The World's Most Exclusive Spa & Wellness Retreats

Written By: Karen Hockney

In recent years, the wellness phenomenon has exploded into a vast global industry as the desire to age well naturally, treat ailments holistically and regenerate the body and mind spiritually has become de rigueur.

From state of the art contemporary medi-spas boasting the most innovative technically advanced therapies to remote Zen-like retreats inspired by the ancient healing rituals of Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine, there’s a spa out there with your name on it.

Those in the know realise that health is the new wealth, but where do they head for their annual detox? Here’s our guide to the A-list’s most sought-after spa retreats on the planet.

Villa Stéphanie, Baden-Baden, Germany

A favourite with celebrity golden couple Victoria and David Beckham, Villa Stéphanie is situated in one of the world’s most famous spa towns surrounded by the jaw-dropping splendour of the Black Forest.

If it’s high glamour, sheer luxe and money-can’t-buy exclusivity you’re looking for, this is the place; there are just 15 rooms and guest suites in the stunning Beaux-Arts style main house.

Covering an area of 5,000 sqm, the hotel’s Spa and Wellbeing Centre extends across five floors and comprises an impressive 500 sqm sauna, indoor swimming pool, plunge pool, private gym and female-only sauna, with beautifully designed treatment rooms overlooking the gardens.

A high spec nutrition team analyse your dietary needs on arrival and thereafter you are catered for by gourmet chefs using the finest, freshest seasonal superfood ingredients.

VB’s annual pilgrimage here with husband David is overseen by Dr Harry Koenig, the centre’s head of preventative medicine, who tailor-makes their treatment package from a range of offerings including digital detoxes, physiotherapy and the most up to date integrative holistic therapies to improve their physical and mental health.

Victoria’s favourite aspects are “infusions and long hikes.”

VivaMayr, Lake Maria Worth, Austria

Dubbed 'The Toughest Detox on Earth' by US Vogue, this medi-spa’s hardcore reputation doesn’t deter the supermodels, minor royals, Hollywood stars and wealthy Austrian housewives who flock here to experience a strict digestive reset that could make a grown man cry.

Despite its spartan exterior - the building bears more than a passing resemblance to a Premier Inn – VivaMayr’s breath-taking location on Lake Maria Worth more than compensates. Crisp white interiors, stone floors and minimalist Scandi decor create a haven somewhere between a swish private hospital and a James Bond baddie's lair.

I’ve experienced the regime here first-hand and while certainly tough, it’s highly effective. With a basic price tag of around €5,000 a week, this strict 600-calorie a day regime pioneered 100 years ago by celebrated Austrian gastroenterologist Franz Xaver Mayr and known as “The Cure” is definitely not for the faint-hearted. The goal is to rest the digestive system, cleanse the liver and in doing so, completely regenerate your health.

Uma Thurman, Liz Hurley, Naomi Campbell, designers Christian Louboutin and Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz (both regulars), Mario Testino, Karlie Kloss and Natalie Imbruglia are just a few of the high profile converts while Rebel Wilson and Melanie Griffith have stayed at VivaMayr’s chalet-style sister property in nearby Altaussee.

“The Cure” is a complete detoxification from coffee, gluten, cow dairy, alcohol and sugar, “The Cure” with three tiny meals a day comprising soup, herbal tea, water, a little protein and a lot of fresh mountain air. There are no snacks, just 10 different types of herbal infusion and a watery vegetable broth to stave off the pangs of starvation.

I realise I’m in trouble as soon as I check in. Idly flicking through the visitor’s book, one entry simply states: ‘8.45am: I am HUNGRY.’ ‘I turn the page. ‘I’ve never seen so many miserable looking faces at a holiday resort’, says another.

However, the style set who leave several kilos lighter just in time for Paris Fashion Week or the Oscars are proof that if it’s quick results you’re looking for, you too can float out of here half the woman or man you used to be if you can just hack it for long enough.

SHA Wellness Clinic, Alicante, Spain

Personalised diet regimes teamed with spa therapies and every kind of workout from yoga to Tai Chi are the name of the game at SHA, where Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Gwyneth Paltrow, Barbara Streisand, Donna Karan and Monica Bellucci number among an A-list fanbase.

Established 15 years ago as the world's first macrobiotic wellness resort, SHA’s original outpost in L’Albir on the Costa Blanca offers tailored health breaks to combat insomnia, stress, weight loss and smoking.

Based on a fusion of ancient Eastern philosophy and cutting-edge Western techniques, guests sign up to a strict macrobiotic diet which banishes alcohol, sugar, caffeine and meat as well as those pesky extra kilos you've tried – and failed – to shed since forever.

Spa treatments include an underwater Watsu massage, based on Japanese Shiatsu, which promotes a strong, meditative and emotional response in many clients, ozone therapy and cutting edge facials while weight-shifting programmes sit alongside spiritual classes in breathwork, yoga and mindfulness.

So successful has the SHA concept been that it is now expanding, with SHA Mexico poised to open its doors in the pristine landscape of Costa Mujeres. Its third property, on a 25-hectare private isle between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, launches next year with the lofty aim of becoming the world’s sixth blue zone.

Chiva-Som, Hua Hin, Thailand

For almost 30 years, Chiva-Som has pioneered transformative wellness practices to global acclaim.

One of the first spas to identify optimal wellness as the ultimate goal, this Grande Dame remains at the cutting edge of health innovation and continues to attract a stellar VIP crowd including Kate Moss, Elle Macpherson, Hugh Grant and the Beckhams.

A more traditional approach to detoxing is in place here, using local cuisine and produce as the basis for a deliciously healthy, low calorie, nutritious menu plan which balances your macro and micronutrients. It’s designed to cleanse and detoxify while not depriving you of a single aromatic flavour of Thailand, and somehow manages to make detoxing a pleasure!

Programmes like the Art of Detox are supported by incredible world-class facilities, the results of Chiva-Som’s multi-million pound renovation programme which finished in 2019.

A lighter and airier Health and Wellness Centre, newly facelifted Bathing Pavilion featuring a sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and indoor swimming pool and an improved Medi-Spa offer idyllic surroundings for a reboot. A kinesis studio, gym, Watsu pool, flotation pool and large outdoor swimming pool complete the set up.

This year, a diverse and internationally renowned collection of visiting wellness practitioners will be in residence, including Dr Greg Shiu (applied kinesiology), Ian Lee (osteopathy) and Virginie Claret (holistic healing massage).

Ananda, Himalayas

At the foot of the Himalayas, just a few miles from Rishikesh, the birthplace of yoga, meditation and Ayurveda, is a retreat where the powerful forces of geography, history and nature combine to create something very special.

Overlooking the Ganges river, Ananda is a hugely respected and tranquil haven nestling in the 100 acre grounds of the former Palace Estate of the Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal, where the intention to treat mind and body holistically is central to its ethos.

Heidi Klum, Ricky Martin and Uma Thurman are among those who have experienced Ananda’s spiritual guided mountain tours, Ayurvedic spa therapies and meditation, while Oprah Winfrey simply said: “Going to Ananda is more like a pilgrimage than a visit.”

Its position near legendary Rishikesh has also made it popular with yogis from all over the globe, who sign up for Hatha cleansing and meditation programmes.

If further proof of its excellence and efficacity is required, it was voted No1 Destination Spa by Conde Nast Traveller’s UK and US editions last year.

Chewton Glen, Hampshire, UK

A country house hotel with an extensive and rejuvenating Wellness Hub, Chewton Glen perfectly marries an incredible health journey with understated luxury alongside the finest estate-grown ingredients (cumel, a cucumber and melon hybrid being just one of the more unusual).

Gwyneth Paltrow, Paloma Faith, Sharleen Spiteri, Olympic rower James Cracknell, Kate Moss - and little old me - are big fans and here’s a few reasons why.

Think indulgent suites the size of a small apartment with two balconies offering spectacular views across the rolling Hampshire countryside or sleek Tree House pods nestled in the New Forest with hot tubs, wraparound terraces and quirky eaves-style bedrooms. And not forgetting a restaurant where fine dining equates to healthy and tasty nutritionally dense ingredients culminating in a tastebud frenzy.

This is certainly a boot camp with a difference. There’s no cold shower (unless you choose the freezing drench following a steam session), frugal lettuce leaf lunches, shout-y instructors or inhumane 6am alarm calls.

Instead, it’s five star luxury all the way; an upscale health reset for those who appreciate a lie-in before their morning work-out, a glass of Taittinger afterwards, a bathroom stuffed full of Ren products and a regenerating hydrotherapy pool with hot jets to calm those aching but invigorated muscles.

Curated one-off retreats include Rejuv Wellness with Dr Simone Laubscher (Elle Macpherson’s personal nutritionist), Fitter Stronger run by former journalist Paula Kerr (which I attended and loved) and the current all-the-rage Wim Hof Method. There’s something for everyone here, whether you’re a health nut, a hedonist or a bit of both.