What do you look for when you board a flight to your much-awaited holiday destination? An unexplored adventure? Sampling a new cuisine? Or returning with more luggage than you left with? Whatever it is that you look forward to on a break, there is always the allure of a calming retreat, away from the hustle and bustle of your daily routine. Turns out, you don’t have to travel too far if you’re in the mood for some pampering. Pick a place from the following luxury spas that will turn out to be the perfect weekend getaway.

The Zuri Kumarakom Luxury Resort and Spa in Kerala is one such spot. Surrounded by the serene Vembanad Lake, the hotel carries the distinction of having a signature Ayurvedic spa, called Maya. Guided by a mix of Western and Oriental therapies, this place promises you an exotic experience ranging from Swedish to Indonesian therapies. You could even personalise your experience by choosing from a bouquet of packages already available for couples or individuals. You could opt for Maya’s Signature package comprising a refreshing hydrating body wrap or try something different with a floral bath in a Jacuzzi as you sip a glass wine with the lake making for an ideal backdrop. The one and a half-hour long natural therapy will set you back by 21,000, but will leave you spiritually rejuvenated. And if this isn’t enough, the hotel has more to offer, “We also offer something called the Rejuvenation package which includes treatments using herbal oils and therapies, which revitalise and detoxify your body,” explains Sarat Valsraj, general manager, The Zuri Kumarakom, Kerala Resort & Spa. That tempting therapy starts at 258,500 for a seven-day therapy per person and goes up to 1.1 million for a 21-day session per couple. 

One with nature
In the contemporary age of relaxation techniques, what stands out in a modern spa is the perfect harmony of traditional and new therapies. And Ananda Spa, located at the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, promises just that. The 24,000 sq ft recreation facility is surrounded by the Sal forest, overlooking Rishikesh and the Ganges river valley helps you unwind in the lap of mother nature. But what makes it exceptional when compared to the rest? “We offer special workshops and private sessions with visiting masters in different areas of wellbeing,” says, Mahesh Natrajan, senior VP-marketing, sales and business development, IIHR Hospitality. Spa packages at Ananda include yogic detox and various Hatha yogic cleansing techniques that range from the three-night ‘wellness’ package for 1.3 lakh to 1 million for a 21-day weight management package, which includes a deluxe villa stay with your own private pool.

The Detox Detour programme, at Spa Alila Diwa Goa located in the south of this popular vacation spot is located in the middle of lush, verdant rice plantations against the backdrop of the majestic Arabian Sea. This place has been designed to cleanse, restore and nourish the body and mind and follows ancient Ayurveda principles. The spa’s services range from traditional Ayurvedic massages for the body, hair and the scalp also allowing customers to opt for a customised package. “The guests undergo an in-depth consultation covering nutrition, health and stress, followed by sessions of pranic healing, hypnotherapy, daily yoga, meditation and exercise along with nutritionally balanced meals, juices and Ayurvedic supplements, daily workshops, massages and cooking classes,” says Dr Arjita Kumari, spa manager, Spa Alila. A five-night retreat on single occupancy in a Spa terrace room costs 135,000 comprising full body composition and measurement analysis, emotional assessment, consultation with an Ayurveda physician and a nutrition specialist, a hypnotherapy or pranic healing session, daily fitness, yoga and meditation sessions, life skills workshops, nutritionally balanced meals, cooking workshops and an art therapy.

What are you waiting for? Have you booked an appointment yet?