Sustainable Business Went Mainstream in 2021

creator of the acclaimed Aire Ancient Baths in Manhattan, the 30,000-foot spa will have more of a Roman bathhouse feel. Upgrades include co-ed relaxation rooms, eucalyptus-infused steam rooms, a heated stone bench, a traditional dry sauna, and four new bathhouse-inspired pools: a caldarium (warm pool), a vitality tub (hot tub with jets), a very cold plunge pool (meant for a quick dip), and a cool bath (slightly warmer than the cold plunge; meant for a 10-15 minute soak). The treatment rooms are also getting a major makeover, featuring new indoor/outdoor spaces that let you feel the breezy ocean air on your skin as you’re being pampered. Even the ocean-fed saltwater pool—the only one of its kind on the East Coast—is getting a face lift to match the rest of the spa’s new look. Book early, because this iconic 158-room Hamptons spot fills up fast. But once you get there, it’s time to chill out, hit up the new spa, and enjoy the legendary property—not to mention a post-plunge cocktail.

Best for getting grounded in ancient wisdom: Etéreo, Auberge Resorts Collection, Mexico

Located in Mexico’s Riviera Maya, the stretch of land from Cancún to Tulum that was once home to ancient Maya civilization, Etéreo, Auberge Resorts Collection is as much a cultural hub as it is a place to beach. Opened in December 2021, the new 75-room hotel—whose Spanish name translates to “spirit” or “heavenly”—highlights traditional wellness wisdom throughout its various offerings. The SANA spa menu, for example, includes detoxifying Mayan clay wraps, a massage that incorporates sacred Mayan healing stones, and an “energy purification ritual” that uses Mayan crystals, metal, vibration, smudge smoke, and local herbs known for their mystical properties. The property also offers traditional cooking classes and workshops, as well as weekly spiritual rituals led by the in-house shaman, Yaotekatl, who will guide you through ancient Mayan practices. The beachside sunset fire meditation is especially transformative, as the Maya viewed fire as a bridge between earthly and otherworldly realms. Gather around the flames for a blessing from Yaotekatl, and then cover yourself in local Mayan clay to connect to the earth before rinsing off in the ocean under the moonlight. For more cultural lessons, be sure to visit some nearby ruins—the hotel offers a guided trip to the ancient city Chichen Itza, or you can rent a car and go on your own.

Best for actually catching up on sleep: Rosewood Miramar Beach, California

Is it a bit counterintuitive to go somewhere just so you can sleep? Yes. But is it a great idea nonetheless? Also yes. Welcome to 2022, where nothing really makes sense and the world’s a bit dazed and confused and we’re all just trying to get by. Rosewood gets this. In January, they’re launching a new global wellness program focused on rest called “Alchemy of Sleep.” Designed specifically to promote quality rest, the program takes a holistic 360-degree view of sleep and offers all sorts of treatments and activities that target the different areas that affect your bedtime habits, from sleep-inducing treatments like CBD massages, to nutritional consultations to help you learn which foods impact sleep the most, to movement-heavy activities meant to regulate your circadian rhythm (think sun salutation yoga to help produce sleepregulating melatonin, and sleep release meditation to unwind and settle your body and mind). As part of the program, guests also receive a curated sleep box filled with scented oils, tea blends, linen mists, and silk masks. “Alchemy of Sleep” will be offered at 20 Rosewoods around the world, though the 160-room Rosewood Miramar Beach, located right on the beach in Montecito, is particularly noteworthy as they are also launching three new Bryte Sleep Suites. The suites feature restorative beds with circadian climate technology that heats or cools the mattress according to your core body temperature (and you can even divide up the bed so you and your partner have your own separate settings).

Best for a tropical transformation: BodyHoliday, St. Lucia

Thanks to its pristine beaches and crystal-clear emerald waters, St. Lucia is already a pretty solid spot to clear your mind and feel at peace in the world. But check into BodyHoliday, the Caribbean’s first destination spa and one of its most well-known retreats, and you will feel even more balanced and zen—especially now. The 155-room healthy living hotel recently debuted four new wellness programs in response to the pandemic: the boost your immunity program (focused on prevention over cure), the COVID convalescence program (meant for COVID survivors), the wellness rehabilitation program (designed to help you get back in the wellness zone if you fell out for a bit due to ~these times~), and the corporate well-being program (focused on those suffering from burnout). Each program can range anywhere from five, seven, 14, or 21 days and is highly customizable, with a range of mixand-match treatments like ocean swimming, bike riding, beach volleyball, tai chi, Reiki, Ayurvedic therapies, Bhutanese healing, chanting, hypnotherapy, holistic nutrition, and more—it all depends on what your goals are. The programs all include consultations with experts, including prearrival meetings if you like, so the experience can truly be whatever you want it to be. Just don’t forget to do a bit of nothing, too—you are in the tropics, after all.