Wellness is synonymous with travel. Whether it be a secluded spa getaway to the Maldives, an active country retreat in the UK with the family or a city break in Rome giggling with girlfriends.

Small Luxury Hotels of the World's collection of over 520 independently-minded hotels offer a wealth of unique ways for independently-spirited guests to explore health and wellness. Beyond just maintaining physiques, many of these hotels incorporate local rituals and utilise their natural environment, so guests return from their retreat not only revitalised, but culturally inspired too.

Laughter therapy on the beach at Heritage Le Telfair, Mauritius

They say laughter is the best medicine. At Heritage Le Telfair, with a backdrop of the sparkling Indian Ocean, this is most certainly true. Led by a laughter yoga specialist, guests are guided through a programme of playful laughter exercises and deep yogic breathing, encouraged firstly to voluntarily laugh before morphing into contagious laughter. Laughter therapy is shown to have an abundance of physical benefits such as releasing endorphins, relieving pain, boosting the circulatory system and relaxing muscles. www.slh.com/telfair

Merano Grape Cure at Park Hotel Mignon & Spa, Merano, Italy

Some may think that grapes are just for drinking in the form of wine, but the Merano Grape Cure has been a recognised remedy for wellness since the times of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. The Merano Grape Cure consists of a daily feed of 300 - 1,000g of grapes, distributed over two meals, and is proven to cleanse organs and improve digestive and urinary functions. The hotel's spa also uses the Merano grapes in its treatments including a body peel with the husks of pressed grapes and a massage with grape seed oil. www.slh.com/parkmignon

Art therapy at Vahine Island, Tahaa, French Polynesia

If residing on your own private island isn't enough, Vahine Island offers guests relaxation in the form of art therapy. The art workshop takes place in a coconut grove overlooking a peaceful lagoon. Guests can create their masterpiece with local shells, coconuts and sand, with Tahitian music playing softly in the background. A creative method of expression and a therapeutic technique to release emotion, guests are encouraged to take part in this activity both at the start and end of their stay to compare and observe the relaxing effect a holiday has on their emotional state. www.slh.com/vahine

Anchorage yoga and forest Pilates at Thalatta SeasideHotel, Evia, Greece

Guests at Thalatta Hotel can start the day sailing out on a private boat and doing their sun salutations anchored in the Aegean. Follow this with a guided hike and Pilates in the forest just behind the hotel for the ultimate healthy Greek odyssey. Each guest is given a bio-metric watch and after each day's activities, the hotel's wellness concierge provides them with analytics and health advice. www.slh.com/thalatta

Tailor-made tea prescription at Lefay Resort & SPA, Lake Garda, Italy

Lefay Resort & SPA is renowned for its multi-award winning spa which combines the ancient principles of Chinese medicine with Western scientific research. The Lefay Spa Method uses the most ancient form of phytotherapy within its programme: herbal teas. Upon arrival, guests are prescribed a tailor-made tea, a concoction of natural ingredients curated by an in-house health specialist, to alleviate health complaints during their wellness stay. Over 40 medicinal plants are used, both because of their intrinsic characteristics (for example, birch for its diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties and blueberry for its antioxidant and vasoprotective properties) and their energising qualities. www.slh.com/lefay

For more information about SLH's collection of hotels around the world or to make a reservation and take advantage of SLH Club member benefits visit www.slh.com. 

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EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES:

PR Director Americas: Erin Woodward (erin.woodward@slh.com)

PR Manager EMEA: Laura Bardell (laura.bardell@slh.com)

PR Manager Asia Pacific: Juliana Tan (juliana.tan@slh.com)

About Small Luxury Hotels of the World: Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ (SLH) matches independently minded guests with independently spirited hotels. The diverse collection of over 520 hotels in more than 80 countries around the world includes everything from cutting edge design hotels and city centre sanctuaries to historic country mansions and remote private islands – all SLH hotels are consistently different, however, they are all united by the fact that they offer the best locations, highest quality, personalised service and a truly authentic way to discover a destination. Reservations for any SLH hotel can be made online at www.slh.com or via App, by contacting a travel agent or calling a Small Luxury Hotels of the World reservations office; click here to view a listing by country.