Despite the peaks and troughs of the economy over the last few years, possibly even because of them, wellness has been a consistent area of growth, becoming a £224bn market in the UK alone. The trend has also begun to play a significant role in the travel industry. In a recent YouGov poll, 38% of British adults said they’d make space for relaxation and wellbeing this year and the growth in retreats, detox breaks and therapeutic offerings has been explosive.  

Canopy & Stars places, with their natural surroundings, have a unique opportunity to capitalise on this demand, but what, you might wonder, are wellness travellers actually looking for? Well, we’ve brought our years of monitoring travel trends and guest behaviour to bear on the question, so here are our top tips on making your place work for wellness.

Outdoor bathing

Outdoor bathing is a huge draw for guests. It allows them to be outside and have a moment of calm whatever the weather. Try and create a multi-sensory experience. Think about positioning an outdoor tub for what bathers will see, hear, feel and even smell. Privacy is a key component, so if you’re worried about the bath being overlooked, put some serious time/money into screening.   

Saunas and cold plunges

Saunas and plunge pools are a great addition if you have the space and skills to build them or the cash to invest. They can also contribute to year-round bookings, by giving your place a wellness moment that guests will want to experience. We have a 20% discount with Naked Flame on all of their hot tub, liners and sauna products, but plenty of other suppliers are available. 

Top tip: If you’ve got it, flaunt it

Almost as important as having great wellness experiences, is how you promote them to guests. As ever, professional photography is key. Poorly lit phone photos of people in a hot tub can do more harm than good. Experiences should be clearly noted (we have the experiences section of our site for this) and it should be obvious which are included in a stay and which are extras. You can also consider emailing guests who’ve booked with a list of any optional extras they might want to arrange.

Meditation & relaxation  

When you think wellness, you might think of the sort of glass-palace spas you find in gyms, but you can offer the same experiences at your site with minimal investment. A small, covered space and arrangements with some local practitioners can create a spa-like menu of treatments for guests to pre-book, from sound baths, to yoga and massages. 

Time and space

Wellness, for many people, is as simple as a change of scenery and the chance to get away from their screens for a while. Creating places that help them experience nature is a relatively simple way to promote the wellness aspects of your place. Hammocks, firepits and marked woodland trails or maps to scenic viewpoints and wild swimming spots are all good ways to do this.  

Equipment

Many urban folk don’t have a lot of outdoor gear, so providing blankets and a thermos or a picnic basket can help them get out into the countryside more easily. These are things you should let us know you’re providing.

Food

Food is a great way to get people to slow down a little. Even something as simple as a fresh herb garden or some pick-your-own veg can help connect guests with nature through the food they’re cooking. Encourage guests to cook outside over an open fire, with recipe books or cards. Pizza ovens are popular, but more creative options like brownies cooked in a wood burner can be fun. Even providing delicious coffee and a cafetiere or a loose leaf teapot for brewing encourages a slower process than using instant or throwing a bag in a cup.  

Sound

If you have plenty of birdlife around, let nature take care of this bit for you, just put up feeders and nest boxes, then guests can spend their day listening to bird song. For some, Bluetooth speakers/ DAB radios are a great addition to a place, and why not suggest some nature podcasts like ours, A Life More Wild, or create a few relaxing playlists for people to enjoy. You could also provide instruments like sound gongs or acoustic guitars for guests to use during their stay or a record player with vinyl to listen to in the evenings. 

Art

Can you give guests the time and space to write, draw or paint? Natural settings can be inspiring to many, so could you set up a desk with a view, provide watercolours or pencils for sketching, books on drawing in nature or even poetry. A covered outdoor area for guests to use would also work well.  

Other entertainment

Many of your guests will likely have booked at stay at your space as a chance to reconnect with their significant other. Help them do this, with board games and outdoor games, wild dining spots and little touches like marshmallows for the fire or hot chocolate. If you’re in a Dark Sky area, then a telescope and star charts can be a great, calming distraction and something city dwellers rarely get a chance to experience.

Wellness is not a trend. It may change its name from time to time and fall in and out of magazines, but it’s something we all need. Additions or amendments to your space that are based around making people more relaxed and happier are never going to go out of fashion. We can offer advice on the best ways to harness and promote the wellness aspects of your site, as well as giving you access to some great partner disounts. 

For more information or a chat about anything mentioned here, please email the Owners Team on owners@canopyandstars.co.uk or our Business Development Team on ideas@canopyandstars.co.uk.