Enjoying free time together in the nature. From forest walks to family yoga, luxury resorts are making wellness a bonding experience. Photo / Getty Images
Once a solo pursuit, wellness travel is getting a family-friendly makeover. Michelle Tchea shares some inclusive retreats designed to help the whole family reset and recharge.
What springs to mind when you hear “wellness”? Retreats? Solitude? Yoga retreats? A parent escaping their family for a weekend reset? While that’s what a wellness holiday used to look like, more parents are bringing along the kids for a holiday that is fun and rejuvenating.
In response, hotels like Six Senses Crans-Montana, located in the French-speaking side of Switzerland have responded by offering wellness experiences beyond adult-only spa treatments.
“At Six Senses Crans-Montana, family wellness isn’t an afterthought, it’s a thoughtfully curated journey designed to engage all ages across six dimensions of wellbeing: physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual, and environmental,” says Jean-Yves Blatt, General Manager of Six Senses Crans-Montana.
While parents can enjoy biohacking activities and participate in yoga classes in the morning, children are also invited to engage in their own mindful activities which include yoga, nature hikes, as well as evening massages with their parents. Many resorts like the Zulal Wellness Resort believe wellness travel can lead to greater physical and mental wellbeing by allowing families to spend more time together in activities that encourage greater social and physical interactions. In Qatar, yoga classes for kids, adventures on the water and evening cooking together are offered in the wellness retreat that normally caters to adults only.
Europe is leading the family wellness retreat trend and packages with many boutique and five-star hotels in the mountainous regions are amplifying their activities in the warmer months to lure guests during their off season. Elsewhere around the world, beach resorts are also showing interest in catering to the whole family with the Maldives and Thailand also offering family-focused wellness packages with great success. Here are some of the best ones to check out.
Set in the idyllic Swiss mountains, Six Senses Crans-Montana continues the legacy of the region, which dates back to the 19th century, of being a place for wellness with dozens of activities catering to travellers of all age groups and interests. The property is surrounded by nature with hiking paths, bike trails and a golf course within walking distance, as well as direct access to the mountains for forest bathing which is known to improve the immune system and detox the body.
Wellness is also found inside the hotel. Parents and their teenagers can take part in daily yoga classes, swim in the pool and a range of activities like ski lessons and mountain-biking can be organised by the hotel guest relations team. Outside of these classic wellness offerings, the property offers more creative activities including classes in the hotel’s Earth Lab – making perfumes from local botanics, making candles with old kitchen oil and making recycled paper to increase the social and intellectual benefits for both adults and children who take part.
More than 50 activities are offered by the property, which include Herbal ball compression sessions for children five and up, learning how to perform self-foot massages and breathing experiences in the forest. “Crans-Montana has long been known as a place of healing, where generations have come to share meaningful moments together and we are carrying that legacy forward,” says Blatt.
“Reconnect, Recharge, and Strengthen Bonds” is the motto at this Thailand resort and is exactly what families walk away feeling after a stay. While it is no surprise that most resorts in Southeast Asia offer exceptional wellness activities, it can be rare to find family-focused activities that benefit both the mental and physical state.
Recently, the property released their family wellness journey packages with activities including family yoga classes, Thai boxing sessions which not only improve physical wellbeing, but also help kids understand teamwork and mutual support to better equip socially. Other activities include exploring the National Park Walks Program of the hotel which includes working with naturalists to understand the local flora and fauna for a more sustainable approach to holidaying in Thailand.
There are two indoor Kids Club adventure zones designed for kids when parents want to have some alone time enjoying the properties wellness offerings too.
You’ve heard of St. Moritz but if you find yourself on the French-speaking side of Switzerland, Gstaad is where Swiss families spend their winter for all the ski and snowboarding action. A revered historical property in Switzerland, Gstaad Palace is a third-generation-owned hotel so it makes sense that they prioritise families.
Rather than just focusing on parents and children, grandparents and multigenerational vacations are spotlighted here. There is a dedicated Kids Club called VIK (you get the drift), where kids can partake in any activities adults are also offered like having a mini-facial, getting a pedicure with mum and also enjoying a yoga session with other kids in the hotel. For the ultimate family getaway, the hotel has an exclusive Walig Hut for families to retreat to for one night which is guaranteed to be fun for the whole family given there is fondue involved in an authentic Swiss chalet
Last year, a firm favourite among couples, Canyon Ranch in Lenox Massachusetts offered a Family Summer camp for the first time. The programme included hiking, cooking and yoga classes for every generation. Vinyasa classes were free for guests to enjoy with the voice of Taylor Swift singing in the background and played out over a loudspeaker but guests who didn’t want to stretch their limbs while on vacation also had the chance to partake in cooking classes and also fishing sessions for the whole family.
The hotel now offers seasonal family wellness packages where kids are invited to this normally adults-only retreat each year and has expanded their activity menu: each age group has their own list of fun activities to choose from with teens aged 13 to 18 offered fencing classes. sessions about the science of happiness, stargazing and tennis lessons. As for the adults, other activities specific for grown-ups include tarot readings and adults-only spa sessions.