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Over the past few years, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in all things
“wellness,” from the rise of athleisure wear and boutique fitness
studios to juice cleanses and detox diets. And when it comes to travel,
people who are dedicated to staying healthy at home are determined to
take their habits with them on the road.
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The wellness-minded are also taking time out to
experience fitness retreats and destination spas around the globe.
According to the Global Wellness Institute, wellness tourism generated
$563 billion in 2015, with spa facilities accounting for $98.6 billion
of that revenue.
Many of the world’s premier spa facilities lie in
Europe, and this year, it was a German resort, Schloss Elmau — the
setting for the G8 summit in 2015 — that received top honors. This
100-year-old, family-owned property in the Bavarian Alps offers an
extensive array of activities (tai chi, qigong, yoga retreats) and has
multiple facilities including the Oriental Hamam, the Badehaus Spa (an
adults-only wing overlooking the mountains), and the Turtle Spa, which
is dedicated to traditional Chinese medicine. What’s even more unique is
that the resort caters to kids in its 24-hour Family Spa, complete with
an indoor pool, Finnish sauna, and outdoor saltwater infinity pool.
“It’s the best spa hotel I’ve visited in the last 10 years,” wrote one
reader. “I’ve never seen such a beautiful place.”
[post_ads]Every year for our World’s Best Awards
survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the
globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities,
islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. In the international
destination spas category, readers rated properties on their
accommodations and facilities, treatments, service, food, and overall
value.
Other European hideaways that impressed our readers
include Fonteverde, a hot-springs resort in Italy’s Val d’Orcia; Les
Prés d’Eugénie - Michel Guérard, a French hideaway known for its
exquisite “cuisine minceur” (slimming food) and Michelin three-starred
restaurant; and Les Sources de Caudalie, where spa-goers can enjoy
vinotherapy treatments, as befits the property’s setting in Bordeaux. In
Mexico, our readers again ranked Rancho La Puerta — a 77-year-old
retreat in the hills of Tecate, Mexico, with 14 hiking trails and over
50 fitness classes daily — as among the top places in the world to
unwind. “It’s one of the best weeks ever — your body feels clean and
healthy, your mind invigorated,” said one of this Hall of Fame honoree.
“Very grounding and magical,” added another. “It is an amazing time to
relax and reconnect with yourself.”
1. Schloss Elmau, Elmau, Germany
2. Rancho La Puerta, Tecate, Mexico
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3. Mountain Trek, British Columbia, Canada
4. BodyHoliday, St. Lucia
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5. Fonteverde, San Casciano dei Bagni, Italy
6. Ananda in the Himalayas, Uttarakhand, India
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7. Chiva-Som, Hua Hin, Thailand
8. Les Prés d'Eugénie- Michel Guérard, Eugénie-les-Bains, France
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9. Les Sources de Caudalie, Bordeaux-Martillac, France
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10. Kamalaya, Koh Samui, Thailand
