8 Of The Best Wellness Retreats For Men
Best For Serious Results: THE RANCH AT PALAZZO FIUGGI
The Ranch Malibu is renowned for its results-oriented fitness and wellness programmes and has recently joined forces with Palazzo Fiuggi to bring its knowledge to Europe for the first time. On an ancient hilltop in a private eight-hectare park, Palazzo Fiuggi lies 700 metres above sea level, offering the ideal altitude for fitness-related activities. Like The Ranch Malibu, The Ranch Italy offers weekly retreats for up to 25 guests that combine award-winning fitness regimes (think four-hour daily hikes, gym-based cardio sessions and strength training) with medical expertise. Each day also includes yoga, meditation and daily massage as well as blood and diagnostic testing. It’s not all hard work, though – the high-concept spa is the jewel in the hotel’s crown. Soothe weary muscles in the Turkish baths and Thalasso pools and rejuvenate with UV light therapy. Food is light, but delicious, created by a three-star Michelin chef.
Visit PalazzoFiuggi.com
Best For Golf: HOTEL CAMIRAL
A short drive from the beaches of the Costa Brava, in mature forests around 20 minutes’ drive from Girona, Hotel Camiral is made for sporty types. The 300-hectare site was first conceived as a location for a future F1 track but instead two golf courses were created: the spectacular Stadium Course and the intermediate-friendly Tour Course. A state-of-the-art Wellness Centre with facilities including cryotherapy, oxygen chamber therapy and IV infusions as well as tailor-made programmes, whether you’re looking to focus on ageing, immunity, detox or sports recovery. The area also offers fantastic cycling and hiking opportunities – Girona is considered the road biking capital of the world. Meanwhile, resident biologist Orio Dalmau will keep you fuelled with organic produce – the kitchen gardens are planted with seasonal vegetables and there are over 1 million bees on the property, too.
Visit PGACatalunya.com
Best For Mental Clarity: THE DOLDER GRAND
On a hillside overlooking Lake Zurich, The Dolder Grand is home to one of Switzerland’s most exclusive spas, offering everything from pampering treatments to bespoke three to 14-day wellness programmes. New for 2022, the hotel is partnering with Shaolin monk Shi Xing Mi to host the first in a series of meditation retreats, which include two days of meditation workshops, fitness classes and unlimited spa access. The Japanese-inspired spa offers a whirlpool terrace, sanarium, steam baths and kotatsu foot baths. When it comes to treatments, try reflexology, shiatsu, a Swiss salt scrub or detoxifying algae drainage wrap. Be sure to book a table at the hotel’s restaurant, Saltz, which focuses on regional specialities.
Visit TheDolderGrand.com
Best For Fitness: PALM HEIGHTS
If you’re looking for a fitness-focused trip without the rigidity of a more intense wellness retreat, look no further than Palm Heights, the Caribbean’s most talked about new boutique hotel. Owned by a creative director, rather than a hotelier or chain, expect a cool crowd. Going one step further than your average hotel gym, the club features high-tech strength equipment, a 40m sprint track, boxing ring and specialist spaces for dance and Pilates. The hotel has partnered with the likes of Ramla Ali, Nike master trainers and track athletes to host residencies throughout the year, while a jam-packed fitness schedule will keep you busy – think workouts on the beach, run clubs, sound healing and sunrise yoga. Meanwhile, the spa offers treatments and packages aimed at restoring the mind, gut and skin.
Visit PalmHeights.com
GEORGE ROSKE
Best For Taking Your Mates: OKU IBIZA
Proof that Ibiza isn’t all about summer parties and superclubs, OKU Ibiza is one of the Balearics’ most talked about spots of 2022, especially when it comes to wellness. New this year are OKU retreats, starting with a five-day programme with renowned PT and fitness expert James Stirling. The itinerary includes an array of activities – from sunrise yoga to hikes along the coastline to beach bootcamps – as well as accommodation and daily supplements. Refuel at Kima, the hotel’s all-day Mediterranean terrace restaurant, or treat yourself to dinner at Oku, headed up by a former Sushisamba chef. And if you fancy skipping a workout for an hour, the epic 50m pool is the perfect spot to unwind.
Visit OKUHotels.com
Best For Body Transformation: LILY OF THE VALLEY
A member of the Leading Hotels of the World, Lily of the Valley is a stylish, five-star property dedicated to wellness, weight loss and sport. A stone’s throw from Saint-Tropez, it offers personalised programmes specialising in long-lasting weight loss, as well as expansive spa and health facilities. The ‘wellness village’ is impressive, including a snow shower and vast hammam alongside seven treatment rooms, while the facilities are never-ending – book in for float yoga in the pool, a run along the beach or a consultation with a naturopath or osteopath. With a brief to capture the feeling of being embraced by nature, Philippe Stark is behind the interiors, and while the 38 rooms and six suites vary in size, all come with chic marble bathrooms. Go all out and book the spacious wellness suite, which adjoins the spa.
Visit LilyOfTheValley.com
Best For Active Recreation: FORESTIS
Surrounded by forest on the southern slope of the Plose mountain in the South Tyrolean Alps – complete with views of the Dolomites – Forestis is all about immersing yourself in nature. Interiors are super sleek with a focus on natural materials, while the spa offers unique treatments based around Celtic traditions. With miles of green space at your fingertips, join a guided sunrise hike, hit the piste come the winter months or stretch the limbs with a spot of Wyda, a Celtic version of yoga. The tasting menu changes daily but expect all things local. Together with the fresh mountain air, Forestis guarantees a spirit-lifting escape.
Visit Forestis.it
Best For Medical Support: LANSERHOF LANS
For a full-on health reboot, it doesn’t get better than the Lanserhof in Germany. One of the world’s best medical spas, the Lans Med Concept combines traditional methods of wellness with cutting-edge diagnostics. Therapies range from sleep clinics to cryotherapy chambers, traditional naturopathy and modern Mayr medicine, all designed to stimulate regeneration within the body and prevent future illness. Not for the faint-hearted, Lanserhof is hardcore wellness – you’ll see a doctor on arrival and be given a strict, tailored detox plan, usually including brain-exercise sessions, 7am outdoor hikes and evening lectures. Of note are the Stress Management & Burnout Prevention programme, a holistic combination of coaching, nutrition and exercise; the Mind & Mental Coaching retreat, which is done alongside an onsite psychotherapist; and the new Lanserhof Cure, which caters to the symptoms of long Covid.
Visit Lanserhof.com
@LANSERHOF
DISCLAIMER: Features published by SLMan are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. Always seek the advice of your GP or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health-related programme.
DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at [email protected].
