Top Reasons to Enjoy a Solo Weekend Getaway in Your Own City

Wellness Retreats: More Than Just a Getaway

Taking time for yourself doesn’t always involve heading to the airport. iBestTravel’s research editor checks out the latest hotel innovations making “me time” more meaningful.

Apartment life can be exhausting. However, the trek out to John F. Kennedy International from my Manhattan home can also be burdensome. Therefore, when I heard about the new Life Lived Best wellness program at The Peninsula New York, I packed my weekender bag and ran out the door for a hassle-free getaway.

After a quick cab ride down Fifth Avenue, with Central Park’s autumnal colors kaleidoscoping outside the windows, I arrived feeling rejuvenated. I settled into my room, enjoying the views down the avenue, with buildings glinting in the sunlight. Next, I explored the meditations offered by Breethe on the hotel’s wellness portal, streaming them on the room’s TV before heading to an in-person meditation session in the hotel’s yoga studio led by Breethe cofounder Lynne Goldberg.

Although I had an invitation for an evening run with a coach in Central Park, I opted to stay in. Room service had delivered a selection from the program’s plant-based menus, including crudités and hummus, artfully arranged to resemble a garden. Moreover, at evening turndown, staff delivered bath and aromatherapy products by Subtle Energies, including a jasmine and rose oil for a soothing before-bed ritual. Feeling pampered, with a sleep patch on my chest, I drifted into a deep sleep.

This blissful evening exemplifies how luxury hotels across the country are doubling down on enhancing feel-good experiences. For instance, at The Langham, Chicago, concierge Philippe Gills can arrange tours of the iconic buildings nearby, bourbon tastings, or extravagant sunset Champagne service in suites boasting skyline views. Alternatively, at Utah’s Goldener Hirsch, Auberge Resorts Collection, guests can enjoy a different perspective of Park City through a spirited history class that blends local lore with cocktails.

“True luxury is about choices, so our wellness program is personalized to each guest,” says Rolf Buehlmann, general manager at The Peninsula New York. This personalization is evident whether guests opt for Life Lived Best in the Windy City, where a coach from Chicago’s Go! Running Tours leads scenic jogs, or in Hong Kong, where an array of cardio-intensive, trainer-led fitness classes awaits. Consequently, my own dreamy overnight stay enriched the sentiment, “There’s no place like home.”