LIFE

Where the Rich and Fabulous Go to Recover from the Holidays and Reset for the New Year

There’s a spa treatment or fitness retreat to help fix every qualm, from jet-lag and dehydrated skin to skier’s legs.


Jumeirah Dhevanafushi - Talise Spa Treatment Room1.jpg

The holidays can be rough on our bodies, thanks to the ease at which many over indulge on booze and sweets, and the prevalece of manic travel. Whether it’s your liver that needs cleansing, your skin that needs hydrating, or your chakras that need balancing, here are some of the best treatments around the world to help your body and mind regain their center so your 2017 can get off to the best start possible.

For a new year, new you: Mountain Trek Fitness Retreats & Health Spa in British Columbia, Canada

Mountain Trek, a one or two-week fitness program (depending on how much time you wish to dedicate to this) in the mountains of British Columbia, is for those who are serious about really committing to a balanced, healthy lifestyle. The bootcamp-style schedule includes daily hikes (three to four hours) in the clean mountain air, strength training classes (three to four times per week), sunrise yoga classes, lifestyle talks (from experts on managing stress, better sleep, and detoxification), massage and detox treatments at the spa, and spa cuisine dinners (coffee addicts beware: no caffeine allowed here) geared towards fueling your workouts. Plus, there’s no wifi from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and limited device use allowed throughout the program. They are not messing around, but the results for your body, inside and out, are dramatic.

Rockhouse Hotel

For a digital detox: Rockhouse Hotel in Negril, Jamaica

Check your phone at the front desk of Rockhouse when you arrive and check out of the world for 24 hours (or longer, if you like). The famous boutique hotel on the cliffs in Negril, Jamaica has no televisions or phones in the guest rooms, so this is truly your time to disconnect and focus on yourself. No checking your Instagram and Twitter feeds, no political ramblings on Facebook, no flurry of emails and texts, no nothing. Instead, head to yoga on the rocks, take a painting class, go snorkeling in Pristine Cove, and hit the hotel’s holistic bath house for any one of their anti-inflammatory or detox treatments.

Rancho Valencia

For a total body detox: Rancho Valencia in Rancho Santa Fe, California

If your body is in major need of a reset, whether it’s from overindulging on food and wine over the holidays or too much travel, head to sunny San Diego for a few days of major detoxing at The Spa at Rancho Valencia. Book the Wellbeing Ritual, a 90-minute, total body experience that will have you feeling like a new person by the end (trust us on this one, it’s a game-changer). It begins with a restorative, aromatic soak in your own private outdoor bathtub, where you can sip an herbal tea or a freshly made juice while you wait. Next, there’s the body wrap, which is infused with a custom blend of minerals and algae to detoxify and remineralize the skin. The treatment closes with a guided meditation segment and facial massage. You’ll walk out feeling like you are floating on a cloud, so head to the spa pool to unwind in the sunshine, have lunch at the new poolside eatery Rein Bar, and then close out your day with a yoga or pilates class at the fitness center (which is conveniently located inside the spa).

Meadowood Napa Valley

For dehydrated skin: Meadowood in Napa Valley, California

The all-suite Meadowood Spa, which underwent a major renovation under the direction of acclaimed architect Howard Backen and reopened in November 2015, is a complete and total zen palace. Head here to help reinvigorate your dry winter skin with the Hydrating Aloe and Shea Wrap, a deeply moisturizing treatment that aims to help increase collagen production, as well as nourish, strengthen and protect your skin. For your face, do the hydrating facial, which includes a gentle exfoliation, hydrating oils, a nourishing mask, and moisturizers that will leave your face feeling dewy and radiant.

For sore ski legs: Hotel Jerome Auberge Resort, in Aspen, Colorado

If you’ve been hitting the slopes hard over the holidays, your aching legs are probably in dire need of some massage therapy. Take a break from skiing and head to the spa at Hotel Jerome in Aspen, where they have a host of treatments that specifically target skiers’ aches and pains. Opt for the 80-minute, High Altitude Sports Massage, which includes assisted stretches, therapeutic oils that ease muscle tension, and a firm pressure massage to help your whole body recover from skiing and the high altitudes.

Jumeirah Dhevanafushi

For jet-lag: Jumeirah Dhevanafushi in the Maldives

Recover from hours and hours of flying and serious jet-lag at Talise Spa at Jumeirah Dhevanafushi in the Maldives. The 120-minute Jet-Lag Revive treatment, which focuses on reviving the body’s natural bio-rhythms and relaxing the nervous system through a full body scrub, a detoxifying wrap and a 60-minute harmonizing massage. (If that doesn’t do the trick for any reason, being at this five-star, secluded resort with over-water suites and breathtaking views should definitely do the trick.)

The Ritz-Carlton, Naples

For re-alignment of your chakras: The Ritz-Carlton, Naples in Naples, Florida

The sweeping spa at the luxurious Ritz-Carlton, Naples has a series of treatments geared towards restoring the body for the new year. Try the 80-minute New Beginnings Massage, a treatment inspired by ancient healing rituals. The therapist works with seven infused oil blends attuned to the body’s seven energy, which helps to align the body’s chakras, reduce muscle tension, and balance your body. While you are at the spa, make sure to also spend some time in the healing rooms, saunas, aqua lounges, and the outdoor mineral pool for complete and total zen.

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