Second homes: A new way to focus on health and fitness
— -- For those who feel that a week-long visit to a spa isn't enough, wellness resorts that combine pampering with fitness and education regimens, as well as medical testing, have flourished. Among those that have made the move from vacation to vacation home include veterans such as Canyon Ranch, Miraval, the Golden Door and the Cooper Aerobics Institute, along with many newcomers.
What differentiates these from traditional fitness centers are dedicated facilities beyond tennis courts, such as elaborate trail networks, pools, medical facilities and even organic farms. The biggest selling point is the vast slate of classes and activities, from motivational group hikes and runs to daily yoga and Pilates classes, often at all hours. There are usually health lectures and demonstrations, and many employ nutritionists and other experts.
"Our communities have wellness as a core value in amenities and services," says Jamie Prince, spokeswoman for the Cliffs Communities, the nation's largest such undertaking, with eight developments along the North and South Carolina border. Four advanced wellness centers have been completed, with a 30-mile "supertrail" hiking system, plus their own organic farm and a partnership with Wake Forest University Medical Center. "We are striving to be the healthiest place in America and have invested an enormous amount of resources in that goal," Prince says.
Fitness specialist Kenneth Cooper's renowned Dallas longevity center recently opened a satellite facility in the Vermont residential ski community Spruce Peak at Stowe. In Westlake Village, Calif., residents can visit the California Health & Longevity Institute, which offers a large staff of doctors, dieticians and fitness specialists. Miraval in Tucson recently added homes — and opened a wellness apartment building in New York City. Enchantment in Sedona, Ariz., has homes and condos and is adding villas, plus a second location at Mexico's Punta Mita golf resort. Canyon Ranch offers residences in Tucson, Miami and Lenox, Mass.
Like health care, none of these come cheap. Homes around Westlake Village run $300,000 to $3 million. Spruce Peak at Stowe has hotel condos starting around $425,000, and free-standing homes are more than $2 million (stowemountainlodge.com). New villas at Enchantment will run around $2.5 million (enchantmentgroup.com).
A look at three wellness destinations
• Miraval: The original Tucson resort offers an array of health offerings, from heart and sleep assessments to weight management and hypnotherapy. The resort built 16 luxury villas, from $2.5 millon-$3.4 million (only four remain). Miraval also opened a 41-floor apartment building on New York's Upper East Side, with 330 one- to four-bedroom apartments and a full wellness, spa and fitness center. Apartments start at $852,000 (miravalresort.com/living.aspx).
• Greenbrier Sporting Club: The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia offers everything from golf to riding to river rafting on its 6,500 acres. It also houses the Greenbrier Clinic and Center for Healthy Living, with extensive medical and testing facilities. The Greenbrier Sporting Club has plans for 500 homes (including a green community), with its own spa, outdoor center and golf course. Home prices run $1.1 million-$5.9 million (thegreenbriersportingclub.com).
• Cliffs Communities: These eight developments within a 57-mile radius embrace the lakes and mountains of the Carolinas. Facilities, from marinas to stables to golf courses, are shared. With a large organic farm, the Cliffs' restaurants offer "wellness selections." Each community will have a high-tech wellness center (four have been built). Prices for lots range from the $200,000s to over $3 million. Homes run from the $700,000s to $5 million (cliffscommunities.com).