Retreats · The destinations
Wellness retreats compared: Lanserhof, SHA, Six Senses, Chenot and the £2,000-a-night question
Medical spas and wellness resorts have become the luxury travel category. What each of the big names actually does, what a week costs, the evidence behind the programmes, and the honest test of who benefits.
Updated September 2026 · Prices and facilities are illustrative and need verification
The destinations
| Retreat | Where | Approach | Typical week | Signature | Evidence base | Our read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lanserhof Tegernsee / Sylt / Lans | Germany, Austria | Medical; Mayr cure (fasting, gut) | £6,000 to £15,000 | Diagnostics, fasting, personal doctor | Mixed: diagnostics strong; Mayr weak | The medical benchmark; the fasting is the divisive part |
| SHA Wellness Clinic | Alicante; Mexico; UAE | Medical; macrobiotic-influenced | £7,000 to £20,000 | Diagnostics, nutrition, cognitive and longevity programmes | Mixed | Extensive medical menu; some longevity claims outrun evidence |
| Chenot Palace Weggis | Switzerland | Medical; detox method | £8,000 to £16,000 | Chenot Method: diet, hydrotherapy, diagnostics | Weak for detox; strong on rest | Beautiful; “detox” is a framing, not a mechanism |
| Six Senses (various) | Portugal, Ibiza, Asia | Hospitality-led wellness | £4,000 to £12,000 | Sleep, spa, movement, integrated wellness screening | Moderate for rest and sleep | A very good holiday with structure |
| Vivamayr Altaussee / Maria Wörth | Austria | Medical; Mayr cure | £4,000 to £9,000 | Fasting, gut, diagnostics | As Lanserhof | Lanserhof’s quieter sibling |
| Palace Merano (Revital) | Italy | Medical; Chenot heritage | £6,000 to £12,000 | Detox programmes | As Chenot | Refined; same caveats |
| Euphoria Retreat | Greece | Holistic; movement and spa | £3,000 to £7,000 | Spa, hiking, Greek food | Moderate for rest | Great value in the category |
| UK: Grayshott, Champneys, Ragdale Hall | England | Health spa; some medical | £1,500 to £4,000 | Rest, treatments, fitness | Moderate | The domestic option; Grayshott’s health regime is the most rigorous |
Indicative weekly prices for one person including programme, September 2026; verify. Evidence notes are plain-language, not clinical review.
What you are buying
Rest, structure and attention. A week of sleep, controlled food, movement, no screens and a doctor or therapist who spends time with you produces effects that most guests describe as life-changing and that mostly come from the rest and the structure. The diagnostics at the medical retreats are real and sometimes useful (see longevity clinics for the caveats). The fasting cures, detox methods and IV protocols are where the evidence thins.
The Mayr cure and detox
Modified fasting with chewing exercises, alkaline diets and gut “cleansing” is the core of Lanserhof and Vivamayr. Guests lose weight and feel clearer in a week, which is what a week of eating very little and sleeping well does. The specific claims (detoxification, gut reset) are not well supported. Enjoy the effects; be sceptical of the mechanism.
Who benefits
People who are burnt out and will not rest unless someone takes their phone. People with the means who want a single week of comprehensive diagnostics with a doctor who has time. People who use it as a reset that changes habits at home. Who does not: anyone expecting a week to fix a year, or buying the longevity narrative at £15,000.
Cheaper equivalents
A UK health spa week at Grayshott or Champneys delivers most of the rest for a quarter of the price. A week at Euphoria or Six Senses with hiking and no screens delivers most of it for half. A weekend at a thermal town (see thermal towns) delivers a surprising share for £600. The medical week is for the diagnostics.
FAQs
Common questions
How much does Lanserhof cost?
A week typically runs £6,000 to £15,000 per person depending on property, room and programme, plus travel. Verify current rates.
Are wellness retreats worth it?
For rest, structure and a habit reset, often yes at the price point you can afford. The medical diagnostics can be valuable; detox and fasting claims are weakly evidenced.