The soft rustling of the grasses is the perfect relaxing music in the spa & wellness area at "One&Only Nyungwe House". © Rupert Peace

While enjoying a massage, you'll have a view over the tea farm. And behind it, there's Rwanda's ancient Nyungwe forest stretching into the sky. In the air is an enchanting blend of earthy forest essences, spicy tea and the delicate scent of roses. Even the surroundings of One&Only Nyungwe House have a relaxing effect - before the actual spa treatment has even begun.

Understated elegance blends with the palm forest of Mexico in the "Four Seasons Naviva" (above). © Rupert Peace

The luxury hotel's holistic wellness retreat is completely dedicated to the impressive forest. The two-hour "Forest Awakening" begins with gentle swings between the trunks and a mud peeling in the outdoor shower, before a full-body massage relieves tension. During the "Intonga Amasatchi" ritual, traditional wooden sticks are pressed against the back muscles, while the "Forest Coffee and Coconut" treatment promotes detoxification with an intoxicatingly fragrant treatment made from coconut oil and heated coffee beans. 

Ancient wisdom and traditions lead to inner and outer balance at "Jimbaran Bali". © Christian Horan Photography

The combination of nature and relaxation becomes an all-round cure in outdoor spas. Visual, olfactory and gustatory pleasures merge with the healing powers of the earth, water or air and restore your inner balance. And the outer balance too: the "Outdoor Anti-Gravity" course at Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay lets you tackle stress head on. The dynamic aerial yoga with an "upside-down" view of reeds and water lilies improves posture and relieves tension. Surrounded by the bright blue sea, refreshing pools and natural springs, the water in the Indonesian oasis is always close by. Even the temple of the extensive Healing Village Spa floats above a series of ponds and watercourses. The rippling becomes a meditation and unites with the timeless traditions that honor a new consciousness in the tropical ambience.

Constance Moofushi in the Maldives brings spa and wellness treatments into harmony with the ocean and its inhabitants. Thanks to the spectacular natural backdrop, many a concentrated pose can be swayed. The open yoga pavilion is located next to the hotel's own coral reef and eagle rays, blacktip sharks and Picasso fish like to frolic in the crystal-clear lagoon water.

The combination of nature and relaxation becomes an all-round cure at "Jimbaran Bali". © Christian Horan Photography

After yoga, a path leads from the pavilion over a high wooden walkway to eight small overwater villas in the spa. Each of the villas has its own private treatment room, where treatments inspired by the tropical surroundings await you. From the massage beds, you can also watch the colorful dances of the animals in the water through a window in the floor.

Relax in the tree house

Delicious tea straight from the farm invigorates after an outdoor massage at Nyungwe House Wellness Spa. Rupert Peace

Viceroy Hotel, Sugar Beach takes you high up into the treetops. You'll find the ten treatment rooms of the Rainforest Spa in tree houses perched on stilts above the ground. Inspired by the natural wonders of St. Lucia, you can indulge in relaxing and energizing treatments with volcanic rock, coconut, sea salt and organic cocoa. The majestic Pitons Mountains, over 100 hectares of untouched rainforest and the Caribbean Sea are - just like the sky - within easy reach.

The "Nyungwe House Wellness Spa". © provided

Mexico's Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort also organically blurs the boundaries between nature and hotel. The 15 luxurious tents on the private peninsula are surrounded by 19 hectares of forest. The focus is on personal growth and an appreciation of the local heritage. For example, the "Cristalmind Shirodhara" treatment uses a gentle stream of water falling on the forehead for clarity, while the "Pure Forest Facial" harnesses the regenerative properties of the rainforest for a radiant complexion.

The mineral-rich power of the Dead Sea meets a unique view in the infinity pool of the "ZARA Spa". Fevzi Ondu

When working out, nature is also close at hand. Literally: tree trunks and rocks are transformed into training equipment in the outdoor gym, while endurance is conditioned on the hotel's own hiking and running trails. Every stretch, every breath and every relaxation phase creates a connection to nature. After resting in the spa garden, a muscle-relaxing bath in the natural wooden tub under the open sky awaits. The yoga area is similarly spectacular: on a terrace right next to rocky cliffs, the energy of the centuries-old surroundings radiates into every pose.

The "SO/ Sotogrande Spa & Golf Resort" combines Andalusian joie de vivre with wellness and sport. © provided

As impressive as rocks and steep cliffs are: You don't necessarily want to climb them up and down. Even if the mineral-rich power of the Dead Sea awaits at the bottom. In the Jordanian ZARA Spa of Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea, there's therefore an elegant flotation pool with water directly from the Dead Sea and a salt concentration of 28 percent. While bubbling streams and jets work on various areas of the body in the heated hydro-healing water system, the spectacularly large infinity pool is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the intoxicating view. It's no longer a secret that the elements of the Dead Sea have a cleansing, purifying and regenerating effect on the skin. This is why salt and black mud enrich most of the treatments at ZARA Spa - it's pure relaxation.

© provided

At SO/ Sotogrande Spa & Golf Resort, the muscles are put under a little more pressure. The day begins with yoga at sunrise, and the program also includes spinning classes, Pilates or strength-building workouts - all on picturesque hills in rural Andalusia. Spanish joie de vivre meets wellness and outdoor sports amidst lush gardens with calming views of the Mediterranean. Surrounded by golf courses, the imposing white building is a modern renovated relic of days gone by. High archways, thick stone walls and large lamps in the shape of old clay jugs are reminders of the farmhouse of yesteryear. Today, ceramic art by local artists and colorful patterns on cushions and sofas by Spanish designer Dolores Cortés create a modern flair.