The Wellness Hotels Helping Guests Eat Healthier, Smarter, and Happier

As the saying goes, you are what you eat—and at wellness hotels, that’s a good thing. Health-focused resorts around the world, from Miami to the Maldives, now offer tailored nutrition programs to help jet-setters consume mindfully. Instead of using your vacation time to “cheat eat,” why not use your PTO to reach nutritional goals?

Registered dietitian Danielle Hildreth, a nutrition guide at the Four Seasons Sensei Lanai in Hawaii, says vacation is the perfect time for a diet deep dive.

Photo: Courtesy of Sensei Lanai

Hildreth teaches patrons about mindful eating, an oft overlooked approach to mealtime that includes being present and appreciating the flavors and aromas on our plates. “Often we eat quickly, rushing through meals as if checking them off a to-do list without truly being present with the food in front of us,” she says.

On vacation we have fewer distractions. That means we can learn to “enjoy our meals, enhancing the experience,” Hildreth says.

At resorts such as Sensei Lanai, nutrition sessions are highly tailored. Guests consult with specialists like Hildreth on their daily movement and consumption habits, then plan strategies to optimize energy, immune function, and athletic performance. The resort also offers biomarker-focused nutrition programming, where a body-composition analysis of muscle, fa,t and hydration leads to an even more customized wellness plan.

Photo: Courtesy of Grand Resort Bad Ragaz

Adopting healthy eating habits is easy at a resort such as Sensei Lanai, where fresh and nourishing meals are readily available at the property’s Sensei by Nobu restaurant. The garden-view facility offers a rotating menu that pairs nutrient-rich ingredients with Nobu’s upscale and delectable fare.

“To support guests beyond their stays, we offer virtual nutrition sessions tailored to their needs,” Hildreth says. “During our conversations, we discuss what’s going well, any challenges they’re facing, and strategies to keep them on track. Based on this, we create personalized plans to help them continue making meaningful progress to sustain their healthy habits long-term.”

The goal, both on-site and at home, is to inspire realistic, healthy eating habits—not perfection. “We understand many individuals may feel shame or guilt around their food choices, which can make them hesitant to engage in a nutrition session,” she says. “It’s an exploratory journey where we connect your lifestyle, body composition, and behaviors with your goals to create a plan that works for you.”

Photo: Courtesy of JOALI Being

And Sensei Lanai is just one of many wellness hubs to fine-tune your diet. On the island of Bodufushi in the Maldives, wellness brand Joali Being also connects guests with inventive nutrition programming.

Not only do the property’s nutritionists help to create a locally driven menu, but they can also work with guests on co-creating a meal plan for their trip. Through interactive cooking classes in Joali Being’s Culinary Learning Centre, guests also leave with intel on how to improve their dining back home.

Cayo Levantado Resort, a luxury escape on a private island in the Dominican Republic, offers nutritionist-guided menus chock-full of fresh ingredients, as well as personalized nutrition counseling for individuals or couples. In these one-hour sessions, patrons get a health history evaluation, a body composition assessment and a tailored diet plan to take with them when they go.

Photo: Courtesy of Grand Resort Bad Ragaz

Switzerland’s mountain-flanked town of Bad Ragaz, an Alpine escape known for its bounty of well-being experiences, is another spot for the health-conscious. The Grand Resort Bad Ragaz runs a diet workshop to help guests understand their metabolism and nutrition needs, as well as a microbiome package that includes a diagnosis of existing gut bacteria and gastrointestinal function, followed by an individual nutrition plan. Travelers can also join a detox and cleansing program to feel extra rejuvenated.

Photo: Courtesy of Carillon Miami Wellness Resort

The ocean-view Carillon Miami Wellness Resort, set along Miami Beach, takes health to new heights with its on-site Biostation. The innovative facility offers preventative health-care solutions with biomarker testing, detox cleanses and IV nutrient therapies. And through the Carillon’s Best Life-ing program, experts help travelers refine everything from spirituality to their vocation and nutrition—because the best diet isn’t just about losing weight. It’s about living your best life.