Winter Wellness: Cold Weather Getaways

The Rise of Winter Wellness: 7 Destinations to Embrace the Cold

As travelers seek grounding stillness and restorative experiences, a new trend is emerging: winter wellness. Industry research indicates a growing desire for cold-weather getaways focused on spa time, nature immersion, and mindfulness, redefining what a rejuvenating retreat can look like.

The perception of winter as a time for hibernation is shifting. With the rise of “coolcations” and “quietcations,” more vacationers are understanding that winter wellness destinations can be just as, if not more, rejuvenating than their sun-soaked counterparts. Snow tourism has expanded beyond skiing, with travelers actively seeking activities that nurture both body and mind. Whether it’s through invigorating cold plunges or tranquil starlit sauna sessions, a new era of winter escapes is dawning.

These destinations perfectly blend the restorative power of nature with curated wellness practices like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. From Scandinavian retreats to alpine hideaways, the crisp air, soft light, and slower rhythms of winter provide an ideal backdrop for deeper listening and self-discovery. Each destination offers a unique kind of warmth, born of presence, perspective, and the quiet magic of the season.

1. Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise | Alberta, Canada

Set on the edge of its namesake lake in Alberta’s Banff National Park, the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is a historic retreat surrounded by soaring peaks and a landscape partially designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Chateau offers sanctuary in every season, but particularly shines in winter, thanks to its year-round wellness programming and thoughtful design. This year, the resort unveiled a new thermal bathing destination, further enhancing its nature-immersed wellness offerings.

Embrace the cold: In winter, Lake Louise transforms into a snow-covered haven where mindful movement meets mountain magic. Guests have immediate access to forested trails for snowshoeing, peaceful winter hikes, and lakeside walks framed by glacier-carved peaks. Skating on the frozen lake, sleigh rides through the valley, and exploration of nearby ski resorts are also readily available.

Warm up inside: After time in the crisp mountain air, guests can retreat to inviting indoor spaces designed for comfort and self-care. The centerpiece is BASIN Glacial Waters, a thermal bathing destination featuring thermal pools, contrast baths, saunas, hot-stone beds, and cooling plunges rooted in ancient and Nordic bathing traditions. The spa also offers traditional massages, facials, wraps, and body therapies, while yoga classes and cozy lounges provide further opportunities for relaxation.

2. Deplar Farm | Tröllaskagi Peninsula, Iceland

Eleven Deplar Farm, located on Iceland’s remote north coast, sits on the wild Tröllaskagi Peninsula at the threshold of the Arctic Circle—one of the most dramatic and untouched landscapes on Earth. Once a 15th-century sheep farm, the lodge is now an award-winning retreat where black timber cladding, grass-sodded roofs, and floor-to-ceiling windows seamlessly blend into the landscape, immersing guests in the raw beauty of glaciers and fjords.

Embrace the cold: Winter at Deplar Farm brings crisp air, powder-dusted peaks, and a wealth of outdoor exploration opportunities. Guided outings include Nordic ski touring in the Fljót Valley, snowmobiling, fat biking, ice climbing, ice fishing, and whale watching along the fjords. Winter conditions often allow for horseback riding and coastal pursuits like surfing, sea kayaking, and SUP.

Far from light pollution, the lodge is also a premier location for witnessing the Northern Lights, with geothermal soaking pools designed for reclined skyward viewing.

Warm up inside: After a day in the elements, guests can return to interiors crafted for warmth and restoration. Morning yoga sets a mindful tone, while the 5,000-square-foot spa—housed in the restored sheep barn—features geothermal heated indoor-outdoor pools, a steam room, floatation tanks, a sound bathing studio, and a traditional Viking sauna ritual that alternates deep heat with invigorating cold immersion.

3. Forestis Dolomites | Dolomites, Italy

Located high on the southern slopes of the Plose mountain, Forestis Dolomites feels like a sanctuary carved directly from the alpine landscape. At 1,800 meters, the retreat overlooks the jagged spires of the Dolomites, an expansive UNESCO World Heritage site, offering panoramic views from every angle.

Embrace the cold: Winter is considered a season of retreat at Forestis, when the rhythm of cold and quiet sharpens awareness and encourages the body to attune to its own needs. It carries a purifying power, and Forestis invites guests to fully step into it. Guests can explore the Puez-Geisler Nature Park on skis, snowshoes, or fat bikes, following trails over frozen brooks and through snow-laden forests. Guided excursions reveal untouched snowfields, serene woodlands, and the subtle winter sounds of the high Alps.

Warm up inside: Indoors, Forestis transforms into a cocoon of warmth and stillness. The spa is guided by a philosophy of four—trees, woods, stones, and frequencies—which informs deeply restorative treatments. Signature rituals, including a gentle detox treatment that balances the body’s water systems, help unwind tension and restore clarity. Guests can also connect with the local environment through visits to the mountainside herb farm of Laurenz and Giada, where tea tastings, herbal salt blending, and seasonal lessons in traditional harvesting deepen the property’s focus on elemental wellness.

4. The Lodge at Blue Sky | Utah, United States

Set on 4,000 acres of untamed wilderness, The Lodge at Blue Sky lies just a short drive from Park City, Utah, yet feels a world away from everyday life. Here, luxury is measured not by excess but in the freedom to roam wide-open spaces, breathe mountain air, reconnect with the land, and find stillness in nature’s vastness.

Embrace the cold: Winter at Blue Sky is an invitation to step fully into the mountains. Guests can access eight nearby world-class ski resorts, returning between runs to the cozy Ski Lounge for hot drinks and high-end snacks. For a slower pace, snowshoeing through powder-laden forests leads to secluded fireside clearings perfect for personal yoga or meditation.

Beyond skiing, adventure takes many forms: helicopter tours over alpine ridges, dogsledding, horseback rides through snow-covered valleys, winter sporting clay, and guided wildlife excursions. Guests can also experience guided cold plunges paired with Wim Hof breathwork for a visceral encounter with the elements.

Warm up inside: After a day in the crisp mountain air, the lodge offers spaces designed to restore body, mind, and spirit. The cliffside Edge Spa provides a sanctuary for renewal, featuring treatment rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, steam facilities, and therapies that blend relaxation with mindful energy work. Guests can participate in aerial or suspended yoga, reformer pilates, meditation sessions, sound-healing journeys, or a traditional sweat lodge ceremony honoring Indigenous wisdom. Intuitive healer Sugar guides energy-balancing practices and chakra-clearing meditations for personalized care.

5. Arctic Bath | Harads, Sweden

Arctic Bath is a one-of-a-kind wellness retreat embodying the traditions of Swedish Lapland. Set in the remote village of Harads, home to fewer than 500 residents, the retreat feels wonderfully removed from everyday life. With six floating cabins, six land cabins, an intimate spa, and an ethos blending Sweden’s sauna culture with serenity, Arctic Bath offers a space for soulful restoration.

Embrace the cold: Snowmobiling, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, ice fishing, and dog sledding offer exhilarating ways to explore the forested landscape, while moose and reindeer viewing introduces visitors to iconic regional wildlife. Evening horseback rides under the Northern Lights—set against forests and open tundra—add a magical element to even the coldest nights. Creative workshops, such as Arctic herbs foraging, allow guests to craft herbal teas and soothing beeswax salves from ingredients sourced from the surrounding wilderness.

Warm up inside: After a day in the snow, Arctic Bath’s interiors offer restorative warmth. The spa centers around Swedish sauna culture, inviting guests to alternate between the dry heat of the sauna and cold plunges in the Lule River. Nordic-inspired treatments drawing on wild berries, regional botanicals, and natural oils restore balance and connection to self. Guests can also explore yoga, meditation, and “soul sessions” featuring intuitive guidance and restorative massage, offering a gentle complement to the invigorating climate.

6. Aman Le Mélézin | Courchevel, France

Part of the famed Les Trois Vallées ski area, Aman Le Mélézin offers ski-in, ski-out access to hundreds of kilometers of groomed slopes—an invitation to alpine adventure. Morning wellness sessions, refined interiors, and attentive ski-concierge service complete the experience, creating a mountain escape tuned to winter’s rhythm and the slow unfolding of serenity.

Embrace the cold: Guests glide directly onto the Bellecôte piste, accessing a 600-kilometer network of groomed runs across Les Trois Vallées. Ski butlers and a state-of-the-art ski room with valet service ensure effortless transitions from chalet-quiet to mountain-rush. Beyond downhill skiing, sunrise brings opportunities for hot-air balloon or helicopter rides above the Alps, offering breathtaking aerial views of snow-laden valleys and jagged ridgelines. Snowshoeing and winter treks through silent, snow-dusted woods and alpine ridges offer gentler motion. Tobogganing, ice skating, dog sledding, and snowmobiling round out the diverse winter program.

Warm up inside: The spa, spanning two floors, is a haven of water, warmth, and mindful healing. A 14-meter heated indoor pool flanked by jacuzzis sits alongside a traditional hammam, wood sauna, and cold-plunge pool—each designed to ease tired muscles and recalibrate energy. Five treatment rooms offer restorative rituals such as hot-stone massages, oil treatments, dry-body brushing, and hydration facials tailored to counter the alpine elements. Wellness classes prepare or restore the body, and a fully equipped yoga and fitness studio adds further depth.

7. Four Seasons Whistler | British Columbia, Canada

Four Seasons Resort Whistler captures the essence of mountain living at its most soulful. Cozy, charming, and quintessentially Canadian, the property invites guests into a world where adventure meets wellness. Here, snow season is not something to escape but something to revel in.

Embrace the cold: Guests can start with simple pleasures—sweet treats and hot drinks served from the vintage camper or warm maple syrup poured over fresh snow—before heading into Whistler’s expansive terrain. For next-level adventure, helicopter tours explore glowing ice caves or offer glacier-side massages; snowmobile rides venture into the Callaghan backcountry for a rustic, three-course steak dinner; or journeys to the iconic Crystal Hut provide famous cheese fondue and waffles with panoramic mountain views. Heli-skiing, bobsleigh, snowshoeing, and sleigh rides round out the mountain’s exhilarating offerings.

Warm up inside: Spa treatments echo the calm of the surrounding landscape with nurturing prenatal and couples massages and deeply rejuvenating facials. The signature Peak to Feet experience delivers 120 minutes of head-to-toe restoration through an extended scalp massage, full-body sports recovery work, and revitalizing foot therapy, an indulgent way to melt into the warmth of the season. Guests can also unwind in eucalyptus steam rooms, outdoor heated pools, and whirlpools, offering an inviting contrast to the mountain chill and a perfect way to loosen tired muscles.