How Wellness Became the Main Reason to Travel

As health becomes the ultimate status symbol, this year’s most anticipated hotel openings — from Six Senses London to Amanvari in Mexico — clearly place wellbeing at the centre of the travel experience. For years, a spa treatment was simply an add-on during a hotel stay, but today, wellness has become the main event.

By Lisa van Leer

Hotels that do not integrate meaningful wellness facilities and programs into their offerings risk falling behind, as luxury travel is undergoing a significant transformation. Affluent travellers are no longer booking hotels to escape their daily routine, but to improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Sleep optimisation, stress reduction, and longevity have become central motivations for travel, reflecting a wider cultural shift in which health is seen as the ultimate form of luxury.

Recent research by EHL Hospitality Business School in Lausanne shows that wellbeing is no longer considered a secondary hotel offering, but a core expectation, driven by a growing awareness of preventative health and long-term vitality. At the same time, the rise of medical wellness clinics and destination spas highlights how travellers are seeking measurable results, not just relaxation.

These new demands in hospitality align with what we’re seeing in a broader societal context. The global wellness economy was valued at $6.8 trillion in 2024 and is projected to reach $9.8 trillion by 2029, highlighting how rapidly health and wellbeing have moved to the centre of consumer priorities. Lifestyle habits are widely changing, too. Younger generations are drinking less than ever before, and being sober at a party is no longer taboo. Gen Z is significantly reducing alcohol consumption compared to previous generations, forcing the alcohol industry to confront declining demand. Health is increasingly seen not as a compromise, but as a status symbol.

In response, a new generation of hotels is emerging. Across Europe and beyond, properties are being designed to meet the strong increase in wellness demand in travel.The hotel is no longer simply a place to sleep. The goal is to leave feeling stronger and healthier than when you arrived.

Here are five of my most-anticipated wellness-led hotel openings of 2026.

Six Senses London

Opening March 2026

Six Senses has long been known for its wellness retreats in remote destinations such as Thailand, the Maldives, and the Seychelles. Now, the brand is bringing that same philosophy into major cities.

In March 2026, the group will make its UK debut in London, opening inside the renovated Whiteley building in Bayswater. Although London is not lacking in luxury hotels, none of them place wellness so central to the guest experience as Six Senses does. Here, the spa is spread across several floors, including a large indoor pool, treatment rooms, and spaces dedicated to relaxation and recovery.

 

Six Senses Milan

Opening late 2026

Six Senses Milan will bring the brand’s wellness concept to the centre of the city

Similarly, Six Senses will also open in Milan, bringing its wellness-focused approach to Italy’s fashion capital. Located in Brera, one of the city’s most trendy neighbourhoods, the hotel will sit among art galleries, cute cafés, and luxury boutiques.

Milan has traditionally been defined by fashion, design, and social life, a position reinforced by hotels such as the popular Portrait Milano. The Six Senses is already the new talk of the town, this time also bringing the role of wellness in everyday city life. The hotel will feature a large spa with programmes focused on recovery and long-term wellbeing, offering guests a place to rebalance while remaining in the centre of the city.

Lake Como Edition

Opening March 2026

Lake Como has long attracted travellers in search of la dolce vita, but the arrival of the Edition reflects how wellness is becoming an essential part of even the most established leisure destinations.

The hotel will include The Longevity Spa, set to be the largest spa on the lake, where guests can book massages, facials, and thermal treatments overlooking the lake, placing wellbeing alongside the traditional pleasures of a stay on Lake Como.

The Longevity Spa inside the new Edition hotel will be the largest hotel spa on Como lake

SHA Emirates

Opening late 2026

SHA introduces new wellbeing island to the UAE

Following the success of SHA Wellness Clinic in Spain, SHA Emirates will expand the brand’s medical wellness concept to the Middle East. The property will offer personalised programmes focused on longevity, nutrition, and preventative health, combining clinical expertise with the comfort of a luxury hotel.

This opening reflects a growing demand for wellness experiences that go beyond relaxation, offering guests measurable improvements in their health and wellbeing.

Amanvari Mexico

Opening spring 2026

Amanvari will include private residences alongside the hotel on the Baja Peninsula.

Another hotel brand long associated with remote wellness retreats is Aman. Rather than building in major cities, Aman properties are typically located in places where nature plays a central role in the experience, what I experienced firsthand when visiting hte stunning Amanzoe property in Greece this year.

Amanvari, its upcoming opening on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula near Los Cabos, follows that same philosophy. The resort will include an Aman Spa with treatments focused on relaxation, movement, and recovery, alongside spaces designed for yoga and meditation. Here, wellness is shaped as much by the surrounding landscape as by the programmes themselves, offering guests the opportunity to fully disconnect.

These openings show how wellness is no longer limited to specialist clinics or remote retreats. It is becoming part of every type of hotel, from city hotels to lakeside retreats. Luxury travel is no longer defined solely by where you go, but by how you feel when you return.