Eight wellness retreats to try around the world: From Botswana to Seychelles

One day can change your whole life. That’s the premise behind Global Wellness Day, which is marked on the second Saturday of June each year. A social project dedicated to living well, Global Wellness Day encourages people around the world to stop and ask themselves: how can I live a healthier and better life?

A number of hotels around the world have introduced special packages and programmes to mark the day, but if you are looking to expand your wellness approach beyond June 12, here are some wellness destinations that you can visit throughout the year.

One&Only Mandarina, Mexico

The newly opened One&Only Mandarina in Mexico is home to the One&Only Spa, which offers a range of treatments and “spiritual experiences” inspired by indigenous and pre-Hispanic culture, as well as the natural wonders of the surrounding landscape.

Guided by the principle of being at one with nature, the facility, which is located in an isolated volcanic rock garden, offers carefully crafted and personalised treatments.

It is also the first and only spa to partner with luxury skincare brand Tata Harper. It has launched Tata Harper’s Sensorial Resets, which use the brand’s high-performance, all-natural products to simultaneously improve the condition of the skin, state of mind and bodily vibrations.

www.oneandonlyresorts.com/mandarina

The Ultima Escape

The Ultima Collection consists of ultra-luxurious European properties, including chalets, retreats, spas and villas, in destinations such as Corfu, Gstaad, Courcheval, Geneva and Megeve.

The brand recently launched The Ultima Escape, in partnership with private aviation company VistaJet. Aiming to address the mind, gut, body and soul, these holistic retreats involve a health check on arrival at your Ultima property of choice, and consultations with nutritionists, personal trainers and massage therapists geared towards helping you adopt a healthier lifestyle.

The brand is also committed to sustainability, so a tree is planted for every night of every guest's stay, plus biodegradable and sustainable materials are used throughout the properties.

www.ultimacollection.com 

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi has enhanced its already considerable wellness offering with the launch of the Maldives’s first Aqua Wellness Centre. The 7,735 square-foot facility includes a custom-built hydrotherapy pool, ice fountain, steam room and sauna.

The pool, which measures 2,906 square feet, consists of a series of zones dedicated to different parts of the body, including a jet bath, air jets, shower jets and a massage lounger, which use varying levels of intensity and water temperature to help ease muscle tension, boost the immune system and increase blood circulation.

The centre, which faces the ocean amid a lush botanical garden, also offers a choice of massages, meditation and yoga sessions, as well as personalised healthy lunch options.

The property is also welcoming visiting wellness experts from around the world, with specialties ranging from holistic medicine and martial arts to crystal healing and Ayurveda.

www.waldorfastoria3.hilton.com

The Campus, Portugal

If your idea of wellness is a bit more energetic than a few days spent languishing in a spa, The Magnolia Hotel in Portugal’s Quinta do Lago offers access to state-of-the-art sports club, The Campus.

The multi-purpose sports facility offers beginner’s clinics, as well as private and professional coaching in a range of disciplines. If you are committed to mastering a chosen sport, The Campus can help with personal training, dedicated workout classes, and wellness and rehabilitation workshops.

www.themagnoliahotelqdl.com

Nana Princess, Crete

In addition to sleek interiors and sumptuous suites with private plunge pools, the Nana Princess in Crete offers the 1,400-square metre Royal Wellness Club. As well as more classical treatments, such as as Mediterranean candlelit massages, the spa has just launched the Star Sign Spa Menu, featuring bespoke treatments based on guests’ zodiac signs.

For example, if you are an Aries, who known to overthink and carry stress in their head area, a head massage with nourishing oils (including baobab, patawa, birch, soya and sesame) will help aid restoration and balance.

www.nanaprincess.gr

DumaTau, Botswana

While safaris are already food for the soul, the completely rebuilt Duma Tau and brand new Little Duma Tau lodges in Botswana’s Linyanti Wilderness Reserve are also home to a wellness centre, so you can intersperse wildlife spotting with massage treatments.

The adjoining lodges are set on the edge of Osprey Lagoon in northern Botswana  and are run on 100 per cent solar energy. The Osprey Retreat sits between the two lodges and features the wellness centre, a gym, shaded deck area, separate pool and deli.

www.wilderness-safaris.com

Mango House, Seychelles

Dubbed Anpe, from the Creole word for “at peace”, the wellness space at Mango House Seychelles looks out over the Indian Ocean and is centred around wellbeing, deep relaxation and a sense of tranquility.

Personalised treatments are performed by Seychellois therapists, using products created by local artisans harnessing the power of indigenous plants and natural resources. The property is currently accepting reservation from July 1 onwards.

www.lxrhotels3.hilton.com

Omma Santorini

Omma Santorini officially opened its doors on June 1. Located in a private and remote part of the notoriously romantic Greek island, the boutique property is home to a spa with three treatment rooms designed to look like natural caves.

The facility has exclusively partnered with UK brand Elemis, and offers a number of bespoke treatments, including Omma Signature Spa Rituals, advanced face therapies, and detox and nourishing body treatments, as well as men’s facials and couple’s massages. A signature treatment is the Elemis Superfood Pro-Radiance Facial, which uses energising nutrients to restore lost moisture and deeply nourish the skin.

www.ommasantorini.com