5 Wellness Resorts to Book When You Need a Self-Care Weekend
For when you want to jet-set — but not too far — for a mini getaway
Photographs courtesy of La Valise Tulum
Look, life is stressful. And exhausting. And sometimes you just need a break. The good news is you don’t need to go too far to find a little peace and quiet — or a little yoga and spa time. Here are five wellness resorts that provide much-needed TLC and are just a short flight from Philadelphia. (Bonus: One of them is under a three-hour drive from the city!)
La Valise Tulum
Tulum, Mexico
Tulum might be known for its DJ beach parties and jet-setting Instagram influencers, but that scene falls away once you pull up to La Valise.
The adults-only boutique — Mayan-chic with its hand-thatched palapa roofs and eco-conscious thanks to a zero-waste certification — is split into two 11-key properties that are just a stone’s throw from one another. The oceanfront side is situated on a private beach — perfect for lolling on a daybed near turquoise water — and features an open-air all-day restaurant.
The private beach of La Valise Tulum / Photograph courtesy of La Valise Tulum
Across the road are jungle suites, which debuted in January 2022 and are the epitome of idyllic hideaways. We’re talking secluded yet spacious rooms, private decks (some with plunge pools!), outdoor showers stocked with all-natural products, an infinity pool, and a cenote at the center of it all. Want to be totally wowed? Book one of the ultra-luxe lodgings where you can literally sleep under the stars thanks to rolling canopy beds.
The rollable canopy bed on the jungle side of La Valise Tulum. / Photograph by Affyrm Studio for La Valise Tulum
A hefty dose of wellness comes in the form of beach yoga and meditation, and there are five-day spirit and culture workshops replete with sound healing, snorkeling, ceramics classes, and a visit to Chichen Itza. Further unwind at the spa, where the team provides massages, facials and body treatments rooted in ancient Mayan tradition. (The mud ritual will give you the softest skin of your life.)
Breakfast is included and generous, with assorted breads, jam, yogurt and granola, fruits galore, and entrée options like fresh avocado toast and eggs your way served with black beans, bacon and veggies — and for lunch, don’t sleep on the Yucatán ceviche paired with a refreshing fruit-of-your-choice mezcalita. At nightfall, find your seat at NÜ, the hotel’s sexy next-door restaurant, which partners with an organic, regenerative farm to provide locally sourced dishes. Talk about never wanting to leave. Rooms from $355.
Southall Farm & Inn
Franklin, Tennessee
Photograph courtesy of Southall
About twenty-five miles from Nashville stands Southall, a farm-centric getaway where solo travelers and multi-gen families alike can eschew devices and tune into their natural environs — if only for a long weekend.
The 325 bucolic acres boast a working farm, greenhouses, a public farm stand, an orchard with over 40 apple varieties, and six million (!) bees across seven apiaries. Most of Southall’s activities are outdoors — from fly-fishing and falconry to an aerial adventure course and a heated mineral pool by the lake — but there are also indoor perks, like the spa and salon, and dining spaces highlighting seasonal farm-to-table fare.
Photograph courtesy of Southall
To wind down, find respite in your upscale-rustic guest room — some feature soaking tubs and fireplaces — or on the patio of your cabin-style cottage.
Bonus: Getting there is a breeze thanks to a two-ish-hour nonstop flight from PHL to BNA. Rooms from $559.
The Lodge at Woodloch
Hawley, Pennsylvania
Photograph courtesy of the Lodge at Woodloch
This Poconos resort is adults-only and all-inclusive, with lodging, three healthy meals per day, outdoor excursions, spa access, and a full schedule of rotating workouts, art classes, speakers and cooking demos covered during your stay. (Pro tip: Upgrade to get a daily $170 spa credit.) Personal favorites include recently launched beginner pickleball and line-dancing classes; paddleboarding on the 15-acre private lake; the spa’s majestic indoor pool, “cool” Snow Room, and hydromassage water walls; and intimate chef-led dinners on nearby Blackmore Farm and Orchard. Rooms from $529.
Andaz Mayakoba
Riviera Maya, Mexico
Photograph courtesy of Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya
This resort truly caters to families, from its kid-friendly pool and just about every kind of water activity imaginable to child-care services like in-room babysitting and the complimentary kids’ club, which hosts all-day activities such as Spanish lessons, treasure hunts and arts and crafts.
Photograph courtesy of Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya
But Andaz Mayakoba is also a self-care sanctuary for guests without little ones. Naum Wellness & Spa will transport you to another world with restorative massages, purifying facials, and hydrating body wraps and scrubs. And for sublime inner calm, partake in silent beach yoga or a one-on-one spiritual session with Fernanda Montiel, the resident shaman, or visit the quieter pool on the lagoon side. The rest of the world will surely fall away. Rooms from $400.
Nemacolin
Farmington, Pennsylvania
Photograph courtesy of Nemacolin
We could go on and on about Nemacolin’s five different accommodation types, including the newly transformed Grand Lodge and multi-bedroom estates, or the 18 eateries, bars and lounges offering everything from seafood towers and tomahawk steaks to afternoon tea and specialty cigars. But it’s the wellness activities that really shine (and somersault!) across the 2,200-plus-acre play-cation wonderland in southwestern PA’s Laurel Highlands.
At the year-round Peak, have a splash in the two outdoor pools (heated during the winter months) before going bowling or ax-throwing, or get adventurous on the ropes course, ski slopes or off-roading trail. Sport enthusiasts will love playing 18 holes on either of the two PGA-worthy courses or getting one-on-one instruction at the on-site golf academy, trying their hand at sporting clays or archery, and seeing the Franco Harris Immaculate Reception football IRL at the art gallery.
For folks who want a little more quiet, hit Woodlands Spa and Salon for an invigorating massage, skin-care services utilizing cult favorite Biologique Recherche, a mani/pedi, a makeup lesson, or a spray tan. Your treatment includes access to the heated four-lane lap pool, whirlpool, steam room, sauna, and a fireside lounge. More cutting-edge experiences can be found at the Holistic Healing Center — there are personalized sessions with acupuncturist and Chinese-medicine doctor Jerry Lin, a fully stocked apothecary, yoga and meditation classes, a saltwater float, and infrared light and cryo therapies.
Whether or not you’re traveling with kiddos, pay a visit to the Wildlife Habitats, where animals including billy goats, buffalo, tigers and lions roam. (A safari tour and a dogsledding session are musts!) After, learn how to make pasta from scratch with chefs — don’t worry, you get to eat your finished creation — then top the night off with scoops from PJ’s, a 1950s-style ice-cream parlor. Rooms from $759.
Published as “Find Your Bliss: Mini Getaways” in the 2024 issue of Be Well Philly.
