With its serene glaciers, majestic peaks and fresh country air, it’s little wonder that a growing number of health retreats are setting up across New Zealand’s divine landscape, combining wellness, nature and luxury in the best possible way.
Here are a few of our favourites:
Split Apple Retreat
Fuji Suite in the Split Apple Retreat, Motueka, New Zealand.
Set high on a cliff face on the seaside border of Abel Tasman National Park, an hour outside Nelson on New Zealand’s South Island, Split Apple Retreat is as stunning outside as it is indoors.
Guest suites feature Japanese-style wood panelling alongside king-size beds, granite baths, flat-screen televisions and all the indulgent trimmings you’d expect from a five-star stay.
Of course with ‘retreat’ in its name, there’s a long list of treatments and therapies available that are designed to help guests clear the mind, strengthen the body and soothe the soul.
Massage, meditation, acupuncture, pools, spas, a sauna and healthy cooking classes (as well as a wellness evaluation) are just some of the options on hand.
Further afield, if you’d rather make use of the neighbouring national park, there is also beach swimming, bushwalking, kayaking, fishing, horseback riding, skydiving, sailing, swimming with the seals and dolphin-spotting available.
There’s even a helicopter service if you’d like to explore more isolated spots. Yes, this is a health retreat with a five-star difference.
Address: 195 Tokongawa Dr, Kaiteriteri, Motueka
Price per night: From $AU1,739 per night for two people.
The fabulous spa at Aro Ha Wellness Retreat in Glenorchy, New Zealand.
Tucked away on an 8.4-hectare property overlooking Lake Wakatipu, you’ll find Aro Ha Wellness Retreat around 35 minutes’ drive outside of Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island.
Designed to be as environmentally conscious as it is downright lush to stay in, the zen-inspired eco accommodation is minimalist but cosy, incorporating spacious design, rich timber and views across the inspiring surrounds, as well as naturally sourced energy.
However, at its core Aro Ha is a temple to health and wellbeing, where guests can soak up five- or seven-day programs of vinyasa yoga, introspective techniques, sub-alpine hiking, dynamic movement and organic detoxifying cuisine.
But you must be committed; activities are compulsory and experienced as a group, although they can be tailored to health and skill levels.
In between sessions, we suggest chilling out in the outdoor pool that enjoys an amazing view of the surrounding jutting mountain ranges. Wellness is hard work sometimes.
Address: 33 Station Valley Rd, Wyuna, Glenorchy
Price: From $AU5,260 for a six day, five night package.
For more information and to book, visit aro-ha.com
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Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.
The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.
1. Easy access to good food
Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.
One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.
In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.
In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.
Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.
At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.
While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.
It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.
2. Better sleep options
Sleep deeply with Novotel.
There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.
For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.
The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.
3. More ways to move
Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)
Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.
At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.
Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.
4. Better connections
Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.
One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.
Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.
A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.
Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.
All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.
