Book a getaway at these innovative spas and prepare to look within.
Header Photo: The Palms Hotel & Spa
It’s not always easy, but the goal of mindfulness is to find a way to be at one with your breath and to ease into a sense of calm in the moment—something we need now more than ever.
So how does mindfulness manifest? Ask Geraldine Kasuba, director of spa and wellness at Privai Spa at Kimpton Epic Hotel in Miami, and she describes mindfulness as taking the time to stop and take stock of your life.
“To me, it means meditating on all you have to be thankful for,” she says. “The more centered you are, the more grounded you become and the more you can help contribute to improving the world around you.”
If this appeals to you, featured on the following pages are eight innovative spas around the globe that you’ll want to book—right now.
Nourish Your Spirit in The Hamptons
As soon as you arrive at Shou Sugi Ban House, a 5-acre gated compound in The Hamptons, you’ll feel transported to a sense of calm. You’ll also turn off your phone—as the 13-room retreat and spa, inspired by Japanese principles of wabi-sabi, is completely tech-free. “We’re surrounded by luscious seagrasses and evergreen trees,” says Kathy Rivard, director of spa, wellness and retail. “You don’t feel anything but serenity as soon as you check in.” And, during retreats, such as the super popular Nervous System Reset, guests attend thought-provoking talks, daily movement classes, interactive workshops, and access to the hydrotherapy and thermal suite. In addition, Vibroacoustic Sound Healing, Shamanic Healing, and Craniosacral Therapy are other popular draws. “Being in nature without your phone is part of our process,” Rivard says. “We design programming around things that will help get you back to yourself.”
“I think mindfulness is about looking after yourself and considering how your daily choices affect others.”
—Ela Urbanowicz, spa manager, Kilkea Castle Hotel
Immerse in Nature at an Irish Castle
Spend a few days strolling the 180 acres of landscaped gardens and verdant woodlands surrounding Kilkea Castle in Ireland and you will notice that there’s something magical about the property. It’s a deeply restorative place, thanks to the calming presence of the River Greese, which meanders through the grounds, offering several scenic spots for quiet reflection. During wellness retreats, guests can refine their yoga practice, indulge in a Total Body Detox treatment, and relax in the spa’s thermal suite. “I think mindfulness is about looking after yourself and considering how your daily choices affect others,” Ela Urbanowicz, Kilkea’s spa manager, says. “We hope this space is a place where our guests can contemplate this.”
Get Grounded at a Restored Farm in North Carolina
When you ask Jordan Turchin, the owner of The Horse Shoe Farm, an 85-acre boutique farm resort tucked in the mountains in Hendersonville, North Carolina, just 30 minutes from downtown Asheville, what he wants guests to do at this once-bustling 1950s cattle farm, he’ll tell you to focus on nature. “Walk in a field and let the magic of the land do its thing,” he says. “Our farm has this big sky, big mountain, big trees, and big animals all around you. That starts to inform the larger senses. That’s why we call this a place to be, not a place to stay.” Book a spa treatment in the property’s converted horse stable, which offers such services as a Cacao Ceremony and a two-hour Way of the Medicine Woman treatment, to stay centered. “I believe mindfulness is the search for a return to our truth and the remembering of who we are,” Turchin says. “It’s a searching and a longing that I think our guests can find here in this magical bubble.”
Achieve Inner Balance in Panama
Located in Panama’s breathtaking archipelago of Bocas del Toro, La Coralina Island House is not only a sanctuary of wellness and tranquility, but guests here can immerse themselves in holistic therapies and curated experiences amidst the backdrop of lush tropical rainforests and the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Helping guests feel a sense of harmony is a fundamental part of the resort’s mission. “Mindfulness is about allowing guests to reconnect with themselves,” says Gustavo Villamor, manager of the Holistic Center at La Coralina Island House. “We provide therapies to restore balance and wellbeing and we encourage guests to honor and process the thoughts and emotions that arise during their journey.”
“Lasting healing occurs when the mind finds peace and deeply rooted negative thoughts are released.”
—Diana Stobo, founder, The Retreat Costa Rica
Expect a Deep Transformation in Costa Rica
Healing the physical body alone isn’t enough if we want to feel fully healthy, so Diana Stobo, founder/creator of The Retreat Costa Rica, urges her guests to focus on both during a stay at this luxe resort. “Lasting healing occurs when the mind finds peace and deeply rooted negative thoughts are released,” she says. “This paves the way for a sustained state of love, harmony, and balance.” Wellness classes here delve into personal growth, and the spa offers a multisensory experience, with soothing sounds and calming aromas to center the mind, followed by therapeutic touch to restore harmony and balance. “Here, guests can shed the layers of what no longer serves them,” Stobo says.
Plan to Rest—and Reset—in California
Finding your center is a top priority at Carmel Valley Ranch’s Spa Aiyana. “Mindfulness is like a red thread woven through many experiences here,” says Spa Director Franziska von Gerstenberger-Draper. “This includes sessions with an in-house hypnotherapist.” During Hilltop Yoga, guests take an invigorating hike followed by a mindful yoga class and a sound bath where mindfulness takes center stage again. “We know our guests are seeking a much-needed rest and reset here,” she says.
Hike Barefoot in Vermont
Travelers tend to trek to Stowe, Vermont, because they’re seeking a unique experience, says Jessica Swartley, spa director at The Spa at Spruce Peak in Stowe, Vermont. One of the biggest draws here is outdoor activities, either cross-country skiing or snowshoeing in the winter or hiking the resort’s extensive trail network in the summer. “We do our mindful hikes barefoot, something that’s become quite popular in Europe,” Swartley says. “We’ll crunch pine needles on parts of the trail or walk on stones in our river.” Mindful meditation and guided journaling are popular, too. Swartley hopes guests continue to journal and meditate when they get home—and back to their stressful lives. “Being mindful isn’t just something you should do when you’re on vacation,” she says. “We hope that this is something that becomes part of your daily life as well.”
Calm your Nervous System in Miami
At The Palms Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach, an oceanfront resort where the property’s entire philosophy revolves around offering guests a return to total wellbeing, the 20-minute Shirodhara Warm Oil Treatment might be the moment when serenity and self-care truly take hold. “As the oil gets dripped on the forehead, you’ll calm down your nervous system and this also allows nutrients to flow more freely,” says Tanja Morariu, director of marketing. “This helps you cope better with stress, relax, and be in the present moment.” Yoga classes in the garden or beachside or a Chakra Balancing Massage in the outdoor cabana are other ways guests decompress here. “In the cabana, you hear the birds, trickling waters, and wind chimes,” she says. “It feels like you’re part of mother earth.
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