Yoga devotees around the world flock to charming retreats across the continent for holidays spent in harmony with their surroundings. No worries, no duties… just unadulterated serenity.
You don’t always have to go on a specified ‘yoga retreat’ to enjoy the ancient practice. Nor do you have to pick a certain ‘type’ of hotel. While a Norwegian log cabin may be heaven for some travellers, others may find their Zen in the luxurious arms of an Irish spa hotel. Different strokes for different folks. See what speaks to your soul in this mix…
1. Park Hotel Kenmare: Kenmare, Ireland
Homely – but cool and stylish with it – Park Hotel Kenmare is a country house dream. Perched on Kenmare Bay since 1897, the award-winning historic hotel offers spa and relaxation experiences to truly recharge the soul. With a blend of healing and therapeutic traditions, Kenmare offers guests deluxe treatments combined with sigh-inducing scenery. Yoga and meditation classes are held throughout the week. From traditional Indian asana yoga to guided power naps, there’s a relaxing session for all levels of Yogi.
2. Hotel Alte Goste: Puster Valley, Italy
Set in the breathtaking Puster Valley, Hotel Alte Goste is your base for all kinds of activities: from wild swimming to horse riding and hiking to, of course, yoga. Inside, the spa and wellness centre provides a haven for restless minds and aching bodies. Round-off your activity-packed day with a hay or herbal bath or indulge in a refreshing Kneipp treatment.
3. St. Brides Spa Hotel: Pembrokeshire, Wales
Spa breaks often fill us with visions of Italian hills and the French riviera, so it might surprise you that the Welsh seaside is an increasingly booming spot for retreats. St. Brides Spa Hotel is one of the very best, treating guests to impressive treatments and even more impressive views (via infinity pools). There’s the shiny new fitness suite to practice your vinyasas, but the most beautiful yoga experiences can definitely be found down on the beach.
4. Větrov Castle Hotel: Aš, Czech Republic
You could quite happily live in the delightful Větrov Castle Hotel. But if you can’t afford the permanent residency, come for a week-long getaway with yoga sessions in the sprawling 15-acre natural park, sensory gardens and six ponds. The 19th-century castle is a true hidden gem, with a wellness centre to rest, relax and be pampered within the romantic surroundings of a unique historical character.
5. Toftaholm Manor: Smaland, Sweden
“Come as a guest and leave as a friend”: the philosophy of Toftaholm Manor, a magical historic hotel that’s been welcoming travellers through its doors for more than 600 years. Yoga lovers will be in there element, with endless Småland countryside to practice and meditate. After a day soaking up natural sights and Swedish delights, Toftaholm’s soothing rooms are dream spaces to retire.
6. Herangtunet Boutique Hotel: Valdres, Norway
You don’t always have to rough it up on a log cabin holiday. The chic and luxurious Herangtunet Boutique Hotel sits in the thick of Norway’s magnificent Jotunheimen National Park: long-gone tales and stories whispering through its wooden walls. Where better to relax to your very core with yoga than this family-run historic hotel, bursting with positive energy and plenty of green space for your downward dogs.
7. Schlosshotel Groß Plasten: Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Germany
Expect charming service, alfresco dining and themed regal rooms from the get-go at Schlosshotel Groß Plasten. Deep in the Mecklenburg Lake District, the handsome castle hotel is an oasis of calm and the perfect location for a yoga-fuelled break. Muscle-melting massages, a freshwater pool with waterfalls and aromatic whirlpools will whisk you into a head-in-the-clouds euphoria. If you’re not getting a treatment, simply sipping a cup of tea in the warm Tepidarium is heaven
8. Marpessa Smart Luxury Hotel: Agrinio City, Greece
You don’t have to flee to the country to experience calm: Marpessa Smart Luxury Hotel provides a serene urban space to declutter your mind. From personalised spa therapies to the surrounding lakes for glorious yoga-time, this Greek wonder sets to work on your soul the moment you arrive.
