If you have been scouting the web looking for the best places for you to spend your vacation at, you may have come across many sites promoting wellness resorts. And as beautiful as it looks in pictures and as great as it sounds in the description, you can’t help but wonder what the big deal is about this. Why are there so many raving reviews about wellness resorts? Is it very different from your favourite hotel on the beach? What type of wellness resort will you give the authentic wellness experience? If these questions have been on your mind, you have definitely come to the right page. We will be discussing all of this and much more as we attempt to give you the breakdown about everything you need to know about wellness resorts.
Firstly let’s talk about the name…
It is an important distinction made by many wellness resorts that they should not be and don’t desire to be branded as a ‘wellness retreat’. Retreats are defined as a place of ‘refuge, seclusion and privacy’. People who usually go on retreats mostly do so in order to get away from the hectic and stressful life they lead as a means of an ‘escape’ from the things that are bothering them. Even though wellness resorts do provide refuge, seclusion and privacy, it is important to note it is not about running away or pressing the pause button on the difficulties you are facing. A wellness resort aims to provide you with long term rejuvenation so that you will be in a healthier state of mind to handle whatever life throws at you. It is not about compartmentalizing your life and ignoring the issues that bring you down when you stay at a wellness resort, but rather about integrating the daily struggles into your wellness experience and equipping yourself with the necessary tools to help you be the best version of yourself physically, mentally and spiritually. A wellness resort’s priority is always going to be you. It prioritizes your long term wellbeing and ensures that the relaxation you experience at the resort will reenergize you once you go back to your normal routine. The experience you will have at a wellness resort will be a positive reinforcement in your life, the kind you need to get through life’s toughest challenges.
So what is the basis of a wellness resort?
As you may already know, hotels aim to provide you with the luxurious care and comfort so that you will be able to relax and enjoy your stay. But what is the driving force behind a wellness resort? Although each wellness resort is quite different depending on which part of the world it is located, they all have one thing in common. The foundation of a wellness resort, the practices and treatments are based on a particular philosophy. This philosophy coupled with the local traditions and ancient practices and beliefs will guide your stay at the wellness resort. Most wellness resorts aim to soothe the spirit, rejuvenate the body and enrich the mind through a complete mind journey composed of diverse relaxation activities such as yoga, Pilates, meditation, holistic and traditionally effective medicinal treatments and personal food diets based on each customer’s personal needs. Wellness resorts focus on taking a lifestyle approach to wellness as it focuses on revitalizing you as well as educating your mind so that you will be able to lead a sustainably healthy lifestyle. The philosophy followed by most wellness resorts focuses on finding inner peace whilst connecting with the present and the environment you are in. The spa treatments provided at each wellness resort is highly dependent on the philosophy the resort is based on. The products used during massages, the type of yoga that is practised, the therapy and treatments that are offered will differ according to the aim of the package as well as the foundation of the wellness resort. So if you haven’t realized this already, it is important to know the philosophy that runs the whole proceedings of the wellness resort before you pick where you wish to stay as that will determine your entire experience.
Is it just the spa and spa treatments that make it special?
The spa and spa treatments are a major part of a wellness resort, as it offers treatments that can help your body and mind detox, address your stress and addictions, boost your immune system, help you lead a happier lifestyle and many more. However, this is not all there is to a wellness resort. Even though the spa treatments and experience you will have at a spa is spectacular and definitely worth visiting for, the other components and facilities offered in wellness resorts will help make your experience authentic and memorable. The cuisine that will be served at wellness resorts are not only delicious but healthy meals that are prepared especially for you by award-winning chefs. The food served here isn’t à la carte or buffet but rather personalized meals that are prepared according to your wellbeing after the consultations of doctors, giving you the opportunity to prioritize your health and detoxify your body even when eating. Wellness resorts provide you with high-quality fine dining while you take your vacation and rejuvenate.
Secondly, apart from the qualified chefs, the wellness resort usually includes other qualified professionals such as doctors, spiritual healers, yoga teachers and even a fitness team to ensure that your experience at this wellness resort is a holistic one that tends to your total wellbeing. The focus on your spiritual health through yoga and meditation does not compromise on the attention given by wellness resorts to your physical health. Massage therapists and the fitness team collaborate with the onsite doctors to ensure that the exercises and regime that you follow is what would be best for you. This professional team that specialize in various skills work together to bring you the best experience you could have.
Thirdly, one of the most important factors in a wellness resort is the design and architecture of the resort. Even though a traditional resort’s architecture might be stunning and very aesthetically pleasing, it doesn’t necessarily help the process of rejuvenation and detoxification. In a wellness resort, everything is designed with the intention of slowing the mind and silencing it. This is termed as silent architecture and is a major factor in providing an atmosphere that will help you regain your total wellbeing. Being surrounded by many visual and auditory stimulants would deter the process of regaining healthy wellbeing. The design usually connects to nature and focuses on the ‘whole’, allowing you to connect to the surrounding you are in at that point in time. This is done so as to ensure that you are constantly surrounded by a setting that is calming and soothing. The concept of the wellness resorts started in the Himalayan mountain range as the isolation and serenity experienced in the mountains help you slow down and synchronize your body with the natural rhythm of the outside world. There is a common misconception that a beach holiday is the ideal getaway. Although the beach can help you relax, the energy on the coast is quite high and therefore will not help slow you down. Therefore the setting and location is one of the most important features of a wellness resort.
If you were wondering what would be different between a hotel with a spa and a wellness resort, hopefully, you are now more aware of the differences and how it is possible for you to have an authentic wellness experience. So before you venture out and impulsively plan your next vacation on a whim, sit down and think about what type of vacation you not only yearn for but need to reset your body. The spa treatments, yoga exercises, healthy dietary plan, beautiful location and many more which are characteristic of wellness resorts combined together will guarantee that you return home healthier and happier than you left it.
