What to Expect from Your Wellness Getaway in 2023

I find myself sitting cross-legged on the floor of a guest suite at Aman New York, a new luxury hotel in Midtown Manhattan where lounging on the floor might seem unusual. Yet here I am, meditating with my eyes shut as a saffron-robed monk chants and periodically strikes a large gong with a thick wooden stick. When we open our eyes, he holds the stick with his palm facing down, symbolizing the burdens we cling to and fear losing.

“If you open your palm, you’ll let go because you fear losing it, and this attachment reflects conditional love,” Geshe Yongdong Losar explains to the small group of journalists before him. He then flips his palm upward, allowing the stick to rest gently in his open hand. “Detachment represents unconditional love. Whether you like me or not, I remain here.”

I reflect on the various things I’ve clung to tightly recently—waiting for an email response, negative thoughts about a missed deadline, sleepless nights worrying about my aging cat’s tumor. I realize that none of these concerns are within my control—a truth often overshadowed by the chaos of daily life. Just a few moments with Geshe La are enough to ease the relentless anxiety I feel in this bustling city.

I’m previewing Aman New York’s Journey to Peace mindfulness program, a three-night experience that launched in January at the hotel, featuring guided meditation, breathwork, and discussions on five topics, including healing anger and releasing attachments.

Tibet-born Geshe La, now residing on Vancouver Island, Canada, has led retreats at Aman’s sister properties in serene locations like Amangiri in Utah and Amanpuri in Thailand. This marks his first retreat in one of Aman’s urban locations. I can’t imagine a more challenging environment for seeking inner peace—a crucial aspect of the self-improvement I’m increasingly pursuing during my travels.

I’m not alone in this journey. More people are traveling with the goal of enhancing their well-being than ever before. The Global Wellness Institute forecasts that wellness tourism will reach $1.3 trillion by 2025. According to luxury travel advisor network Virtuoso, 21 percent of clients worldwide are traveling to improve their overall health, with 29 percent planning to do so in the future. A 2021 American Express consumer survey showed even greater interest, revealing that 76 percent of respondents aimed to travel for wellness after the pandemic.

Emlyn Brown, global vice president of well-being for Accor, a hotel group with over 5,000 properties, defines a wellness-oriented hotel as one that provides intentional, results-driven programs focused on aspects like nutrition and physical activity. “We found that four out of five guests, regardless of demographic, country, or brand, are taking conscious daily steps towards well-being,” Brown recently shared, noting that wellness-focused guests spend 55 percent more than typical leisure travelers. “This takes various forms, from achieving 10,000 steps to triathlete training, but most guests are making a deliberate effort for change.”

Many hotels are adapting to meet this rising demand, and Dinogo editors have been traveling to better understand what a wellness vacation entails today. We visited the science-based Sensei Porcupine Creek in California’s Santa Rosa Mountains, where some therapy for an old hiking injury significantly enhanced our connection to nature. In Playa del Carmen, Mexico, we engaged in spiritual experiences like guided shaman meditations and forgiveness circles at Palmaia, the House of Aia. We tackled challenges at California’s Ranch Malibu’s new boot camp-style outpost in the hills of Lazio, near Rome. In a world where a restful night’s sleep can often feel elusive, we compiled a list of hotels that are helping guests achieve better sleep. Personally, in addition to my profound experience with Geshe La at Aman New York, I enjoyed a peaceful moment during a CBD oil massage at the hotel’s three-floor spa and had one of my best night’s sleeps in months in one of the hotel’s 83 nearly soundproof suites.

Many of these hotels are featured on our list of the 20 wellness hotels we adore, the inaugural edition of our new Hotels We Love series. This list serves to guide travelers to the most exciting wellness retreats in the upcoming year. Continue reading to discover the trends that will define your next wellness-oriented stay, and let our selection of Hotels We Love for Wellness inspire your transformative journey.

The distinction between hotels and destination spas is increasingly fading

With more hotels and resorts developing effective wellness initiatives, travelers are no longer required to limit themselves to destination spas or rigid boot camps. Some brands are launching entirely new concepts: In 2022, Banyan Tree introduced Veya in Phuket, Thailand, founded on eight pillars of well-being, including Bonding and Connection and Harmony with Nature; the next location is set to open in Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe later this year. One&Only Resorts will soon launch Siro, a sister brand focusing on sports, fitness, mindfulness, and nutrition, debuting in Dubai this year and Montenegro in 2024. Meanwhile, Marriott International, the largest hotel chain globally, has partnered with Ritz-Carlton to create Meaningful Wellness Journeys through Espa, focusing on mind, body, and skin, with customized programs available at select properties like Turks & Caicos, Mexico City, and New York, Nomad.

Accor, which includes upscale brands like Fairmont, Sofitel, and Raffles, is also prioritizing wellness. In January 2023, the group released a white paper outlining eight pathways to enhance overall human well-being. These pathways highlight the connection between physical and mental health, the significance of using technology to track outcomes, and the link between human health and the health of the planet. This research-backed white paper, developed with insights from institutions such as University College London—which noted that generalized anxiety disorder has tripled among individuals aged 18 to 24 from 2008 to 2018—and the World Health Organization, which reported that global obesity rates have tripled since 1975, will inform hospitality experiences across Accor’s brands in the years ahead.

A longstanding leader in the fusion of hotels and destination spas is Six Senses, a luxury hotel group focused on sustainability with nearly twenty properties worldwide and over thirty more in development. Wellness is deeply embedded in the Six Senses philosophy, offering staff resources to support their financial, social, and physical well-being. The concept is simple: when the team embodies the brand’s ethos, it enhances the guest experience as well.

Anna Bjurstam, recognized as a "wellness pioneer" at Six Senses, notes that an increasing number of hotels are providing flexible experiences that cater to guests’ desires during their vacations. "Travelers are interested in wellness trips but may not want rigid programs dictating their diets or activity schedules," Bjurstam explained. "Many seek a more relaxed atmosphere while still integrating significant wellness elements into their stay."

There is an increased focus on community and fostering connections with others.

"One of the most significant trends I'm observing in the hospitality sector is the emphasis on community," Bjurstam remarked, highlighting emerging brands like Habitas, Selina Hotels, and Aman’s upcoming lifestyle brand, Janu, which prioritize social connections. She noted that fostering community has become a vital aspect of wellness programs, referencing research indicating that loneliness can be as harmful as smoking and obesity.

In 2021, Six Senses introduced an annual event called Alma, a three-day festival on Ibiza, Spain, aimed at uniting travelers who share interests in wellness, spirituality, and community. Notable figures like biohacking expert Dave Asprey, Taryn Toomey, founder of the Class workout method, and Michael Smith, CEO of the Calm meditation app, joined the attendees. Activities included sound healing sessions, spiritual guide ceremonies, and discussions around intimate topics. The next Alma festival is set for November 2023.

Brown from Accor acknowledges that hotels are increasingly prioritizing community, with more properties encouraging social interaction through fitness clubs, coworking spaces, and even spa facilities. In line with this trend, community-centric bathhouse experiences are set to debut at new locations like the Fairmont Hanoi in 2024, along with a lakeside thermal wellness center at Fairmont Château Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Canada.

Hotels are customizing wellness programs to suit both their guests and the destinations they inhabit.

Given the diverse goals and philosophies of guests, personalized programs have become standard practice; often, resorts like Six Senses begin this process with pre-arrival consultations to better understand client needs.

Bjurstam advocates for a wellness philosophy rooted in openness, allowing guests at most Six Senses locations to engage in programs led by a diverse range of experts, from medical professionals to energy healers from Indigenous communities. "We blend scientific methods with more intuitive practices because we recognize that people are on a quest for deeper understanding," she stated. "This is why the psychedelic market is booming; individuals realize there’s more to existence than what meets the eye."

Six Senses also crafts programs tailored to each destination, enriching guests' experiences. As of January 2023, the brand's expanding portfolio now includes Vana, a prestigious wellness center in the Indian Himalayas emphasizing Ayurvedic traditions. The upcoming hotel in London will feature a hyperbaric chamber in its lounge and workspace to cater to the rising interest in oxygen therapy. Additionally, the new property in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, boasts a Biohack Recovery Lounge designed to rejuvenate skiers after their adventures, complete with pulse electromagnetic field therapy.

Raffles, Accor's luxury brand known for its historic properties, is launching a Second Nature program that aims to integrate wellness throughout the entire Raffles experience, including design, dining, and in-room technology like adjustable temperature controls on each side of the bed for optimal sleep. In contrast, Six Senses emphasizes sustainable, biophilic architecture that aligns with nature as a core component of the wellness journey.

The architecture of Six Senses increasingly aligns with a Harvard-led study on the nine foundations of healthy buildings, which emphasizes enhanced airflow for better oxygen circulation, thermal comfort, and water quality. "We’ve revised our construction standards for hotels," stated Bjurstam. "This architectural philosophy brings us closer to nature, which is fundamentally what wellness embodies."

The connection between planetary health and human well-being has never been more evident.

Accor’s white paper highlights research establishing a direct correlation between individual wellness and the health of our planet, featuring insights from economist Thierry Malleret, who stated, "You cannot achieve personal well-being if you exist in a society that is deeply unwell and within an environment suffering from biodiversity loss, pollution, climate change, and various catastrophes."

Brown notes that this increasing recognition of the necessity for a healthy planet for personal health will shape Accor's business operations in the coming years. A primary focus will be on food waste, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates constitutes around 30 to 40 percent of the food supply in the U.S. and contributes to about 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

"When you engage in activities that enhance your well-being, you're inherently contributing to the health of our planet," Brown explained. "One of the significant shifts in our industry, particularly within our brands, is toward more sustainable food production. We aim to place more plants at the forefront of the dining experience. This aligns with what guests increasingly desire, positively impacts well-being, and promotes sustainability."