Guide to Wellness
Guide to Wellness: A robust collection of luxurious spas and earthy retreats to help channel your inner om
Visitors to the Art of Living Retreat Center practice meditation from a tranquil and secluded perch nestled on 380 forested acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Self care may be a buzzy concept these days, but true rejuvenation from the busy pace of life requires more than just “me time” and a sheet mask; it takes intentional escape from the everyday. Whether you feel drawn to unplug in the wilderness or prefer indulgent pampering, find what you’re craving in Western North Carolina. Here, you’ll discover an expansive menu of wellness opportunities, from destinations focused on pure relaxation to outside-the-box holistic therapies. While our healing reputation may be grounded in the restorative powers of nature, this region also boasts historic luxury spas, cutting-edge treatments, dedicated practitioners, and life-changing retreats. So kick back with a steaming mug of herbal tea, peruse our wellness guide, and envision yourself exhaling.
Destination Relaxation
In need of a spa day? Take a breather at one of these luxurious spots. Guests can unwind with a variety of elevated options, from soothing massages and restorative wraps to facials, pedicures, and more.
Omni Grove Park Inn
Not an outdoorsy person but pine to enjoy the bounty of the Appalachian outdoors? Visit the Omni Grove Park Inn & Spa. Tucked into a century-old four-star hotel built by “Father of Modern Asheville” Edwin Wiley Grove, this unique spa offers a 43,000-square-foot subterranean space complete with waterfall pools and fiber optic stars twinkling overhead. Buy a day pass to explore general amenities, or book a premium service. The Mountain-to-Sea Salt Stone Massage is inspired by the iconic hiking trail that stretches from the Smokies to the Outer Banks, and the Mountain Honey Body Wrap involves a warm envelopment of local Sourwood honey. www.omnihotels.com/hotels/asheville-grove-park
Best for: Elevated escape
Shoji Spa & Retreat
Shoji Spa & Retreat, located near downtown Asheville, is inspired by ancient Japanese healing practices. While traveling to Japan, owner Roberta Jordan became intrigued by the country’s approach to wellness, so she opened the doors to Shoji in 2006. Try the Okubukai deep tissue massage for ultra-firm pressure on tense muscles, then enjoy a relaxing soak afterward in Shoji’s traditional outdoor salt tubs overlooking the Pisgah National Forest, which provides a serene backdrop. Each soak includes access to a secluded cedar sauna and refreshing outdoor shower, as well as tub-side beverages and snacks. shojispa.com
Best for: Natural serenity
Westglow Luxury Resort & Spa
Art aficionados will love Westglow Luxury Resort & Spa, a sprawling Blowing Rock estate that was once the summer home of prolific artist Elliott Daingerfield. Erected in 1917, the mansion has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979 and is the ideal place to pamper yourself in the company of regional art history. The resort houses original pieces by Daingerfield, who painted many of his masterful works in the on-site studio situated where the spa now stands, as well as by his daughters, Marjorie and Gwendolyn. Inside the renovated spa, choose from a variety of facials, massages, and salon treatments, such as hair styling and manicures. www.westglow.com
Best for: A pop of culture
Old Edwards Inn & Spa
The Old Edwards Inn & Spa has quite the storied past, stretching all the way back to 1878, when John Norton built the earliest boarding house in Highlands. Known as Hotel Edwards after the Edwards family purchased the property in the 1930s, it has continued to evolve. The on-site spa, which opened in 2024, incorporates natural elements such as plants grown in nearby gardens and greenhouses, river stones, and local wood. These are used to enhance treatments like the Sweet Mountain Metamorphosis massage and the Smooth River Stone massage. www.oldedwardsinn.com
Best for: Earthy pampering
More to Explore
The Spa at the Biltmore Estate
Just outside downtown Asheville, the Biltmore Estate is more than a touristy must-see; it’s a haven for luxurious relaxation with massages, facials, pedicures, and more. Try their Ultimate Zen Body Ritual for 110 minutes of bliss. www.biltmore.com
Chetola Resort
This mountain resort in Blowing Rock offers a variety of classic spa services, such as massages, facials, and pedicures, as well as craniosacral therapy for migraines, TMJ disorders, and chronic pain. www.chetola.com
The Spa at the Grand Bohemian
Asheville’s Grand Bohemian Lodge delivers a personalized spa experience by offering massages and facials tailored to each client’s body. Treat yourself to a number of enticing add-ons, like dry brushing, CBD, a proprietary scalp balm, or LED therapy. www.kesslercollection.com/bohemian-asheville
Hot Springs Resort & Spa
Located in the eponymous town of Hot Springs, this 100-acre resort is flanked by natural mineral waters known for their healing properties. Come for the day, or stay overnight at the campground or in an on-site cabin. www.nchotsprings.com
Seeking Sanctuary
Mt. Mitchell Eco Retreat: The main lodge at this retreat in Pisgah National Forest opens onto stunning views of the Black Mountains.
Get back to nature and connect with other environmentalists at Mt. Mitchell Eco Retreat, located 35 miles northeast of Asheville and nestled near its namesake peak in the Black Mountains. Open since 2021, this 28-acre property holds ample opportunities for hiking, fishing, outdoor yoga, and other nature-forward activities. Visitors can choose to camp beneath the stars or pick from 17 rooms and suites comfortably appointed with organic mattresses and earth-friendly products. Your phone isn’t invited, but the retreat is conducive to real-life community: Meet others at the firepit, on the social deck or porch, or in the main lodge. Book a massage or energy work session at the Healing House, a one-room bungalow dedicated to peace, or simply unplug and soak in the scenery. www.mmecoretreat.com
Best for: Outdoor companionship
The Art of Living Retreat Center: Intimate classes invite mindfulness through breath work, movement, stillness, and song.
Sometimes your consciousness feels like it needs a hard reset, and that’s a good reason to visit The Art of Living Retreat Center. Perched above Boone with stunning views for calming the mind, Art of Living is known for transformative programs that challenge visitors to look deeper without the distractions of alcohol or decadence. The center is based on the teachings of its founder, Indian guru and global spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Learn to center yourself with one of the trademark breath work and meditation retreats, or opt for the three-day Sacred Mountain Yoga Retreat to fully commit to your practice. Can’t decide? The R&R retreat allows participants to tailor their days with various workshops, classes, and time in nature. The center also frequently hosts writers, thinkers, and other leaders for special presentation retreats. www.artoflivingretreatcenter.org
Best for: Centering the spirit
SoHum Mountain Healing Resort
With a focus on Ayurvedic practices crafted by world-renowned master yogi Dr. Vasant Lad, SoHum Mountain Healing Resort offers single-day spa retreats as well as immersive seven-night stays in Asheville’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Spa visits are much more than isolated treatments, as SoHum offers guests access to the entire resort, including the trails, library, and boutique, plus a nourishing, plant-based meal and time to reflect. Select from packages tailored to mental clarity, emotional and feminine healing, or their flagship SoHum Serenity option. For a longer stay, the Panchakarma Retreat offers a full-body cleanse crafted to boost immunity and release toxins, while the Soma Retreat delivers a spiritual journey to restore higher consciousness. Each day includes daily rituals, such as meditation and yoga, Ayurvedic nutrition and therapies, one-on-one consultations, and resort activities. www.sohumhealing.com
Best for: Whole-body healing
Skyterra Wellness Retreat
At the all-inclusive Skyterra Wellness Retreat in Pisgah Forest, five pillars represent a healthy, well-rounded life and serve as the framework for on-site stays: mindfulness, movement, nutrition, play, and rest. Since 2016, programs at Skyterra have helped visitors transform their health, both mental and physical. A visit includes lodging at one of the property’s well-equipped (and pet-friendly) cottages; more than 80 classes ranging from fitness to food education; three meals a day; an indoor pool, sauna, and hot tub; and the beautiful Blue Ridge backdrop. Book extras, such as personal training, nutritional coaching, and spa services. Afterwards, revisit all that you learned with the “Skyterra at Home” library of free recipes, fitness routines, and other resources. www.skyterrawellness.com
Best for: Personal coaching
Prama Institute & Wellness Center
Ten years ago, a new wellness institute began hosting retreats in its trademark geodesic dome, eventually expanding into the Prama Institute & Wellness Center. At the heart of Prama retreats is the Prama Wellness Method, consisting of principles such as stress management, mindful meditation, cleansing, and plant-based nutrition. Guests can choose the length of retreat that fits their needs and schedule—three, five, or 10 days—and opt for the Joy of Meditation Retreat, Silent Meditation Retreat, or Juice Cleanse Retreat. Each offers a full but gentle schedule of guided mediations, vegetarian meals, yoga, and relaxation time. The Juice Cleanse also incorporates other physical detox methods, including saunas, mud wraps, and massage. www.prama.org
Best for: A health reset
Escape the Everyday
Om Sanctuary
Ninety minutes from Asheville, this peaceful spot offers a fully immersive wellness experience, from yoga and meditation to forest bathing. Book a retreat guided by one of five themes—Wisdom & Inspiration, Sustainable Living, Mindful Practices, Health & Wellness, or Transformational Arts. www.omsanctuary.org
Inner Wolf Retreat Space
Based on the Cherokee legend that we must feed the inner light wolf, this retreat center located near Asheville offers a variety of programs for wellness and fulfillment. Book an overnight in one of three lodging options, camp under the stars, or make a day trip for sound and light therapy.
The Horse Shoe Farm
Hendersonville’s Horse Shoe Farm is an 85-acre cattle farm-turned-private retreat. At the on-site Stable Spa, choose from a variety of massage, facial, and foot therapies, or opt for a “Transformative Therapy” session including tarot, astrology coaching, somatic bodywork, and more.
Creative Spirit
Wake Foot Sanctuary
Most of us don’t consider feet a favorite body part, but they do a lot of work helping us stand, balance, and walk. So pamper your peds at Asheville’s Wake Foot Sanctuary, where these unsung heroes get properly treated. Each foot soak package comes with a massage add-on (opt for 20 or 40 minutes) that targets some other hardworking body parts: shoulders, neck, and head; hands and arms; or lower legs and feet. Clients can also choose a soak that’s moisturizing, detoxifying, or simply relaxing, and explore Wake Foot’s lavish menu of natural ingredients, such as botanicals, sea salt, citrus, oils, clays, and more. If you’re indecisive, pick one of the ready-made packages boasting promising names like Jet-Setter, Daydreamer, Blissed Out, and Inner Peace. wakespa.com
Best for: Taking care of tootsies
Sauna House Nordic Spa
Tune in to your body and the planet at the same time with Asheville’s Sauna House Nordic Spa, a sustainably focused bath house. Their trademark Thermal Cycle is a two-hour session that includes sauna time for sweating out toxins, a refreshing cold plunge, and finally, rest. Choose your ideal sauna type: dark and quiet, bright and social, humid, or dry. Next, take the plunge at your own pace in temperatures ranging from 45 to 55 degrees. Conclude with a relaxing spell on the heated stone furniture, and hydrate with tea or kombucha. Sixty-minute massages are available to prep your body for the ultimate detox. For those who can’t get enough, memberships are available. www.saunahouse.com
Best for: Physical rejuvenation
Asheville Salt Cave
Salt Therapy, also called halotherapy, provides mineral-rich air that detoxifies your lungs, banishes stress and inflammation, and promotes relaxation—healing benefits that can be found at the Asheville Salt Cave. Forty-five-minute salt therapy sessions take place in a setting with 30 tons of crystalline pink salt, gentle lighting, ambient soundscapes, and a guided meditation. Each session may be booked as a quiet solo treatment, with friends, or even with the kids on Sundays. Add to your salt therapy session a signature massage or time in the Turkish hammam steam bath, or invite your sweetie for a couples’ massage inside the salt cave. www.ashevillesaltcave.com
Best for: Respiratory healing
Asheville Wellness Tours
Another alternative path to meditation—because not all of us can keep our minds calm amidst silence—is sound bathing or sound therapy. The practice uses a variety of instruments, from chimes to gongs, to calm certain parts of the nervous system through vibrations. Dozens of sound healing apps are available on your smart phone, but for an even better experience, listen to a sound therapist actually play the instruments. Asheville Wellness Tours, a wellness and retreat community, regularly hosts sound baths in the area, in addition to yoga, tarot card readings, and other alternative methods of self discovery. www.ashevillewellnesstours.com
Best for: Relaxing the nervous system
Ever watched a bird or chipmunk and marveled at how in the moment they seem? Humans can get there, too, with a bit of forest bathing. Also known as Shinrin-yoku, forest bathing is the Japanese practice of unplugging and immersing yourself in the natural world and then using all five senses to engage in meditation. We’re fortunate in Western North Carolina to have countless spots for this practice, from challenging hikes to gentle strolls. A few highly rated locations for forest bathing include Little Bee Woods (www.littlebeewoods.com) near Asheville; Grassy Creek Vineyard and Winery (www.grassycreekvineyard.com) near Elkin; and Jackson County Greenway in Sylva.
Best for: Settling into nature
Take the Plunge
Drip Nordic Sauna
This wood-fired wellness spot offers group and private sessions, as well as the opportunity to book the entire sauna. Bring your own towel, water bottle, and comfy shoes, then unwind in the custom-built sauna, take a cold plunge, and warm up beside the firepit. www.drip-sauna.com
Unfurl Wellness Spa at Highlands Creek
A nature-forward sanctuary and spa in Highlands is a great place to get in touch with your deeper self through either classic spa treatments or holistic therapies. Here’s your chance to try chakra alignment, ear candling, Reiki, and more. unfurlwellnessspa.com
Stillpoint Wellness
You might not associate Asheville with salt water, but this therapeutic spa offers four state-of-the-art sensory deprivation tanks. With the gentle buoyancy of epsom salts, you can float away from everyday worries. stillpointwell.com