasis is a different kind of wellness retreat—one you leave feeling as well-informed about your body as you do well-rested.
Readers Choice Awards
Hot List The Retreat, Costa Rica
A mind-body-soul approach to wellness that leans on nature as the greatest healer.One&Only Mandarina
$$$ | Mexico, Riviera Nayarit,With contemporary villas and tree houses set in a verdant tropical rainforest, One&Only Mandarina is the most luxurious stay along Riviera Nayarit’s wild Pacific Coast.Readers Choice Awards
Hot List Tierra Patagonia
$$$ | Chile, Torres del Paine National Park,This architecturally impressive eco property offers a diverse range of activities—and the best views.Readers Choice Awards
Gold List Siro One Za'abeel, Dubai
$$ | United Arab Emirates, Dubai, Zaa'beel StreetEncased within Dubai’s newest landmarkHot List Little Palm Island Resort & Spa
$$$ | United States, Little Torch Key, 28500 Overseas HwyAmerica’s rare private island resort makes waves with a complete rebuild and redesign.Readers Choice Awards
Hot List Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village
$$$ | United States, Westlake Village, 2 Dole Dr.Set within acres of lush, rolling hillside just 20 minutes outside Malibu, this Four Seasons cops front-row views of the nearby Santa Monica Mountains—and offers something for everyone.Readers Choice Awards Miraval Berkshires Resort & Spa
$$$ | United States, Lenox, 55 Lee RoadContemporary design and state-of-the-art spa treatments bring a breath of fresh air to the Berkshires’ favorite resort town.Readers Choice Awards
Hot List La Réserve Paris - Hotel and Spa
$$$ | France, Paris, 42 Avenue GabrielA five-star off the Champs-Elysées for the staunchest boutique hotel fans.Readers Choice Awards
Gold List Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa
$$$ | St. Barts, Grand Cul de Sac, Baie de Grand Cul de SacQuite possibly the top place to stay on the island.Readers Choice Awards
Hot List
Shopping
I Have Sciatica and Travel Regularly—These Essentials Help Ease the Pain
Along with therapy and medication, these items make long flights and train rides more bearable.
Traveler advice
News & Advice
How to Travel Comfortably While on Your Period
Spa guides
- Spa Guide
2024's Best Spas in the World
This year, consider German medi-clinics, Thailand's bargain crown jewel, and more. - News & Advice
The Best New Hotel Spas in the World
Including a volcano-facing retreat on Hawaii's Big Island and a Mexico outpost of a pioneering Spanish wellness brand. - Destinations
10 Best Spas and Retreats in Upstate New York
The region’s resorts have provided relaxing retreats since the 19th century (at least)—now, newcomers are upping the ante. - Spa Guide
The Best Spas in Europe
The continent has abundant options where you can restart, relax, and reboot. - Destinations
The Best Spas in New York City
From Japanese Shiatsu massage and a Roman bathhouse to a hyperbaric oxygen chamber at a new social wellness club. - Destinations
The 9 Best Spas in Bangkok
Bangkok is carving out a new niche in the saturated wellness industry, and travelers near and far are taking notice. - Wellness & Spas
The Best Spa Resorts Around the World: 2023 RCAs
With our readers traveling farther and deeper this year, these best spa resorts fit the bill.
Yoga and meditation
Wellness & Spas
The Best Yoga Retreats for Beginners
A yoga retreat can be the perfect way to kick-start a new daily wellness practice. Why not travel while you're at it?
Wellness & Spas
The Best Yoga Retreats in the US and Canada
From a mountainside getaway in Montana to a hot spring resort in Arizona, these are the best places for a yoga retreat in North America.
Why You Should Meditate on a Plane (and How to Do It)
There's a whole host of ways (VR included) to meditate among the stressors of air travel.
Wellness products we love
- Shopping
I Stay in Nearly 50 Hotels a Year—This Mattress Is the Comfiest I've Encountered
Casper's new cooling mattress for hot sleepers feels like melting into fresh, crisp, powdery snow. - Shopping
I Have Claustrophobia—Wearing These Earplugs Has Made Flying More Bearable
I've been wearing them on flights for the past eight months. - Shopping
My New Favorite Travel Accessory? A Portable Sound Machine Designed for Babies
It lets me bring 10 dreamy sleep sounds with me wherever I go. - Shopping
This Portable Humidifier Improves My Dry Skin and Allergies on the Road
Weighing less than a pound and barely taller than my iPhone, it comes with me on every trip. - Shopping
How to Treat a Sunburn While You’re on Vacation
Expert tips on soothing painful sunburns and preventing peeling. - Shopping
I Pack a Portable Massage Gun to Soothe My Travel Aches and Pains
It’s a mighty defense against any and all on-the-road discomfort. - Shopping
The Product I Bring on Every Beach Vacation to Soothe Irritated Skin
I swear by this roll-on that eliminates redness, irritation, and discoloration.
Editor-vetted experiences
Places to Stay
On a Babymoon in Mexico, Embracing an Identity Shift
I’ve been excited to have a kid for as long as I can remember; now, I'm finally excited to be a mom.
Othership Flatiron Spa Review
This self-care sanctuary in the heart of Manhattan combines the health benefits of saunas and ice baths with social programming designed to encourage community building.
SoJo Spa Club Spa Review
Authentic spa treatments, therapeutic saunas, and striking panoramic views of New York City await.
Travel Well
Travel Well
A hub that explores how travel for wellbeing is evolving to become more holistic and inclusive to people in all life phases.- Wellness & Spas
Healing Emotional Trauma at a Surf-Therapy Retreat in Morocco
Nirpal Dhaliwal flows back to himself on the Atlantic. - Wellness & Spas
Sexual Wellness Is the Latest Trend in Travel
Exploring our intimate needs and desires is a long overdue endeavor—this is why adding sex to your next travel itinerary shouldn’t be taboo. - Wellness & Spas
The Pleasure—and Pain—of Polar Plunging
On an expedition cruise to Antarctica, seeking mindfulness in the waters of the Southern Ocean. - Wellness & Spas
Menopause Has Finally Entered the Wellness Conversation
With dedicated programming and retreats, top spas and resorts worldwide are now helping women navigate this life phase. - Wellness & Spas
Inside 21 Days of Ayurvedic Boot Camp: Monastic Seclusion, Intransigent Schedules, and So Much Ghee
Jane Alexander is pushed to her physical limits with a deep panchakarma purge at Kalari Rasayana in Kerala. - Wellness & Spas
On a Healing Journey in Sedona, Motherhood Lost and Found
How three days at a destination spa helped a writer finally face the trauma of her mother’s passing.
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Wellness & Spas
I Attended the World's First Official Blue Zone Retreat, Here’s What I Learned
During a week-long wellness trip to Costa Rica's stunning Papagayo Peninsula, writer Maria Yagoda finds that living well is just as important as living longer.
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Wellness & Spas
A Local's Guide to Dubai's Wellness Scene
Dubai-based fashion designer Ayesha Depala shares her personal healing journey and the local places she relies on to find peace.
Wellness & Spas
Bringing Home the Spirit of Ayurveda After a Retreat in India
While self care is easy at a dedicated spa or resort, Annie Daly shows how to integrate wellness into daily life after the trip is over.
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Wellness & Spas
Can Group Hiking Lead to a Longer, Better Life?
At a wellness retreat in central Italy, convivial trekking is the cornerstone of a new longevity program.
Wellness & Spas
This Centenarian Founded a Wellness Hub in America's Only Blue Zone
Here's what she learned.
Places to Stay
The Best Hotels in Costa Rica, From Luxury Glamping Sites to Sustainable Resorts
Beautiful hotels in an even more beautiful place—as chosen by our editors.
Wellness & Spas
What I've Learned From Traveling With Chronic Pain
A travel writer weighs the privilege of meeting the world with the near-constant physical and emotional challenges she experiences on the road.
Places to Stay
The Best Places to Stay Near Yosemite, From Cozy Cabins to an Airstream
Plus, glamping sites, hotels with spas, and more.
Hot List
The Best New Wellness Hotels in the World: 2024 Hot List
The best wellness hotel openings of the past year, selected from our global list of winners.
Wellness & Spas
This Hotel Is Using Technology to Help Guests Lucid Dream—Here’s What Happened When I Tried It
The Kimpton Fitzroy London’s “Room to Dream” experience is taking sleep tourism to a new—and deeper—level.
Shopping
How to Sleep on a Plane—Even If You're in the Middle Seat
We asked the experts for their best tips and tricks.
Wellness & Spas
Silence Is What You Need From Your Travels This Year
It's the travel trend we're most obsessed with this year.
Wellness & Spas
Relearning How to Relax on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai
An over scheduled fitness writer discovers that sometimes the best vacation involves doing as little as possible.
Inspiration
UNESCO Just Added 24 New World Heritage Sites
Including remarkable archaeological sites in South Africa and Brazil's stunning Lençóis Maranhenses National Park.
News & Advice
These Are the World's Most Powerful Passports in 2024
Singapore was just crowned the world's most powerful passport, according to the latest data from Henley & Partners.
Road Trips
The Best East Coast Road Trips for Every Season
The Overseas Highway and Cabot Trail are just a couple East Coast gems to experience by road.
Shopping
What to Wear to a Destination Wedding: Menswear Edition
Learn the dress code and these menswear rules—then break them, when the party calls for it.
10 Gorgeous Villas in Tuscany You Can Rent
The top spots to take over in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
This Is the Best Makeup Bag I've Ever Traveled With
It keeps my makeup organized, secure, and easy to find.
From London to Lagos: How One Traveler Pulled Off a Pioneering Road Trip Through Africa
From riding coal trains to surviving crashes, Pelumi Nubi tells the story of her solo adventure.
Denver’s Historic Train Station Just Got Another Elegant Makeover
Including stylish renovations of its onsite luxury hotel, the Great Hall, and the cocktail lounge.
An Editor’s Packing List for French Polynesia
Inspired by the lush landscape of The Brando resort on Tetiaroa, editor Megan Spurrell shares packing essentials and outfit ideas.