The best wellness retreats for men
“Travel is a tonic to me,” artist Norman Rockwell once said. After the Covid pandemic brought its challenges – mental breakdowns, anxiety attacks, debilitating bouts of depression, vomit-inducing stress attacks, weight loss, purposeful self-sabotage – his words couldn’t resonate more. My mental health, like many others, was in total disarray. But how to deal with it?
Travel is more than just booking a plane ticket to somewhere far-flung and exotic. It’s, as I have learned over the years as a repressed British lad, an opportunity to reflect, reset and re-align… to expose the great traumas, stresses and pressures of the every day and simply learn to deal with it in an alien place without the help of a melancholy Adele number.
Men afraid to address their mental health, or who are put off by the idea of a retreat should know this: wellness is subjective. No matter how many articles that preach ‘the best way to’ or ‘how to cope with’, healing is not about hitting up a retreat or joining a cult to sit around an open fire and start belting out mantras to a programme that’s en vogue right now. No, it’s about personalisation. Escapism, liberation, healing in a place that allows you to compartmentalise all the shocks, upsets and broken hearts to your own f*cked up beat.
The pandemic denied us the attention, love and acceptance that we all long for. In my own depression and mental downfall, a psychological and physical reboot in a foreign land was just the tonic my therapist implored me to undertake.
From desert shacks to retreats buried in the winter sun, these spots across the globe will help men with their physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
laryssaerratt1. Beaverbrook, UK
There’s somewhat of a detoxifying beauty about the Surrey Hills: rolling pastures, long, winding trails and endless dreamy hikes. Nestled among all its visual beauty is Beaverbrook, the dashing and chintzy country house escape that’s been on everyone’s lips since it opened its doors back in 2017. Themed rooms that once entertained world leaders and literary greats, along with destination restaurants continue to pull in the well-groomed crowds, but it’s the estate’s spa that is really worth shouting about. Yes, there’s a spa with a well-equipped gym and lovely pool, but the headliner comes courtesy of therapist and gut health expert Amanda Porter. She’s more down-to-earth yogi than an in-your-face doctor with specs and a notepad: well-travelled, casual and a woman who knows a thing or two about dealing with trauma naturally and effectively. Her signature treatment is a simple yet effective Self Care Massage dubbed the YAM (Your Abdominal Massage). It all begins with a thorough consultation, focusing on all aspects of life from digestive complaints (IBS, bloating, acid reflux) to psychological ailments from depression to anxiety, plus the topics men often shy away from: fertility challenges, swollen prostate and pelvic pain. Her mission? “I want to educate young men on how they can help their bodies re-establish equilibrium and look after themselves more mentally, with relaxed general dietary advice and how to cope with everyday challenges on both a physical and emotional level.” The no-fuss, to-the-point treatment lasts roughly three hours. The best part is Amanda will teach you how to continue the massage at home and send you a detailed follow-up as soon as you check out.
Manolo Yllera2. SHA Wellness, Spain
Mental health is more than buzzwords, and SHA knows this. Here, you won’t be patronised or shoved into a corner listening to a shrink dictate wellbeing gospel for the soul. Instead, and as SHA Professor Bruno Ribeiro do Couto tells us, you’ll be given an ‘integrative solution to improve general wellbeing, and stress and anxiety management.’ How are the issues you need to address detected? Via a nifty headset. Sitting in a chair, you’ll watch your brainwaves dance as neural-sensors search for conditions such as depression and insomnia. There’s also a neuro feedback session to help develop self-control; emotional coaching sessions to help deal with feelings you often black out. Plus, there’s psychological consultations designed to teach you how to cope with negative thoughts and solve problems with assertiveness in moments of self-doubt and depressive episodes. Outside of this mental sphere, there’s a seriously impressive menu of treatments to take advantage of: colonics, acupuncture, dermatology and ozone therapy for a mood-boosting dose of extra energy. The crowd is kitted out in designer sandals and swish dressing gowns, but you can escape by staying put in your own apartment: a slick modern oasis.
Read our full review of SHA Wellness
3. Six Senses Shaharut, Israel
This 2021 opening is not just appealing for the fact that it is stuck in the middle of the Negev desert, but because it’s all about the stripped back basics: no-fuss, yet impeccably slick digs, at the mercy of the landscape. Pools, saunas and steam rooms are plentiful, but men looking to dive deeper into mental wellness and physical wellbeing should hit the spa for a crash course in Ayurvedic rejuvenation. Think ‘dosha’ or body-type focussed treatments in the form of abhyanga massages, a Shirodhara head healing technique, a deep-tissue udwarthanam massage and a pranayama breath regulation session. If you’re a guy battling emotional baggage, especially those silently suffering from disconnect and broken hearts, the aptly-named Love Your Heart day programme teaches you how to let go and love yourself again. It all sounds very deep, but mix it in with off-road driving, mountain climbing, stargazing, camel safaris, craft workshops, bird watching and wine tours, and you’ve got enough breathing space in between all those life-affirming sessions and treatments to deal with all your BS, one deep breath at a time.
4. Amanpuri, Thailand
Sure, it’s a beach resort with palms, white sandy beaches and glittering waters… But look beyond the Instagenic aesthetics and there’s a world of healing holistics that fringe absolute sorcery. Self-improvement and self-discovery at your own pace is the Puri mantra. Like anything in the ultra-luxe wellness sphere, schedules are planned to your beat, so if there’s something you don’t want to do during the resort’s five-day Intensive Immersion programme, just say. Muay Thai kickboxing will help deal with any long-term frustrations, beach boot camps and yoga will help establish a routine, and mindfulness coaching and meditation will help tame those cerebral cobwebs. Wellness specialists, from doctors to lifestyle specialists, physiotherapists and nutritionists, are on hand at all times, plus all the grub is curated by expert raw and vegan chefs to aid full body detoxes. IV nutrient therapy is offered with formulas focused on increasing energy, building muscle, and improving athletic ability. Or, you could just sit on the beach and watch the sunset – it’s equally medicinal.
Eleven Experience5. Deplar Farm, Iceland
This one was made for people who truly want to go off-grid. The brainchild of adventure and experiential travel doyens Eleven Experiences, Deplar Farm is best described as ultra-slick Scandi meets Game of Thrones-esque wild tundra of ice, ancient volcanoes and valleys. Once a humble sheep farm, the wellness retreat straddles the extremely isolated Troll Peninsula and preaches a personalised, science-based philosophy to help fix broken souls. What does all the jargon mean? Deplar doesn’t believe in algae mud wraps solving your problems, instead, it’s all about pushing your mind and your body to its limits with a roster of physical and mental challenges tuned to the hum and jingle of Mother Nature’s beat. There are daily wilderness walks, sea-kayaking, sensory jaunts underneath the kaleidoscopic splendour of the eerie hue of the Northern Lights, cross country skiing and adrenaline-pumping snowmobile races. Elsewhere, the usual spa paraphernalia is in abundance: geothermal pool, steam room and sauna, plus treatment rooms overlooking the Fljot valley. There are also two helicopter pads from which you can explore the epic panoramas from the skies.
Now read our full review of Deplar Farm
Philip Vile6. Reschio, Umbria, Italy
Fairytale castle meets lush Umbrian hills at Reschio. Stylish, slick and in many ways demure in comparison to other high-profile Italianate escapes, it’s all about ditching the loud, hectic norms of every day for the deep reflective perks of countryside isolation. There are 3,700 acres of land to play with, so get lost in nature – think enormous forests, olive groves, vineyards and miles upon miles of cypress trees. Escape it all on horseback (the estate is home to 40 horses), a bike or simply on foot. Staying in the castle is great for the swagger factor, but be sure to spend your days at the tranquil Lake Cabin to truly switch off. The lakeside hideaway is a destination spot for wild swimming, paddle boarding, and, for those who like a good book, reading in absolute peace. Then there are those horses we mentioned. Check in with Count Antonio Bolza (the mastermind of much of what you see at Reschio) and his team and they’ll tell you spending time with these noble beasts can be surprisingly meditative. You can visit them anytime in the stables or go on a wild hack with them across the estate on a riding lesson through some of Italy’s most stunning and healing landscapes.
Now read our full review of Reschio
7. Forestis, Italy
The likelihood that you’ve seen this adults-only alpine wellness retreat hidden away in the Dolomites on Instagram is sky-high. Once a former sanctuary for popes and pontiffs, owners Stefan Hinteregger and Teresa Unterthiner are seriously eco-focused, and the mountain views – overlooking staggeringly beautiful sunsets – are matched by top-notch Celt-inspired spa treatments which ooze relaxation on every level. There's tree therapy, oil massages, salt baths and a Finnish-style sauna that encourages you to steam au natural. Outside of all the uplifting treatments, hit the slopes. Sunrise hiking and peaceful forest walks are also a must to help clear the mind, and if you’ve got the stomach for it, hire a boat come summertime to skim the Pragser Wildsee. Rooms have soaring windows, bathrooms hewn from Dolomite stone, and if you nab a suite, balconies kitted out with daybeds. The tasting menu changes constantly but expect all things local and earthy year-round. In a nutshell, Forestis is all about healing served with a side of good living and absolutely no fuss.
Now read our full review of Forestis
8. Clinique La Prairie, Switzerland
The OG of Swiss wellness clinics isn’t for everyone. Look beyond the clinical interiors and you’ll quickly notice its molecular-based approach to all aspects of life goes way beyond the usual wellness pale. What’s good to know before you check in is that the programmes are tough and don’t come cheap (a week here will set you back £11,000). For those that can afford to splash out, the investment is worth it. Here, mindful thinking comes in the form of education and prevention. A typical week begins with a visit to the doctors for a full mineralogy and heavy metals test, which examines your DNA to show any underlying maladies you might have. Other tests include everything from Visia tests (a face test that examines your facial epidermis) to aesthetic medicine ‘with an emphasis on prevention as opposed to a quick fix.’ Pampering, if that’s your thing, comes in the form of deep-tissue massages, reflexology, infrared saunas, cryotherapy and lymphatic drainage. Essentially a full MOT for your body before you hit a crash course in all things nutrition, perhaps the most invaluable of all the lessons you’ll get here.
Now read our full review of Clinique La Prairie