Meditation Retreats in Canada and Beyond for Finding Your Inner Peace

Just outside Vernon, BC, you’ll find the aptly named Sparkling Hill Resort. From the the soft lighting and open-concept design to crystal accents lit up through floor-to-ceiling windows, every room here will connect your senses with the airy outdoor world. Watch the sun peek over the Monashee Mountains from behind the glass walls of a Mountain View Room, or see it sink below the horizon from the crystal-shaped two-person soaker tub in the Lake View Room.

In the morning, revive with a gentle swim at KurSpa’s outdoor infinity pool. If there’s a chill to the air, sink into the indoor salt water pool instead and let the calming, underwater music ease you into the day. You can warm up inside the Rose Steam Room, or listen to the peace-inducing sound of water dripping into a glowing crystal basin for aqua meditation. After a guided session, retire to the luxurious Penthouse Suite, where you’ll drift into peaceful dreams beneath a glittering ceiling of Swarovski crystal stars.

Standing proudly at one of the world’s best-known winter destinations is The Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Guests here can choose from over 500 rooms, many with majestic views of the alpine peaks. For an ultra-calm stay, book the Junior Valley View Suite, where you’ll sleep between fresh sheets in your king-size bed and wake up to views of Rainbow Mountain and Whistler Valley through your living room windows.

Recharge with a treatment at on-site holistic haven Vida Spa, where calming Ayurvedic massages will leave you in a state of deep relaxation. Each of these treatments begins with a warm-oil massage, followed by a session in the detoxifying West Coast cedar steam cabinet. After your massage, you’ll be well-prepared for a one-on-one restorative yoga session at the spa with a certified instructor to meet your unique needs.

For on-site sustenance, check out the selection of locally-inspired dishes at Wildflower Restaurant, one of the hotel’s seven dining establishments. Nosh on wild BC salmon with celery root crème fraîche and chestnut purée from your perch on the restaurant’s garden patio (summertime only), the delicious fare matched only by the magnificent mountains.

For guests looking to reconnect with their inner selves in the Laurentians, the quaint yet stylish Hôtel Quintessence on the shores of Lake Tremblant is brimming with opportunity. In one of 30 luxury suites, spend the early morning performing sun salutations on your balcony or terrace. Should rain or snow fall, you’ll stay warm and calm next to your wood-burning fireplace. Prepare for the day by luxuriating in your en-suite rainfall shower with complimentary AVEDA products, or spend a little more time soaking in your therapeutic spa bathtub.

Once you’re ready for breakfast, indulge in sweet and savoury dishes like buckwheat crêpes topped with a chocolatey hazelnut spread, or an omelette loaded with your favourite veggies. If you’re looking for a gentle start to the day, begin with a serene stroll through the hotel’s three acres of landscaped grounds, or soak in the scenery from the flower-lined terrace. In the afternoon, awaken your mind and body with a hatha yoga class at the Spa Sans Sabots. Guests looking for a customized meditative experience can book private sessions for tailor-made soul searching.

Step inside the log-cabin style Whiteface Lodge, where antler chandeliers and soaring timber ceilings pay homage to the hotel’s forest setting. The woodsy ambiance extends into every one of the 94 rooms in this Lake Placid gem—think granite kitchens, log-beam ceilings and private wooden balconies. Bask in the glow of your own fireplace while you pick your seat for the first meditation journey of the weekend.

Ease into mornings with “yogilates”, a calming yet energizing fusion of yoga and Pilates that will leave your mind calm and your body reinvigorated. For a not-so-sweaty relaxation ritual, head to the on-site spa for an aromatherapy massage.

And if it’s your appetite that needs attention? The hearty American cuisine at KANU is as comforting as the candlelit surroundings. If you’ve come for dinner, close out your meal with desserts like key lime cheesecake before heading outside for a steaming dip in the outdoor hot tub. Dozy from the hot water, wrap up in warm clothes and follow the sound of crackling logs to the outdoor fire pit, the ideal spot for some quiet contemplation under twinkling constellations.

With a vibrant façade nearly identical in colour to the red rock cliffs that lie beyond its doors, Red Mountain Resort and Spa really blends into nature. Known for retreat packages like the Essential Yoga Weekend Retreat, this wellness experience destination lets you take full advantage of the St. George location. You’ll even get to deepen your connection with the natural world as you practice breath awareness and foundational yoga alongside the red-and-white Navajo sandstone of Snow Canyon State Park. As for fuelling fare, you’ll dig into three health-conscious meals per day, then head out for fresh-air hikes for a truly immersive weekend of meditation in the outdoors.

The relaxing nature of your wellness package continues throughout the resort. Run a bath full of bubbles in your deep-soaker tub, or settle into a swaying hammock in the tranquil rock garden. As for the spa, you can disappear for an hour or two beneath a hot stone massage, then slip through shimmering waters in the outdoor pool. After a meditation-filled day, pull up a bright dining chair at the hotel’s Canyon Breeze Restaurant and enjoy a Mother Earth-approved entrée like tofu steak with a baked potato or yam.

Enter The Lodge at Woodloch, where the sight of tropical plants and a gentle waterfall will lull you into a calm state of mind. The glass-walled Aqua Garden isn’t the only tranquil part of this adult-only retreat in the Pocono Mountains; home to over 500 acres of woodland and a private lake, the lodge is a dream for nature lovers and those looking to escape the urban grind. Don your swimsuit and welcome the twilight from the infinity rock pool as lanterns wink on and cascading water sings to your soul.

Make sure to indulge in a meal at the hotel’s restaurant and a blissful spa treatment when you stay here: the verdant gardens provide fresh herbs for both! Savour farm-to-table dishes at TREE Restaurant and Bar, then breeze into the 40,000 square-foot spa for a soothing sleep treatment. Deeply relaxing oil massages are designed to promote a restful night, made even easier when you settle into your freshly turned down bed. For a little extra comfort, book your stay in the Veranda One-Bedroom Suite. You’ll have a living room and two verandas for breathing in lake or rock-garden waterfall views—all of which encourage you to take a little more time to yourself.

The Caribbean’s pastel-coloured waters and soft sandy beaches are often top-of-mind when you think of a relaxing escape—and Kore Tulum Retreat and Spa Resort in Tulum, Mexico, adds a meditative twist to your tropical trip. A stay at this adult-only hotel means you can partake in peaceful activities like beach yoga and soulful meditation sessions by the seaside, all with a dash of ancient spirituality in this land of the Mayans.

Lay down your yoga mat in the Luxury Jacuzzi King Suite Sea View and begin your day bathed in wall-to-wall tropical vistas. If you’re travelling with a group of four or more, book in for a Temazcal spiritual healing ritual. Your yoga instructor and honourary shaman will guide you through a sweaty ceremony that celebrates Mother Nature and the elements and purifies the spirit. When the sun is high in the sky, cool off in the resort’s infinity pool under the shade of royal palms, or head inside to the bar for some late-afternoon refreshment.

Swing open the door to your room at Hotel Moulin Wakefield Mill, where the sight of a glowing reading lamp over a wingback chair will beckon you inside. In your private space made of stone and timber in this heritage mill building, you’ll reconnect with nature’s power as the river churns and froths below your window.

Down at the spa, calm your body and mind with an organic herbal-infused oil massage, or let yourself get wrapped up in the Coconut and Mango Hydrating Cocoon. Once you’re suitably blissed-out, drop into a muscle-stretching yoga class. These 90-minute sessions are held daily in the luminous McLaren studio or, weather permitting, on the spa terrace or vibrant green lawns.

If you’re in need of nourishment after class, check out one of the hotel’s two on-site dining options—Muse for fine dining and Heron Wine Bar for casual fare. Both showcase the region’s lively flavours, like succulent sea scallops with green apple relish, winter truffle, roe pearls and maple butter.

At the southwestern tip of Antigua lies Sugar Ridge, a boutique resort for spiritual sojourns in the tropics. A Deluxe King Room will let you welcome the morning from your four-poster bed, then wake all your senses with a brisk splash in your own plunge pool. For an extra decadent treat, you can watch the sunset wash the sky in bold hues from your private infinity pool and outdoor terrace in the Windies Villa.

When you’re ready for some open-air meditation, make your way to the yoga studio, affectionately nicknamed “The Shed”, for a complimentary class and a sweeping sea view that’s anything but ordinary. Surrender to the peaceful surroundings and let each pose deepen your feeling of being connected. Travellers looking for something a little more immersive should reserve a spot on one of the resort’s back-to-nature retreats. With your meals and accommodation taken care of for you, you’ll hike and perform yoga for five blissful days.

Save at least one evening for a gourmet meal at Carmichael’s, the hotel’s poolside fine dining spot. Dig into gorgonzola-glazed prime Angus beef, or head on up to the Sugar Club for a more laidback atmosphere.

With its beach-inspired décor, airy rooms and ornately carved bedposts, Lumeria Maui is a welcoming space that embraces the rich culture of Hawaii. Let your cares roll away with the morning mist as you stretch during a yoga session on the lawn at sunup. Alternatively, stroll into the sanctuary-like spa for a Lumeria Crystal Massage or Aloha Foot Massage and Reflexology combo.

The food scene at on-site The Wooden Crate Restaurant is worth writing home about, too; guests at Lumeria can enjoy fresh breakfasts made from ingredients farmed directly on the property. All the restaurant’s produce is carried from farm to kitchen in wooden crates (hence the name) to represent the close link between farmer and chef.

Of course, no stay at Lumeria Maui would be complete without a contemplative stroll at the nearby Kula Botanical Gardens. Ponder the rock formations amid richly fragrant blooms, or let yourself be captivated by the gentle waterfalls at this eight acre paradise—it’s the ideal place to end the afternoon on a tranquil note. Return to the resort to watch the stars come out from a spot in the bubbling outdoor spa or serene swimming pool.