Best retreats for single travellers in 2021

While your friends may want to plan group holidays, you may prefer to take charge of your health and wellbeing by opting for a solo wellness retreat. To help you achieve this goal, we’ve recommended our best retreats for single travellers. 

ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY

Absolute Sanctuary is an award-winning Moroccan inspired wellness retreat located in a quiet area on the north-eastern side of Koh Samui. Established in 2008, it has since become a haven for those seeking a journey back to balance, rejuvenation and a healthy lifestyle. With only 38 rooms, Absolute Sanctuary is an intimate boutique property providing a perfect setting for solo travellers who will feel very safe and relaxed here. You can choose from a range of different routes to help you cleanse, recharge and revitalise, and programmes can be mixed and matched to suit your needs. There is something for every type of wellness traveller at Absolute Sanctuary. They specialise in detox, weight management and stress-relieving programmes and offer a comprehensive holistic approach to health. Some of the guests are particularly interested in fasting and the Signature detox programme with daily colon hydrotherapy sessions combined with massages, healthy meals, detox drinks and nutritional supplements. Many stay for longer in order to maximise the benefits and take part in 30-, 60- and even 90-day Lifestyle Change programmes that make a real difference. Yoga classes are amongst the best you will ever experience, so much so that Absolute Sanctuary's yoga gurus train yoga instructors from around the world. Moreover, they have the only Pilates Reformer Programme in Asia. Food receives many compliments too, you will take advantage of the hand-picked local produce (organic whenever possible). The retreat is nestled into the hillside - with stunning views of the Gulf of Thailand -  but you can reach popular beaches Chaweng & Cheong Mon in no time, daily shuttles are provided.

VIVAMAYR ALTAUSSEE

When you’re feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and need a break from the chaotic world around us why not spend a week or two at a stunning medical spa? VIVAMAYR Altaussee is an 11,000 m2 purpose-built hotel with a vast medical department led by uber-talented young medical director Dr Sepp Fegerl. 56 bedrooms boast panoramic mountain and lake Altaussee views, and you can actually swim in the lake in the summer months. It’s a perfect place to try out F.X. Mayr medicine to detox, raise energy levels and improve your immune system. Powerful local thermal waters, unique to VIVAMAYR Altaussee, as well as fresh alpine air, have a proven healing effect and contribute towards your recovery and reenergizing your body and mind. VIVAMAYR'S cutting edge diagnostic techniques include applied kinesiology, comprehensive blood tests, ECG’s, mineral nutrient analysis, hormone testing, fatty acid analysis, CSA Stress test and mineral nutrient analysis (CCX). VIVAMAYR specialises in stress-related ailments - allergies, immune deficiencies, irritable bowels etc. You can also get advice on preventive care, therapy and a healthy diet. The marvellous Altaussee spa spans 600m2. It features a gorgeous hammam and plenty of thermal mineral waters to supply the beautiful pool and Watsu water pool. The food is locally sourced, organic and individually prepared according to the specific diet plan of each guest. At VIVAMAYR Altaussee you will be offered a wide range of massage treatments, acupuncture, aerial yoga, osteopathy, colon hydrotherapy and many more. There is a superb network of walking trails, you can also do mountain climbing and Nordic walking. And not to mention lifesaving medical lectures!

LANSERHOF TEGERNSEE

Lanserhof Tegernsee is an Uber Luxury clinic located at the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, only an hour’s drive from Munich airport. It is considered Europe’s most modern health resort, a place of peace and quiet where you will regenerate and recharge your batteries. Lanserhof Tegernsee is an architectural stunner, its stylish minimalistic design was created by Christoph Ingenhoven, one of the most prominent architects of our time. There are 70 generously sized rooms and suites, each with a balcony and a view. The facilities include state-of-the-art treatment, consulting and exercise rooms. A separate bathhouse is equipped with an innovative fitness studio, the most modern saunas available, an indoor pool, and a lounge featuring an open fireplace. One of the main features is the heated outdoor swimming pool filled with salt water (open all year round) as well as their own 18-hole golf course. At Lanserhof Tegernsee, they are pioneering the LANS Med Concept based on the findings of F.X. Mayr from over 30 years of constant research and development. It is a unique combination of the most valuable insights that nature and science have to offer. The staff takes pride in giving each guest their full attention by tailoring programmes to individuals, everything from diet to treatments is decided after the initial consultation with the doctors. Individual exercise therapy sessions, specially designed LANS Energy Cuisine concept and the extensive physical therapy programme all accelerate and strengthen the holistic regeneration process. Activities include yoga, pilates, Qi Gong, fascia training, mediation, cookery classes and topic-related presentations and lectures.

PREIDLHOF

Preidlhof is situated in the Dolomites of Northern Italy in the foothills of the Texel Group Nature Park, one hour drive from Innsbruck airport. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site blessed with a magnificent year-round Mediterranean climate. The spa is run by very charismatic Patrizia Bortolin who is a renowned Transformative Health Coach and “Glowing Flow” co-Creator. Thanks to her, a totally different spa concept and treatment programmes have been implemented at Preidlhof. She was joined by Stefano Battaglia, a highly-acclaimed holistic healer, therapist, trainer and mediation teacher. Featuring 71 rooms & suites, this multi-award-winning spa offers transformational wellness and integrated healing for solo travellers and couples/families alike, alongside the hospitality, accommodation and services of a 5* hotel. You can choose from a great variety of retreats at Preidlhof, such as Modern Relaxation, Glowing Flow, Ayurveda, Sleep Better, Menopause, Energy & Healing and the list goes on. Take advantage of special classes and treatments some of which are quite unconventional: colour healing & candle massages, forest bathing, dance therapy, sound healing, laughter yoga, purification rituals with alpine herbs, mindfulness, barefoot meditation, Yoga Nidra and many more. Mindfulness and a mindful approach to life are key factors of the new concept. Spa at Preidlhof is 5000 m2 of pure relaxation and indulgence, and you must not miss the ultimate sauna tower with 16 steam, relaxation and sauna experiences. There is also a spacious gym pavilion with the latest cardio equipment, yoga & meditation pavilion and tennis facilities. Three golf courses available nearby. There are excellent trails for hiking, biking, and running. Guided bike tours, hiking trips and workouts are offered every week. And all that being surrounded by cypresses, palms, olive trees and apple orchards.

EUPHORIA

Euphoria Retreat is one of our top suggestions for solo travellers who would like to experience the holistic approach to addressing physical, emotional and spiritual needs and attain inner happiness and balance. The retreat is located in the heart of the Peloponnese, a 2.5-hour drive from Athens or less than an hour from Kalamata. Guests can choose from 45 rooms and suites and enjoy attractive views of the famous town of Mystras as well as the private forest. Euphoria Retreat’s healing philosophy is based on the common ground between two immensely influential philosophies – the Ancient Greek philosophies and healing practices and Chinese Medicine. Wellness programmes are tailored around your individual needs, each drawing on the 5 elements (earth, fire, water, wood and metal) and their related energies. Signature retreats include Spartan Spirit of Adventure, Odysseus Journey, Emotional and Physical transformation and finally Nutrigenomics (weight balance), created in collaboration with an innovative Greek company Eucrasia, globally awarded in the field of Health Tourism. Set over four floors, the Spa at Euphoria is not to be missed. Lose yourself in a Byzantine Hammam, Sphere pool with hydro jets and underwater massage, Watsu pool and Tepidarium. There are yoga and meditation rooms, an Infrared/Finnish sauna and a large high-tech gym. The meals are designed to detoxify the body, boost metabolism, fight inflammation and reinforce the immune system, all in accordance with a unique concept of Intelligent Mediterranean Metabolic Homeostasis Therapy. Don’t miss out on reconnective Healing, chakra balancing, reiki, acupuncture and theta healing offered by the Retreat’s head therapist Katerina. Activities range from mountain hiking and trekking to group forest meditation.