Deep in the heart of the Somerset countryside is The Newt hotel, now exclusively bookable through Mr & Mrs Smith. And this month, it has an exciting exclusive of its own: a new trio of wellness retreats run by top-line experts, from breathwork and yoga gurus to foragers and kombucha-makers, designed to nourish you, get you moving and restore balance.
‘[The retreats] tap into the liminality of the seasons,’ shares Arthur Cole, the hotel’s Head of Programmes. ‘As the woods and gardens change, so do our moods; we therefore respond to this in our body’s requirements.’
So, yes, cold plunges may be on the menu, but so are custom garden-to-plate meals and the chance to go at your own pace, plus good-habit-forming advice that’ll continue to help back in the real world. Read on to find out more about these minibreaks that will change your life(style).
NOURISH YOUR BODY
(28– 30 January)
With its own butchery, bakery, cyder mill and an overflowing cornucopia of produce grown on-site, The Newt knows how to dine well. So it follows that this food-focused itinerary isn’t stringent or stingy, with guests enjoying largesse from the land. Head of Productive Growing David Rowley leads a tour of the greenhouses and growing tunnels to teach you how to plant for the year ahead, and how self-sufficiency benefits your quality of life and the wider world.
‘Behind-the-scenes access to The Newt’s working landscape adds a unique dimension to the retreat,’ shares Cole, ‘from stepping into productive growing spaces rarely seen by guests to gaining a deeper understanding of how food, land and wellbeing are intrinsically connected.’
Nutrition expert Jasmine Helmsley’s ingredients for more mindful eating include Eastern philosophy and Western tech. Worminster Farm-based Cultjar bring their fermenting, pickling and seasoning know-how to the table; and The Newt’s Head of Food, Gelf Alderson, will showcase the skills that earnt him a Green Michelin star, with a plant-based meal including flavour-boosters (salsa verde, chermoula, chimichurri, harissa) to punch up hardy winter vegetables. It’s an experience that will prove ‘holistic wellbeing doesn’t need to start and stop in January,’ says Cole. ‘It’s something we can carry through our whole lives.’
Highlights
– Tour of Avalon Farm, The Newt’s food-production hub guided by David Rowley
– A fermenting and preserving workshop with Cultjar founder Peter Prescott
– An intimate Q&A with Jasmine Helmsley on practical nutrition advice
– Gelf Anderson’s two-course lunch at The Garden Café, with chef commentary on ingredients and flavour profiles and how dishes will benefit guests
MINDFUL MOVEMENT
(11–13 February)
Put those Lululemon polka-dot leggings to good use — this two-night break evens out active pursuits to get your blood-pumping with breathwork and other restful interludes. This retreat ‘offers space to slow down, reconnect with nature and restore balance,’ says Cole.
Adrenaline rushes come courtesy of The Newt’s Movement & Wellness Coach, Chris Giles, who’ll have you Wim Hof-ing your way into the estate’s lake for an enlivening winter dip. The outlook may not be sunny, but Giles believes that ‘nature doesn’t stop offering its gifts when the weather changes. Through simple movement and quiet adventure outdoors, we’re reminded how grounding and restorative it can be.’
Tracksmith ambassador Amritpal Ghatora’s group class runs a route through the most scenic parts of the hotel grounds for maximum motivation. The Newt’s yoga instructor, Loren Barclay, will have you conscientiously contorting, with her holistic class that considers mental clarity, breath and circulation, too. And lifestyle coach Arron Collins-Thomas choreographs graceful Qi Gong movements in the fresh air. Giles’s hope is that guests leave with the ‘understanding that movement doesn’t need to be intense or outcome-driven to be effective… gentle, intentional movement — especially when paired with breath, nature and presence can have a powerful impact on wellbeing.’
Highlights
– A breathwork class and sense-sharpening cold plunge with Chris Giles
– Running class with Amritpal Ghatora, plus a debrief with his team to help hone your technique
– A Yin Yoga class using Loren Barclay’s ‘Flow’ technique, focusing on floor-based poses that aid flexibility
– Arron Collins-Thomas’s Qi Gong class, which will aid posture and flexibility, boost energy and reduce stress
FIND YOUR BALANCE
(11–13 March)
Feeling off-kilter? This retreat will smooth out any life kinks using a powerful combo of deep-breathwork sessions with Airena founder Valentina Marzola (using her science- and soul-grounded method for intense inner soothing); Ayurvedic wisdom from The Newt’s practitioner Sarah Stocker-Harding (fresh from her educational sabbatical in India); and a kombucha-making session with chef and food writer Gaz Oakley, to tap into those gut feelings.
Another aspect is Chris Giles’s thermal wake-up call, with a hot-cold shock of a sauna session followed by a bracing dip. Activities are engineered to have your body, brain and soul working in equilibrium. ‘By blending ancient wisdom with modern science, the retreat offers practical tools to build resilience, improve self-understanding and support wellbeing long after it has ended,’ says Arthur Cole.
Highlights
– A music-led breathwork class with Airena’s Valentina Marzola, bringing ancient principles and modern performance science into play
– An Ayurvedic wellness session with Sarah Stocker-Harding, learning about the ‘three pillars of health’
– A kombucha-making workshop with Gaz Oakley and the chance to join his three-course, plant-based supper club in The Garden Café (for a supplement of £65 per person)
– A sauna and cold-plunge session with Chris Giles to reset your physiology
Whichever retreat you choose, you’re guaranteed a seasonal boost and maybe a whole new outlook — after all, this is travel that’s designed to be transformative. It’s Arthur Cole’s belief that ‘a stay at The Newt allows you to slow down, to appreciate the minutiae as well as the grand things in life; to see a world in a grain of sand [or] appreciate the complexity of a snowdrop, and to remind ourselves that we’re a part of nature.’ So, check in and get out there.
Find out more about how a stay at The Newt can benefit you; or see our full collection of luxury spa hotels