Check-in to good health! 7 life-changing wellbeing hotels world-wide

The best health and wellbeing escapes around the world to help you give up booze, meat, your phone, whatever!

Feel like you need a break from everything? We’re not just talking time out from stress and screen time, we’re talking a major life break from some of the things that make you feel unhealthy, like sugar, caffeine, alcohol and meat.

A total immersion in next-level wellbeing, including treatments, nutritious diet and sessions with super knowledgable therapists really can help transform your health and improve your longevity, whether that’s a gut health detox, going caffeine-free or quitting booze. Here’s our pick of the best places to getaway from it all.

The gut detox: VIVAMAYR, Austria

VIVAMAYR health resort in Austria

Too much gas? Bloating? Time on the loo? You might benefit from a gut detox at one of the best health centres in the world. VIVAMAYR treats the symptoms of an unhealthy lifestyle, but also gets to the, er, bottom of your problem, literally. Expect medically prescribed meals, stomach massages, colon flushing and liver compresses to clear out the pipes. Every patient at VM is prescribed a tailored version of the Mayr detox to get (almost) guaranteed results. This place is loved by supermodels, so expect to see one or two wafting aorund the modern medical centre.

The sugar/caffeine detox: Vilalara, Portugal 

Terrace at Vilalara Resort, Portugal

Vilalara’s four night detox package is the business. Muddy’s tried it and loved the results (clearer skin, reduction of our mum tum, looking fresher and less tired). After a medical examination to make sure it’s ok for you to cut out solids, you’re put on a strict programme, which means no meals and definitely no caffeine (cause of a major headache on day two). You’ll be sipping things like longevity shots of cider vinegar and lemon, super shakes (eg blueberries, acai tea and sesame seeds) and Alkaline water (ph 9.5), but it’s about way more than fasting. This is basically an MOT for your body, including a personal health check, lymphatic drainage, exfoliation, jet baths, osteopathy sesh and a biophysical evaluation.

The digi detox: Unplugged, UK

Unplugged detox cabin in Wales

There’s been a lot of news recently hasn’t there? And while it’s important to know what’s going on in the world, it’s also important to limit your doom scrolling and completely switch off. We’re talking somewhere that actually takes away your phone (gulp). Digital detox cabins by Unplugged, hidden deep in the Welsh/ Sussex/ Essex countryside, ask you to hand over your smartphone on arrival, which gets locked in a sealed box. You’re handed an old Nokia incase you need to call the team, giving you plenty of time to forest bathe, take pictures on the cabin’s polaroid camera, play tapes on the cassette player and read books. Aaaand relax.

The noise detox: Shreyas Retreat, India

Shreyas Retreat in India

Inner chatter getting too much? Sensory overload? Could be time to calm your mind on a Silent Retreat at this Indian paradise. If you think you can handle a week of no talking (Muddy would definitely struggle), the benefits are huge, from better sleep to realigning your life goals. Things kick off with a medical consultation to cover things like health and food preferences, then you’ll spend four days in silence (you’ll be given a Shhhreyas badge so other guests will know not to engage you in conversation), without a computer/ phone but with a notepad to jot down thoughts, meditation manuals and healthy organic, vegan meals provided three times a day.

The sleep detox: Lisnavagh, Ireland

Desperately chasing zzzz? If you’;’re having trouble getting some shut-eye (like half the nation) give this holistic retreat, an hour from Dublin, a try. Led by yogi Pamela Butler, the three-day getaway uses gentle Hatha yoga sessions, pranayama and mindfulness to help you drift off. It’s all about nourishment for body and soul, with long walks in acres of beautiful countryside, crackling log fires to curl up beside with a good book, private bedrooms with super comfy beds, big tubs for sleep-inducing soaks and morning and evening yoga sessions including meditation and vitamin-packed vegan and veggie food. The next Yoga & Sleep Retreat takes place 8-10 March 2024. 

The meat detox: Saora’s 1875, Scotland

The Saora 1875 hotel in Scotland

The UK’s first 100 per cent vegan hotel in Perthshire is a perfect weekend retreat for style-conscious guests wanting a plant-based lifestyle. Everything’s organic, with ingredients supplied from the hotel’s garden or local farms, so you can be sure you’re helping the local economy when you tuck into your delicious five-course set menu (think watermelon sashimi, asparagus and chargrilled artichoke with sherry and mustard dressing). And that’s not all, the owners also plant a tree for every person dining, while the sumptuous rooms feature vegan bathroom products

The booze detox: Absolute Sanctuary, Thailand 

Bedroom at Absolute Sanctuary in Thailand

No chance of sipping a cheeky Prosecco between holistic treatments at this health and wellness retreat on the paradise island of Koh Samui, because it’s booze-free. What will be on tap are world-class yoga teachers and holistic remedies as part of a comprehensive detox holiday programme, which translates as spa treatments, healthy veggie food, juices, and absolutely no alcohol (you get the message). The promise? ‘You’ll emerge from this alcohol-free retreat with a refreshing sense of control over your diet, health and wellbeing’.

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