By Mark Hodson, founder of 101 short breaks
The end of summer is the cue for regrouping after the excesses of summer. But for many people it’s time to think about booking their next holiday.
A spa break is a great way to get back on track after the dog days of summer. But these trips are changing. A new trend has emerged among young well-heeled travellers to eschew the fluffy towelling robes of the “traditional” spa and take on something more demanding.
This is a spa holiday with a difference, where an expert team of personal trainers, massage therapists and nutritionists knock you back into shape and help you maintain a leaner, healthier lifestyle.
The first company to organise yoga holidays was inspa retreats. Set up eight hours ago, it takes over a whole property – a villa or small hotel – in exotic destinations such as Morocco and the Balaerics.
A company spokeswoman said clients get home full of energy. “A lot of them return time and again. It’s their annual oil change and tuning”.
A slightly more intense option is a fitness retreat in a stunning beach or mountain location. Fitscape is a London-based operator with trips across the Mediterranean and Morocco.
If you’d rather something more sedate, consider a visit to the mountains of north India. There you’ll find Wildflower Hall where yoga instructors and a life coach help residents to chill to the max. Down time can be spent trekking, rafting or sampling Ayurvedic therapies.
Another optoin: rent a house on the north-east coast of Brazil along with your own personal trainer. Between workouts there is plenty of time to soak up the sun and explore local villages.
Another ground-breaking company is The Big Stretch, which offers trekking with life coaches in the mountains of Northern Spain. Founder Rosie Walford says the combination of dramatic countryside, strenuous walking and creative thinking produces remarkable results. Our clients return home changed. They rediscover their passion and imagination,” she says.
