5 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Destination Spa
Medical tourism isn’t just geared towards surgical procedures. In fact, hundreds of thousands of tourists are travelling to destination spas around the world to improve their physical and spiritual well-being. In an article published on TripSavvy.com, Anitra Brown calls destinations spas “a total immersion experience in healthy living, with fitness classes, healthy food, and lectures to help inform and inspire you.”
Destination spas distinguish themselves from resorts by offering an experience that is geared towards health and fitness. As Brown describes them, “they are the pioneers of peaceful wellness retreats where adults could spend their vacation exercising and getting healthy.”
As with regular resorts, prices can range anywhere between $200 per day up to over $5,000 a week. It’s imperative that you ask the right questions when choosing your destination spa to make sure that you get the experience you’re looking for. Here are the top five questions you need to ask yourself before you book your next wellness retreat.
- Do you have a special interest or goal like losing weight, detoxing, or revving up your fitness routine? Do you want to go on a yoga retreat, learn how to meditate, spend lots of time hiking, or just hang out with a friend and get some relaxing spa treatments? Thinking about what you want will help you narrow down the right destination spa for you.
- Do you want to be restricted with alcoholic beverages, caffeine, or calories? It is fairly rare these days. Most spas serve healthy food but give you as much as you want, including extra desserts. Look for a detox spa or weight loss spa if this is important to you.
- Do you have a medical issue you want to address? Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Mass. or Tucson are unparalleled in their medical programs.
- How important is the educational aspect? Larger destination spas like Canyon Ranch give lectures almost non-stop, while smaller spas might limit it to one in the evening. Ask how many lectures they have and what the qualifications of the speaker are.
- Do you want an intimate atmosphere where it’s easy to meet people or is a larger setting acceptable? The size of the destination spa will make a huge difference in your experience. It’s also worth thinking about whether you want to do your activities privately or in a group setting. Some spas offer private retreats, while others are focused on offering classes and activities for groups of people.
You can read the full list of questions here.
