Luxury Resorts Offering Unique Takes on Wellness

Luxury Resorts Offering Unique Takes on Wellness

With many U.S. travelers eager to get back to exploring and looking to focus on experiencing the latest in wellness while doing so, here are unique offerings available resorts in Caribbean, Mexico, the Maldives, Central America and Europe. Ranging from learning how to disconnect and truly become one with nature on a private island in Belize to indulging in an edible spa menu in the Maldives to enjoying the health benefits of natural Mayan ingredients in Mexico, and more, wellness is made available in many forms.

MEXICO & CARIBBEAN

Hotel Xcaret México, Riviera Maya (pictured)
Set within the Hotel Xcaret Mexico, the Muluk Spa offers an exotic escape and journey of wellness for today’s travelers with four distinct healing journeys, each of which are inspired by the region’s ancient traditions.  The Mayan Journey infuses local products such as honey, cacao, cinnamon and clay into soothing facials and body treatments for the ultimate authentic experience, while the Sensorial Journey offers healing and cosmetic benefits from the mud room and flotarium based on ancestral techniques.  The four distinct wellness journeys are tailored to individual’s needs, from soothing treatments and temazcal experiences, to mind and body re-alignment - all while surrounded by a natural cenote and the tropical Riviera Maya jungle.

COVID Protocol: US travelers are not required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 upon arrival.  The resort offers on-site complimentary COVID-19 tests to all tests before departing Mexico.

Fairmont Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Mexico
Fairmont Mayakoba Riviera Maya resort is located in a private gated resort community, within 240 hectares of tropical forest intersected by crystal clear waterways and surrounded by a pristine Caribbean shoreline. At Fairmont Mayakoba’s Willow Stream Spa, they are currently offering a unique spa experience titled The Honey in the Heart. In the traditional Mayan Temazcal (sweat lodge) ceremony, honey is used to remind us of the sweetness of life. The name of this treatment is derived from the traditional Mayan blessing, “All good things. No evil.” The pampering experience begins with a honey body mask, which nourishes and hydrates the skin. Then is removed with a “rainforest rinse” under a Vichy shower, followed by a relaxing massage to finalize your experience.

Covid Protocol: Travelers from the US offered complimentary Antigen Covid test on 3 night + stays. More information linked here.

Frangipani Beach Resort, Anguilla

Set in the middle of Meads Bay, one of Anguilla’s most renowned beaches, Frangipani Beach Resort is a premier luxury boutique resort ranked as one of the top hotels in the Caribbean and top 100 in the world.  Guests who want to feel relaxed can have access to the resort’s Balinese Spa and enjoy the traditional Plumeria Massage, which helps relieve tension, improve blood flow and relax the body and mind, or choose the 90-Minute Spa Sampler, for a combination of a 60-minute massage and a thirty-minute facial.  All massage therapy services can be done in room or on the beach upon request.  For a shorter Spa treatment guests can enjoy a 25- minute deep tissue massage followed by a 15 minute relaxation massage and reflexology for hands and feet, all performed with roucou oil, produced by St. Maarten nectar.

COVID Protocol: Fully vaccinated adult travelers are allowed entry to Anguilla and must submit a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken 3-5 prior to arrival on island.  Proof of vaccination must be submitted with the entry application.

Mount Cinnamon Resort, Grenada

Mount Cinnamon is peacefully tucked away on the hillside atop Grand Anse Beach. The on-site Cinnamon Spa uses local, calming and revitalizing ingredients all derived from Grenada’s native and exotic plants. The Cinnamon Signature Massage is the ultimate massage experience that offers a new way to experience the native spices. The masseur utilizes an oil infused with cinnamon and nutmeg in a treatment that is designed to be soothing and stress relieving. This service, among others, can be enjoyed in villa, in spa or open-air on the beach.

COVID Protocol: Travelers must provide a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to travel. Fully vaccinated travelers will only be required to quarantine for up to 48 hours, while travelers that are not fully vaccinated will be required to quarantine for up to 7 days.

CENTRAL AMERICA

Cayo Espanto, Belize

Located three miles off the coast of San Pedro, Belize, Cayo Espanto is home to seven villas total and provides the ultimate in experiencing wellness through reconnecting with nature. There is no restaurant or formal eating area onsite, all meals are brought to guests’ villas , private dock or beach areas to enjoy, providing a safe and exclusive dining experience through the stay. The on-island team is able to work with guests who wish to truly unplug to remove all electronics from their villa in addition to holding onto their phones – to be brought back immediately should an emergency call come through – at request. This kind of unplugged stay truly allows guests to indulge in the natural surroundings (including the vast underwater life), culinary experiences crafted specifically for them, massages under the palm trees, and more.

Covid Protocol: Fully vaccinated travelers can enter Belize with no restrictions, non-vaccinated travelers must provide a negative COVID test within 96 hours of travel or take a rapid test onsite upon arrival at the airport. Onsite testing at resort is provided to meet CDC reentry protocols.

The Buenaventura Beach & Golf Resort, Panama

The Corotú Spa, located at The Buenaventura Beach & Golf Resort , offers a variety of wellness treatments that use locally sourced, organic ingredients and essentials oils. A few of these are coconut, cacao, rosemary, pixbae and thermal mud, among others. The Gemmotheraphy treatment uses unique volcanic sand found in the hotel beach area that is rich in iron. Thermal mud is then applied, also locally sourced from the Thermal Wells of the Valley of Anton. The ceremony ends with a light facial massage using natural gems called Taguas, which are seeds of the phytelephas palm found in the tropical forest of the Pacific region in Panama. Another popular and natural treatment is the Pixbae - a body treatment designed to restore the vitality of the skin with natural herbs placed on the skin as a mask with a banana leaf. All the ingredients are sourced from the gardens surrounding the hotel. Travelers can also take part in the resort's 2021 World Wellness Weekend taking place September 18-19, 2021 to enjoy wellness experiences including guided meditation, laughter yoga, folk fitness, scrub bar, and many others.

COVID Protocol: Visitors traveling to Panama are required to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 48 hours of arrival or pay $50 for a rapid test on arrival.

The Santa Maria Hotel & Golf Resort, Panama

The Spa at The Santa Maria has elevated the meaning of wellness by infusing chocolate and coffee into their guest’s experience using local ingredients such as cacao and coffee.  A unique treatment is the Cacao & Coffee Santa Maria, a 90-minute organic coconut oil massage deeply nourishing the skin followed by an indulgent full-body coffee exfoliation. As the body soaks it in, a handmade obsidian stone piece is used gently remove the scrub.  The body will then be cocooned in a warm, organic cocoa mask to enjoy its antioxidants and nourish attributes.  Following the Spa treatment, guests are treated to a complimentary coffee tasting at The Coffee Shop & Deli in the hotel to rediscover coffee with a selection of award-winning coffee sorts from the most exotic locations in the world. The Geisha coffee, known for its unique flavor that comes at a very high price is part of this tasting as well.

COVID Protocol: Visitors traveling to Panama are required to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 PCR or antigen test taken within 48 hours of arrival or pay $50 for a rapid test on arrival.

EUROPE

Tschuggen Grand Hotel, Arosa, Switzerland

The Tschuggen Grand Hotel in Arosa just launched a brand-new Dream Butler Experience for guests to focus on the power of rest. As part of the hotel's new Moving Mountains wellness initiative, the new Dream Butler Experience has been designed for guests to achieve optimal sleep during their stay, something that is sometimes tricky to achieve while on vacation in a foreign place with different surroundings.

The new offering begins with an evening massage in the Tschuggen Bergoase Spa to soothe muscles in preparation for sleep. While guests are at the spa, the property’s Dream Butler prepares their room - setting the correct temperature and humidity, dimming the lights, helping to choose a pillow from a specially curated menu, picking a calming book to read before bed, and arranging an in-room dinner, complete with dishes and ingredients known to promote a good night’s sleep. After winding down at the spa, travelers then return to their perfectly turned down room to enjoy their calming meal and a  restful sleep, allowing them to be recharged and ready for the next day’s adventures.

ASIA

Coco Collection, Maldives

Comprised of two different boutique island resorts, Coco Bodu Hithi and Coco Palm Dhuni Kohlhu, each create a unique Maldivian experience ranging from luxe amenities to eco-forward initiatives for travelers to begin rejuvenating in as soon as they arrive. From simply relaxing in your villa or along the private island’s shores, delighting in incredible cuisine, indulging in an edible spa menu (to be enjoyed while looking over endless seascapes), trying your hand at water activities both below and above (i.e., SUP boarding), Coco Collection is a dream-come-true exclusive escape. The two private island resorts weave sustainable initiatives throughout the guest experience in order to preserve the natural setting that have drawn travelers to Coco Collection since the beginning. Coco Collection’s latest offering along these lines is the introduction of their new plant-based a la carte menu served at Cowrie restaurant on Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu. The new plant based menus change seasonally in order to utilize the freshest fruits, herbs, and vegetables grown directly on the islands. Including a sample menu here.

Covid Protocol: There is currently no quarantine necessary for entry but travelers must travelers must provide a negative COVID test within 96 hours of travel. Onsite testing at resort is provided to meet CDC reentry protocols.