Top Wellness Retreats Around the World

Over the past few years, there has been a significant surge in the demand for wellness travel. From athleisure wear to boutique fitness studios, and from juice cleanses to detox diets, people focused on health at home want to carry those habits while traveling. The wellness-focused individuals are investing time to experience fitness retreats and destination spas globally. According to the Global Wellness Institute, wellness tourism generated a remarkable $563 billion in 2015, with spa facilities contributing $98.6 billion of this revenue.

Best Spa Resorts Globally

Many premier spa facilities can be found in Europe. This year, a German resort, Schloss Elmau—famous for hosting the G8 summit in 2015—achieved top honors. This century-old, family-owned property in the Bavarian Alps provides an extensive range of activities such as tai chi, qigong, and various yoga retreats. It features multiple facilities including the Oriental Hamam, the Badehaus Spa (an adults-only wing overlooking the mountains), and the Turtle Spa dedicated to traditional Chinese medicine. Uniquely, the resort also caters to families with its 24-hour Family Spa, which includes an indoor pool, a Finnish sauna, and an outdoor saltwater infinity pool. One reader noted, “It’s the best spa hotel I’ve visited in the last 10 years. I’ve never seen such a beautiful place.”

10. Kamalaya, Koh Samui, Thailand

Score: 91.20

9. Les Sources de Caudalie, Bordeaux-Martillac, France

Score: 92.42

8. Les Prés d’Eugénie- Michel Guérard, Eugénie-les-Bains, France

Score: 92.57

7. Chiva-Som, Hua Hin, Thailand

Score: 93.33

6. Ananda in the Himalayas, Uttarakhand, India

Score: 93.73

5. Fonteverde, San Casciano dei Bagni, Italy

Score: 93.88

4. BodyHoliday, St. Lucia

Score: 93.98

3. Mountain Trek, British Columbia, Canada

Score: 95.36

2. Rancho La Puerta, Tecate, Mexico

Score: 95.64

1. Schloss Elmau, Elmau, Germany

Score: 97.69

A year-round wellness oasis in the Bavarian Alps, Schloss Elmau is perfect for individuals, couples, or families. The resort is divided into two sections—the 115-room main hotel and the newer, 47-suite Retreat—featuring multiple spa facilities, pools, a state-of-the-art concert hall, and one of the largest hotel libraries in the world. Visitors can prepare to unwind during a qigong workshop, enjoy a nature walk through the surrounding forest, or indulge in an Ayurvedic head massage. One reader remarked, “You do not want the spa treatments to stop, be it a hot stone massage, a physio-relax massage, or a pedicure. Heavenly bliss!”