Ellen B. Kennedy
While retirement should be a time to relax and enjoy life, many retirees quickly discover that stress did not go the way of their paychecks.
From minor inconveniences, such as sitting in traffic, to major economic strains such as inflation, life is rarely perfect, even for the luckiest retirees.
Life can be perfect for a little while, though.
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You just need to find the right luxury spa resort to escape, indulge your senses and enjoy unparalleled pampering.
We've found four U.S. spas that cater to older travelers, where you can schedule a weekend or even an extended visit. Don't blame us if you never want to leave.
1. The Lodge at Woodloch — Hawley, Pennsylvania
Starting with my personal favorite, the Lodge at Woodloch is a forest oasis nestled deep in the heart of the Poconos. The lodge spans more than 500 acres, featuring a private 15-acre lake. The resort is in harmony with its surroundings, as its architecture features wood, stone and warm lighting.
The adults-only resort is more of a sanctuary than a simple spa, offering wellness programs, luxurious meals, creative arts instruction, group fitness classes, cooking demonstrations and scheduled outdoor excursions. It also operates on an all-inclusive model, with packages that include access to all amenities and a personal spa concierge to design your program.
Indoor and outdoor pools, along with a Hydromassage Water Wall, offer aquatic relaxation and exercise. Multiple sanctuary rooms, including a silent sanctuary, offer space to sit back, relax and take it all in.
Notable features:
- Full-featured spa campus with saunas, steam rooms, multiple sanctuaries, gendered and co-ed relaxing spaces and on-site restaurants.
- A unique snow room offers cold therapy and contrast therapy to enhance cardiovascular health.
- A full activity schedule includes outdoor excursions, fitness classes, creative arts and more.
- The resort is accessible for those with mobility issues, but it is hilly and spread out. Guests can ask for golf cart rides by calling the concierge from any phone.
Treatment options and activities:
The spa features 27 treatment rooms and a comprehensive range of spa services, including facials, massages, targeted therapies, deep tissue massage, Ayurvedic treatments, energetic bodywork and therapeutic enhancements.
You can review its spa menus to find the perfect therapies, or you can enjoy lectures, fitness classes, guided hikes, cooking classes and more.
Packages and costs:
- The spa offers an array of packages from one-night weekend or holiday escapes to specialized romance or golf packages. Costs vary from as low as $575 per night for midweek specials to upwards of $2,000 per night for specialized options.
- Two-night minimums apply for some packages.
- Packages typically include a $180 spa service allowance per person per night of stay.
- The spa offers special deals for long stays, including 50% off one night for stays of five days or longer.
2. Canyon Ranch Lenox — Lenox, Massachusetts
Canyon Ranch is practically synonymous with the term "luxury spa," as it's one of the best-known integrative wellness retreats in the country.
While there are multiple locations, Canyon Ranch Lenox stands out and is New England's No. 1 spa resort, according to the Michelin Guide.
Like the Lodge at Woodloch, Canyon Ranch is far more than just a place you go for a massage. It's an award-winning institution built around fitness, wellness, movement and mind-and-spirit services. It also operates on the all-inclusive model and has a charming setting, this time in the Berkshires.
Canyon Ranch's multiple restaurants show that healthy food can be delicious, while the Lunch & Learn and private cooking courses in the demo kitchen can help you take your own culinary skills to the next level.
You'll work up an appetite if you participate in the multiple daily activities, from morning walks to Yin Yoga and outdoor sun salutations. Alternatively, you can simply sit back and enjoy the indoor pool, outdoor waterfalls and other relaxing spaces.
If Massachusetts is too far from your home, Canyon Ranch also operates a spa in Tucson, Arizona. That resort was named one of the five top wellness hotels in the world by the Michelin Guide. Other Canyon Ranch locations include Las Vegas and a day spa and fitness center in Fort Worth, Texas.
Notable features:
- Innovative, expert-led programming: Canyon Ranch is renowned for its distinctive lectures and experiences, featuring guest experts who cover a wide range of topics.
- Indoor and outdoor pools where you can relax or take part in daily aquatic classes
- Healthy cuisine: Canyon Ranch is renowned for crafting delicious, healthy dishes with seasonal specialties and menus centered on fresh, local ingredients.
Treatment options and activities:
Treatments at Canyon Ranch include classic spa and beauty treatments, such as hot stone massages and facials, as well as unique health and performance options such as acupuncture and Chinese herbal consultations. Additionally, the resort offers mind and spirit treatments, including outdoor soul journeys.
View the full spa menu to explore eastern therapies, energy therapies, metaphysical therapies and more.
Packages and costs:
- Canyon Ranch offers a variety of packages, including both Stay Your Way and designed experiences, such as All You Can Spa and Mystic Soul. Multinight packages start at $1,000 to $1,800 per person per night.
- Many packages include nightly space and fitness credits of $200 per night and a $300 health and wellness credit for stays lasting three nights or more.
- Special offers are available for longer stays, including a $100 nightly discount plus a bonus nightly spa and fitness credit if you choose at least a three-night stay.
3. Mii amo — Sedona, Arizona
Winner of the Travel + Leisure World's Best Award in 2025, Mii amo provides an all-inclusive journey that offers the ultimate in self-care.
From your home base in accommodations featuring private outdoor fireplaces and heated floors, to multiple restaurants, every aspect of Mii amo illustrates the spa's commitment to fostering intentional wellbeing.
Mii amo completed a $40 million renovation in 2023, adding new casitas, spa experiences, exercise space and the Hummingbird Restaurant. Nestled in Sedona’s Boynton Canyon, the spa draws inspiration from the landscape, with adobe textures, red rock hues and architectural lines that mimic canyon walls.
Mii amo's nearby sister resort, Enchantment, offers hiking, biking and wine-tasting adventure trips.
Like the other spas on this list, Mii amo also operates on an all-inclusive model, but takes the concept a step further with multiday journeys that include accommodations, meals, lectures, fitness classes and time spent in private gathering spaces.
You'll set your intentions for your journey and, with the help and support of your personal guide, can indulge in experiences that foster growth and transformation.
Notable features
- Secluded resort options with just 23 suites and casitas available for guests.
- The unique Journey model helps guide you towards deeper healing and self-discovery.
- The signature culinary program focuses on wellness, with menus built around seasonal produce from nearby gardens, ranches and orchards.
- Robust daily schedule of classes and activities ranging from Zumba to water aerobics to sound baths, lessons on chakras and group hikes.
- The resort is accessible for those with mobility issues. One casita with a king bed is fully ADA-compliant. The surrounding area, however, is rugged.
Treatment options and activities
Mii amo's spa menu includes massage classics such as deep tissue and stone massages, as well as CBD and lymphatic massages.
There are also a variety of facials and wraps, including a unique high-desert enzyme wrap and a crystal facial that incorporates the energy-healing properties of gemstones and crystals.
Mii amo goes beyond the basics, though, with exclusive offerings such as chakra balancing, energy readings and connection ceremonies. A variety of sound resonance therapies also provide unique opportunities for healing.
Packages and costs:
- Mii amo's packages include journeys lasting two to seven nights, with prices ranging from around $1,300 to $1,800 per night, depending on the length of stay and the time of year you visit.
- Journeys include room accommodations, three daily meals and spa or trail house credits, as well as consultations and classes.
- All packages include access to private Mii amo gathering spaces, guest lounges and locker rooms.
4. Ojo Santa Fe — Santa Fe, New Mexico
For hundreds of years, this award-winning resort and spa has been a destination for those who view water as a form of medicine.
While the spa's location on 77 acres in New Mexico's high desert might not seem at first glance like the prime location for waterfalls and mineral baths, that's precisely what you'll find at Ojo Santa Fe. From the saltwater pool to the float tank to the hot spring-fed pools, you can immerse yourself in the water and appreciate its healing properties.
Activities are held every day, and fine dining is on the menu, but this is the most affordable spa on our list. You'll find fewer guided journeys here and more opportunities to experience the natural landscape. The resort is also a good option for a spa day, with day-soaking packages.
Notable features
- Lush 77-acre resort with hiking trails and impressive desert landscape views.
- Spring-fed thermal pools with legendary healing waters, as well as saltwater pools and float tanks.
- Fine dining at Blue Heron Restaurant, with seasonal fare incorporating fresh ingredients from the Ojo Caliente Farm and throughout the local Southwest region.
- Daily yoga is included with your stay, featuring mindful morning yoga and classes that incorporate a variety of styles, including nidra, hatha and more.
- You might want to skip this resort if you have mobility issues. While the hotel offers ADA-compliant rooms and wheelchairs can access some of the resort, travelers on Tripadvisor report that several amenities and paths are not accessible. Call ahead to discuss your options before booking.
Treatment options and activities
Ojo Spa is renowned for its distinctive spa rituals and signature services, including scalp massage, hot stone and reflexology foot therapy.
Sound healing is also available, and soaking in the hot springs is unlimited for spa guests.
Packages and costs:
- Prices for casitas vary but are around $475 per night for two-bedroom accommodations and $318 per night for garden rooms.
- Day soaking options are available on a first-come, first-served basis with no registration required.
- The Leisure Longer package offers a third night free for guests staying Sunday through Thursday.
- New Mexico residents and those from neighboring states can enjoy discounts of up to 20%.
Before you book a spa retreat
Each of these spa options offers unbeatable relaxation and its own unique features. As you decide which is best for you:
- Consider your goals for your spa retreat, whether you're focused on relaxation, self-care or enrichment.
- Carefully research what's included in each package to understand what spa services and meals are covered in your price.
- Visit during the weekdays to enjoy discounted prices and less crowded spaces.
- Longer stays can allow you to score additional savings and truly immerse yourself in the spa experience.
- If you have mobility or other physical issues, be sure to call ahead to find out if the resort can accommodate you.
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