7 Serene Hotels To Visit For A Truly Relaxing Vacation
Coveting a getaway that delivers on tranquility, wanderlust and a healthy dose of indulgence? KATIE BERRINGTON rounds up seven of the most restorative destinations to book for a reset
Hotel Castello di Reschio, Umbria, Italy
Nestled in the wild, rolling hills of Umbria, Hotel Castello di Reschio has one of the most idyllic positions imaginable; a setting that sees bucolic beauty meet ancient architecture and artful, contemporary design. Accommodation options span charming rooms and expansive suites in the 1,000-year-old castle to magnificently restored former farmhouses for larger groups.
The relaxation
The ethereal, unusual location for The Bathhouse is the ultra-atmospheric former wine cellars, where a subterranean saltwater pool, illuminated by slits of sunlight from high-up windows, is the centerpiece. A vaulted stone arch leads to the circular base of the three-storey tower – an awe-inspiring position to soak up the steamy ambience from submerged marble benches. Spacious, interconnected stone cellars also house the treatment rooms, which include an octagonal steam room, the hammam and a traditional Swedish-style sauna. Equally atmospheric is the outdoor pool, which lies just beyond the castle walls and is sunken into the shaded lawn.
The rest
The spectacular castle setting lends itself to a truly decadent stay and is bolstered by the region’s notoriety for sumptuous delicacies. Case in point: Hotel Castello di Reschio has two main restaurants – one sits in a fig-tree-adorned terrace, the other in elegantly transformed stables, but both serve traditional specialities created with locally sourced ingredients. There is also a cookery school, where foraging experiences lead to guests whipping up their own takes on a menu of Italian dishes.
Our Habitas Mazunte, Mexico
This new opening from the sustainability-led hotel brand Habitas comes to the lush jungle of Oaxaca later this year, offering sublime views over the Pacific coastline. Championing its natural surroundings from all 28 rooms, the hotel’s impressive vistas include verdant fauna, soaring cliffs and golden sands, too.
The relaxation
Wellness is at the heart of the hotel, combining holistically rejuvenating practices and ancient spiritual techniques with innovative treatment methods. There will be a jungle gym offering yoga, breathwork and HIIT classes, plus a spa encompassing a barrel sauna, hot tub and cold plunge pool. But the standout healing ritual is the Temazcal – a traditional Mexican steam bath in which a Mayan ceremonial experience cleanses both body and mind.
The rest
The main gathering space – where guests will be encouraged to come together for a program of music, art, food, active pursuits and more – is the Clubhouse, which boasts a panoramic pool and open-air restaurant looking out over the Pacific. The hotel will also offer a private beach club, with experiences to include surfing, snorkeling and hiking. Turtle liberations may also be possible, thanks to the hotel’s proximity to the Mexican Turtle Center in Mazuntem, where research and conservation work is carried out.
Song Saa, Cambodia
Located in the Koh Rong Archipelago, the private-island resort of Song Saa boasts individual thatched villas that maximize their picture-perfect surroundings, whether that’s nestled in verdant jungle, dotted along the ocean or hovering above crystalline waters. What’s more, the resort has been designed with sustainability at its heart, using reclaimed materials and repurposed, upcycled furnishings to help preserve this piece of paradise.
The relaxation
The open-air spa consists of private pavilions, or ‘little sanctuaries’, in which to experience soothing treatments and rituals that champion nature and utilize the resort’s restorative environment; for a wellbeing practice to remember, book a night-time session under the stars. The focus here is on healing and stillness.
The rest
The culinary offering at Song Saa makes good use of the plentiful local ingredients to give guests a taste of seasonal regional delights. And while soaking up the beauty of the resort’s setting from your villa is an attractive option, there are lots of dreamy ways to experience it up close, too – from boat trips and watersports to forest trails and wildlife excursions.
Palm Heights, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Bringing some design-forward, low-key glamour to the legendary address of Seven Mile Beach, Palm Heights is a boutique all-suite hotel that has made its mark on this sublime stretch of Caribbean coast. Whether soaking in its wellness retreats or soaking up its beach-bar cocktails, it promises a fully immersive getaway.
The relaxation
Its newly opened Garden Club spa is designed to invite guests into a tropical paradise, inspired by ancient gardens and orchards, where hammams, saunas and pools are found indoors and out. Enjoy a curated menu of wellbeing offerings for body, mind, gut and skin, with treatments from Tata Harper, Costa Brazil and iS Clinical to choose from. It also hosts regular specialist retreats, including those targeting running, yoga and open-water swimming.
The rest
For the best vistas, there are two beautiful beach-front restaurants. Tillies takes guests on a journey around the Greater Antilles, with a regionally influenced menu of Caribbean delicacies – from conch fritters and coconut aguachile to a whole red snapper cooked over coals. Meanwhile, The Coconut Club, Palm Heights’ stylish answer to a beach bar, serves a lighter menu of grill bowls and tacos, accompanied by an impressive cocktail menu – including a daily sundowner to sip while looking across the bright-yellow parasols dotted across the sand.
Sussurro, Nhamabue Peninsula, Mozambique
With a mindful approach to wellbeing and travel, this new opening on a tropical lagoon in southern Mozambique promises to be the height of considered switching off. Six expansive bungalows put guests in the heart of the natural surroundings, with indoor and outdoor bathtubs and shady waterfront verandas. Better yet, the hotel’s committed ethos includes being 100% African sourced and crafted, community built and serviced, powered by renewable energy, and supporting sustainable artisanal fishing and local farming.
The relaxation
With a focus on relaxing pursuits that immerse guests in nature and craft, activities include yoga, artisanal fishing, weaving workshops, paddle boarding, snorkeling, sailing and scuba diving. Bespoke itineraries are created by Sussurro’s team using inherent knowledge of the area, who ensure that each guest is looked after as if they were part of the family. Guided excursions into the National Parks of Gorongosa and Zinave can also be organized, where you sleep in luxe canvas tents amidst a stunning bush setting.
The rest
With a philosophy dedicated to ‘real food’, the menu at Sussurro celebrates indigenous superfoods such as baobab and moringa, and fresh produce is sourced from local fishermen and farmers. It is served in a casual, open-plan restaurant to break the usual divide between host and guests. The hotel’s design also adds to the ease and comfort of guests, with a soothingly minimalist aesthetic, decked with furniture created and carved onsite, plus a collection of interesting pieces from across sub-Saharan Africa.
Six Senses Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain
In recent years, Ibiza has become nearly as synonymous with its wellness opportunities as its unparalleled party vibes. The opening of Six Senses Ibiza on the island’s northern tip, by the beautiful, crystalline bay of Cala Xarraca, cements its status as a wellbeing paradise and a restorative setting for soothing spiritual experiences.
The relaxation
The Six Senses Spa is an unsurprising highlight of the wellness offering, incorporating the phenomenal hammam, RoseBar longevity lounge, steam room, state-of-the-art fitness areas and outdoor massage catacombs (situated alongside the organic gardens, which grow ingredients for the spa botanicals and the Alchemy Bar). A standout treatment is the After Party Detox, which has been created to revive your senses through stimulating scrubs and massage, while the personalized wellness programs incorporate immunity improvements as well as mind-and-brain-boosting activities.
The rest
The food has a strong emphasis on the local and organic, with an on-site farm (a 400-year-old olive press and agricultural estate) that gives guests the opportunity to enjoy the home-grown produce. While the hotel is very much rooted in revitalization, the location gives plenty of opportunity to soak up the lively spirit of Ibiza, too – starting at the resort’s sea-gazing Beach Caves, where a choice of bars, restaurants, indoor and outdoor dining and live music make for the perfect spot for watching the sunset.
Aman Tokyo, Japan
Situated in the Otemachi Tower, Aman Tokyo is an escape of pure serenity from the city bustle below. The sleek and traditional design is almost as magnificent as the staggering views (which take in the Imperial Palace Gardens and Mount Fuji on clear days), and a peaceful meditation garden gives guests the chance for a tranquil pause.
The relaxation
The sky-high Tokyo outpost of Aman draws on the Japanese philosophy of nature and balance. Highlights include onsen-style hot baths and steam rooms, plus a 30-meter pool overlooking the skyline, while treatments range from kampo herbal healing (derived from traditional Chinese medicine) to the Misogi experience (a traditional Shinto purification ritual). Guests also have the opportunity to tap the knowledge of Aman’s wellness specialists, who create a bespoke and holistic program of treatments, therapies and fitness, nutrition and mindfulness sessions after a wellness assessment.
The rest
There are four restaurants, spanning authentic Japanese omakase dining at Musashi, where fresh sushi and sashimi dishes are prepared right in front of diners, to the rustic and comforting Italian dishes at Arva. Not to mention the tantalizing patisseries and immense garden and bar lounge, where specialty cocktails are served alongside the most spectacular city vistas.