When it comes to summer wellness, exercise and holidays do not always go hand in hand. Luckily, luxury hotels throughout the world have began introducing creative ways to help keep you fit while having fun. Whether it’s a biking tour of Portland or bootcamp in the Swiss Alps, these hotels and tour companies have a wellness adventure for every type of traveller this summer.
From Caribbean triathlons to yoga for foodies, staying fit on holiday has never been more a la mode. Here’s our guide to 10 of the best health and fitness retreats in the world. These 10 offerings will help remodel you – body and mind.
For the alpine adventurer: A Swiss Bootcamp at Gstaad Palace
A luxury alpine adventure awaits you in the Swiss Alps at Gstaad Palace this summer. The glamorous hotel in the heart of the chalet village is encouraging summer fitness with a seven-day Boot Camp package. Only offered twice this summer, the exclusive boot camp includes accommodations for six nights, all meals, and five and a half days of fitness programmess designed by legendary extreme athlete and adventurer, Mike Horn.
The package is offered July 14-20 and August 18-24. Additional activities throughout the summer in Gstaad include walking and hiking trails, mountain biking, rock climbing, horseback riding, canoeing, river rafting, and paragliding.
Gstaad palace, Palacestrasse 28 3780, Switzerland, palace.ch
Nearest airport: Saanen Private Airport or Berne Airport. Geneva International Airport and Zurich International Airport are under 2.5 hours by car.
For the juicing enthusiast: A Red Rock Adventure Cleanse with BluePrint at Sorrel River Ranch
To make the most of your summer while staying healthy and feeling great, escape to Sorrel River Ranch Resort and Spa in Moab, UT. Just in time for summer, Sorrel River Ranch has teamed up with BluePrint Cleanse to offer the “Red Rock Adventure Cleanse” package. This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the luxury and adventure of Sorrel River Ranch while reaping the benefits of BluePrint’s juicing detox programme. Tucked among dramatic red rock formations, and on the banks of the Colorado River, the ranch offers a myriad of active adventures, spa treatments and healthy farm-to-plate fare.
The package includes: three-day BluePrint Juicing programme; one 50-minute Swedish massage; one stand up paddleboard lesson from the ranch’s adventure team; daily morning fitness hikes; sauna cleanse sessions; Yoga classes; one personal training session and a BluePrint gift bag.
Sorrel River Ranch, Mile 17 Highway 128, Moab, UT 84532, US
Nearest airport: Moab Canyonlands Airport
For the Fit Foodie: Yoga for Foodies at Mii amo
Reach your inner yogi at Mii amo spa, the destination spa at Enchantment Resort in Sedona, AZ. This summer the spa invites travellers to attend a special “Yoga for Foodies” retreat by famed yoga pioneer, David Romanelli. Take part in vinyasa-style yoga while listening to music and enjoying post-yoga wine and chocolate tastings. The retreat includes classes from “Unleash your Potential,” which features yoga and red wine tastings, to the “$261,000 Makeover,” where David leaves attendees feeling powerful and more present, and with the reminder than beauty comes from within. Chocolate lovers will also get a chance to taste a flight of seven exotic Vosges chocolate bars in the “Chocolate Chakra Tour,” after David teaches attendees how to nourish the soul in order to heal the body. The retreat is inclusive and includes 14 services per person (six 90-minute, eight 60-minute).
Mii Amo, 525 Boynton Canyon Rd., Sedona, AZ 86336, US, miiamo.com
Nearest airport: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
For the Underwater Explorer: Scuba Diving at Westin Grand Cayman
Stay fit this summer with a Caribbean escape featuring activities for those with an explorer spirit. One of the most popular spots for scuba diving in the Western hemisphere, the Cayman Islands‘ pristine reefs, sandbars, shipwrecks, and dramatic “wall-dives” are some of the incredible sites to explore underwater. Dive into summer wellness with The Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa’s “Diving Grand Cayman” package. The package includes a 5th night free, $100 dive credit, 4 assorted US$25 vouchers eligible for use on specific Red Sail Sports activities, and a complimentary upgrade based upon availability at check-in.
Situated in a prime location on Seven Mile Beach, the Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa unveiled a multi-million dollar renovation earlier this year with enhancements across the property. Five-night minimum length of stay required. Blackout dates and other restrictions may apply.
Westin Grand Cayman, West Bay Road, Cayman Islands, westingrandcayman.com
Nearest airport: Owen Roberts International Airport
For the DIY-er: France Biking and Walking Tours with CW
CW is encouraging travellers to be active and adventurous during their travels this summer with new self-guided walking and biking tours in Provence, France. The 8-day/7-night France: Provence to the Coast self-guided cycling tour is ideally suited if you are an independent spirit and runs easy-to-moderate from the heart of Provence in medieval Avignon to the Mediterranean Sea. You will ride through the shade of sycamore trees to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and the intact Roman amphitheater at Arles, to Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer, in the natural park of the Camargue region. Riders get their exercise in daily while taking in the sites and culture of Provence.
The France: Classic Provence tour is a 7-day/6-night self-guided, easy-to-moderate walking tour of essential Provence, and provides walking enthusiasts with an opportunity to explore the region on your own schedule. The region unfolds via open ridge walks along the Alpilles and Lubéron mountain ranges with sweeping views from picturesque hilltop villages such as Gordes and Bonnieux. Trails, including the Van Gogh Trail, descend gently through olive and almond groves, and aromatic herbs and wildflowers, to quaint medieval villages filled with colourful markets, fountains and narrow cobbled lanes.
Nearest airport: Marseille Provence Airport
For the Trendsetter: Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga at the Tides Inn
New this season at The Tides Inn in Irvington, VA, the resort introduces a fun and easy way to get a full-body workout surrounded by the nature and serenity of Carters Creek: stand-up paddleboarding, and paddle board yoga. The Tides Inn yoga instructor, Rebecca Riley, will teach you the basics in an Introduction to Stand-Up Paddle Board Yoga Class, which includes an on-land overview and on-water instruction with yoga breathing and meditation. The classes are suitable for all skill levels, with modifications for every pose provided. You can also get their fitness in on one of the resort’s 32 complimentary bikes and ride around the charming town of Irvington, stopping at the Steamboat Museum or one of the nine quaint vineyards along the way.
Tides Inn, 480 King Carter Dr., Irvington, VA 22480, US, tidesinn.com
Nearest airport: Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport or Richmond International Airport
For the Biker (and Drinker!): Bikes & Brews at the Nines
This summer the Nines hotel in Portland, OR, is making it easy for visitors to squeeze in a workout. The hotel recently debuted their new Workout Closet offering a variety of workout equipment including yoga mats, balance balls, kettlebells and workout DVDs for guests to use in their rooms or around the city during their stay. The Workout Closet will also offer the new Nike Fuel Bands. The bracelets measure the wearer’s movement, activity and calories burned, allowing wearers to set goals and monitor their progress throughout the day-an easy way to stay fit and meet fitness goals while on the road. The Nines is also offering a “Bikes & Brews” package, providing accommodations, two rental bikes, biking and walking maps of the city and two Fat Tire Beers to enjoy after the ride.
Nines, 525 SW Morrison St., Portland, OR 97204, US, thenines.com
Nearest airport: Portland International Airport
For the Fitness Fanatic: Outdoor to the Core Adventure Boutique at Westin Lake Las Vegas
Get active this summer with The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa’s new Outdoor to the Core Adventure Boutique in Henderson, Nevada. Opened in March 2013, Outdoor to the Core allows you to experience nature-infused activities in the expansive desert beauty surrounding Las Vegas. The boutique offers fitness classes, footbikes and ElliptiGo bikes for rental, and a range of adventures and tours from hiking through tunnels on the historic railroad bed used to transport materials to the Hoover Dam to “zipline” rides from the top of the Red Mountains with views of Lake Mead and the Las Vegas Valley below, and is the only full-service standup paddleboard (SUP) shop in the area, staffed by capable experts available for lessons and consultation on the sport’s hottest trends and technologies.
Westin Lake Las Vegas, 101 Montelago Blvd., Henderson, NV 89011, US, westinlakelasvegas.com
Nearest airport: McCarran International Airport
For the Traveller Who Needs to De-Stress: Tai Chi, Back Stretching and Yoga at Le Méridien Bora Bora
Located on a six-mile-long “motu” islet, facing Otemanu Mountain in French Polynesia, this summer the Manahau Wellness Center at Le Méridien Bora Bora is offering wellness activities to inspire relaxation and revitalisation including Tai Chi, back stretching and yoga. The slow movements of Tai Chi allow you to practice flows that relax muscles and revive joints in the harmonious alternation of Yin and Yang, the two phases of energy that form the Tao. Back Stretching is beneficial in restoring flexibility, correcting posture, strengthening energy, and crucial for vital health, allowing participants to leave the resort completely rejuvenated
Le Méridien Bora Bora, Motu Tape Bp 190, Bora Bora, BP190, French Polynesia, lemeridien-borabora.com
Nearest airport: Motu Mute Airport
For the Marathon Maven: A Caribbean Triathlon at Caneel Bay
Located in the Virgin Islands National Park, Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort in St. John, USVI., is encircled by the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea and is the ultimate getaway for a healthy and active summer wellness escape. The resort’s 170 acres are crisscrossed with well-maintained paths for hikers, joggers and strollers. Whether you prefer a hike or a walk, Caneel Bay offers its own nature trails and moderate to advanced trails in the national park system. Hiking on the 3.5-mile Reef Bay Trail allows close-up views of more than 500 species of plant life. Caneel Bay recently launched a partnership with Virgin Island Ecotours and offers guided eco-excursions such as a 3-hour St. John Eco Hike & Snorkel. In addition, the resort provides complimentary kayaks, paddleboards, and snorkel equipment to create your own Caribbean Triathlon. After your “triathlon,” head over to the new M’Ocean Studio, which offers a variety of yoga and fitness classes with stunning beach views for a relaxing end to your healthy summer escape.
Caneel Bay, Route 20 N. Shore Road., St. John, Virgin Islands 0083, rosewoodhotels.com/en/caneelbay
Nearest airport: Cyril B. King International Airport
