How about treating yourself and your mum to a wellness retreat this spring? Here are our hand-picked Mother’s Day retreat ideas.

Wondering what to get for your mum for mother’s day this year? Forget about the usual flowers and chocolates. What better way to show your mum how much she means to you than taking her on a special spa break or wellbeing retreat. Treat her to a Mother’s day retreat (pardon the pun).

No need to go far, we have some excellent UK weekend breaks that don’t cost the earth but offer the pampering your mum deserves. You could always join her and spend some quality time together. And if you want to treat your mum to something really special, read on for Neal’s Yard Holidays’ picks of once-in-a-lifetime holidays, and Mother’s day retreat weekends.

This year Mother’s day is on the 22nd of March 2020. So what are you waiting for?

UK short breaks

For complete relaxation, treat your mum (and perhaps yourself) to a few nights in South Wales. Combine Yoga and Ayurveda with walks in the surrounding ancient forests in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), unwind in the hot tub, and you’ll both leave relaxed and rejuvenated.
March to May, from £570 per person for 3 nights full board, 10% discount if sharing room

For a women-only retreat to be Healthily Happy go on this wellbeing retreat offered by Raw Horizons in North Yorkshire. Laze in the hot tub with extensive views of the beautiful countryside, enjoy delicious gourmet raw food, plus of course yoga and mindfulness.
29 March – 03 April, 3-8 May, 7-12 June, 28 June – 3 July and 26-31 Jul 2020, from £1,095 pp for 5 nights, full board.

Here you find more UK retreats.

Europe

Or use this unique opportunity for yoga and a guided cultural visit to the Eternal City. Stay at the historic villa with pool on the outskirts of Rome. Your host and yoga teacher is Marina, a native Roman, art curator, author and editor of La Cultura Italiana – your most knowledgeable guide to Rome.
12-17 March, 18-23 May, 28 May – 2 June, 30 July – 4 August, 24-29 September 2020, from £465 pp for 5 nights in twin shared room, or £685 single room

And while there’s snow, you can escape to the French Alps for a skiing and yoga holiday. Stay at this great chalet with experienced teachers. Delicious food is served for you. Enjoy the stunning views, the sunshine, snow and fresh air. Return invigorated!
22-29 March 2020, From £1,425pp – £1,495 for 7 nights, choice of twin/double or single rooms

And here you find more retreats in Europe.

Ultimate treats

Make the most of up to 50% off full board accommodation from 23 April throughout the summer at the West Coast Ayurveda Resort in Sri Lanka. Come for 7 to 10 or 14 days to enjoy daily full-body massages, herbal steams and freshly prepared Ayurveda remedies that will leave your mum refreshed and energised.
From 23 April – October, From EUR1060, approx £793 pp per week inclusive in the single ensuite room, or share room to receive 20% off.

And for ‘something completely different’, come for a yoga wellness retreat in Costa Rica near Montezuma with Sunflower Retreats. Stay in the peaceful jungle lodge with beautiful flowering gardens in private reserve next to National Park on the pacific coast with its wonderful beaches. Enjoy pool, jacuzzi, and hammocks.
Selected dates between March and December, from £890 per person for 6 nights sharing room, or single room from £1188

We hope you find something you like in our selection of Mother’s Day retreat. For more options in March or April see retreats by date.

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Let’s help you find where to go on holiday in September – we’ve rounded up some of the best places.

Summer isn’t over yet in September. In fact a holiday in September is best in the Mediterranean for example if you want to avoid the backing heat, yet temperatures are comfortable for the occasional excursions and also sunbathing on the beach and swimming in the sea. The water has gradually been warmed up throughout the summer, and still feels very pleasant even with a gentle breeze.

Besides, with kids back at school, the crowds have disappeared and prices have come down. You are lucky if you can go on holiday in September to benefit from more pleasant temperatures, lower prices, and less crowded places. It’s indeed a good choice to go on holiday in September and enjoy those benefits.

And if you don’t want to fly to the Med there are also home-grown destinations with so much to offer. Whether it’s Ayurveda massages in Wales or outdoor hot tub and spa in Yorkshire, there are plenty of retreats where you can immerse yourself in peaceful seclusion.

If you want to check local temperatures we recommend the BBC weather website for weather reports about two weeks in advance. Once you are away the Met office site provides also useful local details.

Here is our selection to help you find your holiday in September:

In the UK

Ayurveda in Wales: head to South Wales to unwind and relax with a combination of yoga and Ayurveda. Enjoy outdoor hot tub and infra-red sauna, walks in AONB and by the beach. From £570pp for 3 nights, pick your days. (See also photo at top.)

Yoga Cleanse in Cotswold: in early September Rina Golan offers the opportunity to let yourself be nourished, go inwards and pay attention to your needs. Cook together, practice yoga, meditate, walk in nature. From £295pp for 2-night weekend, in early September and October only.

Be Healthily Happy in Yorkshire: Relax with Kundalini yoga, unwind with meditation, refresh and rejuvenate with healthy raw food cuisine, plus enjoy the hot tub and sauna. These are women only retreats offered by Raw Horizons. From £1,095pp for 5 nights, full board.

In Europe

Yoga in southwest Turkey: Huzur Vadisi, one of the country’s best-known yoga retreats is waiting for you, nestled in a peaceful valley amongst olive groves near Turkey’s Turquoise Coast. From £525pp per week.

Fun holidays near Toulouse: get inspired with one-week holidays focusing on yoga, music, dance, cookery or art. From £640pp per week.

Luxury Yoga Retreat in Pelion, Greece: at the foot of the magical Pelion forest where crystal clear water laps rhythmically at the water’s edge. Enjoy vinyasa flow yoga and massages. September only, from £790pp per week.

Further afield

Ayurveda, yoga, beach, and up to 50% discount: If you are craving perfect white sandy beaches, palm trees and warm seas, West Coast Ayurveda Resort in Sri Lanka is located right on tropical beach with a natural lagoon. Treat yourself to a uniquely luxurious holiday with full body massages. Enjoy up to 50% discount on full board accommodation, until 7^th November.

Swim with Wild Dolphins, Bimini, Bahamas: this is a once in a lifetime holiday, the ultimate sacred journey retreat with WildQuest. Plus yoga, healthy food and warm, turquoise ocean. Selected dates in September, from $1,695pp for 6 nights, approximately £1,200.

For more inspiration of holidays in September check our calendar and also all year holidays.

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Summer is here and our thoughts turn to relaxing and rejuvenating retreats. A week or even a few days of yoga, meditation, massages, delicious vegetarian or vegan fare, all in a serene environment can do wonders for the mind, body and soul!

Neal’s Yard Holidays has a wide selection of summer retreat offers in rural settings such as quintessential English countryside and balmy island idylls – for more on this please see our recent blog on rural retreats. Walk in the woods and meadows, meditate under the stars or sun and just enjoy the summer.

Availability ranges from early July to late September so, go on, take your pick from some of the best summer retreat offers below:

UK

Find Your Passion

Find Your Passion, Raw Horizons’ women-only retreat offers a holistic combination of wellbeing coaching, Kundalini yoga, meditation and detoxifying raw food. Stay at Split Farthing Hall, a restored Georgian mansion near the Yorkshire Dales with infrared sauna and an outside hot tub.

Three nights from £625pp full board twin share (single £745pp) including yoga, retreat activities, hot tub and infrared sauna, transfers to/from the local train station. Available for selected dates throughout the year including 3-6 July and 11-14 September 2018.

OFFER: Mention Neal’s Yard Holidays to receive a complimentary one-hour massage worth £55.

Shamanic healing, spiritual detox retreat

Stay in a spacious country house in Dartmoor, Devon set within its own idyllic grounds, surrounded by woodland, rivers, waterfalls, and sacred sites.
Aluna Healing Retreats provide a healing environment to detox and transform through organic juices, ancient shamanic wisdom, nature connection, sound healing, breath work, meditation and yoga practice.

Six nights from £820pp twin share or double room, or single room for £980pp. The price includes fresh juices, all classes and also activities.
Available from 6 to 12 July 2018.

OFFER: Mention Neal’s Yard Holidays and receive £50 off the retreat.

Yoga retreat: life coaching and love yourself

Chillout Retreats’ base near Arundel, close to the rolling Sussex Downs, combines a luxurious style with barn conversion and Temple Spa products in all bathrooms and an indoor swimming pool with mixed ability hatha yoga classes, core strengthening Pilates, meditation and guided walks. Summer Time Bliss adds life coaching and a Love Yourself workshop. Disabled access.

Two-night weekend retreat from £325pp twin share with shared bathroom. Or £350pp twin room with private bathroom, or single room with private bathroom from £450pp, including full board and activities.
Summer Time Bliss available from 20-22 July 2018.

OFFER: Mention Neal’s Yard Holidays to receive a free 30-minute holistic treatment worth £30.

FRANCE

Hiking and Yoga

Here the biggest of our summer retreat offers with £100 off. AdventureYogi combines adult-only yoga retreats with adventure activities in the French Alps. Stay in a luxurious chalet in the area of Sainte Foy Tarentaise with blissful mountain views. Yoga twice a day, guided hikes, brunch and dinner, sauna, hot tub and on-site massages.

Seven nights from £989pp sharing deluxe twin/double en-suite (deluxe single from £1294pp) including twice daily yoga classes, daily CHK brunch, vegetarian feast and local wine in the evening, two guided hikes and packed lunches, sauna and hot tub and transfers.
Available from 18 July to 29 August 2018.

OFFER: £100 off one-week retreats starting between 18 July and 15 August 2018.

ITALY

Hatha Yoga and mindfulness

Galanias Retreats near Bari Sardo in Sardinia provide a unique boutique hotel with an outdoor pool with waterfall, fresh Mediterranean cuisine in a tranquil countryside, not far from Torre di Bari Beach. The relaxing week offers hatha yoga, yoga nidra, mindfulness and pranayama.

Seven nights from €2,045 (approx £1,725) based on two people sharing a room (single from €1,360, approx £1,115) half board including five days of hatha yoga, mindfulness and yoga nidra classes. Lunches, alcohol, flights, transfers, optional excursions are extra. Available now until early October.

OFFER: Mention Neal’s Yard Holidays to receive 20% discount on massage treatments.

See also our budget and affordable retreats.

Wishing you happy, healthy holidays with one of our summer retreat offers!

Jo Fernandez is a leading UK travel journalist, with much of her career spent working for the London Evening Standard where she was Travel Editor until 2015. Now a freelance travel journalist and copywriter, she lives in Essex and has one daughter. As a travel expert, she still enjoys jetting off to write travel pieces, with favourite destinations including Mexico, Croatia and, of course, Essex.

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Embracing the change in season, as the days grow shorter and the temperature drops, can be helped by a UK spa break offer for the ultimate relaxation and rejuvenation with an added extra.

The annual National Spa Week, from 30th October until 5 November this year, aims to raise awareness of the benefits of the physical, mental and emotional benefits of going to spas on a regular basis. Here at Neal’s Yard Holidays, we also understand a thing or two about the importance of a good spa break, whether for relaxing massages and exercise or more mindful practices such as meditation and yoga. We’ve rounded up the best UK spa break offers with availability this autumn and winter – so no flying or airport queues – all in tranquil settings offering a combination of healthy meals, relaxation and exercise.

Restore and recharge in the tranquil English countryside with one of these special UK spa break offers:

Raw Horizons in Yorkshire
Relax with Kundalini yoga, unwind with meditation, gently detox with delicious gourmet raw food, plus enjoy the hot tub and infrared sauna in Split Farthing Hall, close to the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors.
Two nights from £345 per person twin share room, £450 single room full board, includes yoga, retreat activities, hot tub and infrared sauna, transfers to/from local train station. Massages and holistic therapies are not included. OFFER: mention Neal’s Yard Holidays when booking to receive free one-hour holistic massage, worth £55. Available 31 October – 3 November, 10-12 November, 14-17 November, 28 November – 1 December and 12-15 December 2017.

Chillout Retreat with Champneys, Hampshire
The ultimate spa retreat blending yoga, Pilates, meditation, life coaching and workshops, Champneys Forest Mere Resort near Liphook is set in peaceful and grounds with forests and a lake. Or stay at their Arundel retreat, a barn conversion in the Sussex countryside.
Two nights in Hampshire from £495 per person twin share including all food, classes, workshops and use of spa and relaxation facilities. Treatments extra. Available 8-10 December 2017. Two nights in Sussex £325 per person twin share all inclusive with hatha yoga classes, core strengthening Pilates, meditations and guided walks, 24-26 November 2017.
Or choose Chillouts’ luxury retreat offering Hugge Style Comfort in Sussex near Arundel. OFFER: a complimentary 30-minute holistic treatment worth £30 at their Arundel retreat. Available 24-26 November 2017 or 9-11 February 2018.

Enjoy your UK spa break!

Jo Fernandez is a leading UK travel journalist, with much of her career spent working for the London Evening Standard where she was Travel Editor until 2015.
Now a freelance travel journalist and copywriter, she lives in Essex and has one daughter. As a travel expert, she still enjoys jetting off to write travel pieces, with favourite destinations including Mexico, Croatia and, of course, Essex.

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The weather outside is frightful – cheap retreats would be delightful…

Sorry, we just couldn’t help ourselves – and yes, winter has been incredibly mild this year, so, really, that first bit just doesn’t hold.

But maybe this does: the wallet feeling not a little light after Crimbo. Don’t let that stop you. At Neal’s Yard Holidays we’ve got wellbeing holidays to suit everyone, even those of us looking to escape on a shoestring in the new year. Plan ahead to save more with early bird discounts, and don’t miss out due to limited spaces available.

And you don’t have to skimp on choices. From walking on Cotswolds to glorious relaxation in the Canary islands, there’s plenty here to pick from, and even more on our website. Plus see exclusive offers to Neal’s Yard Holidays’ guests.

Getting there doesn’t have to cost the earth either – use our tips for cheap train and plane travel to keep those cheap retreats cheap.

Winter cleanse in the Cotswolds
Rediscover your wellbeing on this idyllic countryside retreat. Learn to prepare raw and cooked, nutrient-rich living organic food and fruit juices. Yoga and nutritional advice is provided by Rina Golan. Mention us to receive two treatments for the price of one, for only £65.
13–15 January 2017, from £295pp twin share room; or £395 single room

West Sussex weekend
With over 20 holistic treatments, yoga, Pilates, detox cuisine and a heated pool, Chillout Retreats’ getaway in Arundel offers luxury that’s value for money. Mention Neal’s Yard Holidays to receive a free 30-minute holistic treatment worth £30.
24-26 February, from £325pp sharing twin room, or from £450 single

Creative holidays with yoga in SW France
La Roane is set in a peaceful 20-acre estate with forest and fields, in rural France, near Toulouse. Enjoy yoga, music, dance or cookery, plus pool and sauna. Delicious vegetarian cuisine by award-winning chef.
23 May – 23 September, from 590pp pwk twin share; add £50 for single room

Wellbeing retreats in sunny Spain
Cortijo Romero is a peaceful haven where you can truly relax and be yourself. Choose walking, meditation, singing or ‘transforming your life’ week, with yoga or tai chi. £60 off for booking 6 months ahead, £30 off for 3 months ahead.
Year round, from £590pp pwk sharing room; single rooms available

Warmth and sunshine in the Canary Island
Stay at restored Canarian finca, nestled amongst dormant volcanoes and with stunning ocean views. Azulfit’s Surya retreats offer a rejuvenating mix of world class yoga, meditation, Pilates and nourishing therapies.
Year round, from €665pp pwk sharing room

For more cheap retreats and other wellbeing holidays, check out our website. Happy 2017!

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When summer gets going, the warmer sun and longer days help wellbeing retreats across the UK and Europe really come into their own. June summer retreats are some of the best.

Home-grown destinations have so much to offer. Whether it’s Ayurveda massages in Wales or yoga in Somerset, there are plenty of June summer retreats where you can immerse yourself in peaceful seclusion.

June is also perfect for European getaways. With the more expensive school-holiday season yet to start, you could make your hard-earned cash go a long way on June summer retreats in France or Spain.

And the blue waters of the Mediterranean and Adriatic beckon too. The coastlines of hidden Greek islands and secluded bays of southwest Turkey are ideal for relaxation and sunbathing, and it’s still not too hot in June to explore the local heritage and landscape. Making them ideal destinations for a June summer retreat.

Here is our selection:

June summer retreats near home…

• Ayurveda in Wales: head to South Wales to unwind and relax with a combination of yoga and Ayurveda. From £570pp for 3 nights.
• Raw Horizons in Yorkshire: Relax with Kundalini yoga, unwind with meditation, refresh and rejuvenate with healthy raw food cuisine, plus enjoy the hot tub and sauna. From £345pp for 2 nights full board.

…and the rest of Europe

• Yoga in south-west Turkey: Huzur Vadisi, one of the country’s best-known yoga retreats is waiting for you, nestled in a peaceful valley amongst olive groves near Turkey’s Turquoise Coast. An ideal place for a June summer retreat. From £535pp per week.
• Creative holidays near Toulouse: Get inspired with one-week holidays focusing on yoga, music, dance, cookery or art. From £590pp for one week.
• Luxury Yoga Retreat in Pelion, Greece: at the foot of the magical Pelion forest where crystal clear water laps rhythmically at the water’s edge. Enjoy vinyasa flow yoga and massages. From £790pp per week. – See above photo.

Fancy a trip further afield, or just need more ideas where else you can go this June? Then you find more in our calendar.

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We know, we know… It’s not quite Pancake Day yet, and here we are, posting ideas for an Easter retreat.

But then that’s how we’re wired over here at Neal’s Yard Holidays. Always looking ahead for the next bank holiday and the next chance to get away. And we figured we’re not that different from anyone else, so if we’re thinking about going on an Easter retreat then you might be too.

And what’s more the Easter weekend is early this year, 25-28 March, so planning your Easter retreat now is a good idea. Get your booking in and make the most of those bank holidays. Here are our tips for:

Easter retreats near…

If you are simply after yoga and relaxation then you can refresh and rejuvenate at Raw Horizons‘ spacious manor house in beautiful Yorkshire countryside. Soak in the hot tub and relax in the sauna. Wholesome food is served – so just sit back!
18–20 March, from £345pp for 2 nights inclusive

…and far

Well not so far, Italy beckons with the beautiful countryside, In Sabina, just an hour north of Rome. Sunflower Retreats offer daily yoga and a range of optional activities like cooking classes, Italian lessons, holistic treatments and even hot springs.
24–30 March, £565pp for 6 nights

Or escape to deeper warmth, and wake up to tropical bird song in Sri Lanka. Rejuvenate with a personal Ayurveda retreat, organic food, yoga and meditation.
March/April, from USD110pp pn (approx £74) for single room, fb, including treatments

Need more ideas for getaways around Easter time? Find out where else you can go this March and April. And you can sign up to our free e-newsletter for updates on wellbeing holidays we’ve got coming up.

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What better way to show yourself or a loved one that you care than the gift of wellbeing this Valentine? Have you considered a Valentine’s wellbeing retreat for rejuvenation?

Given how much we love (pun intended) wellbeing and all things health, it will come as no surprise to you that we have a stash of excellent wellbeing retreats to fire up your Valentine’s Day celebration with a Valentine’s wellbeing retreat. Or use these to simply make the most of the spring 2016 half-term!

Here are our top suggestions:

Complete detox and relaxation
Combine yoga, meditation and wholesome food with powerful life-coaching to help you relax, transform and revitalise. Where? At Raw Horizons’ impossibly idyllic Yorkshire retreat.
12–14 February, from £345pp sharing; single rooms available

Holistic retreats in rural Dorset
Fancy something a little bit different? Besides yoga and meditation, Mellulah Holistic Retreats offer Kundalini sound healing workshops, energy healing circles, countryside walks, and free use of heated indoor pool and sauna. A truly healing and rejuvenating Valentine’s wellbeing retreat. 20 February, from 10am-5pm, £60pp for the day

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
Just after half-term (why not escape at a less hectic time?), this gem of a skiing  holiday offers gentle warm-ups with yoga before hitting the slopes in south-eastern France. A chalet with an open fire as well as healthy vegetarian food are all yours.
20–27 February, from £845pp (twin room) and £995 (single room)

As always, there’s plenty more where that came from – whether it’s a Valentine’s wellbeing retreat or a winter-sun escape. Just check out the rest of our February getaways.

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If a hangover and a lazy lie-in are not your idea of a well-spent New Year’s Day, then you’ve come to the right place.

Escape from the usual boozy countdown to midnight, and start the new year as you mean to go on. From Sussex and Norfolk to Fuerteventura, our New Year getaways will let you begin with a fresh mind and a spring in your step.

Think we’re giving you too much notice? Don’t be fooled – it may only be September, but New Year getaways are getting booked up fast, so don’t miss out.

You don’t have to go far there are New Year retreats in the UK. And if you’re looking for a Christmas escape too, take a look at our brilliant Christmas retreats.

‘Yoga for happiness’ – a Sussex New Year retreat
Come for daily yoga, meditation practice, walking, and optional holistic treatments to fully relax, plus of course, a fitting New Year’s celebration. Courtesy of The Yoga Root and The Joanne Sumner Studio.
From £445 for 3 nights, full board, sharing (single £550)

Head to Oxfordshire for a peaceful yoga retreat
This winter wellbeing retreat with at a beautiful manor house in Oxfordshire will revive you with its peaceful setting and twice-daily yoga. Quote Neal’s Yard Holidays for a free massage.
From £265 for 2 nights for a couple/friends sharing

Feisty fun on Fuerteventura
One of our top New Year getaways, this retreat makes for a truly exciting start to the new year, with its white sandy beaches, optional surfing, and dramatic volcanic landscape. A chance to rejuvenate and reconnect in a fun and friendly atmosphere.
From €465 for 7 nights sharing (singles available)

Finally, if you need something for after the party, why not relax with yoga and a hot-tub soak at Raw Horizons’ North Yorkshire detox retreat? From £450 pp (single) or £345 pp (sharing) for 2 nights.

Whichever one of our New Year getaways you go for, and whatever you get up to, we wish you a fantastic New Year celebration and a great start to the new year!

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Many of our brilliant wellbeing holidays provide a great range of activities, treatments and accommodation at affordable prices. So how can you tell which ones offer the absolute best in terms of low cost and great service?

Good question. So good, in fact, that we’re starting a new series of blog posts, all about our best-priced escapes* – cheap retreats that also offer great value.

To give you plenty of time to pack, we begin with cheap retreats that offer amazing value this August. It’s a peak time for holidaymakers around the world, and especially all of us in the UK who’re trying to bag a bank-holiday bargain.

We travel across Europe, where the weak euro and warm sun beckon. And we stop off in Asia, where August’s monsoons are offset by low prices and the best period for Ayurveda treatment.

August cheap retreats in Europe

Sun and surf
Small classes for yoga and Pilates, surfing, white sandy beaches and a rugged volcanic landscape – all packed into this neat retreat on sunny Fuerteventura. See image at top.
From €465 for 7 nights.

August cheap retreats in Asia

Time for Ayurveda
Head to Sri Lanka for authentic Ayurvedic treatment at the best time of the year for this type of healing.
From £698 per week.

Looking for something different in August, or going away at another time? Check out all our great holidays by activity, date and destination, as well as our current offers and discounts.

Next week we look at luxury summer retreats – escapes that don’t only rejuvenate but pamper you in style too. Catch you then!

* How did we come up with the list? We looked at factors like quality of accommodation, board, choice of activities, airport transfers and other add-ons. We then compared these with length of stay and price to come up with a list of retreats that are not just fantastic getaways but are good for the wallet too.

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