13 best wellness retreats in the UK for 2023
There was a time a few years ago when heading on a ‘wellness retreat’ simply meant checking into a luxury spa with a well-appointed gym. And while the UK boasts some of the finest hotel spas in the world, the hospitality scene has been quietly catering for weary, burnt-out holidaymakers yearning for something a little more than a sleepy weekend steaming in the sauna.
For 2023, the broader definition of wellness retreats means there’s an eclectic range of restorative breaks across the UK to totally rejuvenate your physical and mental wellbeing, from coastal walks and morning sea swims to forest bathing, manifesting workshops, and, of course, plenty of yoga. The food is nourishing and plentiful; you’ll certainly find no restrictive ‘juice cleanses’ in our roundup below. Some even offer an evening tipple and afternoon cake, because wellness is about balance – not robbing yourself of life’s small pleasures.
So, here are the best wellness retreats to book for 2023, if you’re in need of a new year reset and some well-deserved ‘me time’.
Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa, Lake District
The sprawling 400-acre estate of Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa in the Northern Lake District hosts a variety of wellness retreats throughout the year, including the ‘Woodland Nature Connection’ wellness therapy. This is a calming nature session designed to promote self-care and kindness through forest bathing, mindfulness and relaxation, led by forest-bathing guide, mindfulness teacher and natural wellbeing coach Jen Grange. It also includes a two-course lunch at the hotel’s Courtyard Brasserie. Or for animal lovers, the hotel hosts a ‘Rest, Restore, Rewild’ experience which also includes a forest-bathing session with Jen Grange, as well as afternoon tea and a ‘mindfulness with animals’ session – led by Education and Animal Conservation Officer Lucy Dunn – in the nearby Deer Park and Lake District Wildlife Park.
Address: B5291, Bassenthwaite Lake, Keswick CA12 4RE, United Kingdom
Price: Both retreats £150 per person
Website: armathwaite-hall.com/spa
Nick SmithBillesley Manor Hotel & Spa, Warwickshire
A much-loved, grade II-listed historical manor in Stratford-upon-Avon, Billesley Manor – apparently a favourite haunt of Shakespeare – is set within 11 acres of sprawling Warwickshire parkland. It boasts a fully-equipped gym, indoor swimming pool, sauna and steam room, tennis courts, ESPA spa treatments (don’t miss the hot stone and deep muscle massages), and private yoga or meditation sessions in the hotel’s topiary gardens. Billesley Manor regularly hosts wellness and wellbeing day retreats, often with a holistic focus on building self-confidence and mindfulness, so keep an eye out for their 2023 retreats. Or book into one of the spa day packages, with various ESPA treatments to choose from, plus lunch with a cocktail or mocktail and access to the spa facilities.
Address: Billesley, Stratford-upon-Avon B49 6NF, United Kingdom
Price: from £65 for spa day packages
Website: billesleymanor.comBirch, Hertfordshire
Birch is a firm favourite amongst in-the-know city dwellers as a restful retreat nestled in 55 acres of nature just 30 minutes outside of London. The part members’ club, part hotel, hosts various wellness events designed to ‘reset, heal and restore from our wild and fast-paced lives’. As well as a variety of spa treatments including sports and Thai massages, reflexology and stretchologie (a therapeutic stretch session designed to release muscle tension), Birch runs wellness workshops throughout the year. Book anything from 60-minute puppy yoga (£35), 60-minute reiki energy reset session (£15), and arts and crafts classes such as pottery (2 hours for £59) or screen printing (2 hours for £59) during your stay.
Address: Lieutenant Ellis Way, Cheshunt, Goff's Oak, Waltham Cross EN7 5HW
Price: workshops from £15
Website: birchcommunity.com
Chapel House Wellness Retreat, Penzance
This wellness retreat, just about to launch for 2023, is all about recharging and rebooting without the restriction. Hosted at elegant boutique hotel Chapel House, a historic building perched above Penzance harbour, the two-day package in beautiful Penzance includes a guided early morning sea swim with flasks of hot tea to warm up afterwards, a geothermal session in the local geothermal, natural salt water Jubilee Pool (the first of its kind in the UK), a spa treatment at Chapel House (choose between a massage, facial or reflexology), a manifesting workshop led by renowned life coach Alice Matthers, a locally sourced healthy lunch at Chapel House and use of the hot tub and sauna in your free time. There’s an evening tipple and unlimited tea and coffee with delicious cakes, homemade by the owner Susan Stuart.
Address: Chapel St, Penzance TR18 4AQ, United Kingdom
Price: The retreat is from £600 for single occupancy and £900 for double occupancy
Website: chapelhousepz.co.uk
Full Moon Retreat, Ockenden Manor, West Sussex
Whether you’re into astrology and healing celestial powers or simply want to reconnect with nature, Ockenden Manor’s Full Moon Retreat is sure to bring some quiet calm to your new year. In the heart of South Downs National Park in a dark sky reserve (protected areas that offer unparalleled clear views of the night sky), the Full Moon retreat has been created by yoga teacher and forest-bathing guide Helena Skoog, who has spent six years living off-grid in the Sussex woodlands. Described as a ‘sensory journey embracing wisdom, nature and compassion’, the retreat includes forest bathing, yoga, evening polestar meditation, isopod flotation and an aroma massage. Dates for 2023 are: 4-6 May; 2-4 July; 29-31 August; and 28-30 September.
Address: Ockenden Ln, Cuckfield, Haywards Heath RH17 5LD, United Kingdom
Price: from £883.
Website: hshotels.co.uk/ockenden-manor/spaGrantley Hall, Yorkshire
Nestled in the rolling green hills of the outer Yorkshire Dales, five-star Grantley Hall prides itself on its immersive and attainable wellness retreats in a luxury setting. As well as being within close proximity to picturesque walking trails Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden or Brimham Rocks, the hotel hosts a ‘Relax & Renew Retreat’ aimed at those looking for an energy reset, as well as easing any muscle tension, aches and pains. Over four days, you’ll try private yoga sessions, massages, facials, wellness workshops, crystal healing or reiki, shinrin-yoku (tree bathing), plus use of the spa and cryotherapy chamber. On the first day, you’ll meet with Grantley Hall’s wellness practitioners and take part in a nutrition and fitness consultation and a health markers and intolerance analysis, so the retreat can be tailored to your specific needs.
Address: Grantley Hall, Ripon HG4 3ET, United Kingdom
Price: The retreat costs £2950 for single occupancy in a deluxe room, or £4650 for double occupancy in a deluxe room.
Website: grantleyhall.co.uk/spa
Penny BirdGlass House Retreat, Essex
Another retreat just a stone’s throw from the capital, Glass House Retreat in Bulphan, Essex, has everything you need for a restorative detox, including an indoor and outdoor swimming pool plus a natural swimming pond, a Himalayan salt block sauna, an Elemis spa, state-of-the-art gym equipment and a cryotherapy chamber. Prices vary depending on the length of your stay, which type of room you choose, and whether you bring a friend or partner. For example, a two-night wellness break for one person in a superior double or king room is £632 (£1012 for two people), or £1485 for five nights (£2380 for two people). Glass House also offer more specific retreats, such as a two-night mindfulness retreat or one-night spa breaks.
Address: Harrow Rd, Bulphan, Orsett, Upminster RM14 3BP, United Kingdom
Price: £632 for two nights per person for a superior double or king room
Website: glasshouseretreat.co.uk
Our Retreat, Somerset
Set in the award-winning luxury venue 42 Acres Farmhouse in the Somerset countryside, Our Retreat is ideal for yoga lovers craving a restorative break for body and mind. Check in to the farmhouse for two nights and enjoy mindful yoga classes each morning, pilates each afternoon, daily restorative yoga, guided meditation, wild swimming, breathwork sessions, woodland walks, evening bonfires and nourishing, delicious meals and snacks. Dates for 2023 so far are: 17-19 February; 17-19 March; 19-21 May; and 16-18 June.
Address: Broadgate Quarter, 1 Snowden St, London EC2A 2DQ, United Kingdom
Price: from £595 per person
Website: ourretreat.co.uk/retreats
Basubu Exmoor Walking Retreat, Somerset
For those looking for a peaceful retreat surrounded by the serene stillness of nature, why not opt for a walking retreat? This one from Basubu – an online marketplace for experiential health and wellness retreats – takes you to the expansive and rugged Exmoor countryside, with endless miles of National Trust estate to explore. The area – right on the South West Coast path, the longest coastal path in the country – is adored by leisurely strollers and avid hikers alike, with trails including Hurlstone Point (perfect for birdwatchers) or North Hill, where you’ll find the remains of World War II tank training grounds. The retreat includes a two-night stay at Bossington Hall B&B, a mile from Porlock Village and Porlock Weir, perfect for stopping in for a well-deserved local beverage after your ramble. Here, you’ll also find the oldest squash court in England, should you tire of taking in the rugged countryside (unlikely).
Find out more: basubu.com/rejuvenating-walking-retreat-in-the-exmoor-countryside
The Detox Barn, Suffolk
The word ‘detox’ needn’t conjure up images of stuffy, silent classes and meals that leave your body rumbling with hunger. Run by sisters Lauretta and Sharon Gavin, ‘The Gentle Detox’ retreats run for two nights throughout the year in a large barn conversion in the Suffolk countryside. Lauretta and Sharon describe themselves as healthy, plant-based food lovers, ‘without being hippy dippy tree huggers’, and also happen to be a comedy double act, so you know they won’t be taking themselves too seriously during the retreat. As well as plenty of laughs and a laidback atmosphere, expect delicious vegan meals, smoothies, juice and healthy snack demos, yoga classes for all levels, meditation, guided countryside walks and free time to enjoy massages, facials and reflexology. The retreat is also a digital detox, so no phones allowed (but there is a movie night to watch a documentary, so you’re not entirely banned from screens).
Address: Prospects, Nedging Tye, Suffolk, IP7 7HJ
Price: Prices start from £495 for one person
Website: gavinsisters.co.uk
ChrisTubbsManifest & Wellness Retreat with Roxie Nafousi, Hertfordshire
From 20 – 21 January 2023, five-star Hertfordshire hotel The Grove is hosting a Manifest and Wellness Retreat led by Roxie Nafousi, author of the Sunday Times bestselling manifestation guide ‘Manifest’. You’ll check in at 3pm on Friday 20 January to a goody bag including a copy of Roxie’s book (which you can bring to the workshop to be signed), a yoga mat and a set of mantra cards. Spend the rest of the day exploring some of the 300 acres of rolling countryside or indulging in the spa facilities. On day two, you’ll enjoy Vinyasa flow yoga followed by breakfast, time at leisure then lunch, before joining Roxie for a one-hour manifesting workshop, a Q&A session and a 30-minute meditation, led by Roxie.
Address: Chandler's Cross, Hertfordshire, WD3 4TG
Price: from £373 per person.
Website: thegrove.co.uk
Elliott WhiteYoga & Wellbeing Retreat, Rosilian Hall, Falmouth
Another South West option ideal for yogis is this new retreat from Cornish Gems. Running over three days between Friday 8 and Sunday 10 September 2023 (timed when the sea is at its warmest), guests will be led by wellbeing and yoga practitioner Alicia Ray to relax and re-energise thanks to indoor and outdoor yoga (including silent disco yoga), sea swimming, mindfulness, meditation, breathwork classes, sound baths, and refreshments, breakfast, afternoon tea and cake and evening meals. There’s also the option to book an immersive tall ship sailing experience for £85 during your free time on the Falmouth coast. You’ll stay at Rosilian Hall, a luxury hotel perched on the banks of the river Fal in the picturesque village of Flushing.
Address: Carne House, Western Extension, Threemilestone Industrial Estate, Threemilestone, Truro TR4 9LD, United Kingdom
Price: from £1295 per person (based on two sharing)
Website: cornishgems.com/yoga_breaks_in_cornwall.htmlThe Gainsborough Bath Spa
In the heart of Bath, The Gainsborough is the only hotel in the country where you can experience Bath’s natural thermal waters. It’s no wonder guests flock here to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life, and rest their minds and bodies. Head to the award-winning spa features a circuit of natural thermal pools, saunas, a steam room and an ice alcove, and treatments focus on personalised aromatherapy. Try the Gainborough Signature Massage for 50 minutes of a relaxing, enhanced classic full-body Swedish massage using pure frankincense, rosemary and pine essences to ease tension and help your mind switch off.
Address: Beau St, Bath BA1 1QY, United Kingdom
Price: Rooms start from £200 per night, with treatments starting from £120
Website: thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk