When you need to escape the hustle and bustle of modern life, there’s no better place than a wellness retreat. This type of break is an opportunity to renew your commitment to wellness and kickstart healthy habits. The covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of caring for our physical and mental wellbeing, and the wellness industry is stronger than ever. If you’re in need of a getaway, I’ve curated a list of the best luxury wellness retreats in the USA. Many luxury resorts incorporate elements of wellness, but these properties have it down to a fine art. Let’s dive in. 

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The Best Luxury Wellness Retreats in the Northeast 

Shou Sugi Ban House – The Hamptons

Shou Sugi Ban House reminds its guests that self care doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s the Hamptons first, and currently only, true wellness retreat. 

The Japanese-inspired property features 13 modernist barns, which are based on ryokan inns. With a neutral color scheme and plenty of natural light, these private quarters feel soothing and peaceful – just what you want at a wellness retreat. 

Naturally, Shou Sugi Ban House boasts an impressive spa with hydrotherapy pools, chromotherapy showers and an ice fountain. Treatments are based on the retreat’s concept of intuitive wellness and incorporate natural ingredients from the local area. 

In addition, the retreat features a meditation pavilion, a tea lounge and a cherry orchard which you can dine in. The head chef is Mads Refslund, an internationally acclaimed chef who co-founded the world-famous Noma restaurant in Copenhagen. The menu largely consists of plant-based and pescatarian cuisine and of course, there are plenty of Japanese dishes available. 

Shou Sugi Ban House is located very close to the beach. If you’d like a private transfer, you’ll enjoy a ride in one of the retreat’s Tesla cars.

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Canyon Ranch, Lenox 

Create your own concept of wellness at this all-inclusive luxury resort in the Berkshires. Housed in the gorgeous Bellefontaine Mansion, Canyon Ranch provides one of the most comprehensive wellness programs out there. Whether you want to keep things scientific and see a doctor for diagnostic tests, dabble in traditional Asian medicine or experiment with energy therapies – or perhaps all three – you’ll be able to work out what wellness means to you. 

In terms of active wellness, there’s a host of exciting activities on offer, including canoeing, snowshoeing and yoga. The staff will help you to develop a personalized exercise plan tailored to your interests and goals.

The rooms at Canyon Ranch are bright and spacious, and luxury Italian linens ensure that you’ll enjoy a blissful night’s sleep. 

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The Best Luxury Wellness Retreats in the Southeast 

Amrit Ocean Resort and Spa

At Riviera Beach in my home state of Florida, Amrit Ocean Resort and Spa is perfect for a sunshine-filled wellness escape. This resort straddles the past and present. It appears sleek and modern with a cream-and-gold color scheme. However, it’s actually inspired by ancient Eastern philosophies and focuses on the concept of cross-generational wellness. 

The crowning jewel of this resort is the Armit Aayush spa, which offers cutting-edge therapies inspired by traditional Ayurvedic practices. You can opt for a vitamin IV drip, try acupuncture or enjoy intense exfoliation in a Turkish hammam. 

There are also fitness classes aplenty, with yoga and Pilates being the most popular choices. There are also more vigorous watersports available, including paddle boarding and diving. 

The thoughtful, five-star service is one of the most special parts of a stay at Amrit. It’s hard not to feel relaxed, refreshed and invigorated when your every need is seamlessly taken care of. 

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The Best Luxury Wellness Retreats in the Southwest 

Amangiri, Utah 

Amangiri is a sleek, contemporary property set against the dramatic Utah landscape. Tucked away in blissful isolation at Southern Point in Canyon Valley, this retreat offers guests unrivaled space and privacy. You’ll truly feel as though you’re in a world of your own. 

This is a truly transformative retreat where you can fully immerse yourself in wellness and connect with the natural surroundings. Amangiri draws on the holistic wellness philosophy of the Navajo people. This approach seeks to balance earth, wind, fire and water in order to harmonize both body and mind. This retreat will totally transform your approach to and ideas about wellbeing. 

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Lake Austin Spa Resort, Texas

I adore the city of Austin but if you want to escape the world for a little while, retreat to the Lake Austin Spa Resort. It’s roughly 30 minutes from downtown. You can opt to just visit the day spa, but I recommend checking in for an immersive wellness retreat. It’s regularly ranked among the best destination spa resorts in the world thanks to its well-executed concept of “refined simplicity.” 

The lake itself offers many exciting wellness activities: challenge yourself by wake surfing, relax on the floating lake lounge or try sup boarding – which is excellent for core strength just FYI.

Meanwhile, for inner wellbeing, private Inspired Wellness sessions are available. These sessions are an opportunity to unpack personal issues, explore spiritual wellness and discuss life’s bigger philosophical questions. One experience I’d really love to try is the Crystal Bowl Sound Immersion sessions, which use sound frequencies to address energy imbalances in the body.

The spa, meanwhile, offers a wide range of restorative and aquatic therapies and a wide range. The facials are a particular standout, as they combine traditional therapies with modern technology, such as fractionated laser treatments. 

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The Best Luxury Wellness Retreats in the West 

Miraval, Arizona

Miraval is a serene desert sanctuary that allows you to leave all of your cares behind. From the moment you set foot on the property, you enter ‘Miraval mode’ and must leave your digital devices at reception. In fact, staff provide you with a cell phone sleeping bag, so you truly are putting technology to bed. This approach reminds me of the ‘no shoes, no news’ philosophy at Soneva Fushi in the Maldives, which is another excellent luxury wellness destination if you’re thinking of going global. 

Wellness programmes at Miraval are structured around the moon cycle so that guests can optimize their energies. At full-moon, you can participate in gong baths meditations to cleanse your energy and restore that all-important mind-body balance. 

You can truly embrace the spirit of the American west at Miraval with a range of equine activities. Meanwhile, twilight zipline experiences all you to truly soak in the beauty of the retreat’s natural surroundings. Other highlights include reiki sessions, aerial yoga classes and rejuvenating spa treatments. This truly is a top-shelf wellness experience. 

As for the accommodations, guests can opt for bright, mountain-view rooms or chic, casita-style suites and villas. The villas feature indoor/outdoor showers, private pools and cosy fire pits which are perfect for staying warm during late-night stargazing. 

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Cal-a-Vie, California 

Not only is Cal-a-Vie one of the best luxury wellness retreats in the USA, but it also shows the rest of the world exactly how it’s done. You’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve left California and been transported to an idyllic French village. 

The retreat offers three, four or seven day wellness packages to help you rediscover your best self. A typical day at Cal-a-Vie starts with a sunrise hike, followed by exhilarating exercise classes that will certainly put you through your paces. There are often cooking classes at lunch time to teach you how to prepare nutritious, balanced meals. Then, the afternoons are all about relaxing at the spa or finding your zen through various types of yoga. Medical practices, such as immune boosting injections, acupuncture, collagen treatments and sleep therapies, are also available.

Cal-a-Vie’s theme of French elegance runs throughout the sumptuous suites and villas, which are kitted out with luxurious linens and classic European furniture. Best of all, you’ll enjoy stunning, sun-drenched views from dawn until dusk. 

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For more on wellness travel, check out this article on the best wellness retreats in the Maldives or the top spa destinations around the world?