Medical wellness vacation: Five top hotels where you can do something good for your health
Many hotels have now specialized in medical wellness and offer their guests real health therapies – from Ayurveda to cold therapy. We present five top hotels where you can combine vacation and health programs.
The future institute in Frankfurt, one of the most influential think tanks in European trend and future research, recently proclaimed the health megatrend. Because in recent years the radius of meaning of health has expanded massively – from wellness to mental health to health empowerment – and has led to a new definition of health: as a lifestyle, inner constitution and meaning.
A number of hotels recognized this trend early on and aligned themselves with it. After all, everyone wants to stay healthy for as long as possible – why not on vacation when there’s finally time to do something about it. And that in a luxurious hotel ambience that has nothing to do with spa or hospital stays. We show five health hotels that promise wonderful holidays.
1. Hotel Kronenhof, Oberstaufen: Feelings of happiness in the Allgäu
The 7000-inhabitant place Oberstaufen is the center for Schroth cures in Germany and the only Schroth spa in the world. The Hotel Kronenhof specializes in the cure developed by Johann Schroth around 180 years ago. Owner Monika Aigner is a certified ecotrophologist and has been looking after her guests personally for decades. Most of them come to the hotel, which is surrounded by greenery, to take a Schroth cure lasting up to three weeks.
This is based on four pillars: a heavily reduced-calorie, alkaline diet without animal protein, fat and salt. To full body wraps that create a “healing fever” as cold, damp packs in the morning. A drinking regulation with alternating drinking and drying days, which support tissue drainage. And rest and movement in alternation to regenerate body and mind. A holistic therapy, so to speak, that addresses every cell in the body and acts like an all-round package.
According to Monika Aigner’s experience, the cure strengthens the immune system, has a positive effect on menopause symptoms for months, rejuvenates, gently eliminates the causes of many diseases and increases the body’s endogenous hormones. Of course, the feel-good atmosphere in the Kronenhof, the indoor pool with waterfall and whirlpool, the wellness department with massages, beauty treatments and Ayurveda applications also contribute to this.
The wellness program also includes infrared fitness and health cabins, a Finnish sauna, a hydrojet massage bed, as well as gymnastics, yoga, breathing and relaxation courses. If you want to exercise in the fresh air, you can access the snow-covered cross-country ski run with floodlights in front of the hotel door in winter and swing your racket on the tennis courts opposite in summer – all with a view of the Allgäu mountains.
2. Elzland Hotel Pfauen, Black Forest: Where health and pleasure merge
The idyllic Elztal and the Pfauenfelsen in the southern Black Forest gave the 4-star hotel its name. The Elzland Hotel Pfauen sees itself as a combination of a privately run and affiliated health center in which naturopathy and conventional medicine are combined. It is the first hotel to offer cell-biological regulation therapy according to Dr. Bernhard Dickreiter, with which the self-healing powers should be strengthened. This is based on four pillars: exercise, nutrition, purification and relaxation.
A swimming pool, a brine bath, invigorating infusions in the Black Forest silver fir sauna, an aromatic steam bath, a herbal saunarium and an outdoor sauna with a panoramic view of the Elz Valley also contribute to holistic relaxation in the design-oriented 63-room house.
Movement is of course part of it. And this is possible in the hiking paradise and climatic health resort of Oberprechtal, right on the doorstep – in an award-winning way. Because the two-valley region between Elztal and Simonswaldertal has been awarded the seal “Quality Region Wanderbares Deutschland”. In addition to the large, signposted network of paths, there are also many mountain bike trails, so that sporty guests can also spend an active holiday. Creative and knowledge workshops round off the diverse leisure program.
3. hotel Panorama Royal Bad Häring: Tyrolean Source of energy, strength and joie de vivre
“Our way of healing” is the name of the concept of the castle-like hotel, which is enthroned on a hill above the Tyrolean spa town of Bad Häring. Owner and hotel manager Peter Mayer sees this as a combination of energy and vitality, serenity and equanimity, joie de vivre, mindfulness, regeneration and sustainability. He himself is a trained Shaolin Qi Gong and meditation teacher and, together with his team, authentically lives out the proclaimed values. Guests can internalize this with several daily activities such as Chinese remedial gymnastics, meditation, Tai Chi or Shaolin Qi Gong. Or regenerate with various massages and treatments, including many Ayurvedic massages.
The new spa in Asian design made of wood, stone and clay with three saunas and a brine grotto was only opened in autumn 2022. Energy and vitality can also be drawn in the huge garden, where a stone circle on a power place invites you to linger in silence. Because Peter Mayer had the hotel, which belongs to the Healing Hotels of the World group, built on an energy field – measured by geomanticians and with an unobstructed view of the wide Inn Valley and the surrounding mountains.
4. Terme di Saturnia Resort, Tuscany: Reset in Italy
The ancient Romans discovered thermal water in Manciano near Grosseto and used it as a healing spring. Around 2000 years later, the luxurious golf and spa resort Terme di Saturnia opened in a historic building from 1919 in the middle of the Tuscan countryside. With its SPA & Beauty Clinic, the 124-room hotel specializes in massages, medical, naturopathic and cosmetic treatments, nutritional advice and thermal treatments.
Because the thermal water of Saturnia with its constant temperature of 37.5 degrees contains sulfur, carbon dioxide, sulfate, bicarbonate, alkali, as well as calcium and magnesium, which has a beneficial effect on the skin, blood pressure, liver, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. It is credited with restoring physical well-being, rejuvenation and healing powers of mind and spirit – whether in hydro-fitness, inhaling the vapors, mud therapy or anti-aging measures.
Guests can take part in rebalance, detox, mind and slimming programs aimed at holistic wellness or in menopause programs specially developed for women called Well-Gyn. A special feature is also the medical consultations and cryotherapy, which are part of all health programs. During the cold treatment, you spend two to four minutes in an ice-cold room at -85 to -95 degrees, which has a detoxifying effect and reduces oxidative stress. Guided morning walks, Nordic walking, personal training, Pilates and yoga courses, a round on the 18-hole golf course and exceptional cuisine ensure relaxation. Like the traditional Tuscan one Kitchen with a modern twist or light fare with organic and biodynamically grown products and of course a glass of Tuscan wine.
5. Kamalya Holistic Healing Resort, Koh Samui: Dream Health Vacation in Thailand
In 2005, Karina and John Stewart, a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) practitioner and former Buddhist monk, founded the 5-star holistic healing resort on the Thai island of Koh Samui. The goal of the two pioneers in health tourism was to create a unique offer in a unique place: with holistic healing methods from Asia and the West as well as natural, healthy food, the self-healing powers should be mobilized.
The ambience, nature as a power-giving and healing element plays a central role. The 76 accommodations in traditional Thai construction, furnished with antiques from Southeast Asia, are hidden between jungle-like vegetation on a steep slope above a white sandy beach and an old Buddhist cave temple – as if a whole squad of feng shui masters had worked together.
What is special about the “Kamalaya” is, on the one hand, the roots with nature that can be seen in every corner. On the other hand, its 50 certified wellness experts. These include naturopaths, Chinese medicine doctors, Western doctors, nurses, nutritionists, life transformation experts, Ayurveda and Thai therapists, fitness specialists and teachers of yoga, meditation and pranayama as well as detox cuisine. Many of the creative recipes come from founder Karina Stewart, who has also developed 16 different programs – from detox to sleep, stress, burnout and long-Covid offers, private yoga classes to improving fitness or emotional balance . And the best for last: The Kamalya recently even had a medical license as a multidisciplinary wellness clinic. Which means that health insurance companies reimburse some health therapies such as Ayurveda and TCM treatments. What an incentive for a health holiday in paradise!