Best of Denver
Best Spas in the Catskills
The Catskills have always drawn people looking to reset. These retreats pair mountain quiet with the simple luxuries — saunas, pools, forest paths, and time that finally slows down.
Best for Deep Healing: Menla Retreat & Dewa Spa — Tibetan-inspired spa, forest trails, and holistic treatments.
Best Group Retreat Setting: AKERA — Panoramic sauna, geodesic meditation dome, and curated group experiences.
Best for Silent Reflection: Zen Mountain Monastery — Immersive Zen practice and silent woodland retreats.
Wildflowers and dense woods border cedar-perfumed paths, while incense drifts past Buddha and lodge. Dewa Spa blends Tibetan massage with a Finnish sauna circuit, herbal soaks, and plant-based meals.
🔁 Sound Bath Rotation: Check the weekly schedule—sound baths and meditation sessions rotate locations between the main sanctuary and outlying studios.
🥾 Trails After Treatments: The woodland trails are quietest before lunch and after group programming winds down late afternoon.
🧖♀️ Pool/Steam Window: The outdoor pool and sauna are rarely crowded on weekday mornings right after opening—bring a robe for the short walk.
⏱️ Book in Advance: Massage and specialty soak slots fill up fast during peak retreat weekends—reserve at least two weeks out if timing matters.
Morning fog hovers over fields and a geodesic dome rimmed in glass. A panoramic sauna, cedar tub, and forest trails set the stage for group retreats and restorative sound baths.
🕰️ Early Arrival: Arrive 30 minutes before group check-in to get oriented and take a solo walk in the fields before your opening gathering.
🔥 Sauna Etiquette: The panoramic sauna is clothing-optional during private group hours, but swimsuits are common—bring your own towel and flip-flops.
🌄 Sunrise Spots: The field above the dome catches first light—grab a mat for sunrise meditation when fog lifts over the trees.
🍃 Quiet Corners: For mid-retreat downtime, check out the tree-line hammock grove or the stone bench under the old pine for real solitude.
Incense and mountain air mingle within old floorboards and wide meditation halls. Daily zazen, structured sesshin, and woodland river walks cultivate discipline rooted in Zen tradition.
⏰ Arrive Early: Registration and orientation start on time; plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before your retreat begins.
👟 Bring Slip-ons: Shoes are removed at entrances—a pair of easy on/off footwear saves hassle between buildings.
🥢 Eat Mindfully: Meals are silent and structured—take cues from residents about service rituals and cleanup.
🥾 Forest Breaks: The woodland paths by the river offer a quiet place to clear your head after long sits—bring weatherproof gear.
Pine air fills grainy lodge halls and circles gather near firelight on wooded acreage. Facilitated group retreats, on-site vegetarian meals, and restorative trails bolster their reputation for personal growth.
🌅 Early Arrival: Arrive early to settle into the landscape—unpack, walk a trail, and breathe before introductions start.
🥾 Forest Ramble: Take time at sunrise or dusk for a walk down the wooded paths—these quiet stretches are prized by regulars.
🍲 Meal Rhythm: Meals are communal, so bring a favorite tea or coffee mug from home to lend a familiar touch to the table.
📝 Integration Journal: Pack a notebook; many guests jot down reflections after group sessions or fireside circles.
Pine shadows stretch over rolling lawns where laughter drifts from retreat halls. Mindfulness workshops, waterfall hikes, and deep tissue bodywork meet a health-forward kitchen and staff attuned to detail.
🌄 Best Trails: Afternoon is prime for waterfalls and meditative walks—bring sturdy shoes for the back woods loop.
🥛 Water Policy: Hydration is encouraged; bring a refillable bottle and use the filtered stations in the retreat house.
🧖 Massage Tips: Book bodywork as soon as you register—skilled practitioners fill up early, especially on Saturdays.
🧘 Morning Ritual: Roll out for early yoga or tai chi—7:30 to 9:00 AM is the quietest reset before the day’s group work begins.
Meadows fan out to old stone trails and a private lake hums under sunrise. Group lodges, yoga halls, and wildflower-strewn grounds reward unplugged gathering and contemplative hikes.
🌲 Peak Quiet: Early weekday mornings on the trails are practically empty—ideal for meditation or a solo walk at sunrise.
🧘 Shed Sessions: The yoga hall stays cool and private—ask about late afternoon group wind-downs, especially after full days outside.
🔥 Best Stargazing: Clear nights by the main firepit offer sweeping night skies. Bring a blanket and linger after sunset for full effect.
🥾 Gear Up: Trails can be dewy; sturdy shoes or boots recommended for the longer loops by the streams and old stone walls.
Wildflowers edge quiet paths and cedar scents drift through forest air. Yoga and meditation unfold in a hillside lodge where stillness lingers long after sunrise.
🌄 Best views: Ask for an upper floor room in the main hall for mountain sunrise.
👣 Secret trails: Try the woodchip meditation paths at dawn—usually empty except for songbirds.
🔔 Lights out: Quiet hours begin at 10:00 PM sharp—bring earplugs if you’re a light sleeper.
🥢 Off-site eats: On Wednesdays, Andrea’s Pizzeria in Pine Bush offers vegan slices for those exploring town between sessions.
Fern-lined trails hush into the forest at Peace Village Learning & Retreat Center. Meditation halls, vegetarian meals, and woodland cabins sit on the 300-acre campus, making this Catskills retreat a place where stillness isn’t an add-on — it’s the reason you came.
🌅 Best sunrise: Climb the small hill behind the property early—dawn lights the valleys up quick, even on misty mornings.
🥾 Short hike: Walk to Haines Falls and the north edge of North-South Lake for quiet picnic spots and mountain views.
🍵 Outside snacks: Bring your own tea and small snacks if you're particular, since meals are set and there’s no store nearby.
🪶 Silent hours: Scheduled silent times mean evenings stretch out quiet—keep a notepad to write or sketch if you like nighttime wandering.
Steam rises from the indoor pool and glass-walls flood the room with lake views at YO1 Longevity & Health Resorts. Daylight trails loop through the 1,300-acre woods, saunas echo with cedar and steam, and Ayurvedic therapies fold into organic vegetarian meals.
🛶 Lake Tip: Sunrise is best on the eastern side of the lake—bring coffee and listen for loons.
🌱 Spa Secret: Try the Ayurvedic mud bath or steam shower suites—book treatments early, they fill up on weekends.
🚶♂️ Quiet Walks: Ask staff for off-map trails that loop through tall pines and often see deer at dusk.
🍵 Breakfast Nearby: For a change of pace, Miss Monticello Diner serves classic breakfasts ten minutes away—early hours, cash preferred.
Mist lifts from the Esopus Creek and the lodge rises through tall pines, quiet and still. Inside, a dry sauna hums beside the pool, and winding trails lead through thirty forested acres. Copperhood feels unhurried, grounded in nature and the kind of calm that stays with you long after you leave.
🚶 Arrive early for the trails: Best light and quiet on the riverside path before breakfast; creek fog adds to the calm.
🧖 Maximize your circuit: Alternate sauna and cold immersion, and give yourself a full hour before any scheduled therapy.
🥣 Hydration is key: Ask for extra bone broth or herbal teas between treatments; the staff is generous with nourishing sips.
🧩 Evening wind-down: The lounge fills with guests after dinner—bring a book or find a good puzzle on long winter nights.
Morning light drifts through meadows, where restored farm buildings overlook rolling hills and forest. Yoga, reflection, and small-group retreats fill the days, balanced by walks through wildflower fields and quiet meals from the garden.
🌸 Best Wildflowers: Early June to July, the meadows fill with lupine, milkweed, and black-eyed Susans—grab a morning walk for the full bloom.
🎹 Piano in the Lodge: The dining hall has a guest piano open in the evenings—ask staff if you want uninterrupted play time.
🔥 Starry Nights: The upper meadow by the tent sites has wide-open skies, perfect for stargazing after the last campfire dies down.
🥣 Off-site Eats: If you arrive early or stay late, Molto Espresso in Walton pours real-deal coffee and pastries before 2 PM most days.
The Catskills have always been a place to reset — a place where silence has weight and time seems to open up. The retreats here balance that quiet with simple comforts: saunas, firelight, forest paths, and people who understand that real renewal happens when you finally stop hurrying.
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