Ananda in the Himalayas

Ananda occupies a hundred acres of forest on the ridge above Rishikesh, built around the former palace estate of the Maharaja of Tehri Garhwal. From the terraces you look down the Ganges valley towards the town where the river leaves the mountains, which is about as good a setting as wellness retreats get.

This is a structured retreat rather than a spa hotel. Guests are assessed on arrival and placed on a programme - Ayurvedic panchakarma, yoga, stress management, weight or sleep - that shapes their meals, treatments and daily schedule for the length of the stay. The spa runs to twenty-four treatment rooms, a hydrotherapy suite and an outdoor pool, with yoga and meditation taught in dedicated pavilions.

Food is calibrated to each guest's programme and draws on Ayurvedic principles without becoming punitive. Excursions take in the evening Ganga Aarti ceremony on the river at Rishikesh, Himalayan foothill walks and nearby temples. Minimum stays of several nights are normal and sensible.