You might be surprised that I’m recommending New York City as a wellness destination. After all, the Big Apple is famously hectic and tends to be where people go to speed up, not slow down. However, New York is also a huge melting pot of cultures and a very forward-thinking city full of artists and creatives. Health and wellness are de rigueur among the younger crowd and there are so many wonderful experiences to be discovered. Here’s why a wellness weekend in the concrete jungle makes perfect sense. 

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The Best Spa Hotels for a Wellness Weekend in New York

New York’s famous hotels are a big part of its charm. There are many sumptuous spa hotels in New York City where you can relax and unwind, but I’ve listed my three favorites for when I’m in need of a wellness weekend. 

The Baccarat 

The slick, shiny Baccarat hotel is widely recognised as one of the finest in the United States. It’s gleaming glass exterior never fails to put a smile on my face, and once inside you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a crystal palace. 

Best of all, the Baccarat boasts a La Mer spa that takes relaxation to a whole new level. Inside the four treatment rooms you’ll find indulgent experiences that will make you feel like a whole new person. 

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Equinox Hotel Hudson 

The Equinox Hotel Hudson was designed as a sanctuary for hardworking New Yorkers to rediscover their balance – or equinox, if you will. 

It’s a beautiful urban oasis with a state-of-the-art gym and top-tier personal trainers that will help you to take strength and fitness to the next level. 

At the spa, you can enjoy luxurious treatments such as healing CBD oil massage and restoring crystal bodywork. Alternatively, you can opt for technology-driven treatments like microjet steaming, cryotherapy or a quantum harmonics brain and body boost. 

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The Greenwich Hotel

If you prefer cosy boutique properties, the luxurious Greenwich Hotel will make you feel right at home during your wellness weekend in New York. 

A visit to the Shibui Spa is an absolute must. Shibui is a Japanese word which refers to a simple and subtle aesthetic. Here, you can enjoy contemporary treatments using plant-based products and enjoy poolside yoga and meditation sessions. This spa is very popular so I recommend booking your treatments in advance.

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What to Do During a Wellness Weekend in New York

Visit the Modrn Sanctuary 

The Modrn Sanctuary is a holistic wellness, beauty AND medical spa, so it’s EXACTLY my cup of tea. It’s like someone took my three biggest passions and rolled them into one uber-relaxing facility. 

Whether you want to experience Somadome meditation, try out hypnotherapy, get a facial or have botox and fillers, you’ll find it all at the Modrn Sanctuary. Honestly, I wish I could just move in! 

Address: 12 W 27th St 9th floor, New York, NY 10001, United States

Try Crystal Light Bed Therapy at the New Clinic

The New Clinic has a team of highly trained doctors and wellness experts, including Dr. Julie Von whose crystal light bed therapy is all the rage among wellness circles. You’ll start by discussing your ailments and then Dr. Von will bathe you in prismatic crystal light to align your chakras. It feels strange at first, but you’ll soon relax and feel blissfully sedated. This is an ideal treatment for anyone struggling with stress and anxiety. 

Hop On Board the Meditation Bus 

Yep, meditation buses are a real thing. However, once you’re actually on BeTime’s meditation bus you won’t feel like you’re inside a vehicle at all – it’s more of an airy and futuristic meditation tunnel. You can sit on the bus, ride around the city and practice meditation for 30-60 minutes. This is a unique wellness experience that can only be found in New York City! 

Jivamukti Yoga

If you’re seeking the path to enlightenment, pay a visit to Jivamukti Yoga. This style of yoga is all about maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with others and finding joy and happiness from this. If you’re a beginner, start with an open class where you can work at your own pace. If you want close attention from an expert and tips on your form, opt for an ICP class instead.

Beauty and Wellbeing 

Sundays 

Nail care is self care in my book in my book, so pay a visit to Sundays. It’s a stylish nail salon that uses only the finest vegan and nontoxic products. It’s essentially clean beauty for your hands! For a timeless nail shade, opt for Sunday’s signature No.25 polish – it looks amazing on all skin tones. 

FaceGym 

FaceGym is exactly what it sounds like: a workout for your facial muscles! It’s a noninvasive way of lifting, sculpting and contouring your face, with no scalpels or injections in sight. Think of it as a natural face lift. 

You’ll enjoy a warm up, an intense “cardio” facial massage, a sculpting session and a warm down.  Just as different people benefit from different styles of training, FaceGym uses a multitude of methods and tools to tailor your session to your unique skin care needs. Having a mini yoga ball rolled across your face is not something you get to experience at your local aesthetician! 

FaceGym has been a HUGE hit and received a lot of media attention, so there are now multiple locations across New York City, including inside Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom on West 57th Street.

ONDA Beauty 

This store sells high performance clean beauty products for all of your skin and personal care needs. If you’re thinking of making the switch to natural shampoo or deodorant, you’ll be able to pick up some great products here at ONDA.

Address: 117 W Broadway, New York, NY 10013

Where to Eat and Drink During a Wellness Weekend in New York City

The Little Beet

I must confess, I don’t always eat plant-based but I often do like to follow a mostly vegetarian diet during a detox period or wellness break. Besides, there’s so much amazing vegan and vegetarian food in New York City that it’s pretty easy to do! 

The Little Beet produces delicious and nutritious plant-based food that’s also 100% gluten free! It’s good, honest whole food and their locations are hip and stylish without a whiff of pretentiousness. If you’re new to plant-based cuisine, this is a fantastic place to start.

Avocaderia

A restaurant dedicated entirely to the humble avocado? How very millennial. How very New York.

But seriously, you should check this place out during a wellness weekend in New York (unless you have an avo allergy, of course!) Avocaderia delivers clean, nutritious and super-satisfying food that will also look great on your Instagram feed.

Avant Garden 

This cosy spot is an upscale plant-based restaurant with an amazing vegan menu. In fact, the food is so good that the fact it’s plant-based really just feels like a secondary detail, which is how it should be, in my opinion.

The Best Wellness Shops and Boutiques in New York

The Goop Lab 

The Goop Lab will take you right back to the Gilded Age with its art deco interior. Here, you can shop from a Gwenyth-Paltrow-approved range of sustainably-produced, non-toxic products that meet her rather exacting standards. It’s most definitely worth checking out! 

The Alchemist’s Kitchen 

Is it just me, or does “The Alchemist’s Kitchen” sound like the title of a love story?

In reality, it’s a botanical medicine store on Crosby Street where you’ll find herbal products to cure a variety of ailments in an all-natural fashion. There’s a team of herbalists and practitioners to offer expert advice and help you find the right products for you but they’re pretty sought-after, so it’s best to book a consultation in advance.

The Goods Mart

If you’ve seen season 2 of Netflix’s hit thriller “You” then you might remember Anavrin, the Quinn family’s wellness themed supermarket. Although the protagonist, Joe, takes a scathing view of the store, I actually thought it was pretty cool (and after all, the whole show is based on the fact that he’s a complete psycho.) 

Anyway, my point is that New York’s The Goods Mart is a pretty similar concept. It’s a socially conscious store that aims to deliver patrons with high quality, sustainable produce that’s great for their wellbeing and give back to the local community. I highly recommend stopping by for some nutritious goodies and holistic products. 

So there we have it: my guide to enjoying a wellness weekend in New York City! If you’d rather go south instead for some sunshine, be sure to read my wellness guide to my home city of Miami. I’ve also got an article on the best spa resorts in the USA for even more inspiration.