We’ve compiled our favorite medical spas for the wellness retreat you need and the transformative experience you’re looking for.
Health tourism has never been this sophisticated. In this period when the perception of wellness is strengthened, awareness of a healthy life is rising and the interest in travel is greater than ever, medical spas are experiencing their golden age. These facilities, which strike the optimum balance between health and luxury, are perfect for those who want to have a perfect hotel experience but also take health concerns into account.
So, what distinguishes medical spas from classical spas? Unlike classic beauty spas that offer services such as sauna, massage and skin care, medical spas are home to the most advanced techniques, the latest medical technology and the world’s most talented specialists, from dentists to dermatologists, from osteopaths to physiotherapists; It is among the top healthcare destinations with laboratories and even operating rooms. These facilities, which understand the importance of relaxation and returning to oneself during the renewal period, also include luxurious massages, stunning pools and five-star services. Medical spas may have a medical focus, but their environments are far from clinical. Combining the expert knowledge of a doctor’s clinic with the relaxing atmosphere of a luxury spa, medical spas can be thought of as a special wellness holiday focused on healing your body and mind.
Far beyond the allure of a sauna, pool or hot jacuzzi, we’ve rounded up our favorite medical spas for the wellness retreat you need and the transformative experience you’re looking for.
Palazzo Fiuggi Wellness Retreat, Italy
Palazzo Fiuggi Wellness Retreat was once a magnificent hotel known for its healing Fiuggi water. But it has now transformed into one of Italy’s leading medical wellness destinations, embracing innovative medical technologies while maintaining its 20th-century elegance. This art-nouveau style building, an hour away from Rome, has a 6,000 square meter spa area. The hotel’s high-tech spa blends the latest science and technology with special programs focused on holistic treatments, all-round well-being and longevity. Doctors use state-of-the-art tools to develop specialized programs, from healthy aging to boosting the immune system. Scientifically proven nutrition plans support the process and ensure optimum recovery, opening the doors to long-term health.
Speaking of nutrition plans, it would be unfair if we did not mention Palazzo Fiuggi’s outstanding fine dining experience. The hotel takes a medical approach to fine dining and has a menu that not only tastes good but is good for you. Heinz Beck, owner of the three-Michelin-starred La Pergola restaurant in Rome, developed this concept in collaboration with anti-aging expert Professor David Della Morte Canosci. The menu doesn’t limit you: even pasta and chocolate are available. However, no guest consumes more than 1,800 calories per day.
Sha Wellness Clinic, Spain
Located in the sunny district of Altea, SHA Wellness Clinic invites you to leave caffeine and alcohol behind and enter a medical spa experience with Japanese-inspired alkaline cuisine. Providing a physical, spiritual and emotional space with its minimalist architecture, this facility helps you experience a transformation in health and relaxation. Under the leadership of Professor Bruno Ribeiro, SHA also offers a range of brain-stimulating services including radiation treatments, from headaches to coping with stress.
Another prominent feature of SHA Wellness Clinic is that it has launched a post-Covid health program. This program includes customized therapies and clinical treatments coordinated by experts to address the different needs of individuals exposed to the effects of Covid-19. In addition, SHA’s expert team, which offers a holistic method focused on health and longevity, prepares special wellness programs for your health by coordinating scientific and natural therapies with traditional healing methods. These programs, each of which include a variety of treatments from healthy aging to weight control and detoxification, are supported by innovative menus and the facility’s own Healthy Living Academy. By providing training on a healthy lifestyle, this academy provides its guests with a healthy and peaceful experience and aims to transform this retreat into a sustainable lifestyle.
Chiva Som International Health Resort, Hua Hin, Thailand
If you have had an operation and want to have a wonderful recovery and convalescence, turn your route to Chiva Som. Chiva Som has stood out as the world’s first true destination spa since the day it opened its doors in 1995, and remains an ideal place for those who want to place their health at the top of their priority list. This award-winning resort on the Hua Hin coast allows you to recharge in an isolated paradise. At the center of the renovation is a modern rehabilitation studio that repairs bodies that need special care after surgery or injury.
This studio is equipped with personalized physiotherapy sessions and re-functional exercises under the supervision of expert physiotherapists. Studies aimed at coping with the pressure that daily life puts on the body by increasing muscle strength through personal physiotherapy sessions and re-functional exercises between applications come to the fore. In addition, a spa team of 85 people offers a wide range of services, from doctors to body experts and holistic healers, giving guests a literal healing experience. On the culinary side, organic and health-oriented Thai dishes attract attention, winning the praise of famous chefs such as Raymond Blanc, who is described as a genius.
Clinique La Prairie, Switzerland
Even the name La Prairie has a rejuvenating effect by a few years. Located on the shores of Lake Geneva, just outside Montreux, Switzerland, Clinique La Prairie has been one of the world’s most exclusive medical spas for almost a century. Reminiscent of the gardens of Versailles, this retreat facility, with a team of more than 50 medical professionals, offers pioneering treatments ranging from transformative programs to cutting-edge stem cell procedures. The medical surgery menu includes general surgery, orthopedic surgery, dermatology, dietetics, radiology, aesthetic surgery and many more practices.
Another detail that makes Clinique La Prairie stand out is its holistic perspective, which encompasses everything from promoting clean eating to offering soothing spa treatments in a luxurious environment. With more than 90 years of experience, the clinic draws attention with its result-oriented wellness plans that consider the health of each client 360 degrees.
Combe Grove, Bath, England
Think of Combe Grove as a wellness school rather than a spa or retreat. This facility, located on a 70-acre land in the countryside of Bath, is our favorite to integrate a sustainable, awareness-filled healthy living method into your daily routine.
One of the advocates of metabolic health, while the weekly programs created under the leadership of Campbell Murdoch help solve many serious health problems, from high blood pressure to type 2 diabetes, those looking for guidance to live a healthy life can also benefit from what the facility offers. After their measurements are taken, guests receive support from pinpoint treatments as well as a detailed nutrition, sleep and fitness program. The most important point that distinguishes Combe Grove from others is the comprehensiveness of the treatment process. For each retreat program, after a 3-week preparation period, you follow the 1-week main program. After leaving the facility, you can benefit from expert guidance and health checks, including 6 blood tests, for 48 weeks.
If you want to visit the facility again next year, a high discount will be applied, and your partners can also benefit from this gesture. If you live near Bath, please note that the prices include a 1-year membership to the centre’s health club.
Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, Switzerland
Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, which already has thermal resources rich in minerals, starts the race with a 1-0 lead. If you are a water person, plan your reservation at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz now. Tamina Canyon, an hour outside of Zurich, has been a primary destination for wellness enthusiasts since the 13th century. In those days, visitors were suspended from the thermal waters by ropes. However, there is no need to panic, this renewed experience is quite luxurious and comfortable. Tamina’s healthy waters are pumped into Bad Ragaz’s thermal facility and fill everything from hot pools to experience showers.
Besides the natural advantages of its enviable mountain location, Bad Ragaz also has an extensive medical spa that is among the best in Europe. The center, which has developed a system called the NEWYOU Method thanks to its years of experience in the field of preventive medicine, offers programs for different concerns, from weight loss to healthy aging, from fertility treatment to teeth whitening, thanks to its fully personalized health programs. Just a quick note, you may come across tennis icon Roger Federer during your visit. Because he is a regular here.
Villa Stéphanie Spa & Wellbeing at Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, Germany
We can call Villa Stéphanie a boutique spa center. As a matter of fact, this facility has only 15 luxury bedrooms. Located in an elegant mansion in the world-famous spa town of Baden-Baden, the center keeps the number of guests limited, ensuring excellent service and hyper-personalized programs.
Guests of Brenners Park have a full range of treatment at their fingertips, thanks to its prime location and excellent network of medical professionals. Treatments range from physiotherapy to dentistry, advanced diagnostics and special wellness programs to transform your health. The detox program called The Kings Way, defined as the Rolls-Royce of resetting and renewing yourself, is one of the center’s favorites. Walks to the Black Sea Forest, personal training and therapeutic massages are among the enjoyable bonuses of the program. The menu of the villa is also very suitable for this detox spirit. The meals prepared by 6 chefs include only healthy juices and soups on some days, and vegetarian delicacies on other days, but never leave you hungry.
Mayrlife Medical Health Resort, Altaussee, Austria
The significant impact of the gut microbiome on general health forms the basis of Mayrlife’s wellness vision. Located in the charming town of Altaussee in Austria, the facility welcomes its visitors with a breathtaking view of the Austrian Alps. The Mayr method developed by FX Mayr to regain intestinal health is applied. Personalized programs are designed at the hotel, which operates on the principle of the Mayr method, which is based on three stages: cleaning, revitalization and stabilization. Offering a personalized therapy program to each guest to achieve their individual health goals, Mayrlife Medical Health Resort offers practices such as stress control, active detox, sports performance enhancement, as well as lifestyle optimization with the aim of slowing down biological aging. We can say that rejuvenation and relaxation are guaranteed in this oasis of peace and healthy living.
When it comes to the intestinal microbiome, the nutritional routine is of course also of great importance. The hotel’s kitchen, which is the pillar of the hotel’s health concept, offers a customized nutrition plan according to each guest’s metabolism and possible intolerances. The first thing you will learn in this center is to eat slowly. Mobile phone use is not allowed in the restaurant so that you can focus entirely on the meal.
