At first glance, the postcard-perfect Castelfalfi Spa Hotel, perched above a verdant valley on a sun-drenched 1,100-hectare Tuscan estate between Florence and Pisa, might strike you as an ultra-romantic spot to indulge – not to commit to the rigorous schedule of a health-minded retreat. Yet the property’s new integrative Wellness RAKxa Spa programme leans right into the countryside’s decadent riches (home-produced wine, olive oil, honey, a forest laden with truffles), with a zero-deprivation “health is wealth” Thai philosophy that includes outdoor activities like sunset Tai Chi and daily hikes on wooded trails.

Castelfalfi Spa Hotel. Photo courtesy of Castelfalfi Tuscany

Castelfalfi Spa Hotel. Photo courtesy of Castelfalfi Tuscany

The contemporary-style spa is also the newest highlight of Castelfalfi, a gorgeously restored mediaeval stone hamlet once owned by the Medici family. It’s also the first European collaboration with RAKxa, whose bespoke programmes of holistic restorative treatments are designed by a highly specialised Bangkok-trained staff, offering everything from core strengthening to hydrotherapy and deep-tissue crystal massages. 

Add to that an exquisite menu of gluten and dairy-free 800-calorie meals (think: tuna tartare, beef filet and broccoli, coconut panna cotta) imagined by chef Davide de Simone. High point: a morning truffle hunt where your precious finds show up at lunchtime, shaved over eggs or risotto. 

Castelfalfi Spa Hotel. Photo courtesy of Castelfalfi Tuscany

Castelfalfi Spa Hotel. Photo courtesy of Castelfalfi Tuscany

On the French Riviera, located on a hilltop overlooking the sparkling sea in the tranquil village of La Croix-Valmer, Lily of the Valley offers year-round bespoke wellness programmes that combine individual sports coaching, cutting-edge spa treatments and beguiling dishes of healthy gluten- and lactose-free Mediterranean-style cuisine designed by nutritionist Dr Jacques Fricker. As if that weren’t enough, the guest rooms come in an uber-stylish Philippe Starck-designed setting. 

No prefixed dates here: the Shape Club retreat, ranging from four to fourteen days, offers a variety of restorative programmes. At the fitness centre, dubbed “the Village”, there’s everything from a 25-metre outdoor lap pool and a state-of-the-art gym (decked out with Starck’s trademark lamps) to a re-boosting cryotherapy chamber and a healthy café where you can grab a detox spinach kiwi smoothie after a yoga class. 

Lily of the Valley. Photo courtesy Lily of the Valley

Lily of the Valley. Photo courtesy Lily of the Valley

High-performance-aspiring athletes may opt for sessions in cardio-boxing and monitored workouts, but there’s also hiking and electric mountain biking along the coastal paths, plus e-foil classes, paddle yoga and vigorous sea-wading at nearby Gigaro beach. The “better ageing” programme, on the other hand, starts with a personalised bioelectrical high-tech analysis and includes treatments like a body wrap with ginger, lymphatic drainage and dry brushing.

Chef Vincent Maillard’s weight-loss menus featuring, for example, prawn carpaccio with avocado or grilled duck with beets and almonds, are a pure joy – and no one will raise an eyebrow if you order a glass of local rosé.

Lily of the Valley. Photo courtesy Lily of the Valley

Lily of the Valley. Photo courtesy Lily of the Valley

A deep immersion into sublime wild landscapes is just one of the singular luxuries of the five-star hotel and estate Domaine de Murtoli, hidden away on a lush 2,500-hectare family-owned peninsula in southern Corsica. In partnership with the French naturopath specialist company La Pensée Sauvage, this six-day retreat offers four approaches to detox – from rigorous liquid fasting with broth, fruit and vegetable juices, all the way to gastronomic three-course vegetarian-inspired meals topped with herbs and edible wildflowers from Murtoli’s exceptional kitchen garden. 

Domaine de Murtoli

Domaine de Murtoli, Photo © Camille Moirenc

After early morning yoga, meditation and a light breakfast, slip on your hiking boots for a climb to the rugged cliffs and lion-shaped pink granite boulder Roccapina with expert guides. Lunch is followed by a second hike; perhaps a walk along their magnificent stretch of private beach and rocky coast. Late afternoons end with relaxing massages using essential oils from the surrounding fragrant scrub, plus optional workshops on nutritional cooking. Dinner is a convivial affair, served at the rustic converted barn, La Table de la Ferme, or at La Grotte, a carved-out candle-lit cave.

Expect deep comfort at the estate’s restored 17^th-century sheepfold-style bergeries, where revitalising timeless panoramas encourage a total disconnect from chaotic urban rhythms.

Domaine de Murtoli, Photo © Camille Moirenc

Domaine de Murtoli, Photo © Camille Moirenc

Image at top: Domaine de Murtoli, Photo © Camille Moirenc