‘Marry yourself’ at a Rosewood in Mexico or reconnect with the earth at an Aman in Bhutan: 5 unusual wellness getaways to banish the Covid-19 blues
Wellness holidays have become more important than ever in the era of Covid-19 – from the Eleven Life adventure programme at Iceland’s Deplar Farm to cloud bathing at Sri Lanka’s Santani Resort & Spa, bookmark these lush hotels and resorts for a restorative future trip
Are you reaching your Zoom limit? Do you never want to hear the phrases “new normal” or “unprecedented times” ever again? Then you, my friend, need a getaway. Not just any getaway, but the kind that will recalibrate, nay, positively edify, your uncertainty-filled existence.
Cue these ultra-novel wellness and spiritual-inspired experiences, which are as far from any Zoom cocktail or yoga session as you can get.
Eleven Life at Deplar Farm, Iceland
Created by boundary-pushing experience designer Eleven Experience and set in Iceland’s rugged Troll Peninsula, this four-day, adventure-filled programme is designed to help you sleep, think, eat and breathe better. Priced from US$2,240 per room per night, it may seem steep, but activities are designed to push you out of your comfort zone – think axe-throwing, group laser tag, sea-kayaking and sensory-deprivation night walks under the Northern Lights, all while taking lungfuls of pure, Icelandic air. Meanwhile more relaxing pursuits – like the sauna which combines drumming and hot and cold plunges, and soothing evening gong and breathing technique sessions that encourage slumber – ensure you return feeling prepared to attack life anew.
Cloud bathing at Santani Resort & Spa, Sri Lanka
At Santani, located in a mountaintop tea estate 850 metres (2,800 feet) above sea level, just step into your guest room balcony and you’ll experience the novel sensation of being immersed in the clouds rising from the lush green valley below. Cloud bathing – a cooling, dewy and hypnotically soothing experience – is available to all guests at this award-winning resort, which has drawn accolades for its customised detox and weight-loss programmes combining cleansing diets, yoga and Ayurveda treatments. Bespoke travel agency Lightfoot Travel praises the stress-reducing feature of cloud immersion, and natural clouds’ ability – at least temporarily – to make you forget about to-do lists waiting in digital ones.