Healthy travel website Queen Of Retreats has been named a Top 10 health & wellness website by the Sunday Telegraph’s Stella magazine. Here the site’s founder and editor, spa journalist Caroline Sylger Jones, shares her favourite wellbeing retreats of her year so far…

The Healing Retreat

Shh, Dorset & Ibiza 

One of the most amazing retreats of my career so far, Shh (which stands for Sensual Healing Harmony) was set up by former media mogul Vikki van Someren and international swimmer Lucy Arrowsmith to help women reconnect with themselves, connect better with their partners (or find the right one) and generally be happier in life. These two personable, impressive women run seriously luxurious and holistic, healing health retreats for women – choose from an indulgent Georgian pile in the Dorset countryside, and at a swanky serene villa in Ibiza, all staffed by a large group of hand-picked talented female therapists at the top of their game. From £2900 per person for a 3 night retreat in Dorset.

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The Coaching Retreat

Jessica McGregor Johnson, Spain

I loved my recent private coaching retreat in the gorgeous Spanish mountains with mentor and guide Jessica McGregor Johnson, a highly qualified coach who has helped all sorts of people find the right way forward in their personal and professional lives over the last 10 years. She’s grounded, light of heart and easy to be with, and particularly good at helping you access a truer path in any given situation if you feel you’ve chosen something that you think you should do rather than what suits you better. Her private retreats take place at Casa Ana, a glorious, boutique guesthouse in the white washed village of Ferreirola in the Alpujarras. £1964 pp for 3 nights.

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The Fitness Retreat

38º North – Cornwall & Ibiza 

It’s not always the case you feel comfortable and cared for on a fitness holiday, but keen and empathetic couple Kelly Morgan and James Davis take the time to ensure you do when you book one their fab healthy weeks on Ibiza. I went  for a private Deep Sleep & Relaxation retreat, but the couple also run private and group holidays for Optimal Fitness, Optimal Weight Loss, Yoga, Detox and Stand Up Paddle Boarding. Their base is Aguas de Ibiza hotel at Santa Eularia in Ibiza between April and October – they also run health braeks at The Scarlet hotel in Cornwall between November and March. From £1579 residential and £939 non-residential per person for a 6 night Optimal Fitness programme.

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The Yoga Retreat

Silver Island, Greece

I could quite happily live here year round – it’s one of the most authentic, peaceful retreats I’ve been to in a long time. A 15 minute boat ride from the coast of Evia island, it offers week-long yoga holidays from April to October and the odd meditation week too. There’s no internet connection and no mains power, making it even more of a ‘stop the world’ retreat. The yoga comes courtesy of teachers from all over the world, and the ambiance is artistic and relaxed. From £1100 per person for 6 nights.

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The Relaxing Retreat 

Song Saa, Cambodia

I felt deeply chilled staying at this serene, eco-friendly private island in the Koh Rong Archipelago in the Gulf of Thailand. You can book onto 5 and 7 day wellbeing retreats to kick back and indulge in holistic rituals devised by British organic skincare brand Ila in an expansive villa or a wonderfully rustic outdoor shala surrounded by the endless sea. There are Buddhist blessings with the local monks, kayak trips through the mangroves, trips to beaches and delicious fusion food. From £2,448 per person for 5 nights or £3,428 for 7 nights – see full details below.

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Author and Journalist Caroline Sylger Jones has been travelling the world since the 1990s checking out spas, retreats and healthy holidays for international newspapers, glossy magazines, websites and her own books (Body & Soul Escapes by Footprint). She is the founder and editor of independent healthy travel site www.queenofretreats.com, which only features spas, wellbeing breaks and healthy holidays that have been reviewed in person by published journalists and other writers to help you sift through the hype and find the retreat that’s right for you.