As wellness travel continues to evolve beyond massages and meditation rooms, Preferred Hotels & Resorts is shining a spotlight on hotels that are redefining what it means to reset. This month, the global luxury hotel brand launched Preferred Wellbeing, a new designation recognizing more than 50 hotels and resorts around the world that are leading the next generation of transformative wellness travel.
The program reflects a growing shift in luxury hospitality, where travelers are increasingly prioritizing experiences centered on longevity, mindfulness, and authentic connection. According to the company’s recent Luxury Travel Report, more than one-third of luxury travelers are actively seeking transformational wellness journeys, while 77 percent say modern luxury now means disconnecting from the pressure to constantly post and impress online.
Preferred Wellbeing was created to help travelers easily identify properties offering immersive, holistic wellness programming rather than traditional spa experiences alone. Participating hotels are evaluated across multiple wellbeing pillars, including rest and recovery, movement, nourishment, sustainability, and connection to place. To earn the designation, each property must meet at least 10 out of 12 wellness criteria.
“Travelers are increasingly looking for experiences that support physical, mental, and transformative wellbeing,” said Lindsey Ueberroth, CEO of Preferred Hotels & Resorts. “Preferred Wellbeing was designed to make it easier for guests to discover hotels that are shaping the future of wellness travel.”
Among the standout trends driving the movement is longevity-focused wellness. At Amrit Ocean Resort and Residences, a 100,000-square-foot spa combines Eastern healing philosophies with Western technologies, offering biohacking, hydrotherapy, mindfulness, and advanced skincare treatments. In Cartagena, Hotel Las Islas incorporates neurostimulation therapy into its wellness programming, reflecting how science-based wellness is becoming increasingly integrated into luxury travel.
Nature-driven wellness is also playing a larger role. At Corcovado Wilderness Lodge by SCP, guests reconnect through jungle immersion, outdoor yoga, and plant-based rituals, while Post Ranch Inn integrates forest bathing and sound healing into its coastal wellness experiences.