A recent YouGov poll found 74% of people said they were so stressed they were unable to cope, and Livia Manca di Villahermosa, Balance Holidays founder, said she created the collection after she struggled to find a high-end wellness retreat for herself.
The series of retreats in France and Italy will be available from March 2019 and aim to restore the life balance of guests by providing tools for self-care and healthier living.
Through her own research and experience in online strategy as an e-commerce manager at StyleTrek, Manca di Villahermosa launched her collection of handpicked resorts and hotel partners.
She said: “I know, from personal experience, how confusing the wellness retreat market can be, so I am here to provide advice and reassurance, knowing that all our fantastic hotel and resort partners are aligned with clients’ needs, as they have been with mine.
“Our retreats are not about deprivation, but understanding and education.”
Yoga and meditation form a key part of the retreats; the company’s March offering will see guests sleep in wooden cabins on a lake in the vineyards of Chateauneuf-du-Pape in France.
Equipped with the comforts of a hotel, including a hot tub on the terrace of each private room, guests will start and finish their day with yoga sessions. An essential oils workshop, cooking classes and bike excursions to the surrounding area will also be available.
The retreat in Chateau de Raray, Picardie, France will offer guests the chance to experience the ancient ritual of forest bathing, led by a nature healer. Plant-based, locally sourced food will be created by chefs using ayurvedic recipes.
Programmes start from £1,464 for a three-night wellness retreat, which includes all meals, accommodation and transfers to and from the destination airport.
