There’s nothing like the holidays, or watching reruns of White Lotus, to suddenly fuel a need to escape. Wellness resorts, combining luxury with self-care treatments, are one of the best ways to do that. The newest ones take their treatments to the next level, offering everything from brain tests, to Indian sound therapy, to a menu straight from Nobu. From the Himalayan foothills to a private Hawaiian island, here are some of the best ones across the globe.
Sha
Costa Mujeres, Mexico
For the person who gets sort of excited to take a test
Your college spring break was nothing like this. Just a 20-minute drive north of Cancún and opposite the largest coral reef in the Northern Hemisphere, the first outpost of Sha has opened in the Americas. There are as many treatment rooms as there are guest rooms, offering cryotherapy, virtual reality workouts, and sound baths using traditional Tibetan bowls and gongs, as well as a battery of body and brain diagnostic tests measuring your progress throughout the stay. Mexico permits therapeutic stem cell injections, and you can get these on-site. (Check CDC.gov for guidance on safe medical tourism.)
Special Features: Balconies on every suite, traditional temazcal ceremonies (coming in early 2025), and snorkeling.
Fans: Kylie Minogue, people who love white-sand beaches, and those who wonder what it would be like to harvest their stem cells.
Sensei Lanai, a Four Seasons Resort
Lanai, Hawaii
For the first in your friend group to get an Oura ring
A private island retreat almost entirely owned by a billionaire might sound like the sequel to Zoë Kravitz’s Blink Twice, but this one is a wellness wonderland, cofounded by Larry Ellison and David B. Agus, MD, a professor of medicine and engineering at USC and a renowned biomedical researcher. Tech flourishes include Tesla cars, Peloton bikes, and thermal imaging prior to massages to create custom bodywork. As you might expect, the experts here use data to customize your wellness program, such as wearable equipment that tracks your sleep, fitness and recovery, or a body composition analysis.
Special Features: Food in collaboration with Nobu, an onsen garden, Pilatus PC-12 planes that transport guests between Oahu and Lanai, a ficus forest, and an 18-hole golf course.
Fans: Couples who love omakase dates, people who are intrigued by “fridge analytics,” and those who need to “jump on this Zoom really quick” even while on vacation.
Six Senses Vana
Uttarakhand, India
For people who really hate yoga pants
You’re greeted upon arrival at this Ayurvedic-influenced wellness and healing retreat with kurta pajamas, which you’ll wear for the entirety of your stay. Situated in the Himalayas, this Six Senses location keeps the focus on Eastern-based healing with legendary yoga classes, sound baths, sleep tracking, Tibetan chanting, hot oil treatments, and more. It’s also one of the few places in the world to offer Sowa Rigpa, traditional Tibetan medicine that has elements of ancient Chinese, Greek, and Indian medicine as well as Buddhist and post-Buddhist philosophies. Prior to your departure, you’ll receive a parting blessing, signified by a red string bracelet tied around your wrist.
Special Features: An in-house acupuncturist, TVs equipped with educational documentaries, a no-phone policy in public areas, Hindu fire rituals, and Raag therapy (a form of Indian musical therapy). Children ages six and above are welcome, too.
Fans: Animal lovers (monkeys roam the property, and there are “Snail Crossing” signs), the Dalai Lama (he once visited the resort), and anyone who starts every morning with sun salutations.
The Garden Club at Palm Heights
Grand Cayman, The Cayman Islands
For people who just want some old-fashioned pampering
This much-loved property, with fans including Emily Ratajkowski and Bella Hadid, offers weeklong wellness retreats with experts such as red-carpet facialist Cynthia Rivas and lymph massage specialist Miss Lymph as participants. The laid-back programming includes facials, massages, group dinners, and master classes. The 60,000-square-foot Garden Club’s design, overseen by Food Architects’ Dong-Ping Wong, includes an outdoor hammam, an ice room, multiple plunge pools, and plenty of travertine.
Special Features: A “secret pool,” pre-flight yoga (for the return trip home), infrared sauna, complimentary post-spa coconut water poolside, Dyson hairdryers.
Fans: Vintage furniture collectors, art directors, Japanese head spa lovers, and extroverts who do actual phone calls with friends to “catch up.”
A version of this story appears in the December 2024/January 2025 issue of ELLE.