Seven of the World’s Best Luxury Wellness Retreats for Solo Travellers

Going it alone is becoming increasingly popular for wellness breaks. Here’s our edit of the best spa and wellness retreats for solo travellers.

Solo spa and wellness breaks offer the chance to escape the stresses of modern living and really focus on yourself. Whether you’re looking for a tranquil wellbeing escape, a chance to be alone with your thoughts or a result-driven retreat where the focus is on just you and your needs, going solo can free you up to really unwind. Many travellers find they get the best experience and a new-found sense of freedom.

If you feel anxious about travelling to a spa on you own or want to be more sociable and use your break as a chance to meet new people, many of the retreats listed here offer the opportunity to enjoy group wellbeing activities – from yoga and hiking to healthy cookery classes and self-improvement workshops. The joy of a solo retreat is that your programme can be as packed or as chilled as you wish, so there is little time to feel lonely.

From the holistic offerings of Euphoria Retreat, Greece to the integrative wellness of RAKxa in Thailand, here are seven of our favourite solo-friendly wellness retreats where you can get away from it all – while getting back to yourself. 

Euphoria Retreat, Greece – best for… healing and transformation

Euphoria Retreat is a standout holistic wellness resort, offering one of the world’s ultimate healthy holidays. With a focus on transformation, its programmes will guide you on a journey to self-discovery and restoration. The ultimate goal? Providing moments of euphoria during your stay.

Steeped in Mediterranean history, Euphoria Retreat embraces the ancient Hellenic concept of a blissful life. Personalised to each guest, you’ll enjoy experiences based on the principles of Asclepia and Hippocratic medicine, coupled with state-of-the-art modern wellness techniques. Each of Euphoria’s programmes and retreats is inspired by Greek and Chinese healing philosophies, and enriched by the five elements – water, wood, fire, earth and metal. The five elements are also incorporated into the design of the spa, which offers a Sphere Pool, a Byzantine hammam, Finnish sauna, cold plunge, experience showers, steam room, tepidarium, Watsu pool (a warm, womb-like pool), and an outdoor pool and hot tub.

Programmes cover ever need imaginable and many people visit on their own to focus on getting the full benefits of their retreat. Want a break filled with fitness? Try the Spartan Spirit of Adventure. Need to restore and reignite? Try Feel Alive Again. There are also self-discovery retreats, emotional and physical transformation retreats and leadership retreats.

The spa offers energy healing, homeopathic consultations, acupuncture and a range of bodywork designed to nourish, strengthen and inspire you. In 15 treatment rooms therapists perform energy healing, cosmetic facials, homeopathic consultations and lymphatic drainage, to name but a few.

A visit to Euphoria will soothe the nervous system, reboot your energy levels and act as a sanctuary for busy minds. It really is euphoric.

SHA Wellness, Spain – best for… integrated wellness, preventative medicine and better ageing

SHA Wellness Clinic is an iconic, multi award-winning destination for a reason. It focuses on complete rejuvenation, so if you’re looking for a high-end, tailored and uber-exclusive wellness break, SHA is the place to go. Located on a mountainside in the Sierra Helada Natural Park, above the beach town of Albir on the Costa Blanca, the setting is as special as the spa itself.

SHA Wellness Clinic is the pioneer of integrated wellness. A state-of-the-art, luxury medical spa retreat, the 6,000sqm clinic is divided into Occident, Orient and Balance areas. Facilities are off the charts and include an extensive hydrotherapy circuit with two indoor pools and a thermal suite with a variety of steam and sauna experiences.

Everything from Chinese medicine and Thai massage to cosmetic dentistry and stem cell therapy is on offer here. In the wellness area you’ll find a plethora of cutting-edge facials and a whole range of massages, body treatments and water therapies. SHA offers focused, results-driven programmes overseen by experts in their field, with everything from holistic rituals to high-end aesthetics on offer. Programmes include SHA Discovery, SHA Fitness, Sleep Well, Rejuvenation, SHA Detox and SHA Cosmetics Programmes.

Everyone visiting will experience the world-renowned SHA Method, which focuses on healthy nutrition, natural therapies, preventive and healthy ageing medicine, advanced aesthetics, cognitive stimulation, emotional health, wellbeing, inner balance and physical performance.

As one of the best wellness clinics in the world, lots of people opt to visit SHA alone and take full advantage of all its offerings. From morning yoga and organised group walks to fitness classes and wellness seminars there’s a plethora of things to fill your days and evenings. If you fancy a dip, there’s a stunning outdoor rooftop pool, and the rooftop relaxation areas with day beds means you can take in the spectacular views or hunker down with a novel.

MAYRLIFE Medical Health Resort Altaussee, Austria – best for… a serious detox and gut overhaul

The MAYRLIFE Health Concept focuses on regenerating your gut to help improve your immune system. Located on the shores of Lake Altaussee in Austria, MAYRLIFE employs a blend of medical expertise, cutting-edge tech and countless therapies, all combined with the traditional treatment approach originally pioneered by Dr FX Mayr.

Now called Modern Mayr Medicine, the resort offers a detoxification cure to activate your metabolism, strengthen your immune system and increase energy levels. Purification sits at the heart of the process, and all programmes are crafted to reactivate your body’s self-healing powers via better gut health.

Solo travelling is the norm at MAYRLIFE; most people choose to experience the Mayr Cure alone. It’s an intense detox and lethargy can kick in, so early nights with a book are a must for many guests. Daily exercise is also an essential aspect of any stay, so your days will be filled with yoga, dips in the lake, health check-ups, detox baths and lymphatic massages. The minimum stay is seven days, to ensure a positive gut healing and regeneration process. Don’t worry about feeling lonely; guests bond discussing the cure over copious cups of herbal tea in the lounges.

Dining alone is also encouraged, so you can concentrate on chewing your food thoroughly. The principal of the cure is based upon achieving a well-functioning digestive system by eating slowly and consciously – chewing each morsel up to 30 times. It may sound crazy at first, but you soon get used to it, and it’s all in the name of coming home ‘cured’ and completely rejuvenated.

Six Senses Vana, India – best for… a journey of self-discovery in the birthplace of yoga

A sanctuary for rebalancing, healing and learning in the Himalayan foothills, Six Senses Vana are the experts at keeping the outside world at bay. The perfect location for a solo wellness break, Six Senses Vana urges every visitor to come as you are and connect to each other and nature, without limitation. It’s a space dedicated to helping you achieve your spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual potential, and re-learn to take pleasure in simple things.

Vana means forest and the 21-acre retreat sits near Dehradun in India, close to Sal Forest reserves and Rishikesh, the birthplace of yoga. Every aspect of the programming is personalised according to your specific needs, for a transformational journey. Your stay will incorporate traditional practices such as Ayurveda and Tibetan Medicine alongside the latest complementary therapies. You’re encouraged to come with an intention which, when nourished during your retreat, will go on to help guide you through life. The mantra is come as you are; leave as someone better.

At the Wellness Centre you’ll find a steam room, ice shower and Watsu pool, hot tub, gym and yoga studios, plus a meditation cave. On arrival, you’ll be invited for a consultation and wellness screening, after which, the retreat’s team of doctors will create a personalised plan to help you achieve your intentions. You can even opt for an intention-led programme over a longer stays, such as weight management, stress reduction, sleep or breaking bad habits. If you want to go all out, there is also a 21-night Ayurveda Panchakarma – a specific, five-step protocol which aims to restore balance and replenish energy.

Whatever you opt to do, Six Senses Vana provides a safe space who those who want to stay still for a while, feel, think and soothe your mind and body. It’s heaven.

RAKxa Integrative Wellness, Thailand – best for… medical diagnostics merged with ancient healing

Located on Bangkok’s preserved ‘Green Lung’, which is an oasis along the Chao Phraya River, RAKxa delivers tailored wellness programmes designed by world-class medical doctors alongside traditional healing experts. A ground-breaking, ultra-luxury wellness retreat, RAKxa is the first of its kind in Thailand and promises a fully transformative experience.

What makes RAKxa a wellbeing world leader is the blurring of lines. It’s offer is integrative wellness at its finest, merging sophisticated medical diagnostics systems seamlessly with traditional Eastern holistic therapies, such as Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda.

With its 360˚ approach to wellness, you’ll never feel lonely if you travel to RAKxa alone. You can do it all here, from genetic testing to an immune-boosting programme, weight-loss, detox and stress reduction. There is an assembly of experts on hand to optimise every aspect of your stay to your personal health and wellbeing. And when you’re not undergoing treatments, there are daily lectures and movement classes, as well as spa facilities including a herbal steam room, hydrotherapy pool, floatation tank, cryo sauna and infrared sauna.

If you are ready to undergo a health and wellness transformation unlike any other, then you could not make a better choice than RAKxa. More than just a wellness destination, it offers a map to wholeness, where body, mind and lifestyle come together in perfect harmony.

Absolute Sanctuary, Thailand – best for… healing therapies and a peaceful, away-from-it all retreat

The wellness offerings at Absolute Sanctuary go beyond the ordinary. From traditional Thai massage to detoxifying treatments, the spa prioritises natural healing. Their detox programme, along with a wide range of holistic wellness treatments, offer you the chance to cleanse, heal and rejuvenate.

Located on Thailand’s idyllic Koh Samui island – known as the ‘island of healing’ – Absolute Sanctuary is focuses on fitness, yoga, Pilates and core strength. Steeped in natural beauty, it’s the ideal location for some solo contemplation. It offers 22 different programmes across 15 categories and is the place to reconnect, recharge, revitalise and re-energise, with the help of a team of wellness practitioners who are experts in everything from art and sound therapy to astrology, reiki, emotional release, mindfulness and massage.

Wellness retreats range from an intensive yoga break or a fitness-focussed holiday to an anti-stress and burnout package or a full-on detox. All wellness retreats include a host of spa treatments and therapies, and any spare time can be spent in the unbelievable spa or visiting Chaweng and Cheong Mon beaches on Koh Samui – the venue offers complementary transfers.

If what you’re after is a peaceful away-from-it all retreat at an excellent price, Absolute Sanctuary has much to offer.

JOALI Being, Maldives – best for… super-luxe barefoot wellbeing in paradise

This immersive wellbeing island retreat is a the first of its kind in the Maldives. At its core, the philosophy at JOALI Being is ‘joy of living’ and every element of your stay will be dedicated to enhancing your wellbeing by guiding you through a transformational journey of renewal and self-discovery.

Wellness at JOALI is centred around four pillars: mind, skin, microbiome and energy. In the retreat’s herbology and wellbeing centre, AREKA, each bespoke programmes uses a blend of scientific therapies, diagnostic services, educational programmes and alternative healing treatments to create a signature immersion for you. Every programme begins with an intelligent movement analysis and integrative health assessment

In AKTAR, you can go to herbology workshops and it’s here that plant-based concoctions are expertly curated for your individual treatments, which will take place in one of 39 stunning treatment rooms. Experiences on offer include the Discovery Sound Path – an outdoor healing space featuring nine instruments, which restores your inner balance through harmonising vibrations and sounds. The Ocean Sala features an antigravity yoga pavilion and meditation deck while the Kaashi Hydrotherapy Hall has a sensory deprivation room, movement and fitness spaces, as well as a hydrotherapy pool, a banya inspired by the Russian Banya, an Aufguss sauna, a Turkish Hammam, a salt inhalation room, and two Watsu pools.

The resort has 11 different immersive wellbeing programmes to remedy almost any ailment. As well as wellness, JOALI Being has everything you’d expect from a Maldivian holiday – entrance to the spectacular secluded island via seaplane, impossibly blue lagoons, and coconut palms on pristine white sand beaches plus a personal villa butler to attend to your every need.