15 ways to nourish your mind, body and soul – for less
Think “wellness retreat” and you may well envisage an austere yet extortionately priced medi-spa on the continent which has you feeling reborn after a week of high-tech treatments and gruel. That is one kind, certainly – but, these days, the world of wellness is a much broader church.
There are dedicated retreats that hone in on specific activities or themes, from reformer pilates to nutrition; hotels that host short, active stays based on practices such as yoga or cold-water therapy; and year-round escapes for everything from windsurfing to energy clearing.
These aren’t exactly budget breaks, but it is possible to find affordability and certainly good value – not least because rates usually include not just accommodation and the use of facilities, but also classes taught by experts, a raft of activities and nourishing, wholesome food.
To take advantage of the cheapest rates, solo travellers may need to share a room (take a friend if you don’t fancy sharing with a stranger). And while those looking for sunshine can fly long-haul (which bumps up the cost) or to Europe, there are plenty of options worth booking much closer to home.
Close to home
Somercecil retreat weekend
Cotswolds
Since 2020, friends Gaby Cecil and Bella Somerset have been running wellbeing retreats on the Badminton Estate, where the latter, a yoga instructor and health coach, grew up.
Next up is a retreat weekend packed with all their signature activities, from a woodland foraging walk to guided runs, restorative yoga and a cacao ceremony designed to help individuals reconnect to themselves.
The food is nourishing and plant-based, with vegetables and salad sourced from the pesticide-free, regenerative on-site Forbidden Fruit & Veg market garden.
March 17-19; shared twin with shared bathroom from £495pp, single occupancy from £695, including all meals and drinks (somercecil.com)
Cold water exposure at St Michaels Resort
Cornwall
Wim Hof method instructor Cat Peterson will lead guests through breathwork sessions and cold therapy (guided wild swimming, ice baths, and hacks to warm up the body safely) to still and focus the mind, reduce stress and aid restful sleep.
The itinerary also includes yoga, coasteering with Gylly Adventures, two hydrothermal experiences and a three-course dinner every evening – either in the wine vault or Brasserie on the Bay, which overlooks the hotel’s subtropical gardens and the sea beyond.
April 21-24; shared twin/king from £850pp, single occupancy from £930, including breakfast and dinner (01326 312707; stmichaelsresort.com)
Pilates at Another Place, The Lake
Cumbria
Gazing out at Ullswater from the Glasshouse studio might make holding stretches that bit easier during this pilates break, which is suitable for both beginners and intermediates.
Classes are a mix of pre-breakfast energisers to mobilise the body, morning dip-in, dip-out workshops that hone in on specific areas of practice, such as toning arms, and slow movement at the end of the day.
Afternoons are free for walking in the fells, kayaking on the lake or relaxing in the outdoor hot tub.
May 8-9, June 12-13; £250pp. Doubles/twins from £420 for two nights, single occupancy from £315, including breakfast (017684 86442; another.place/active)
Glow at Fforest Penbryn
Wales
The annual women-only Glow retreat has been a key fixture of the Fforest calendar for the past six years. This edition combines gentle morning yoga flow taught by instructor Lolo Lam, meditation and facial massage by Polly Mossman, and potion-making with local forager and founder of Wild Pickings, Jade Mellor.
What also makes this retreat stand out is the spectacular coastal setting – the 15-minute walk to Penbryn Beach for wild swims is encouraged, as is relaxing in the wood-fired sauna – and post-supper fireside chats.
June 15-18; shared twin with shared bathroom from £639pp, single occupancy from £809, including all meals (01239 623633; coldatnight.co.uk/glow-yoga-wellness)
Wellness break at Glass House Retreat
Essex
With facilities that include a safe-space listening room, a geodesic dome for mindfulness and a natural swimming pond, this purpose-built retreat covers the full wellness spectrum.
Drift between the Himalayan salt-block sauna, spa and heated indoor pool, followed by mantra meditation and aromatherapy. Or up your heart rate with boot-camp fitness and HIIT classes. All plant-based meals are included, as is a treatment and a rejuvenating session in the cryotherapy chamber.
Two nights in a shared superior room from £518pp, single occupancy from £646 (01708 983590; glasshouseretreat.co.uk)
Further afield
Energy clearing at Mandali
Italy
Alongside Mandali’s ongoing in-house programme, this dedicated retreat centre in the Italian Alps also offers themed experiences. Energy clearing with practitioner Juno Burger is about understanding the dynamics of energetic exchange between people and spaces – what happens when you meet someone and are left feeling drained, for instance.
Aimed at anyone wanting to deepen their intuition or restore energy balance, it will include learning ways of releasing stress and clearing old emotional patterns.
March 11-17; shared garden-view twin from £1,234, single occupancy from £1,360, including all meals (00 39 0323 826439; mandali.org)
Hiking and yoga with Adventure Yogi
Montenegro
As with all Adventure Yogi holidays, this Montenegro escape is as much about exploring the surroundings as it is the yoga classes that bookend each day. In between, guests can be as active (or not) as they wish.
The most challenging hike is to the summit of Mount Rumija, the highest peak in the area, while other days follow a considerably slower pace: a boat trip on Lake Skadar, a guided walk to a waterfall for swimming, a visit to Petrovac Beach and discovering the traditional old town of Stari Bar, a short walk away from the former olive mill where the retreat is based.
June 5-12/12-19; shared twin/double from £1,495pp, single occupancy from £1,695, all inclusive (01273 782734; adventureyogi.com)
Nourish summer retreat at Manoir Mouret
France
An hour north of Toulouse on the outskirts of Andillac village, Manoir Mouret is an elegant, year-round retreat with a pool, tennis courts and organic potager set in five acres of land.
Led by nutritionist Fiona Berry and local naturopathic chef Stéphanie Cruchandeau, Nourish is about learning to eat better, rather than less.
Workshops on nutrition and sleep will be combined with a local market visit to meet producers (followed by a cookery class), a tasting in the kitchen garden and wholesome, plant-based meals.
June 21-26; single occupancy from £1,016, including all meals; manoirmouretretreats.com
Yoga with Reclaim Your Self
Greece
London-based yoga teacher Jean Hall is swapping her weekly classes at Triyoga Camden for this tranquil Reclaim Your Self retreat on the Cycladic island of Andros. Guests stay in stone cottages in a verdant valley, overlooking secluded Achla Beach.
Days begin with two hours of breathwork and dynamic yoga; in the evenings, there’s yin yoga and meditation. Which leaves plenty of free time for a Mediterranean brunch under the trees, lazing in a hammock on the terrace and walks along the shady riverbank to a quiet cove. Think slow living – and no Wi-Fi.
September 26-October 3; shared twin/double room in shared villa from £1,495pp, single occupancy from £1,895, including brunch and dinner (07939 907501; reclaimyourself.co.uk)
Soul & Surf
Portugal
Set up in Kerala, India, then in Sri Lanka, this laid-back company expanded to the Algarve four years ago. Its base is a countryside farmhouse (choose from simple rooms or a bell tent), 10 minutes’ drive from the coastal town of Lagos. A six-night stay means you can sign up for a bundle of five surf lessons (suitable for all levels) and yoga classes, which happen daily at the open-air shala in the orange grove.
Meals – wood-fired oven pizzas, barbecues, the freshest salads – are social affairs, eaten at the communal dining table in the garden.
From £556pp in a shared bell tent, full-board; plus £340 for five surf lessons and yoga sessions (01273 931282; soulandsurf.com)
Pilates at Absolute Sanctuary
Thailand
As part of the international guest expert retreat series at this renowned wellness hotel on Koh Samui, Jenna Hansen, co-founder of Utah’s Awaken Studios, and yoga and pilates instructor Kevin Carrington, are hosting a pilates retreat aimed at recharging and re-energising.
Alongside pilates (both traditional mat-based sessions and those using a reformer machine), there is meditation, yoga and life-coaching sessions, plus monk blessings and even the chance to take part in a water fight to celebrate the Songkran Thai New Year festival.
April 11-16; shared sanctuary superior twin/double from £1,065pp, single occupancy from £1,554, including all meals (awaken-studios.com; absolutesanctuary.com)
Yoga on a shoestring
Morocco
A 30-minute drive south of Marrakech, on the outskirts of the Berber village of Tagadert, is the serene Tigmi hotel – the setting for this retreat, hosted by yoga teacher Nancy Campbell. Guests can expect two daily classes on the rooftop terrace or in the light indoor studio.
During downtime, head to the two pools (one heated), the hammam, or the pretty garden planted with banana palms and olive trees for lazy afternoons on a lounger. Trips can be arranged to the Atlas Mountains and there is a free shuttle service into Marrakech.
March 25-April 1, November 11-18; shared twin/double from £895, including all meals (yogaonashoestring.com)
The Nattika Beach Ayurveda Resort
India
This 16-acre Kerala beachfront resort specialises in Ayurveda treatment programmes designed to restore the body’s balance.
A seven-night stay begins with a medical consultation, during which a doctor will create a personalised treatment plan and diet, which could include anything from herbal pouches and milk baths to shirodhara head massage. There is also a daily yoga programme, plus twice-weekly meditation and mantra chanting.
Rejuvenation package from £948pp based on a shared twin villa, single occupancy from £944, full-board (thenattikabeach.com)
Bali Silent Retreat
Bali
No talking and no devices – those are the two main rules at the Bali Silent Retreat, an hour north-west of Ubud, which instead encourages guests to walk through rice fields, take the jungle path to the river, and stargaze near the medicine garden.
Or simply do nothing, embracing the solitude and silence (though there is a designated chat zone, too). Group sessions include daily meditation, hot-spring soaks and evening fire-pit gatherings where “I’m sorry” notes are thrown onto the flames.
From £33 per night for a ground-floor single room, plus £38 for a day pass, including all food and juices, classes and events (balisilentretreat.com)
Yoga at Peace Retreat
Costa Rica
In the popular surfing town of Playa Negra, the Peace Retreat offers a series of ongoing wellness-focused breaks, including yoga for six nights. Daily classes included vinyasa-inspired and restorative movement.
Guests can also book treatments –including a coffee body scrub and papaya face mask – in the open-air jungle spa, take part in a shamanic ceremony in the sweat lodge, try sound healing, or borrow a bicycle for the 10-minute ride to the beach.
Shared Jungle Cabina from £724pp, including breakfast and dinner, daily yoga and a massage (00 506 4500 4608; peaceretreatcostarica.com)
All activities are included in the prices unless stated otherwise. All retreats had availability at the time of going to press
