The Ultimate Destinations for Rest & Recovery

The Ultimate Destinations for Rest & Recovery

Have a list of grandiose 2022 goals? Good, put it in the bin. This year, the only goal we’re penning is to carve out time to rest (and book a rather fabulous holiday for it). Here’s the C&TH roundup of where we’re heading for ultimate zen. 

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Zenagi Hotel, Japan

Cocooned in the rice fields, rivers, and forests of the Kiso Valley in Nagano Prefecture, Zenagi Hotel offers an array of mood-boosting activities. Try forest bathing, row along the majestic green river Taiga, and hike along the historic road, Nakasendo, that’s seen the feet of Samurai warriors and pilgrims. zen-resorts.com

Wandering Wild, Dartmoor

Appreciate Dartmoor’s national park with Henriette Lofstrom, a moorland and nature guide who will take you walking through oak forests, moors, and wild swimming pools for hours in complete silence. Perfect for those who feel frenzied by modern life, expect also grounding outdoor guided meditations and a host of other nature-based activities. wanderingwild.co.uk

Manshausen, Norway

Ever have those days where you’re just fed up of people? Well, Manshausen may be for you. Perched on a remote island on the Arctic Circle, take in the Northern lights from your ultra-minimalist cabin boasting floor-to-ceiling glass windows that allow superlative viewing. From glacier trekking to birdwatching, you’ll feel restored in no time. manshausen.no Image: Steve King

Cabilla retreat, Cornwall

Cabilla retreat sprawls across 100 acres of forest. Dip into a wild woodland pool, enjoy sound baths, yoga, meditation and stargazing, and allow yourself to be guided through their temperate rainforest featuring on-site beavers. Check out our full review for the details. cabillacornwall.com

Arctic Bath, Sweden

A floating hotel in Swedish Lapland, Arctic Bath is the embodiment of Scandinavian hygge sophistication. Oscillate between an ice-cold river to a steaming sauna, then why not saunter over for a facial or a massage? Food is orientated around indigenous Sámi cooking techniques: arctic char, and moose paired with cloudberries and lingonberries. arcticbath.se

Thera Sea, Cornwall

If relieving stress is the goal: a stay at Thera Sea is the choice for you. Perfect for the burnt-out working-from-home urbanite seeking a bit of rest, expect wild swimming, kayaking, learning bushcraft, and cooking from an open fire. In the twilight hours, enjoy long torch-lit woodland walks, campfires and stargazing. You’ll be able to take home learnings around optimising sleep and the importance of gut health. thera-sea.co.uk

Nimmo Bay Resort, Canada

Secluded within British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest, expect an en plein air attitude to wellness. Head massages and full body scrubs will be in the company of the trees and you’ll need a stand-up paddleboard to access their floating sauna. Swim under a waterfall, take a cedar hot tub dip and learn to forage. Before you know it you’ll become that friend who won’t stop talking about being ‘at one with nature’. nimmobay.com

Deplar Farm, Iceland

An aesthete’s dream, Deplar Farm is enclosed by the ice-sloped mountains and wilderness of the Troll Peninsula. Peruse the library, dip in the open-air pool (it’s heated by geothermal energy, mind you), or pay a visit to the turf-topped sauna. Can’t sit still? There’s cross-country skiing, kayaking, and fly fishing on offer. elevenexperience.com

The Scarlet Hotel, Cornwall

Replete with a biomass boiler, solar panels and savvy heat capture, see Scarlet Hotel as the love child of climate-consciousness and new age luxury. High on a clifftop, gaze ahead to the coast of Mawgan Porth whilst swimming in a reed-filtered swimming pool. You’ll be feeling rested in no time. scarlethotel.co.uk

Piaule, USA

Just two hours away from New York City, Piaule blends nonchalant cool with faultless aesthetic appeal. The 24-bedroom boutique hotel overlooks the mountains that boast a Japanese-Scandinavian inspired interior that’s centred around nature. Expect saunas, yoga studios, and your wood-clad cabin with an entire wall of glass that looks out onto the forest. piaule.com Image: Sean Davidson.