Independently researched rankings of the best meditation wellness resorts and meditation retreats, from the Himalayan foothills to the Southern Alps of New Zealand, judged on genuine practice and qualified teachers.
Unveil the treasured sanctuaries of meditation wellness resorts, where the day is built around sitting, breathing and walking in silence, and the spa, the kitchen and the hills do the rest. Our team reviews each retreat carefully, reading the resorts' own programme pages rather than what others say about them, and focuses on wellness criteria that turn a few quiet days into a practice you keep: who teaches, how the days are structured, and what happens when you go home.
We see through the online noise with laser-focused clarity, allowing you to enjoy your best wellness journey effortlessly. Here you will find the world's top destinations for meditation retreats, silent retreats and mindfulness retreats in one place.
Meditation is a family of practices for training attention and awareness: following the breath, repeating a mantra, watching thoughts come and go, walking slowly, or sitting in silence. A meditation retreat gives it room. Phones are put away, the days have a rhythm of sittings, movement and rest, and a teacher is there when the mind gets loud. The research is encouraging but measured. In pooled trials, mindfulness meditation programmes bring small to moderate improvements in anxiety, low mood and pain, with no evidence that they work better than other active approaches such as exercise, medication or talking therapies, and in one trial an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction course was found to be no worse than a common antidepressant (escitalopram) for anxiety disorders. The evidence for stress, sleep and attention is thinner, and in the pooled trials the effects were smaller three to six months later. Meditation is not harmless for everyone: in studies, about one person in twelve reports an unwanted effect such as anxiety or low mood, sometimes with no history of mental health problems, and long or silent retreats are the most intense way to practise. This guide ranks resorts on how genuine and structured the practice is, who teaches it and how well they look after you, and it does not repeat the claims we could not support. A retreat is not treatment for anxiety, depression or trauma; if you are struggling, talk to your doctor first, and see our mental health and stress and burnout pages.
With so many accommodations on the wellness bandwagon these days, true independent, thorough, specialized data is more important than ever. "Meditation retreat" now appears on hotel menus that offer one optional sunrise session, while the genuine article often has no spa, no kitchen to speak of and a dormitory. We searched across Europe, Asia, the Americas, Oceania, Africa and the Middle East, opened the resorts' own programme pages, and put first the genuine resorts that teach meditation every day of the year with a teacher or a resident team, inside a wellness programme of spa, nutrition and movement. The sixth place goes to the best near-fit we found, a hermitage with daily guided meditation and silence, and its card says plainly what it lacks. We ranked them on how structured and genuine the practice is, who teaches it, how long you can stay and how well they look after you before, during and after, and the quality of the rest around it. Monasteries, Vipassana centres and retreat institutes are not here, however good they are, because they are not resorts, and we left out resorts whose own pages promise cures.
Welcome to the quiet world of meditation wellness resorts, where the most important thing you do all day is sit still. On a palace estate above the Ganges, a classical meditation programme unfolds in private sessions with a consultant who follows you home. In the forested foothills of Doi Suthep in northern Thailand, a Vipassana retreat sets temple sittings and slow walking meditation through every day you stay. Above the Ayung River in Bali, a former Buddhist nun leads meditation twice a day and, once a month, a week of silence with your phone at the front desk. In the Southern Alps of New Zealand, the trail goes quiet every day, and the sauna and cold plunge wait at the bottom. On a quiet beach on Koh Samui, the day opens with contemplation and breath and closes with a night sitting. In a hermitage in the woods of Umbria, the evening brings a guided meditation in the chapel and a dinner eaten in silence to Gregorian chant. One shared aim runs through them all: to teach you a practice you will still have when you are back at your desk.
Type: Dhyana Meditation Programme
Address: The Palace Estate, Narendra Nagar, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand 249175, India; +91 80 6975 0000
Stay options: 7, 14 or 21 nights (other lengths on request), at Comprehensive or Intensive level
What the programme is designed for: in the resort's words, a programme "based on the classical Raja Yoga tradition, focusing on managing the mind", "ideal for individuals seeking to manage stress, improve mental clarity, and achieve inner peace", for new and experienced meditators alike.
Ananda opened in 2000 on the palace estate of the Maharaja of Tehri Garhwal at Narendra Nagar, above Rishikesh and the Ganges valley. Its Dhyana Meditation programme begins with a pre-arrival consultation and diet and lifestyle guidelines, then a Lead Consultant sees you on arrival, reviews your progress, gives a pre-departure debrief and follows up after you leave. In between come personal yoga, pranayama and meditation sessions (eight to thirty-one, by level and length), therapies from Ayurveda and international and oriental traditions (six to thirty-five), daily guided meditation sessions, Vedanta talks, fitness classes, weekly cooking demonstrations and treks, daily hydrotherapy and three wellness meals a day; the Comprehensive level adds Emotional Wellbeing and physiotherapy consultations.
This is the most complete meditation retreat on the page: a classical training with private sessions and a consultant who stays in touch, inside one of the world's great wellness resorts, and the longest, at up to twenty-one nights. The programme was introduced by Ananda's Head of Yoga & Meditation, Sandeep Agarwala, who trained in yoga physiology at the Bihar School of Yoga, and the resort's yoga and meditation teachers work in that tradition; ask who will guide your personal sessions.
Ananda has not published current programme rates; ask the resort for a quote. Official website: anandaspa.com.
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Type: Vipassana Deep Meditation Retreat
Address: 189 Moo 14, Suthep Sub-district, Muang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand; +66 52 090 333
Stay options: 5, 7 or 10 nights, any time of year; a gentler Vipassana Awaken the Mind retreat of 3, 5 or 7 nights for beginners
What the retreat is designed for: in the resort's words, "A rigorous training of the mind. Monk level." "Designed for those seeking an immersive experience, this program trains the mind to enhance emotional wellbeing, awareness and concentration."
Aleenta Retreat Chiang Mai is a resort of about forty-four rooms, suites and pool residences in the forested foothills of Doi Suthep, just beyond the city of Chiang Mai and near the forest temple of Wat Umong, with the AYURAH Wellness & Spa Centre, a yoga studio and a farm-to-table restaurant. Its Vipassana Deep Meditation retreat, the resort's monk-level programme, includes as many Vipassana temple meditations and walking temple meditations as the nights you stay, five, seven or ten of each, with a consultation before you arrive, a body composition analysis, up to two wellness classes a day, three wellness meals, Ayurvedic and Thai massages, Tibetan sound therapy and a review meeting at the end. Meditation with a monk, a hiking meditation and private sessions with a monk can be added.
Vipassana is the insight meditation of the Theravada Buddhist tradition, and a counted sitting and walking practice over five to ten nights is a genuine retreat structure, here in a resort that also looks after the body, at a published price. The programme page names no teacher or temple and publishes no timetable or silence rule, and the resort's group classes this autumn list meditation only as sound-led sessions, so ask who will teach you, where the sittings take place and how much of each day is practice before you book.
The retreat costs from THB 17,000 per person a night for one guest, plus service charge and tax, with a discounted supplement for a second person sharing (operator site); time with a monk is extra, from THB 3,500 plus service charge and tax. Official website: aleenta.com.
Type: Daily Meditation Classes and Silent Retreat
Address: Sayan, Ubud, Bali 80571, Indonesia; +62 361 201 6000
Stay options: complimentary meditation classes twice daily for resort guests on any stay; a seven-day, six-night Silent Retreat for solo travellers on set monthly dates (remaining 2026 departures: 24 October, 21 November, 12 December; 2027 dates not yet published)
What the retreat is designed for: in the resort's words, the Silent Retreat is "designed for solo travellers seeking clarity, balance, and reconnection".
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan lies in the Ayung River valley near Ubud. Its resident wellness mentor, Ibu Heny Ferawati, known as Ibu Fera, is a former Buddhist nun ordained in Myanmar who practises Vipassana meditation, and the resort's spa page says she leads complimentary meditation classes twice daily and a weekly series of Life Talks, with private Mala Meditation sessions on request. Once a month she leads a seven-day Silent Retreat for solo travellers: phones are handed in at the front desk and television and Wi-Fi are taken out of your villa, and the week follows sattvic plant-based meals, Kundalini yoga, guided meditation, journaling and talks on mindfulness, with a personal wellness consultation, signature spa rituals and a three-hour cultural outing on the final day, airport transfers included.
A teacher trained in Vipassana, meditating with guests twice a day, and a week of silence in a villa with no screens make this the firmest meditation practice in a luxury resort on the page. The spa page describing the daily classes is undated, so confirm they still run when you book; the silent week is for solo travellers only, has published no 2027 departures yet, includes chakra balancing and crystal reiki (energy practices without scientific evidence), and sets out no plan for practice at home, so ask your mentor for one before you leave.
The daily classes are complimentary for resort guests; private Mala Meditation and Life Talks cost IDR 450,000 to 1,500,000 plus 21 percent tax and service (operator site). The resort does not publish a price for the Silent Retreat; Spa Business, a trade magazine, reported it from GBP 7,192 (about USD 9,134) for the week, without saying whether that is per person, so ask for a current quote. Official website: fourseasons.com/sayan.
Type: All-Inclusive Mindfulness Retreat
Address: 33 Station Valley Road, Wyuna Rise, Glenorchy 9372, New Zealand; +64 3 442 7011
Stay options: Revive & Thrive retreats of 5 days (Essential) or 7 days (Signature), with Sunday starts almost every week through 2027; specialty retreats with guest teachers
What the retreat is designed for: in the retreat's words, to "Focus with mindfulness and meditation", because "Meditation turns us inward so we can listen to the parts that need us", with insight practices woven "into most things we do, from eating to walking".
Aro Hā is a purpose-built wellness retreat above Lake Wakatipu near Glenorchy, forty-five minutes from Queenstown Airport, with Zen-inspired eco-accommodation, a plant-based kitchen and a contrast hydrotherapy spa of saunas, a cold plunge and a hot tub open around the clock. Each full day of its Revive & Thrive retreats brings sunrise yoga, a hike in the sub-alpine parks with time walking in silence, Pilates or functional movement, breathwork, a guided meditation and a massage, with gluten-free, plant-based meals and no Wi-Fi in shared spaces. The specialty week Stillness & Self-Mastery (4 to 8 July 2027) is led by Tom Cronin, who teaches Vedic meditation, a silent personal mantra practice.
For someone who wants meditation to arrive through the body and the mountains rather than a cushion alone, this is the most active week on the page, with 2027 dates and prices published. It is a holistic retreat with meditation woven through rather than a meditation-only programme, its resident guides are not named online, its pages make some health claims we do not repeat, and rooms have internet, so switching off is up to you.
Five-day retreats start from NZD 5,880 and seven-day retreats from NZD 8,230, all-inclusive, varying by date up to NZD 7,115 and NZD 10,164; Stillness & Self-Mastery costs from NZD 6,475 (operator site). Guests must be 16 or over. Official website: aro-ha.com.
Also featured in: New Zealand (country guide)
Type: Year-Round Yoga, Breath & Meditation Retreat
Address: 75/2 Moo 4, T. Namuang, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84140, Thailand; +66 77 920 090
Stay options: the all-inclusive Yoga & Fitness programme on any date all year, from three nights; dated retreats on top, among them a Mindful Yoga, Somatic Movement and Meditation Retreat with Jennifer Raye (16 to 23 January 2027) and the resort's own Christmas and New Year Yoga, Meditation & Fitness retreats (20 December 2026 to 3 January 2027)
What the retreat is designed for: in the resort's words, "a dedicated center that teaches breathwork and pranayama safely, step-by-step for every level of student", where "Meditation and breathwork classes are included in your customized Yoga & Fitness One Rate-Any Date Program".
Samahita has stood on a quiet beach on Koh Samui since 2003, with four yoga shalas, a meditation garden, two salt-water pools, an herbal steam room and cold plunge, a wellness centre, a sea-view fitness centre and about forty air-conditioned rooms. Meditation is part of every day of its all-inclusive programme: dedicated sessions of about thirty minutes in the morning, early evening and at night, and a contemplation practice at the start of every morning class, which includes pranayama, alongside dynamic and restorative yoga each day. The breathing practice comes down from Swami Kuvalayananda, founder of the Kaivalyadhama Institute in 1924, through his student Sri O.P. Tiwari to Samahita's founder, Paul Dallaghan, and the resort says all its teachers have trained in pranayama; the resident team includes Gill Breetzke, Managing Director and senior teacher, and Daniel Stringer, senior teacher. Private sessions in pranayama, meditation, mantra or yoga can be booked.
Samahita's strength is daily practice in a clear lineage: three meditation sessions a day and breathwork every morning, included in the rate on any date of the year. It is yoga- and breath-led rather than a meditation programme sold by name, its rooms are comfortable rather than luxurious, meals are buffets, fitness classes share the timetable, and its pages make claims for breathing practice that we do not repeat; book one of its private rooms and ask which sessions are taught by the resident team.
Samahita quotes its all-inclusive rates on request, by room and date; private sessions cost THB 2,500 for 60 minutes and THB 3,500 for 90 (operator site). Official website: samahitaretreat.com.
Also featured in: Yoga Retreats
Type: Hermitage Silent Retreat
Address: Località Tarina 2, 05010 Parrano (TR), Umbria, Italy; +39 0763 891010
Stay options: two nights minimum (one night in some periods), no maximum; open all year except a winter closure, generally from mid January to the end of February
What the retreat is designed for: in the hermitage's words, a stay where "You do not take a vow. You simply stop talking, and start listening": dinner is shared in silence every evening, and guided meditations and readings in the chapel accompany the day, though "you may also do nothing at all".
Eremito is a modern hermitage in the woods of the UNESCO Monte Peglia Biosphere Reserve in Umbria, about two hours by car from Rome and reached by jeep from the car park, with eighteen simple rooms, the Celluzze, modelled on monastic cells, most of them single and each with its own bathroom. The day follows the same rhythm for everyone: readings in the chapel at 7.30, gentle yoga at 7.50, free time for walks in the woods, a Turkish bath and jacuzzi from 16.00, meditation and readings in the chapel at 18.00 and a silent dinner to Gregorian chant at 19.30, with conversation by the fire afterwards. All of it is optional. There is no Wi-Fi and generally no mobile signal inside, and guests who want to stay silent all day can ask for a badge that says so.
For a quiet, inexpensive place to sit every evening and live in silence for a few days, this is a rare setting in Europe, and the evening guided meditation is held every day the hermitage is open. What to know: Eremito names no meditation teacher and sells no meditation course or programme; meditation is a short guided session in the chapel each evening inside a stay built around silence, with simple rooms and no spa programme beyond the Turkish bath and jacuzzi. It suits people who already know how to sit, or who want quiet rather than teaching; the chapel readings and chant give a monastic setting but are optional.
Eremito costs from EUR 220 a night for one person, all-inclusive, with a second person in the same room EUR 150 (a room for two from EUR 370), varying by season and room; the rate includes vegetarian full board with water and wine, herbal teas, morning yoga, guided meditations, the relaxation area and the jeep ride from the car park, and the only extra is a tourist tax of EUR 1 per person a night for the first two nights (operator site). Guests must be 16 or over. Official website: eremito.com.
Also featured in: Digital Detox
Ananda spreads across the hundred-acre palace estate of the Maharaja of Tehri Garhwal, high above Rishikesh and the Ganges, with Sal forest walks, a heated pool above the valley and the resort's Rishikesh temple tours, which include the evening Ganga Aarti. Its Dhyana Meditation programme, introduced by the resort's Bihar School-trained Head of Yoga & Meditation, trains the mind in the classical Raja Yoga way, in private sessions with yoga and meditation teachers, with a Lead Consultant who sees you before, during and after the stay and Ayurvedic therapies, hydrotherapy and Vedanta talks around it. Among meditation wellness resorts it is the one for a complete classical training with follow-up.
Aleenta Retreat Chiang Mai lies in the forested foothills of Doi Suthep, just beyond the city of Chiang Mai and close to the forest temple of Wat Umong, a resort of rooms, suites and pool residences with the original teak house now its bar, the AYURAH spa and a farm-to-table kitchen. Its Vipassana Deep Meditation retreat counts a temple sitting and a walking meditation for each night of a five-, seven- or ten-night stay, with a consultation before you arrive, Ayurvedic and Thai massages and a review at the end. Among meditation wellness resorts it is the one for a structured Vipassana practice in a Thai resort.
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan lies in the Ayung River valley near Ubud, where a resident wellness mentor who was once a Buddhist nun leads meditation twice a day and, on set dates through the year, a Silent Retreat that gives solo travellers a week of quiet with their phones left at the front desk. Guided meditation, Kundalini yoga, sattvic meals and spa rituals fill the silent week. Among meditation wellness resorts it is the one for daily practice and a guided week of silence in Bali.
Aro Hā sits on a hillside above Lake Wakatipu near Glenorchy, in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, a retreat of eco-rooms, a plant-based kitchen and a hydrotherapy spa of sauna, cold plunge and hot tub. Its five- and seven-day retreats weave meditation, mindfulness and silence through sunrise yoga, sub-alpine hikes, breathwork and daily massage, and a 2027 specialty week teaches Vedic meditation. Among meditation wellness resorts it is the one for finding stillness through the body and the mountains.
Samahita lies on a quiet beach on Koh Samui, a resort of four yoga shalas, a meditation garden, two salt-water pools and a sea-view gym, run since 2003 by the yoga and breath teacher Paul Dallaghan. Every day opens with contemplation and pranayama, and meditation sessions follow in the morning, early evening and at night, taught by a resident team in the lineage of Sri O.P. Tiwari and included on any date of the year. Among meditation wellness resorts it is the one for a daily meditation and breathing practice by the sea.
Eremito is a modern hermitage in the protected woods of Monte Peglia in Umbria, where eighteen small rooms modelled on monastic cells, a chapel and a refectory make a place for silence, with no Wi-Fi and generally no signal inside. Gentle yoga opens the morning, a short guided meditation with readings in the chapel comes each evening, and dinner is eaten in silence to Gregorian chant; guests may keep silence all day. It has no named teacher and no meditation course, so the practice is yours to bring. Among meditation wellness resorts it is the one for silence and simplicity at a modest price.
A classical Raja Yoga meditation programme on a Himalayan palace estate, with a consultant before, during and after.
Ananda opened in 2000 on the palace estate of the Maharaja of Tehri Garhwal above Rishikesh. Its Dhyana Meditation programme, 7, 14 or 21 nights, is based in its words on the classical Raja Yoga tradition and is ideal for individuals seeking to manage stress, improve mental clarity and achieve inner peace, with a Lead Consultant before, during and after the stay, eight to thirty-one personal yoga, pranayama and meditation sessions, Ayurvedic and other therapies, daily guided meditation, Vedanta talks and hydrotherapy.
On the evidence. Regular meditation brings small to moderate improvements in anxiety, low mood and pain and supports calm; it complements but never replaces treatment, and intensive practice can unsettle people with a history of trauma or psychosis, so tell the team and your doctor.
Setting: The Himalayan foothills above Rishikesh, on a hundred-acre palace estate of forest, gardens and historic buildings including the Viceregal Palace, with the Ganges valley below. The estate is spread across a hillside, so expect stairs and slopes.
Treatments include:
Water & Wellness Facilities:
Check with the team before the chill plunge or very hot steam if you have heart or blood pressure problems, and tell the team about any mental health history before intensive meditation.
Wellness programmes include:
What the programme is designed for, in the resort's words:
What a stay involves:
Keep your own doctor and therapist informed, and never change medicines because of the stay.
Additional Activities:
Meals follow Ayurvedic principles, with three wellness meals a day planned to your constitution and guided by your Lead Consultant. Produce comes from the estate gardens and nearby Himalayan farms.
Dining atmosphere: The main restaurant, a tree-top deck and garden pavilions, unhurried and quiet.
Accommodations:
Service Approach: Lead consultants, Ayurvedic doctors, yoga and meditation teachers (headed by Sandeep Agarwala, Head of Yoga & Meditation) and the kitchen work from one shared assessment, and the Lead Consultant follows up after you leave.
Estimated Pricing & Value:
Pricing is indicative; ask the resort for a quote in your currency.
Included: Accommodation, full board, the Lead Consultant's consultations and follow-up, the therapy hours of your programme level, personal yoga, pranayama and meditation sessions, daily classes, hydrotherapy, Vedanta talks and weekly treks.
FAQ:
Who teaches the meditation?
Ananda's yoga and meditation team, led by Sandeep Agarwala, Head of Yoga & Meditation, who trained in yoga physiology at the Bihar School of Yoga and introduced the Dhyana programme; ask who will guide your personal sessions.
Do I need experience?
No; the programme is for new and experienced meditators.
Comprehensive or Intensive?
Comprehensive adds the Emotional Wellbeing and physiotherapy consultations; Intensive adds therapy and personal session hours.
2026
2024
2023
Distinctions
No award here concerns meditation specifically.
A Vipassana retreat of temple sittings and walking meditation, as many of each as the nights you stay, in a resort below Doi Suthep.
Aleenta Retreat Chiang Mai is a resort of about forty-four rooms, suites and pool residences in the Doi Suthep foothills just beyond the city of Chiang Mai. Its Vipassana Deep Meditation retreat, 5, 7 or 10 nights, is in its words a rigorous training of the mind designed for those seeking an immersive experience, with five, seven or ten Vipassana temple meditations and as many walking temple meditations, a pre-arrival consultation, an end-of-retreat review, up to two wellness classes a day, three wellness meals, Ayurvedic and Thai massages and Tibetan sound therapy.
On the evidence. Regular meditation brings small to moderate improvements in anxiety, low mood and pain and supports calm; it complements but never replaces treatment, and intensive practice can unsettle some people, so tell the team and your own doctor about any mental health history.
Setting: The forested foothills of Doi Suthep in the Suthep area of Chiang Mai, near the forest temple of Wat Umong, a short transfer from Chiang Mai International Airport.
Treatments include:
Wellness Centre Facilities:
The programme page names no meditation teacher or temple and gives no times for the sittings, so ask who teaches and where the sittings take place.
Wellness programmes include:
What the retreat is designed for, in the resort's words:
What a stay involves:
No silence rule or daily timetable is published, and the resort's group class timetable lists meditation as sound-led sessions; tell the resort and your own doctor about any mental health history before intensive practice.
Additional Activities:
Three wellness meals a day are included in the retreat, with herbal tea and a fresh juice or coconut water daily. The Garden, the main restaurant, serves Northern Thai and Western dishes with a farm-to-table approach and local producers.
Dining atmosphere: Garden dining in the foothills, quiet by day, with a piano bar in the teak house in the evening.
Accommodations:
Service Approach: Small and personal, with a pre-arrival consultation, instructors who tailor sessions to each guest and a review meeting at the end of the retreat.
Estimated Pricing & Value:
Pricing is indicative and taken from the operator's programme page, which gives no validity dates; confirm current rates and inclusions with the resort.
Included: Accommodation, three wellness meals and daily drinks, the temple and walking meditations of your package, the pre-arrival consultation, body composition analysis, up to two wellness classes a day, the massages and spa treatments of your package, the fitness centre and yoga studio, and the end-of-retreat review.
FAQ:
Who leads the meditation?
The resort says the retreat is guided by respected masters and offers meditation with monks as an extra, but the programme page names no teacher or temple, so ask before you book.
Do I need experience?
The Deep Meditation retreat is the resort's monk-level programme; beginners can start with Vipassana Awaken the Mind (3, 5 or 7 nights).
When should I go?
Programmes run year-round; the resort names November to February as the best season for Chiang Mai.
Distinctions
Time Out Chiang Mai (September 2025) calls it one of the finest stays and wellness retreats in Northern Thailand (press praise, not an award). No award here concerns meditation specifically.
Twice-daily meditation and a monthly week of silence near Ubud, led by a Vipassana-trained former Buddhist nun.
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan lies in the Ayung River valley near Ubud. Its resident wellness mentor, Ibu Heny Ferawati, a former Buddhist nun who practises Vipassana, leads complimentary meditation classes twice daily and weekly Life Talks, according to the resort's undated spa page, and once a month a seven-day Silent Retreat designed in its words for solo travellers seeking clarity, balance and reconnection, with phones handed in at the front desk, television and Wi-Fi removed from the villa, guided meditation, Kundalini yoga, journaling, sattvic meals and spa rituals.
On the evidence. Daily meditation and a week of silence can bring real calm and clarity; it is not treatment, it can unsettle people with a history of trauma or psychosis, and the retreat's chakra and crystal sessions are relaxation rather than therapy.
Setting: The Ayung River valley at Sayan, near Ubud in central Bali, with the resort's villas set in terraced gardens above the river.
Treatments include:
Wellness Centre Facilities:
The Silent Retreat includes chakra balancing and crystal reiki, energy practices without scientific evidence; take them as rest.
Wellness programmes include:
What the retreat is designed for, in the resort's words:
What a stay involves:
Give family the resort's number before you arrive if you join the silent week; your phone stays at the front desk.
Additional Activities:
Sattvic, plant-based menus designed by the resort's head chef for the silent week, with a floating breakfast; the resort's restaurants serve other guests.
Dining atmosphere: Quiet, in keeping with the retreat.
Accommodations:
Service Approach: A resident wellness mentor, at the resort since 2014, leads the daily classes and the silent week and works with guests to create individual wellness programmes, supported by the resort's practitioners and local healers.
Estimated Pricing & Value:
Pricing is indicative; the retreat figure comes from the trade press, so ask the resort for a current quote.
Included: On the Silent Retreat, six nights in a villa, all meals, spa treatments, yoga and meditation, the wellness consultation, the cultural outing and airport transfers, according to the resort's release.
FAQ:
Can I meditate here without the silent week?
Yes; the resort's spa page says Ibu Fera leads complimentary classes twice daily for guests. The page is undated, so confirm the times when you book.
Can couples join the silent week?
No; the Silent Retreat is for solo travellers.
Are there 2027 dates?
None had been published by mid-October 2026; ask the resort.
No award was verified for this page. No award here concerns meditation specifically.
Meditation and silence woven through yoga, hikes and a hydrotherapy spa in the Southern Alps.
Aro Hā is a purpose-built wellness retreat above Lake Wakatipu near Glenorchy, New Zealand. Its five- and seven-day Revive & Thrive retreats, in its words, focus with mindfulness and meditation and weave insight practices into most things, from eating to walking, through sunrise yoga, sub-alpine hikes with time in silence, breathwork, Pilates, daily massage, a contrast hydrotherapy spa and plant-based meals; a 2027 specialty week teaches Vedic meditation.
On the evidence. Meditation, movement, nature and sleep together support calm and mood; we do not repeat the retreat's claims about ageing, and the benefit lasts as long as the practice does, so leave with a routine you can keep.
Setting: A hillside above Lake Wakatipu near Glenorchy, in the sub-alpine World Heritage parks of New Zealand's Southern Alps, about 45 minutes from Queenstown Airport.
Treatments include:
Water & Wellness Facilities:
Cold plunges and saunas are not advised for everyone; tell the team about heart or blood pressure problems or pregnancy.
Wellness programmes include:
What the retreat is designed for, in the retreat's words:
What a stay involves:
Rooms have internet and there is no Wi-Fi in shared spaces; the retreat asks you to disconnect as much as you can.
Additional Activities:
Plant-based, gluten-free and dairy-free meals and snacks, included, with other dietary needs accommodated on request.
Dining atmosphere: Communal and quiet, with insight practice at the table.
Accommodations:
Service Approach: A small team that adapts hikes and classes to each guest, with a one-to-one check-in to set treatments; guests must be 16 or over.
Estimated Pricing & Value:
Pricing is indicative and varies by date; confirm current rates and dates directly with the retreat.
Included: Accommodation, all meals and snacks, classes, hikes, a massage each full day, the spa and scheduled transfers from Queenstown.
FAQ:
Is this a meditation retreat?
Meditation and mindfulness run through every day, and the Tom Cronin week is dedicated to Vedic meditation; the core retreat is a full wellness programme.
Do I need to be fit?
A moderate level helps; hikes can be shortened and classes swapped for spa time.
Can I use my phone?
In your room; there is no Wi-Fi in shared spaces.
Distinctions
No award was verified for this page. No award here concerns meditation specifically.
Meditation morning, early evening and night, and pranayama in every morning class, on a quiet beach on Koh Samui, on any date of the year.
Samahita is a yoga, breath and meditation resort on a quiet beach on Koh Samui, open since 2003 and founded by Paul Dallaghan, a student of Sri O.P. Tiwari. Its all-inclusive Yoga & Fitness programme runs on any date all year: each day brings a contemplation practice and pranayama at the start of the morning class, dedicated meditation sessions of about thirty minutes in the morning, early evening and at night, and dynamic and restorative yoga, with private pranayama, meditation, mantra or yoga sessions on request; in its words, a dedicated centre that teaches breathwork and pranayama safely, step by step, for every level of student.
On the evidence. Regular meditation and slow breathing support calm and can ease anxiety and low mood a little; we do not repeat the resort's claims for what breathing practice does to the blood, the brain or the heart.
Setting: A 200-metre stretch of beach on Koh Samui, Thailand, with the beach rooms and pools on the shore and the garden rooms set back behind them; the operator notes that the tides change the beach width and swimming depth through the year.
Treatments include:
Wellness Centre Facilities:
Breathing practices with breath holds or forceful exhalation are not for everyone; tell the teacher if you are pregnant or have heart disease, epilepsy or high blood pressure, and check with them before the cold plunge or steam room.
Wellness programmes include:
What the retreat is designed for, in the resort's words:
What a stay involves:
Tell the teachers about any mental health history before longer sittings, and keep the night sessions gentle if you are new to meditation.
Additional Activities:
Brunch and dinner buffets on the beachfront, led by an executive chef with a team of Thai cooks, mostly vegetarian with fish options, plus a juice and coffee bar.
Dining atmosphere: Communal and relaxed, on the beachfront.
Accommodations:
Service Approach: A resident teaching team in one lineage, led by its Managing Director and senior teacher, Gill Breetzke, with senior teacher Daniel Stringer and full-time teachers, all trained in pranayama, and visiting teachers through the winter.
Estimated Pricing & Value:
Pricing is indicative; ask the resort for a quote for your dates and room.
Included: Accommodation in your chosen room, brunch and dinner buffets, the daily yoga, meditation and breathwork classes, VAT, the pools, steam room and cold plunge, and the fitness centre; private sessions and therapies are extra.
FAQ:
How much meditation is there?
Dedicated sessions of about 30 minutes in the morning, early evening and at night, and a contemplation practice with pranayama at the start of every morning class, all included in the programme.
Who teaches?
The resident Samahita team, all trained in pranayama, in the lineage of Sri O.P. Tiwari and the resort's founder, Paul Dallaghan; visiting teachers lead the dated retreats.
Is it a meditation retreat?
It is a yoga, breath and meditation programme with daily practice on any date, not a meditation course sold by name; Jennifer Raye's January 2027 week is the most meditation-focused of the dated retreats.
Undated (resort-reported on its home page)
Distinctions
The resort gives no years for these listings; none was verified independently. No award here concerns meditation specifically.
A modern hermitage in the Umbrian woods with a guided meditation in the chapel each evening and dinner in silence.
Eremito is a hermitage hotel in the woods of the UNESCO Monte Peglia Biosphere Reserve in Umbria, about two hours by car from Rome, with eighteen rooms modelled on monastic cells. Every day the hermitage holds gentle yoga in the morning and a guided meditation with readings in the chapel in the evening, and dinner is shared in silence to Gregorian chant; in its words, you do not take a vow, you simply stop talking and start listening. There is no Wi-Fi, all of it is optional, and the all-inclusive rate covers vegetarian full board, yoga and the guided meditations.
What to know: Eremito names no meditation teacher and sells no meditation course or programme; meditation is a short guided session in the chapel each evening inside a stay built around silence, with simple rooms and no spa programme beyond a Turkish bath and jacuzzi.
On the evidence. Silence, nature and a short daily sitting are restful and can support calm; there is no teacher's guidance, screening or plan for home, so start gently if you are new to meditation, and treat a silent stay as rest, not treatment.
Setting: The Parrano valley in Umbria, in the woods of the UNESCO Monte Peglia Biosphere Reserve, about two hours by car from Rome (A1 exit Fabro), reached by jeep from the car park; Fabro-Ficulle station is about 30 minutes away, with a paid transfer on request.
Treatments include:
Wellness Facilities:
No meditation teacher is named and no meditation room is described beyond the chapel; ask who guides the evening session.
Wellness programmes include:
What the retreat is designed for, in the hermitage's words:
What a stay involves:
There is no meditation course, consultation or plan for home; tell the hermitage and your own doctor about any mental health history before a long silent stay, and know that you can join or skip any session.
Additional Activities:
Vegetarian, seasonal cooking on full board, with water, wine and herbal teas included.
Dining atmosphere: Silent at dinner, with conversation by the fireplace afterwards.
Accommodations:
Service Approach: Simple and quiet, in the spirit of a hermitage; reception takes calls and messages for guests, and no staff are named.
Estimated Pricing & Value:
Pricing is indicative; the exact price is shown at booking, so confirm current rates directly with the hermitage.
Included: The room, vegetarian full board with water, wine and herbal teas, morning yoga, guided meditations, the relaxation area and the jeep ride from the car park.
FAQ:
Who leads the meditation?
The hermitage's pages name no teacher; the evening session in the chapel is guided and short, so ask who leads it if that matters to you.
Do I have to stay silent?
Only at dinner; if you want silence all day, ask for the badge that says so. There is no vow.
Is it religious?
The setting is monastic and the chapel readings and chant are part of the day, but everything is optional.
No award was verified for this page. No award here concerns meditation specifically.
