It’s that time of year again when many of us reevaluate some of the choices we made over the last 12 months and commit to doing—and feeling—better in 2024. We’re predicting that wellness in the new year will be more about feeling calm and rejuvenated inside and out and less about exercise regimens and caloric intake. At the top of the trend list? Wellness excursions, which include soaking in the silence gadget-free and doing less to be more. Here are some of our other favorite spots and activities, including an under-the-radar destination for a budget wellness trip.
CBD Plus
When it comes to body treatments and massages, CBD—specifically Cannabidiol massage oil— is not going anywhere. Why? The non-psychoactive ingredient of the hemp plant can aid in alleviating anxiety, pain, and inflammation while boosting the immune system. Plus, it may assist with relaxation and help improve sleep. You can enjoy one of these CBD treatments while overlooking the Palos Verdes Peninsula at the Spa at Terranea. For a full immersion, try the new Crimson Revival, a contrast therapy-based offering that incorporates detoxifying thermal mud, massage, and sessions in both a dry sauna and a Swiss shower to help revitalize your circulation.
Wellness on a Budget
Pleasant Hill in San Francisco’s East Bay area is a wallet-friendly destination for those who want to incorporate wellness into their travel plans. The vast selection of options includes everything from day spa and wellness centers to fitness facilities and outdoor hiking at Briones Regional Park and Paso Nogal Park. Some highlights include Align Yoga Studio and Back 2 Perfect massage and wellness center, which offers injury relief massage, post-operation healing massage, reiki, and acupuncture. The “I Love Pleasant Hill” digital passport features offers and detailed information, as well as suggestions for budget-friendly accommodations.
Tea Turndown
Just 40 minutes outside of Chicago, Deer Path Inn in Lake Forest, Illinois, is where you’ll find Old World charm and casual luxury. A cozy new package for this winter is A Good Book & a Spot of Tea, which includes a bedtime tea service with English-inspired bedtime snacks, a lavender mocktail, and a curated “Sleepy Sips” playlist. Guests will also receive a book selected for them by the Lake Forest Book Store—just what you need for curling up in bed while the snow falls outside.
Strength Training
Aman New York has just launched a Strength & Recovery program designed by tennis champion and Aman Global Wellness Ambassador Maria Sharapova. Intended to help guests build their resilience, the half-day course starts with an optimized performance breakfast at Arva, the in-house Italian dining concept, followed by a personalized hour of strength and conditioning in the Fitness Centre. The experience continues with a harmonizing Banya or Hammam treatment, a reflexology session, and an exclusive Aman x 111SKIN mask.
Ski into Health
Start the New Year with Eleven Experience Lodges in Iceland or Colorado. Each retreat is centered around a unique environment, with outdoor adventures, spa therapies, and culinary components based on the four pillars of Eleven Life: movement of the body through adventure; transformative awareness of mindful breathing; intentional fuel from seasonal, local nourishment; and self-discovery through deep connection to place. This winter, the brand is offering a new Integrated Ski Wellness program, which weaves wellness into the guest’s ski experience starting a month before arrival. The program involves pre-trip ski workouts (think lots of stretching); post-travel yoga; recovery massages; and thermal contrast therapy with hot stones and cold plunges.
Spiritual Menu
In Mexico, Chablé Maroma—a luxury wellness resort on the Riviera Maya’s Caribbean coastline—just launched a new spiritual menu that honors Mexican culture, ancestral traditions, and Mayan-inspired wellness practices. Among the signature rituals is the SAÁS PIXAN (Pure Soul), a high-frequency treatment designed to stimulate the immune system, regenerate the flow of energy with reiki, and purify from a physical, mental, energetic, and emotional standpoint. It includes a back and neck massage with a blend of essential oils, an energetic shower with quartz, and a gentle scalp massage.
Terroir Therapy
Set in the heart of France’s Luberon Valley, Coquillade Provence Resort & Spa will launch a new wellness program in early 2024 centered around terroir-driven spa treatments with a focus on hyper-local ingredients. Guests can discover the therapeutic and healing properties of botanical and medicinal plants in collaboration with a local herbalist; vinotherapy with grape-based oils and scrubs from the property’s vineyards; new retreats developed with the on-site naturopath; and unique exercise classes, such as Aquafit and Qi Gong.
Water Wellness
Look beyond the popular tourist hotspots of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka to Okuhida in Gifu Prefecture, at the foot of the Northern Alps. Hoshino Resorts is slated to open a new property as part of its hot spring ryokan brand, KAI, in the fall of 2024. The town is long regarded for its various types of onsens and its access to one of the largest hot spring sources in the country. Soaking and cold plunging have been growing in popularity, and KAI Okuhida will offer an array of hot spring baths so you can take advantage of the trend.
Blue Zone Immersion
Kamalaya, a wellness sanctuaryon Koh Samui, will host a life-enhancing Blue Zones group retreat from May 5 to 11, 2024. The program is based on 20 years of research and promises to help attendees discover the secrets of longevity and well-being from the world’s Blue Zones (regions of the world where people live the longest and are healthiest). Guests will be immersed in authentic principles, such as nourishing meals inspired by traditional diets from the Mediterranean, Okinawa, and Costa Rica’s Nicoyan peninsula. These are paired with an array of physical activities ranging from yoga to Qi Gong to meditation.
The group retreat places equal importance on mental and emotional well-being. Workshops are designed to help participants find balance in life; cultivate their inner happiness and peace; explore their life’s purpose; and embody their full potential. Additionally, participants will delve into the Blue Zones’ Power 9® principles, which are based on evidence that making simple environmental changes and prioritizing healthy choices can have a significant impact on improving people’s lives.
