Canyon Ranch Woodside

Opened in 2019, Canyon Ranch Woodside is a Spiritual Wellness Retreat that focuses on the integration of body, mind, heart and spirit, making it ideal for quiet reflection and self-care in a variety of forms.  

• The luxury treehouse rooms lofted 35-50 feet into the redwood canopy and without shades, allowing you to wake with the sun
• The convenience of the (essentially) all-inclusive pricing structure, which covers all meals, access to various activities daily and all gratuities
• The low-stress environment allowing you to break away from rigid goals and hardcore approaches and focus on spiritual connection and self-discovery

Want personal transformation? Guests come to Canyon Ranch Woodside for its welcoming, holistic approach to self-improvement. However, unlike the other Canyon Ranch locations, alcohol (beer, wine and ciders) is served, and spiritual-specifically mindfulness-practice rather than medical health and performance programming is the focus. Each day, there are a variety of guided hikes, movement classes, wellness workshops and creative classes to choose from, and on certain weekends they will have special guests. The easygoing environment allows you to feel free to partake in as much or as little as you desire. While Canyon Ranch Woodside encourages guests to connect with one another and eat at the communal tables, there is also the option to sit at meals independently. Guests can opt for Pathways prior to arrival as well as one-off individual treatments, allowing for a more customized experience and focus on individual needs. The Woodside location is immersed among the Redwoods on a 16-acre forested area in Northern California, located just a 40 to 45-minute drive from the San Francisco International Airport and San Jose International Airport, making it the perfect weekend getaway for locals or an easy destination for those coming from afar. 

The retreat only has 38 rooms, 14 of which are located in the main building and offer more of a typical hotel experience with access to the main lobby and blackout shades. The other 24 rooms are the standout glass-clad treehouse rooms, which are private independent structures, lofted up to 50 feet into the forest’s canopy and only a short walk from the main building. They are filled with large windows and no shades, allowing you to wake up with the sun. The wellness facilities include access to the spa, offering everything from classic massages and restorative facials to mind and spirit wellness services like spiritual guidance or a soul journey (the use of sound-enhanced environments to receive spiritual gifts). Other amenities include a Himalayan salt sauna, eucalyptus steam room, indoor saline pool, and whirlpool; one main dining room, a loft where fireside chats take place and a training zone for classes ranging from cardio to strength and stretching classes. Woodside utilizes the magical surrounding environment, the Redwoods, where daily classes in nature take place such as hiking and meditative walks and Shin Rin Yoku: Art of Forest Bathing. 

Compared to other destination spas, Canyon Ranch Woodside is much more akin to an “adult summer camp” than it is a fitness or weight-loss bootcamp designed to effect immediate transformation. Guests can be as active or inactive as they wish during their stays, and meals (which are all included) are easily accessible and delicious, not restrictive. Although the menu promotes clean, healthy eating, dessert and wine are always on offer, and snacks are widely available throughout the day. The friendly staff are known for promoting a “judgment-free zone” and cultivating casual, encouraging relationships with guests—but it is also important to note that the program’s lack of pressure can be mirrored by a more relaxed style of service.

The majority of visitors are from the Bay Area. However, given the relatively close proximity to the airports, it is great for all solo travelers, couples or parent-child pairs (14 years or older) who are looking for a balanced wellness getaway in an intimate environment, focused on relaxation and restoration in the beautiful Redwoods.