The best resort wellness packages to kickstart your 2024 resolutions

“New year, new you.” That’s the motto, right? January is the month when we set our intentions for the year. Be it drinking less, making it to the gym more often, eating healthier or doing a digital detox, this is the time when wellness takes center stage.

Combining your passion for travel with new health goals is certainly a more enticing way to begin your new-me journey than signing up for a new gym membership or a 1,500-calorie-a-day meal plan.

From infrared, vibrating sound bath tables in Miami to a bespoke immersive experience in a Costa Rica Blue Zone to toning and detoxing while staying in an overwater bungalow in French Polynesia, these properties are running January wellness packages designed to reset your mind, body and spirit and help you keep those 2024 New Year’s resolutions.

Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort, French Polynesia

SOFITEL KIA ORA MOOREA BEACH RESORT/FACEBOOK

If staying in an overwater bungalow in French Polynesia is on your 2024 bucket list, you can combine it with a wellness escape at the Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort. I love this property because it offers a luxury overwater bungalow experience that isn’t (quite) as expensive as the lavish properties on neighboring Bora Bora.

Moorea, where this Sofitel is located, has the same gorgeous turquoise lagoon with sublime snorkeling and diving, and it’s easier to reach — just an eight-hour flight from Los Angeles to Papeete in Tahiti and then a 30-minute ferry ride to paradise (rather than another flight).

The resort also offers some of Moorea’s biggest overwater bungalows on one of the island’s prettiest beaches. Each of the bungalows features polished wood floors, French-meets-Polynesian design and decor, and glass floor panels in the living room to watch the marine life below. The decks have direct access to the lagoon, as well as an outdoor Jacuzzi to induce relaxation. If you want to save some cash, the beachfront bungalows also have access to the same lagoon, just on foot instead of via a ladder.

This January, Sofitel Moorea is running two signature Wellness Escapes from its Le Jardin Spa that incorporate natural ingredients grown on-site. The first package is a 160-minute spa experience that focuses on toning and detoxing. It includes an aromatic orange-vanilla salt bath, foot reflexology with lymphatic drainage, an invigorating orange scrub and an 80-minute activating and toning massage at the end.

If you want to focus on your skin, then check out the Skin Protection Treatment package. The 140-minute experience includes a facial, an aromatic green tea salt bath, a scalp massage and a hair mask, all culminating with a relaxing massage using unrefined coconut oil.

How to book: Nightly beachfront bungalow rates at the Sofitel Moorea Kia Ora Beach Resort start from $600 per night, while overwater bungalows will set you back at least $929 per night. Signature Wellness Escapes cost an additional $412.

Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Mexico

hotel aerial view — BANYAN TREE MAYAKOBA

Of all the resorts in the Mayakoba development on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, the Banyan Tree is my favorite. I love the Asian design flourishes, including a pagoda-style lobby and a pond filled with water lilies. Located on an idyllic stretch of white sand lapped by turquoise waters, the property is backed by lush mangrove forests, giving it a tranquil ambience that’s perfect for an unplugged wellness getaway.

The resort is starting off the year with a Ways of Well package that combines a peaceful stay in a Wellbeing Sanctuary Pool Villa with spa treatments and well-being experiences, such as sun salutations and stretching classes, to help travelers reconnect with themselves, others and nature. The package, which requires a minimum three-night stay in the villa, includes a daily healthy breakfast, an afternoon nutrition platter, yoga, meditation and a 60-minute Sleep Essentials massage for two.

The Banyan Tree’s Wellbeing Sanctuary Villas also come with private, heated swimming pools and outdoor soaking tubs. They have elegant Thai-inspired wellness amenities like a singing bowl to induce a sense of harmony. The on-site restaurants are also excellent, especially the signature Thai restaurant.

How to book: Double occupancy rates for the three-night Ways of Well package at Banyan Tree Mayakoba start at around $3,400. If you have The Platinum Card® from American Express, you can also book Banyan Tree Mayakoba through the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts portal for a slew of elite benefits.

Carillon Miami Wellness Resort

If your intention is to sleep better in 2024, head to the Carillon Miami Wellness Resort in Florida this January for a four-night Sleep Well Retreat.

The resort partnered with bespoke mattress company Bryte to launch the four-night package that includes a stay in a one-bedroom apartment with one of Bryte’s high-tech Balance Smart Beds, which can be adjusted to your own preferred level of firmness. I had the chance to experience this package just before the holidays. I’ll admit that I arrived pretty skeptical about the bed’s game-changing attributes but left more refreshed than I’ve felt all year.

The package also includes the Sleep Well Circuit of wellness treatments that use electromagnetic, vibroacoustic and infrared therapies to aid relaxation, help set intentions and increase energy flow.

I was again dubious when I climbed onto the Vemi table — one of the wellness treatments in the circuit — but, sure enough, I was transported into a deep meditative state thanks to a sound bath performed in conjunction with full-body vibrations and infrared heat.

The Carillon also has a fabulous location right on North Beach, complete with sun loungers and food and beverage service for guests. The Sleep Well Retreat package is just one of several packages the resort is offering through January.

If you are looking for a more intensive new year reboot, the Carillon is also running a Renew You Full Day Retreat with bespoke eight-hour experiences that include guided reflections, meditation, a cacao ceremony, conscious breathing work, intentional goal setting and sound healing. You don’t need to be a guest at the resort to book this retreat either.

How to book: Rates for the four-night Sleep Well Retreat at the Carillon Miami Wellness Resort start at $2,598. The Renew You Full Day Retreat is available for an additional $975 from Jan. 1 to 31.

Hotel Nantipa, Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

Located on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, one of the world’s five Blue Zones (global longevity hot spots with the highest known number of centenarians), Hotel Nantipa is a luxury, boutique, beachfront resort offering an ultra-personalized Blue Wellness package this January.

The lifestyle package is designed as an immersive experience that explores natural ways of enhancing physical health, minimizing stress and eating a superfood-fueled diet, which can all be continued at home.

The three-night package is tailored to each guest’s needs, depending on their preferred area of focus. A sample itinerary might include accommodations, yoga and meditation each morning, a private surf lesson, a hike to the Montezuma waterfall, volunteering at a local nonprofit, daily sunset cocktails, a private sunset dinner on the beach and spa treatments each day.

Chic accommodation options span spacious suites, bungalows and villas, all designed to blend with the natural landscape. Ninta Beachfront Bungalows feature outdoor plunge pools, hammocks, indoor-outdoor showers and floor-to-ceiling windows that frame stunning ocean views. It’s the perfect place to channel those “pura vida” vibes and feel revived amid wild green foliage and the hypnotic sounds of the sea.

How to book: Double occupancy rates for the Blue Wellness package at the Hotel Nantipa start at $3,485 for three nights.

Das Edelweiss Salzburg Mountain Resort, Grossarl, Austria

DAS EDELWEISS SALZBURG MOUNTAIN RESORT/FACEBOOK

Das Edelweiss is one of my favorite spa and wellness resorts I visited in 2023. Located in the tiny mountain village of Grossarl, about an hour’s drive south of Salzburg, the scenery here looks straight out of “The Sound of Music,” with snowcapped mountains and forested hills sloping into lush green valleys.

Austria‘s scenery alone can soothe your soul, but when you factor in the state-of-the-art spa and wellness center, you’re guaranteed the ultimate rejuvenation experience at this resort, which is now in its third generation of family ownership.

Covering multiple floors, the wellness center’s rooftop, adults-only spa is home to an indoor hydrotherapy pool with mesmerizing views and seven distinct saunas and steam baths of varying temperatures and styles, from Finnish to infrared.

Outside on the sun deck, more views abound. Plus, you’ll find a hot tub, a cold plunge pool and the largest and hottest sauna on the property with floor-to-ceiling glass walls.

More spa amenities and pools await on the other floors. If you are including the whole family in your wellness getaway, there are kid and teen zones complete with an indoor pool and a waterslide park.

Das Edelweiss sits adjacent to a local mountain, so if you are visiting in winter, you can also incorporate skiing into your wellness routine (lift tickets are still very affordable here).

Rooms and suites are kitted out with cozy Alpine-style furnishings. Other on-property amenities include grand public spaces with traditional wood and stone decor and a few dining options.

This January, Das Edelweiss is offering a Mountain Spa Moments package that includes access to the mountain spa, a 50 euro ($55) voucher to use on spa treatments and one of the best breakfast buffets in Europe.

How to book: Rates for the Mountain Spa Moments package at Das Edelweiss Salzburg Mountain Resort start at $450 per night in January.

Miraval Austin

For an all-inclusive wellness retreat, consider the New Year Renew Year package at Miraval Austin. This adults-only resort (bookable using World of Hyatt points) sits in the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, just a 30-minute drive from Austin’s city center.

Set on 220 rolling acres on the shores of Lake Travis, it’s a true wellness haven, with spa-inspired rooms appointed with in-room Himalayan singing bowls and meditation pillows.

The package includes accommodations, all meals, nonalcoholic beverages, gratuities, shared airport transport and a nightly $175 resort credit that can be applied to any spa treatment or fee-based activities.

Miraval has a long list of daily activities (sign up in advance, they book out!), some of which are included and others that cost extra. Free activities feature everything from cardio drumming to Pilates fusion and TexZen yoga. If horses are what heal you, the equine program here is excellent. A certified equine specialist offers private Rhythmic Riding sessions and other workshops.

At the award-winning Live in Balance Spa, you can choose from a range of innovative treatments. One is Sukha, a Thai-inspired aerial bodywork session based on guided aerial movements while participants are wrapped in strong silk fabrics to facilitate deeper muscle stretches.

How to book: Nightly rates for the New Year Renew Year package at Miraval Austin start around $999 per person. Note that this special package cannot be booked with Hyatt points.

Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa, Koh Samui, Thailand

January is peak season on beautiful Koh Samui, a famous island in the Gulf of Thailand that’s easy to access via direct flights from Bangkok.

You can escape the crowds and focus on your mental and physical well-being with a wellness package at Kamalaya. A hippy, chill vibe prevails throughout the property, and the lush grounds are beautifully landscaped. The architectural style is classically elegant, with thatched roof and teak buildings that blend into the natural environs.

The resort sits on Laem Set beach on Koh Samui’s south side, which is far from the prettiest on the island, but you don’t come here for the sea. The 76-room, American-owned enclave on a coconut palm-strewn coastline is known for its wellness programs, which run for three, five, seven, nine or 14 nights and include numerous treatments (the longer you stay, the more you get).

The three-night package comes with eight treatments, including a body bio-impedance analysis, a lotus scrub, a traditional Asian foot massage, a vital essence oil massage and a traditional Thai massage, among others. Rates also cover all meals, airport transfers and a wellness consultation.

How to book: Rates for a three-night wellness package inclusive of accommodation at Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa start at $2,930 per person.

Castle Hot Springs, Morristown, Arizona

The Arizona desert is a soul-soothing place in January, and there’s no better wellness resort to reset your mind and body than Castle Hot Springs.

Located at the edge of the Bradshaw Mountains, the resort has been welcoming travelers since the late 1800s. During the 20th century, it was one of the most glamorous hot spring resorts in America, attracting everyone from former President John F. Kennedy to the Vanderbilts and the Rockefellers.

Castle Hot Springs is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (but does not participate in the Hyatt partnership) and is all-inclusive (with spa treatments, some activities and alcoholic beverages costing extra).

Recently, the property underwent a massive renovation, preserving historical buildings while adding modern amenities. Guests here can also expect a smorgasbord of outdoor activities, ranging from guided hikes to pickleball and farm tours.

The Wellness Through Water package is designed to maximize the benefits of the mineral-rich hot spring pools. The package requires a three-night stay and includes accommodation in either a Spring Bungalow or Sky View Cabin, all meals, gratuities and a $25 per person, per night beverage credit. The food here is nutritious, delicious farm-to-table fare and includes five-course dinner tasting menus.

The package also covers a 60-minute Watsu treatment per person and a 60-minute water element trio of yoga, meditation and breathing work per room. Many resort activities are part of the rates, too, as is unlimited access to the hot springs.

How to book: Double occupancy rates at Castle Hot Springs for the Wellness Through Water package start from $1,850 per night.

Majestic Hotel & Spa, Barcelona

If your New Year’s resolution includes spending more time with your dog (I would argue a pup is the key to mental well-being), the Majestic Hotel in doggo-obsessed Barcelona is running a wellness package this January. This lavish grande dame hotel on Barcelona’s most famous shopping street also welcomes canines with its Very Important Pup package.

I stayed here recently while getting my dog, Poppy, her European Union pet passport, and we both loved everything about this property. The Majestic exudes old-world elegance throughout and houses an extensive art collection.

While many parts of Europe are cold and gray in winter, Barcelona, which has a balmy Mediterranean climate year-round, is an exception. Highs average in the 60s Fahrenheit, and lows are in the high 40s.

The Majestic’s wellness package starts with a sunrise yoga class at its rooftop terrace bar, where you’ll enjoy jaw-dropping, panoramic city views. You’ll follow it up with the hotel’s award-winning breakfast experience (it has been called the best hotel breakfast in Europe).

Afterward, it is on to the spa for a private hydrotherapy circuit followed by a luxurious two-hour body and facial treatment. I tried both and fell quickly into a state of bliss — and my skin looked 10 years younger after that facial. The day of indulgence culminates with a farm-to-table concept lunch at the house restaurant, SOLC.

How to book: Double occupancy rates at the Majestic Hotel & Spa start at $280 per night. The wellness package is an additional $520.

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