Why this Cotswolds wellness retreat will change your life

There are not many mini-breaks that promise to reboot your body and brain, but the Omni wellness retreat does just that – it sorts out everything. After four days in the Cotswolds with celebrity trainer Aimee Victoria Long and team, we leave completely refreshed.

What it is:

The Omni wellness retreat is a four-day retreat at The Lakes by YOO in the Cotswolds. It’s a health reset, a total reboot of your lifestyle incorporating all areas of health and wellbeing - exercise, nutrition and wellness. You can tailor your activities to your goals, from detox to de-stress and weight management, combining workouts and beauty treatments, fitness activities and gourmet dining.

Where it is:

The Lakes by YOO is in the heart of the Cotswolds, about an hour and a half from London. The Lakes is a luxury country estate with lakes, meadows and woodland, outdoor activities, spa and acres of countryside. The Omni retreat is hosted in the idyllic Manor House, on the estate, a luxury home with five bedrooms, pool and jacuzzi, meaning you can reset yourself in comfort.

What it promises:

Embodying the meaning of ‘all’, Omni aims to bring together every pillar of wellness, combining daily movement, fuelling the body with the right nutrition and time to recharge. Over three nights and four days you enjoy high-end nutritional meals, a range of fitness and cooking classes, a choice of outdoor activities like wild swimming, paddle-boarding, zip-wires, rock-climbing or trapeze, plus strength and conditioning classes and personal training. It aims to reconnect you with your health, wellness and nature and get yourself back on track.

Who are the trainers:

The retreat is hosted by celebrity trainer Aimee Victoria Long, who boasts A-listers and royalty among her clients. She is a specialist in pilates and barre and offers intense workouts. She’s joined by personal trainer Lucy Raetz-O’Connell, who focusses on pilates and nutrition and Josh Davies, a personal trainer and ex-professional rugby player who specialises in strength and conditioning.

Our experience:

We attended a four-day retreat as part of a small group of people, staying in the Manor House. The intimate group made the experience feel personalised and I really liked that – at the end, we all felt like we were friends. Spending four days working on your wellness in the most beautiful location, with delicious food was just wonderful – when do we ever get to do that?

From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with canapes and drinks and our energy just switched into relaxation-mode, even after a stressful train trip there.

Aimee, Lucy and Josh were friendly and helpful, constantly looking after each person and targeting our individual needs. The fitness classes were excellent and varied and I enjoyed the personal training sessions with each trainer – Aimee, with her famously-unique blend of disciplines, Josh with his strength-training, which was perfect for my husband and Lucy’s pilates-based workouts and in-depth nutritional chats.

All the meals were plant-based and so delicious they even converted my meat-eating husband.

 The retreat works really well because it’s not designed for high-level fitness fans only, anyone can enjoy it and benefit from the Omni overall approach. It also doesn’t end after the retreat – Omni offers a range of ongoing packages, such as in-person or virtual training as well as meal delivery. We were lucky enough to extend the stay with four more days of nutritional meals, which consisted of freshly prepared ready-to-eat meals plus the most delicious snacks, delivered straight to our door. It was a great way of not losing the health momentum.

Verdict:

If you’re looking to make a break on your break, then book an Omni retreat. They’re the ultimate health and fitness reset, in a luxury location. Just bliss.

For more information: Visit omni-wellnessgroup.co.uk
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