03 June 2026
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The world has no shortage of excellent wine and spa retreats. It’s a pairing so perennial you can picture Bacchus, the Greek god of pleasure, laid back with a bottle of wine before slipping into the hot baths. Meet a viticulture fanatic today and they’ll easily rattle off their preferred châteaux in France — with luxury vinotherapy treatments, of course — or Tuscan villas serving up Brunello by the bottle.
But what follows are five very good reasons to look into "wine and wellness" no matter where you are in the world. From a Slavic bathhouse in the Caucasus, to a hammam in the Andes, to a volcanic mud retreat in northern California, the classic form is under constant redevelopment.
We’re starting with the birthplace of wine itself. Bacchus, we think, would approve.
Lopota Lake Resort & Spa — Kakheti, Georgia
What it’s all about: A wine and wellness retreat on a private alpine lake in the world’s oldest wine region, with a Slavic bathhouse to boot.At a time when many wine lovers are still looking west to Europe’s classic vineyards, don’t forget that the country of Georgia has several thousand years on all of them. Lopota Lake Resort, a wine and wellness retreat built around a man-made alpine lake deep in Kakheti wine country, makes a strong case for a detour.
What started as a tiny guesthouse has since morphed into a 150-acre (60-hectare) resort known for organic vines and a lakeside spa. The Château Buera winery produces its own fare for guests to sample in vineyard‑side tasting rooms overlooking the Caucasus Mountains.
For wellness, the Forest Spa includes something less expected: a traditional Slavic bathhouse, complete with steam, birch-branch massages and hot-cold hydrotherapy. When not sipping or soaking, there’s fishing, tennis and miles of forest trails. And at the end of the day, who doesn’t want to sit back with a glass of wine and some live music? Thanks to a full calendar at the hotel’s jazz club, that’s exactly what you’ll do.
Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs — Calistoga, California
What it’s all about: Calistoga’s original mud-bath spa, still quirky and still running on volcanic ash and mineral springs, set at the northern edge of Napa Valley.Jon "Doc" Wilkinson was a chiropractor who fell hard for Calistoga’s geothermal mineral springs and volcanic elements. In 1952 he started one of the area’s first wellness resorts. Today the 50-room retreat remains, at its core, exactly what he built: a place where the mud bath is the main event and the Napa Valley wine — a Lincoln Avenue location puts the hotel in walking distance of a cluster of tasting rooms — is a very welcome bonus.
Guests can stay in the Victorian house, Doc’s former home, or the retro motor lodge that makes up the rest of the property. Firepits, hammocks and lawn games explain the backyard reference in the hotel’s name. Mudslingers are the signature treatment, where guests slip into a tubful of Doc’s mineral‑rich mud and ash for 15 to 30 minutes.
Dr. Wilkinson’s sits at the northern tip of the valley where the vibe loosens considerably, marking itself the lovable misfit of Napa’s buttoned-up hotel scene. You knew the wine would be excellent. The mud is even better.
Delaire Graff Lodges & Spa — Stellenbosch, South Africa
What it’s all about: A jeweler’s wine estate in the Cape Winelands, where contemporary art, butler service and a Bordeaux-style blend share the same mountain views.When Laurence Graff purchased the Delaire estate in 2003 from one of South Africa’s leading wine critics, he did what any self-respecting diamond magnate would do: He installed his personal collection of contemporary art and sculpture across the grounds and built one of the most spectacular retreats in the Cape Winelands — a historic wine growing region encompassing Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, one hour east of Cape Town.
Cape Dutch architecture distinguishes 17 butler-serviced lodges and villas from European competitors (like the beloved Villa La Coste) — as does the setting. Stellenbosch’s vineyards tumble into dramatic mountain drops along Helshoogte Pass, and the coastline is barely 12 miles away. The intimate spa offers just four treatment rooms, ensuring a highly personalized experience. In the glass, the Botmaskop — a Bordeaux-style blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, petit verdot and malbec — is a crowd favorite.
We’d be remiss not to mention another compelling reason to make the trip south: Kruger National Park is a short flight away. Wine, art, spa and a safari — not a bad getaway.
Entre Cielos Wine & Wellness Hotel — Mendoza, Argentina
What it’s all about: A malbec vineyard retreat in Mendoza with a surprise at its center: Latin America’s first authentic hammam.It took around 150 years after its journey from France to Mendoza for malbec to land on the world’s stage of great wines, but today the name is synonymous with Argentina. Something about the high-desert sun and proximity to the mountains makes a malbec vine flourish here, and we’re inclined to say the same for guests staying at Entre Cielos.
Top-notch service and wild landscapes couple nicely with the property’s most unexpected perk: Latin America’s first authentic six-stage hammam circuit, a wellness ritual more often found in Istanbul than the Andes. Steam, scrubs, heated marble and warm pools give way to a cool relaxation lounge where the session ends, sensibly, with a glass of sparkling wine.
Outside, 20 acres (eight hectares) of malbec vines surround a dedicated tasting space with Andes views — the landscape is a touch more wild than other regional favorites like Vik Chile or Argentina’s own Casa de Uco. When the rural setting becomes too calm, the city of Mendoza is a 20-minute drive north.
7c villa & winery — Fujikawaguchiko, Japan
What it’s all about: Japan’s first winery villa in the foothills of Mount Fuji, where each unit comes with its own open-air bath and a working vineyard just outside the door.If you’ve never heard of Japanese wine, that’s because it barely leaves the country. Small vineyards, high domestic demand and a focus on precision over volume keep most of the best bottles exactly where they’re made. The easiest way to taste them properly is to go to the source.
7c villa & winery sits in Yamanashi — the historic cradle of Japanese wine — in the foothills of Mount Fuji, near Lake Kawaguchi. This is the country’s first winery villa; and with 10 adults-only units, it’s closer to a private retreat inside a working vineyard than a hotel stay, with onsen perks included.
A low-rise design keeps the focus on the lush vines and the mountain beyond. When you’re bored of lazing away in your villa’s private open-air bath, you’re invited to try your hand at wine cultivation: Spring pruning and assisting with the autumn harvest are optional activities, but highly recommended.
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Hero Image: A statue overlooking the landscape at Delaire Graff Lodges & Spa. © Delaire Graff Lodges & Spa
