It’s a new era for Pilates. High-end hotels and resorts are getting the message and incorporating this fitness practice into their programming, offering everything from basic mat classes on the beach to advanced reformer sessions in artfully designed studios in cosmopolitan cities.
I used to have limiting beliefs about what qualified as exercise. To be challenging and count, my workouts had to involve hard-impact aerobics and competitive speed, like running, biking, hiking, and skiing. Then after a series of sports-related injuries over the years, I slowed down long enough to try Pilates. It changed how I viewed fitness, and now even how I want to vacation.
In the early 20th century, Pilates was initially designed for injured soldiers and dancers. Now it's practiced by athletes, celebrities, and everyday people. By firing up your core and glutes, it creates benefits, like reduced back pain and improved posture and balance. Controlled movements lengthen, strengthen, and tone muscles. Intentional breathing de-stresses and connects the body with the mind.
Want to jump-start your form and get your moves like pelvic curls up to par? Splurge on one of our picks of dream escapes with Pilates.
COMO Hotels & Resorts is known for its signature seclusion, privacy, and wellness programming. Its resorts let you build mat and private reformer Pilates sessions into its mélange of world-class spa therapies and fitness options year-round. What could be better than doing curated Pilates to work deep muscles and improve everything from flexibility to circulation— all while being a castaway at one of their luxury properties.
Head to Susurros del Corazón, part of the Auberge Resorts Collection located in the jungled coastline of Nayarit, Mexico, offering Pilates sessions throughout the year. Located in NYC's concrete jungle, Core Club offers an exclusive Pilates retreat from May 24th-27th 2024. It’s led by renowned Los Angeles-based Pilates instructor Amanda Kassar, who Vogue once dubbed as teaching “LA’s hardest Pilates class.”
Build your own Pilates program year-round at this beloved San Diego health haven, Cal-a-Vie Health Spa. It boasts an elegant Pilates space, designed with the property’s French Provencal flair. Throughout the year an impressive variety of classes are available, from Mat Pilates flow to smartly using props such as bands, power circles, and small balls to deepen your moves. On tap is a dedicated Pilates Week running from April 28th through May 4th, 2024.
Enhance your overall well-being at Kamalaya, a serene wellness sanctuary set against the Indian Ocean on the sleepy, southern side of Koh Samui in Thailand and custom design your retreat with intensive Pilates sessions.
London’s Nobu Portman Square hotel features its wood-clad studio, lined with sleek reformers. Find morning and evening Pilates classes, from classic to more energetic power flow. Not only is it a great way to help beat jet lag, but it’s a chance to do some roll-ups with new instructors and meet local Pilates enthusiasts.
Become part of the toned set at the stylish Global Ambassador, Phoenix, Arizona’s new luxury hotel. It houses a state-of-the-art spa with a dedicated Forma Pilates studio, one of Hollywood’s favorite workouts.