Costa Blanca Yoga, Detox & Wellness Escape

La Crisalida is run as a health and wellbeing centre rather than a hotel with a yoga class bolted on. The daily programme is built around what they call the Butterfly programme, and it covers eight areas: yoga, meditation, exercise, walks, workshops, food, treatments and rest. In practice, that means a typical day offers hatha, yin, hatha flow or restorative yoga classes, yoga nidra and guided meditation, a guided walk into the Sierra Helada natural park or along the seafront, and a physical session such as rebounding on mini trampolines or core-works. There are also life makeover workshops for guests who want to look at where they are and what they want to change. You are not assigned a track — the same schedule serves everyone, and you choose each day what to join.

The retreat has two outdoor pools. One is a magnesium pool, heated and open all year, which matters in winter when the sea is too cold for most people. There is also an infra-red sauna, a dedicated beauty suite for holistic treatments, a yoga terrace with mountain and sea views, and communal areas where guests eat together. Rooms are comfortable and clean, and guests consistently mention feeling at home from the moment they arrive. The whole property is a short walk from the beach at Albir and around an hour from Alicante airport.

What separates this from a bootcamp-style retreat is the flexibility and the absence of pressure. You book any arrival day, stay as many nights as you want, and the programme runs every day of the year. Staff are trained mentors who guide the classes and workshops rather than pushing a fixed regimen. Guests regularly return — one recent review was a twelfth visit — which tells you more about the place than any brochure line.

The food is a big part of the draw. Everything is plant-based and designed to be light on the digestive system: juices, smoothies, raw and cooked salads, soups and main dishes, with unlimited water and herbal teas. Juicing is not an extra. If you want to replace one meal with a juice, or juice for a full day, or longer, it is part of the all-inclusive price. Many guests come specifically for the detox and weight loss angle and leave with habits they keep up at home.

Practically, everything except flights is covered: accommodation, all meals or juices, all activities, and transfers from Alicante airport or train station for stays of three nights or more. Reception is open daily from 9am to 7.30pm Central European time, and there is a WhatsApp line between 10am and 6pm.

What's included

- Accommodation for the length of your stay - All meals — plant-based breakfast, lunch and dinner - Juices and smoothies, including juicing instead of meals - Unlimited water and herbal teas - Daily yoga classes (hatha, hatha flow, yin, restorative) - Daily guided walks into Sierra Helada park or along the coast - Exercise classes such as rebounding and core-works - Meditation and yoga nidra sessions - Life makeover and themed workshops - Use of both outdoor pools, including the heated magnesium pool - Use of the infra-red sauna - Transfers from Alicante airport or train station (stays of 3+ nights, times apply)

What's not included

- Flights - Travel insurance - Holistic treatments in the beauty suite - Personal expenses - Anything not listed as included