Shanti-Som Luxury Wellbeing Retreat in Marbella & the Algarve

A stay here is structured around whichever programme you pick at booking. Yoga and Pilates run twice-daily classes in small groups adapted to each person's level, and most guests are complete beginners to yoga, meditation or both. The Detox Retreat replaces solid food with a juice and broth diet plus expert guidance through the week. The Strength & Fitness Retreat covers strength-training fundamentals for bone and muscle health alongside practical guidance on sustainable eating. The Burnout & Nervous System Recovery Retreat is built specifically for people dealing with prolonged stress, who can't switch off, or feel disconnected from their normal energy. Healing and Weight Loss programmes have their own specific inclusions. All programmes include yoga, meditation and spa sessions.

Meals are included in every programme (drinks extra), and the kitchen uses fresh seasonal ingredients with nothing fried, oily or processed. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free are all catered for at no extra cost, and allergies are handled carefully if you flag them on the booking form. Accommodation is charged separately from the programme fee, so your total daily cost is the programme rate plus your chosen room; anything extra you add during the stay goes on your account and is settled at the end.

What separates Shanti-Som from a hotel with a spa attached is that every booking comes with a programme — you can't just book a room and opt out. You can, however, build a bespoke stay with the team combining individual treatments, activities and downtime if none of the set programmes fit. Guests travelling together can share a room while following different programmes, and solo travellers make up the majority of bookings, so nobody stands out for arriving alone.

The two locations differ mainly by setting. Marbella is mountain-quiet, with pine and olive groves, 20 minutes from downtown Marbella if you want shops, beach clubs and restaurants. The Algarve is farmland and orchards near the Ria Formosa, close to the coastline for exploring. Both have fireplaces for cooler nights, both are deliberately small, and both run the same twice-daily practice and unhurried pace.

What's included

- Meals (excluding beverages) - Daily group activities - Selection of treatments based on your chosen programme - Yoga and meditation sessions - Spa sessions - Access to facilities at your chosen property - Wellness team support across movement, nutrition and sleep - Guidance on taking habits home

What's not included

- Accommodation (charged separately and added to your programme fee) - Beverages - Additional activities and treatments (charged to your account) - Flights - Airport transfers - Travel insurance - Personal expenses