Rancho Valencia’s Serenity Yoga Pavilion
Photo Courtesy of Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
It’s a fact — Americans are working longer hours and taking fewer vacations than ever before. Long commutes and technology make it harder and harder to get that “me” time you’re craving. So, why not embrace the trend of wellness-focused travel this month? We’ve rounded up six of the best luxury destinations offering zen-focused programs, retreats and gratis classes with the goal of letting you take a trip dedicated to relaxing, recharging and renewing.
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
San Diego’s Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Rancho Valencia has long been known as an ideal destination for active wellness seekers — the property boasts 45 lush acres of grounds, 18 tennis courts and a massive spa and fitness area. But one of our favorite areas of the resort is its 1,000-square-foot Serenity Yoga Pavilion, the site of a variety of complimentary weekly yoga and Pilates classes. In addition, the resort offers monthly workshops, led by yoga director Anna Spalding, that focus on a host of subjects. The theme for the November 7 session centers on the long-overlooked art of sitting.
Twin Farms’ Yoga Deck, Photo Courtesy of Twin Farms
Twin Farms
Vermont’s only Five-Star property is an intimate and all-inclusive retreat. Perfect for getting away from it all, this 300-acre property just unveiled a new yoga deck — it’s an ideal spot to find your zen and spy the spectacular fall foliage — as well as an expanded yoga programming menu that includes practices like sunrise yoga, gentle flow and yoga hikes. Want a little extra time for yourself? The in-house spa offers a variety of pampering treatments with organic and all-natural ingredients by trusted local names like Tata Harper.
Four Seasons Resort Lana’i
It’s hard not to relax in the beautiful Hawaiian countryside, particularly when your home base is this newly renovated Four-Star resort on Hulopo’e Bay. Four Seasons Resort Lanai encourages guests to get outdoors with a bevy of beach workouts, including sunrise and sunset yoga classes on Hulopoe Beach, a tranquil location with breathtaking views of the rolling Lana’i mountains and dramatic cliff coastline. Additional beach workouts include fitness boot camp and hiking. And don’t stress about the sun’s effects on your skin during these activities; thanks to a Royal Hawaiian facial treatment at the Four-Star spa that employs heated stones and Dr. Jurgen Klein’s all-natural skincare products, your glow can be restored in no time.
The Resort at Pedregal’s Hotel Pool Bar, Photo Courtesy of The Resort at Pedregal
The Resort at Pedregal
Cabo San Lucas may be known as a fair-weather escape for A-listers and a raucous destination for bachelorette bashes, but the super-luxe Resort at Pedregal ensures that you can also find a bit of peace in this desert oasis. The property’s Luna Y Mar Spa, where treatments are based on traditional Mexican therapies as well as the phases of the sea and moon, has a brand new offering that should ease any tensions over finding the right yoga getaway. In addition to overnight accommodations, the special includes two private fitness classes, a moon meditation, a night yoga class in your own beach palapa and a gentle, 90-minute Moonstone Flow massage.
Rancho La Puerta
Cross just over the border into Tecate, Mexico (about 45 miles from San Diego) and you’ll find one of the world’s foremost wellness retreats. The resort has a calendar of practices year-round, but also features special yoga retreats regularly that are highlighted by visiting guest speakers, talented performers and workshop leaders (authors, politicians, musicians, artists, MDs and other leaders in their fields) to present afternoon learning experiences and evening lectures. From November 7 through 13, enjoy a week dedicated to gentle yoga, where Veera Sanja teaches sessions in Hatha Yoga, Ayurveda and Vipassana Meditation. And on December 26 to January 1, combine yoga with a writing retreat as Irene Borger and Phyliss Pilgrim help you relax while embracing your creative side.
Washington School House
Think of Park City and you might call to mind the Sundance Film Festival or world-class skiing. But you don’t have to be a black diamond lover to enjoy one of the city’s hippest downtown boutique hotels. The 12-room property partners with Park City Yoga Adventures to offer regular yoga classes deep inside the 10,000-year-old Homestead Crater. With the instructor demonstrating poses from the dock, guests move about paddleboards that float in the 90-plus-degree natural therapeutic pool. Prefer something cooler? Pair yoga and a snowshoeing trek for a truly intense workout during your next vacation.
