As we are a business that travels the world we are very much missing all the retreats and adventures we had planned. That’s why we are sharing some of our favourite travel destinations in this feature on the best views you can wake up to on a retreat or spa resort – to inspire you, and add to your bucket list when choosing your next wellness holiday.
The best views you can wake up to in Bali…
The Edge, Uluwatu Bali
The Edge defies both convention and gravity. Clinging to the side of a 500ft cliff in Uluwatu, Bali, The Edge promises its guests a chance experience opulence, seemingly at the very edge of the world.
The estate offers amazing ocean views from its clifftop position and is home to oneeighty°, one of the most talked about pool clubs in Bali. The Edge also houses three restaurants, a world-class spa and fitness centre.. The surrounding area includes some of the most lavish resorts in Bali, so you’ll have your pick of great dining venues. The surf breaks of Padang Padang and Suluban Beach are about 15 minutes away by car.
This villa has two private pools and relaxing body treatments await you at the spa, which features private steam baths and sweeping ocean views. Personal villa butlers can help with travel, entertainment arrangements and prepare and serve breakfast in the villas’ private kitchens. Personally tailored gourmet menus are handcrafted by the executive chef and an extensive wine list is available. Read reviews.
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The best views you can wake up to in St Lucia…
Jade Mountain
Rising majestically above the 600 acre beach front resort of Anse Chastanet, Jade Mountain Resort on St. Lucia’s south-western Caribbean coastline is a cornucopia of organic architecture celebrating St. Lucia’s stunning scenic beauty.
The bold architectural design – individual bridges leading to exceptional infinity pool sanctuaries and rugged stoned-faced columns reaching towards the sky – makes Jade Mountain St. Lucia one of the Caribbean’s most mesmerising resort experiences.
Expect grand sweeping spaces where bedroom, living area and an extravagant private infinity pool glide into one another to form extraordinary platforms floating out into nature. With the fourth wall entirely absent, Jade Mountain’s sanctuaries are stage-like settings from which to embrace the full glory of St. Lucia’s Pitons World Heritage Site, and of course, the eternal Caribbean Sea.
A wide range of spa services can be enjoyed in the privacy of the Jade Mountain sanctuaries or at Kai en Ciel, Jade Mountain’s boutique spa and fitness studio.
Jade Mountain guests can choose from a carefully selected menu of spa treatments available in the privacy of their infinity pool sanctuary or in the boutique St. Lucia spa, Kai en Ciel. Also, the Kai Belté spa located on Anse Chastanet beach and the Kai Mer spa cottage is available to Jade Mountain guests at any time. Kai en Ciel spa offers a large and varied menu with both classical body and beauty treatments, as well as ayurvedic and holistic services.
Complimentary yoga classes are available at Jade Mountain in addition to which private yoga lessons can also be arranged. Also, there are daily escorted walks and hikes available on the 600-acre estate. Read reviews.
The best views you can wake up to from a palace in Venice…
The Gritti Palace
The majestic Gritti Palace is where history and culture are met with renewed Venetian style. A place of exceptional art and elegance, the restored Gritti Palace retains its reassuringly intimate and familiar feel. The Gritti is known for impassioned service, a delectable culinary experience and an intimate wellness haven. The reference point for the world’s elite at international city events such as the Biennale, Carnival and the Venice Film Festival.
After a meticulous restoration, explore the hotel’s original wooden ceilings, original entrance flooring, dressing-table mirrors and 18th century wall lamps, hand-made in Murano, and more. The epitome of luxury, the Gritti Signature Suite Collection showcases the hotel’s rich historical past.
This 15th-century palazzo occupies one of the loveliest spots on the Grand Canal, looking across to the magnificent Salute church, and has equally sumptuous interiors to match, with priceless antiques and frescoes.
Technology has been thoroughly updated but the palace’s intimate and historic character and appearance have been retained: digital alarm-radios and televisions are the only things that spoil the illusion you are staying not in a hotel but in a 15th-century Venetian palazzo.
There is a small but exquisite Acqua di Parma spa (with two treatments rooms), an elegant and relaxing space carefully designed in every detail, creating an intimate and unique ambiance in which to relax after an intense day spent discovering the wonders of Venice. Read reviews.
The best views you can wake up to from a Medieval hilltop village…
Palazzo Avino, Amalfi Coast Italy
Palazzo Avino is a stunning five-star deluxe hotel on Italy’s famed Amalfi coast. Built in what was once a 12th century private villa for an Italian noble family and opened as a hotel in 1997, Palazzo Avino has been landed as one of the world’s finest hotels and boasts one-star Michelin dining. Tucked away in the medieval hilltop village of Ravello, perched high on the cliffs, 350 m (1,000 ft) above the sparkling Mediterranean, Palazzo Avino overlooks some of the coast’s most picturesque fishing village.
Palazzo Avino offers a peaceful sanctuary overlooking the sea. The spa is located next to the swimming pool in the gardens of Palazzo Avino and overlooks the Mediterranean sea and includes a hydro pool, sauna, Turkish steam bath, massage and treatment cabin
Palazzo Avino’s Clubhouse by the sea is located in the small town of Marmorata, just a 15 minute drive from Ravello. There is complimentary access to the beach platforms for all hotel guests (based on availability). The Clubhouse by the sea opens from May 1st to October. Read reviews.
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The best views you can wake up to (and watch an outdoor movie from) in the Maldives…
Soneva Jani
Stay in your own water retreat, swim in the pool or ocean, dine on the roof deck and gaze at the stars from your bedroom. Slide into the lagoon, frolic in the pool, wash away sand and salt in the open-air bathroom.
Meaning ‘wisdom’ in Sanskrit, Soneva Jani is built in a lagoon of crystal clear waters, with five islands surrounded by pure white beaches, covered in rich tropical vegetation. Four of the five islands will remain untouched so it will be, by far, the lowest density development in the Maldives. The overwater villas are spaced across the expansive lagoon, offering privacy and extensive views.
‘No news, no shoes’: that’s the only rule here!. Inspired by the resort’s name. At the Jani spa, guests are encouraged to learn new skills and rethink their lifestyles with a focus on wellness. The in-house experts are on hand to offer advice to assist guests to heal, move, and ‘be’. Spa treatments are complemented by the fully-equipped gym and yoga pavilion, outdoor spa champas, as well as sauna and steam rooms. Read Reviews.
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The best views you can wake up to in Dubai…
Armani Hotel
Opened since 2010, the ten-story hotel with 160 rooms and suites is the first hotel by fashion designer Giorgio Armani. Bearing all the Armani signature details in the carefully curated space with Eramose stone floors, zebrawood panels, and custom-made furnishings, it’s no surprise that everything here is tastefully designed.
Much of Armani Hotel Dubai’s appeal is also defined by its location. Situated at Burj Khalif, the world’s tallest tower in Downtown Dubai, the world’s most luxurious hotel boasts stunning views of the city, convenient access to the city’s best shops, restaurants and cultural attractions, plus a dedicated entrance to the tower.
With all the amenities one would normally expect, Award-winning restaurants, lounge, deluxe spa and various Armani goods, what really sets this hotel apart is the “warm, Italian-style service” noted by Mark Kirby, General Manager of Armani Hotel Dubai. each guest is assigned a personal Lifestyle Manager who handles everything from arranging childcare to landing difficult bookings of the hottest restaurants and events out there.
Facilities include an arrow-shaped pool with a suntrap terrace and background music that helps mask Dubai’s ever-present soundtrack of construction. The spa features a thermal area with sauna, dry-heat laconium and steam room, and treatment rooms with adjustable massage tables that are so plush you’ll struggle not to nod off. Read reviews.
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The best views you can wake up to in Paris…
Hôtel Plaza Athénée
A chic hotel on the Avenue Montaigne, one of the most prestigious haute couture addresses with big name stores (Armani, Dior, Chanel, Vuitton) in close proximity. This is one of the city’s eight officially-designated “palace” hotels (a level up from five-star), it’s a five to 10- minute walk to the Avenue des Champs Élysées and the Grand Palais.
The Hôtel Plaza Athénée’s 154 rooms and 54 suites offer magnificent views along the avenue Montaigne and towards the Eiffel Town and Montmatre. Each is decorated with warm and light tones that are embellished by rich materials like damask, embroderies and silks sourced from top couture houses that together create a sense of privacy and intimacy in the centre of the city.
The hotel’s restaurants are overseen by the great Alain Ducasse and include his signature 3 Michelin starred ‘Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée’ which serves the finest contemporary French cuisine. Other restaurants include the grill ‘Le Relais Plaza’, the patisserie ‘La Galerie’, the seasonal restaurant ‘La Cour Jardin’ and the café ‘La terrasse Montaigne’. For drinks guest can also choose the Plaza Athénée bar.
The Dior Institute spa offers a wide selection of facials and body treatments, some of which have been developed especially for the Plaza Athénée. The Institute also includes a fitness centre and personal trainer.
The hotel is ideally located for sampling the finer side of Parisian fashion with haute couturiers Chanel, Dior and Valentino just steps away. For longer journeys around the city guests can make use of the chauffeur-driven limousines and even Maserati’s. Read reviews.
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The best views you can wake up to in your own tree house…
Keemala, Phuket Thailand
Guests go to Keemala to pause and unwind from the stresses of modern day living. The seven ‘Tree Pool Houses’ are built to represent the ‘We-ha’ people who worshipped the universe and chose to live suspended from the trees to be nearer to the sky.
The ‘Rung-Nok’ community inspired the design of the eight ‘Bird’s Nest Pool Villas’. This group enjoyed an opulent way of life compared to other clans. Their craving for exclusivity resulted in the woven tangle of a birds nest design. The Mala Spa embraces traditional healing approaches to the body, mind and soul, and integrates these with the best of modern pampering and beautifying regimes.
Whether you seek inner alignment and balance through massage and healing bodywork, a customised holistic program to deeply renew and refresh a sluggish mind and tired body, or just a rejuvenating, anti-ageing skin treatment, Mala Spa is the perfect sanctuary for your mind, body and soul.
Upon entering the sanctuary of Mala Spa, each guest will embark on a sacred healing journey. The spa treatments have been carefully curated to incorporate elements of ocean, earth, fire, air and ether, as well as their own unique Keemala rituals designed by their spa team and inspired by the stories of the Keemala clans and their distinctive way of living. Read reviews.
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The best views you can wake up to in a 17th century hotel in Italy…
Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa
Striking the perfect balance of seclusion without solitude, Monastero Santa Rosa allows guests to determine the tone of their stay, whether they’re looking to disappear for an intimate getaway or gather with the group and make new acquaintances. It’s hard to imagine that the generous grounds, filled with four levels of gardens, lush landscaping, plentiful lounge chairs, and canopied daybeds, serve just 20 rooms and suites.
Where most boutique properties might only offer in-room massages, Monastero Santa Rosa hosts a fully equipped spa to rival any major city spa, offering not just treatment rooms, but large-scale amenities that include a sauna, steam, mosaic-tiled experience shower, hydro pool, and tepidarium.
Guests are welcome to feel a part of the scene at the library and bar. Engage in a game of chess or cards or read while sipping a martini in the modern cocktail area. Relax down by the pool or discover the resort’s secret gardens, quiet sun decks, and indoor relaxation areas. Get the best of both worlds by making your stay as energising or relaxed as you wish, by selecting different spaces to suit your mood at any time.
The Monastero Santa Rosa stands secluded along the famed Blue Highway near the quaint fishing village of Conca dei Marini. Centrally located, the hotel is just a 20-minute car or boat ride from the most scenic towns along this glamorous coastline, notably Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. Although the villages of the Amalfi Coast are a magnet for the wealthy with their luxury hotels and million-dollar yachts sprinkling the sea, what characterises the region is its effortless Mediterranean simplicity, cobblestone streets, fresh seafood drizzled in olive oil, bougainvillea-covered villas, sweet citrus scents wafting from abundant lemon groves, and unrivalled views.
Each room within the spa preserves the original 17th Century vaulted ceilings and many of its rustic walls, maintaining the monastic heritage of this beautiful property. The Italian heritage of bathing is presented in the form of a thermal Suite, consisting of a collection of vaulted spaces inter-connecting the various warm rooms via arched openings and changes of levels…a discovery around each corner. Read reviews.
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The best views you can wake up to as you salute the sun in the French Alps…
If you are a lover of the mountains and enjoy being in the great outdoors this is the hiking yoga holiday for you. An exciting week of adventure activities during the day beginning with yoga and then a choice of hiking, white water rafting, paragliding or wild swimming.
The hiking yoga experience is unrivalled here. After touring around the French Alps, we love hiking in this area. With so many routes to choose from and breathtaking views, you won’t want to go home! There’s nothing like a hiking yoga holiday to exhilarate and enliven body and mind.
Stay in our beautiful rustic Chalet style accommodation nestled on the mountainside surrounded by alpine pastures. Start and end the day with yoga to stretch out your hiking limbs, and soothe them with a sauna and hot tub, or treat yourself to a massage.
Step out of the chalet and the mountain trails are yours for the picking. If you’ve not visited the French Alps in the summer time, you’re in for a treat. As the winter snow melts away in the spring, the mountains take on their summer mantle of bright green grass and colourful alpine flowers. The views are equally as spectacular in the summer as they are in the winter.
After a long walk reward yourself with a swim to cool off in a refreshing glacial lake. There are so many hikes to choose from, at blue, red or black levels.
Enjoy views of Mont Blanc in the distance. If you feel like a day off from walking why not try paragliding or white water rafting, or enjoy the Olympic sized pool in Bourg St Maurice. Or simply relax in the garden of the chalet and catch some sun whilst enjoying a good book.
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The best views you can wake up to surrounded by sunflowers..
Yoga, Spa & Culture Retreat in the South of France
Get ready for our annual getaway in the south of France – this time with a new itinerary with daily yoga, walks, and food-focused activities throughout the week. From gourmet tastings, the famous Provencal rosé, and plenty of time to take in the gorgeous surroundings on our hikes past lavender, blue waters, and vineyards.
Bastide Avellanne is the ideal location to visit Provence. Situated only 30 minutes from the sea and from the Cote D’Azur between Cannes, St. Tropez and Hyeres. With its hundreds of kilometers of white beaches, rocky capes and wild bays, it is considered the most beautiful coastline of France – 300 kilometers of coast accompanying the Mediterranean Sea, white sandy beaches, a preserved landscape, protected islands and famous locations renowned worldwide.
It looks just as you see in postcards: fields of lavender, medieval villages, chateaux, markets full of colours where you can find local products and exotic spices, lively small towns with a slow way of life.
Day trips will allow guests to add arts, culture, adventure, and natural beauty to their retreat experience. Trips may include visits to small villages, large cities, outdoor activities, even a gorgeous spa day in a 5* countryside chateau where guests can swim, enjoy lunch, use the spa area and receive a relaxing treatment (included in the retreat).
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The best views you can wake up to between the beach and the rain forest in Australia
The Byron at Byron resort and spa
The Byron at Byron Resort and Spa shares its ravishing rainforest with jewel-coloured birds and butterflies; make your own nest at this tropical treat near Tallow Beach. A glittering pool shielded by trees and greenery, an excellent restaurant and an award-winning spa are additional feathers in this hotel’s well-plumed cap.
The boardwalks through the rainforest make for a pleasant walk and the spa offers massages out here in a small pavilion, where instead of the typical massage music or whale sounds, you will hear only the gentle sounds of the rainforest birds over the distant roar of the surf.
If you’re up for a more challenging trek, take the short walk to Tallow Beach and head down the sand towards Cape Byron. From there, you can head up the hill to the lighthouse and enjoy spectacular views along the beach both south and west, standing at the most easterly point of mainland Australia.
If peace and quiet is what you seek on your weekend escape, the Byron at Byron offers it in spades. Its location allows it to offer the best of both worlds – beach and rainforest. You can get a sense of isolation only a few minutes’ drive from the centre of town. Read reviews.
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The best views you can wake up to on a Greek Island yoga retreat…
Yoga retreat in Kythnos Island
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Join us for a transformative yoga retreat in Kynthos Island on the ancient and unspoiled seashores of Greece. Kythnos Island is a place where time passes a bit slower and you can barely distinguish between what is design and what is nature.
It is known for its magnificent 100 km coastline of sand and pebble bays. Just a short boat ride from Athens, it is surprising how this island has evaded mass tourism. Kythnos truly is Cyclades’ hidden gem.
Practicing yoga in an open studio with a view over the Aegean Sea is one of the most beautiful experiences. Enjoy the benefits of Ashtanga and Vinyasa Flow Yoga in the mornings. Take pleasure in yin yoga, restorative yoga or workshop-style classes in the afternoon while watching the magical sunset. Feel energised, nourished and centred.
Spend your free time exactly as you like. Delight yourself with a massage, swim in the infinity pool, sunbathe on the near-by beach or visit the thermal waters with their therapeutic properties.
The K4 Kythnos Retreat Centre is located by the beach. A sustainable complex of four independent villas, each one boasts a unique Cycladic style and a terrace overlooking the infinity pool and the Aegean Sea. The whole place feels like it’s been suspended 100 feet above the crashing waves.
Each villa is 100 square meters and has an open-space living room, kitchen, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. One of the bedrooms has a double bed, one bedroom has two twin beds and the third has bunk beds (one large, 160cm wide bed on the bottom and one bed of same size on the top). Each villa can host a maximum of five people.
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The best views you can wake up to when on safari…
All inclusive Yoga Safari Retreats in Namibia
Namaste Yoga Safari is the first and so far the only yoga retreat in Namibia that offers Yoga while on Safari. Some people describe Namibia as a country that gets into your Soul. Namibia awakens your emotions and senses –with its stunning landscapes, endless space and fresh air. You will experience moments that wont be possible anywhere else, feeling re-connected with your soul!
It’s not just a holiday, yoga or a safari, it is an adventure of a lifetime. An unforgettable journey making your feel more peaceful and balanced. The Retreat will offer you the chance to enjoy nature in its purest form and deeply relax in unique surroundings.
We offer all inclusive 7 and 10 day Yoga Safari Retreats in Namibia, accommodating a maximum of 8 people and a minimum of 4 to keep it intimate and special. Yoga, nature and animal lovers looking to get in touch with their inner self will appreciate these Soulful Yoga Safari’s. This is a truly unique experience combining Yoga on Safari.
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The best views you can wake up to in Santorini…
Canaves Oia Hotel
This luxury retreat gives you a mountain-top spa and pools with panoramic views of Santorini’s caldera. Built on an old cliff-top winery, the Suites of the Gods look directly over Santorini’s ancient volcanic crater – now filled with the blue waters of the Aegean
This is the best luxury hotel in Oia, located on Santorini’s northern tip, near the tranquil village church, a whitewashed hideaway just steps from Oia’s lively boutique-lined streets.
All hotel suites are freshly renovated and elegantly decorated in a dazzling white, minimal manner, featuring private verandas, al fresco dining areas and breathtaking views. The hotel is open from April – October. Read reviews.
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The best views you can wake up to on a stunning Island in Thailand
Six Senses, Koh Yao Noi (Phuket)
Six Senses Yao Noi sets the highest benchmark for island resort living in Asia. The iconic limestone pinnacles rising from the waters of Phang Nga Bay create a surreal backdrop and a sense of privacy and adventure.
Perched on a cliffside, with jaw-dropping views over Phang Nga Bay’s fantastical limestone pinnacles, they’re built using local teak, topped with a palm-leaf roof, decked out in stylish bright linens and simple mango-wood accessories. This is a rustic, cosy escape in one of the world’s most beautiful locations. Soul soothing guaranteed.
Natural materials used in the modern architecture, together with attention to detail and focus on the unique destination reinforce the Six Senses philosophy of sustainability and creating exceptional experiences.
The Six Senses Spa village is nestled into the lush tropical hillside. A Long House Suite is modelled on a typical village house from northern Thailand. It offers treatments designed to create a unique and memorable spa journey through four interconnected spaces.
Using only naturally and ethically produced spa products, the treatment menu promotes traditional Thai healing practices and incorporates the four elements of earth, water, fire and air, to ensure the senses are balanced.
Six Senses has an impressive environmental record and this is evident at Yao Noi. The property is designed using natural materials to harmonise with the landscape, and villas have been built to reflect the sun’s heat yet utilise natural light. Read reviews.
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The best views you can wake up to in the desert…
Qasr Al Sarab Desert, Abu Dhabi
Inside its grounds, the Qasr Al Sarab hotel has all you’d expect from a high-class UAE resort, luxury villas, private pools, top-notch restaurants and a fully equipped spa. Beyond the walls, it’s got one feature that few others can match. Sheer beautiful nothingness.
That’s because the Qasr sits perched on the edge of the world. Or at least on the edge of the Empty Quarter, Rub’ al Khali in Arabic, the planet’s largest uninterrupted sand desert.
Stroll out past the hotel’s Royal Pavilion and head south: It’s just mile after mile of shifting dunes, right up until the dusty highway and fence that marks the Saudi Arabian border. That remoteness, and the staggering allure of this sun-scorched wilderness, are what make the Qasr one of the best hotels in Abu Dhabi, an emirate not short of five-star contenders.
Soak up centuries of Arabian traditions in a palatial oasis spa, overlooking the world’s largest desert. Cocoon yourself in Arabian luxury and tranquil views of endless dunes. Ancient hammam rituals of cleansing and relaxation contrast the heat of marble beds and Jacuzzi steam with an invigorating ice blast. Desert sand exfoliates and heals flawless skin. Arabia’s “immortal flower”, infused in massaging rose balms, blossoms radiance. Read reviews.
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