14 California Wellness Retreats to Reset for the New Year
The start of a new year invites a different kind of travel—one shaped less by packed itineraries and more by intention. Across California, boutique hotels embrace wellness in thoughtful, place-driven ways, offering spaces to slow down, restore energy, and reconnect with the rhythms that support well-being. From immersive retreats guided by experts to garden-set spas and quiet coastal escapes, these hotels invite travelers to begin the year feeling grounded, nourished, and at ease.
Sensei Porcupine Creek
Set on a 230-acre private estate at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains, Sensei Porcupine Creek is a desert oasis and wellness retreat where every experience is guided by intention and expertise. The Sensei approach centers on three pillars—Move, Nourish, and Rest—brought to life through personalized wellbeing consultations with trained guides and practitioners in fitness, yoga, nutrition, and mindset. Guests can also enjoy restorative spa treatments, including massage, bodywork, facials, and reflexology, designed to support rest and renewal. Daily movement and mindfulness classes, serene outdoor spaces, and thoughtfully designed facilities create an immersive environment that supports well-being.
Stanford Inn by the Sea
The Stanford Inn by the Sea is a wellness-centered eco-resort nestled between the redwoods and the Pacific Ocean on the Mendocino Coast. A leader in plant-based living, the inn invites guests to slow down and reconnect through experiences rooted in nutrition, movement, creativity, and nature. Throughout the year, the inn hosts immersive Vegan Retreats designed for both longtime vegans and the vegan-curious, combining plant-based cooking classes, nutrition education, and habit change with restorative time in nature. Daily life at the inn is nourished by chef-prepared vegan meals at the acclaimed Ravens restaurant, yoga, meditation, organic gardening, nature tours, and much more.
Hotel Bel-Air
Nestled in the canyons of Los Angeles, the spa at Hotel Bel-Air is a cloistered escape focused on indulgence and rejuvenation. The spa features a tranquil relaxation lounge and seven treatment rooms, where staff attend to every detail, from warmed towels to personalized music selections. For the ultimate in private pampering, book an afternoon in The Enclave—a sprawling suite with two treatment beds, a marble soaking tub, and a shady outdoor patio with a soothing waterfall. Wrapped in plush robes, guests can spend the afternoon relaxing in secluded bliss.
Timber Cove Resort
Perched on a bluff above the Pacific along Highway 1, Timber Cove Resort offers a deeply restorative getaway shaped by the raw beauty of the Sonoma Coast. In 2025, the mid-century–inspired retreat introduced its Reset & Restore Suite, a private wellness experience designed for intentional renewal. The immersive suite features a zero-gravity recliner, compression and recovery tools, a rock sauna, and a cold plunge, along with calming details like essential oils, curated sound frequencies, herbal tea, and plush robes. Beyond the suite, guests can reconnect through guided redwood hikes, forest bathing, yoga, and sunset ecotherapy meditation.
Gaige House
In the idyllic village of Glen Ellen, the Gaige House is a tranquil wine country retreat inspired by the calm rituals of a Japanese ryokan. Designed for rest and renewal, the intimate boutique hotel features serene gardens, softly cascading fountains, and an on-site meditation alcove nestled alongside a creek. Guests can deepen their practice with private yoga or guided meditation sessions, unwind beside the peaceful pool and fire pits, or retreat to ryokan-style suites with private Zen gardens and deep Japanese soaking tubs. It’s an ideal setting to slow down and reset just minutes from Sonoma’s top wineries.
Hotel Cerro
Spa Cerro at Hotel Cerro offers a serene, design-forward wellness experience focused on calm and restoration. Guests can unwind with restorative massages, facials, and body treatments, then linger in the spa’s Relaxation Quiet Room, where mesmerizing panels of bubbling water and a sleek gas fireplace create a soothing cocoon. The experience extends to the rooftop Spa Relaxation Terrace, a peaceful retreat high above the city with panoramic views. Hotel guests can also take a dip in the hotel’s rooftop pool, maintain their workout routine in the fitness center, or relax in the hotel’s edible gardens, which supply fresh herbs and vegetables for the restaurant’s seasonal dishes.
The Steward
The Steward is a grounding retreat rooted in nature, sustainability, and a rich botanical legacy. This one-of-a-kind boutique hotel in Santa Barbara sits on the historic 1880s estate of Joseph Sexton, a pioneering horticulturist. Guests can wander through heritage trees and exotic gardens, unwind poolside, or daydream in the shade of the daybed patio swings. Guests can also deepen their yoga practice on the private yoga lawn. Complimentary yoga classes are held every Saturday morning with private sessions available by request. A renovated historic barn houses the hotel’s state-of-the-art fitness center, while in-room massage and a restaurant showcasing local, organic, farm-to-table cuisine round out the offerings.
Purple Orchid Wine Country Resort & Spa
Set among rolling vineyards and olive groves in the Livermore Valley, the Purple Orchid Wine Country Resort & Spa offers an intimate, slow-paced wellness escape. The boutique resort features just 10 contemporary suites, many with fireplaces and deep soaking tubs for two. Its private on-site spa offers massages, facials, and body treatments—some incorporating olive oil from the property’s own orchard—along with thoughtfully curated spa packages for individuals and couples. Between treatments, guests can unwind by the heated pool with its impressive rock waterfall, linger in stone-enclosed hot tubs, or relax in the gardens overlooking the olive orchard and surrounding hills.
Mar Vista Farm + Cottages
Set along a secluded stretch of Highway 1 in Mendocino County, Mar Vista Farm + Cottages is a quietly restorative retreat rooted in nature and intentional living. Historic cottages are designed for relaxed comfort, with fireplaces, cozy furnishings, and well-equipped kitchens. Guests can make home-cooked meals with vegetables harvested from the on-site garden, farm-fresh eggs delivered to the door, and an array of curated provisions. Opportunities abound to connect with nature, from self-guided forest bathing beneath towering redwoods to time spent exploring a secluded beach with tide pools. The inn offers a wellness package that includes breakfast and wellness baskets, a guided garden tour or a private yoga session, and reserved time in the outdoor soaking tub.
Kenwood Inn & Spa
Tucked into Sonoma’s Valley of the Moon, Kenwood Inn & Spa is a Mediterranean-inspired retreat designed for lingering, restorative days. Surrounded by vineyards, the intimate property unfolds across garden courtyards, warming pools, and shaded cabanas. At the on-site spa, guests can choose from personalized massage treatments ranging from 50 minutes to nearly two hours, including couples’ treatments enjoyed by the fire. Between spa sessions, days drift easily between soaking, quiet lounging with a book, and sipping wine in the central courtyard with its cascading fountains and warming fireplaces.
Hotel San Luis Obispo
In the heart of downtown San Luis Obispo, Hotel SLO pairs modern urban energy with a restorative spa experience at Sol Spa, a serene escape tucked into the hotel’s garden courtyard. Sol Spa invites guests to unwind with a curated menu of massages, facials, body scrubs, and reflexology treatments, all designed to calm the nervous system and renew the senses. Spa appointments include access to dry saunas, a relaxation lounge, and the hotel’s pool and hot tub, creating a full day of self-care in a tranquil setting. Other hotel features include an airy, state-of-the-art fitness center, a rooftop terrace with a bar, and two amazing, chef-driven restaurants.
Lavender Inn
Just steps from the guestrooms at Lavender Inn, the Ojai Garden Spa offers an intimate, wellness experience rooted in Ojai’s restorative spirit. Therapies range from customized massages that blend ancient techniques with intuitive bodywork, rejuvenating facials using organic, locally sourced botanicals, and holistic rituals that incorporate breathwork, sound healing, and energy alignment. Guests can opt for treatments in a private gazebo tucked at the back of the inn’s gardens or fireside in the cottage. Guests can also unwind with a simple foot soak in the garden, accompanied by the gentle cascade of fountains and a chorus of frogs.
Inn at Occidental
Tucked into a redwood-shaded village in Sonoma County, the Inn at Occidental partners with nearby Osmosis Day Spa for a restorative getaway. The inn’s Self-Care Getaway Package pairs a one-night stay with your choice of therapeutic and rejuvenating treatments at the acclaimed spa. The package also includes a luxurious tub turndown service, a curated basket of Osmosis spa products, and a delicious breakfast. Enjoy 10% savings on stays Sunday through Thursday nights (excluding holidays). Advance reservations are strongly recommended; visit the website for details.
The Cottages of Napa Valley
At The Cottages of Napa Valley, wellness is woven quietly into the rhythm of a wine country stay. Guests can arrange private yoga sessions with a local instructor, held beneath towering trees on the courtyard lawn. Complimentary bikes invite easy exploration of the Napa Valley Vine Trail, a 47-mile path that passes through vineyards and wine country towns. Back at the cottages, restoration continues with spa-like amenities, including deep, jetted soaking tubs with chromotherapy and aromatherapy. Other thoughtful cottage comforts include heated bathroom floors, a gas fireplace, and an outdoor chimenea for relaxing beneath the stars.