Welcome to Vogue’s first-ever spa guide—a compendium of the 100 best spas worldwide, pulling from the expertise of our global editors. There is a lot out there in the world of wellness, and we are here to sort the cryo from the cold plunge, the infrared light treatment from the IV infusion. Or if your path is a more holistic one—there’s something for you here, as well.
Why go here?
Does the birthplace of American wellness mean nothing to you? What about classic Old Hollywood glamour? What about it’s a two-hour drive from Los Angeles (30 minutes from San Diego) and you’ll feel like you’re on an entirely different plane of existence? Okay, how about an all-inclusive 40-room escape with 25 miles of private hiking trails, one-on-one personal training, delicious farm-to-table meals, multiple beauty treatments for face, hands, feet, and hair, daily massages, and a robust schedule of classes in everything from meditation and pilates to fencing and tap dancing? The Golden Door offers all that and a sense of chic camaraderie: Think summer camp for swells, starlets, and CEOs who want to get back in touch with themselves—mentally, physically, mindfully.
What’s the vibe?
If it ain’t broke…don’t fix it. The Door, as it’s affectionately known, was founded in 1958 and has retained many of its initial charms from that era. The architecture and design are heavily influenced by Japanese ryokans, with exquisite gardens, a koi pond, and guests being given Golden Door printed kimonos to wear to dinner every night. There is a pervasive sense of understated elegance and “old-school” comforts familiar to prior generations: Breakfast is brought to you daily in Imari-ware on lacquered trays along with a menu to select your choices for the rest of the day’s meals; your massage happens with the same practitioner at the same time every day in the privacy of your room; there is a bathhouse for wraps, scrubs, sauna, and steaming, a manicure and pedicure, and an option to get a blowout or a hair treatment the day before you leave, so as to best prepare to reenter the real world. Framed photos of prior guests like Zsa Zsa Gabor and Natalie Wood line one lounge; art collected by Szekely during her visits to Japan lines the others.
Weeklong stays are typically single-sex, and, due to demand, most are oriented to guests who identify as women (there are a smattering of male-identifying and coed weeks too throughout the year). Lunch and dinner are taken communally (unless otherwise desired), as are the programmed classes and activities. Beyond the pampering, the cheerful sense of community—of gathering with and getting to know 39 other people in such an idyllic environment—has become a huge part of the appeal. Since opening its doors, the resort has welcomed a steady stream of the famous (in recent years, that’s included everyone from Julia Roberts to Michael B. Jordan), the fabulously successful, and the “fastidious when it comes to wellness” looking to unwind and recalibrate. Guests tend to come back—and come back and come back and come back—with adult children and sometimes adult grandchildren in tow. Some senior members of the extended Golden Door clan now rank stays in the three digits. (You get a party when you break 100.) “Devotion is what sets us apart,” one mindfulness guide told me during a seven-mile hike at dawn. “Everyone who works here feels incredibly lucky to be here, in this special place, where it’s easy to unplug from your day to day and really root yourself in the present moment.” It’s an energy that can’t be faked, or even easily duplicated, and it’s pervasive. He added: “It’s a real pride in living well and helping other people find their way to it.”
The history?
The Golden Door was founded by Deborah Szekely, who also founded Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico, and who is now 101 years old. She credits her personal longevity to the practices she preaches through her properties: frequent physical movement, mindfulness, and a healthy locally grown and vegetable-forward diet. Szekely sold the Golden Door in 1998, but is still reportedly very involved, frequently checking in on operations by telephone. In 2012, Carlyle Group cofounder Bill Conway and his wife, the late philanthropist Joanne Conway (then a 22-time Door guest) bought the property, promising to update the facilities while perfectly preserving its essence—and to donate 100% of its profits to children’s charities, which it still does to this day.
What should you try?
Everything. Really. The scheduled activities included with a stay run the gamut: In a single day I hiked seven miles, kickboxed with a former Marine, did Motown-tracked water aerobics, took an intuitive clay sculpture class followed by Feldenkrais, had a “lunch and learn” on hormones and diet, and met with an astrologer. (And, of course, my daily massage and Biologique Recherche facial.) One could easily remain happily occupied (and blissfully off one’s phone) from dawn to dusk their entire week without hitting the à la carte treatment or experiences menu. (Though there are worthwhile gems there too, including Watsu—water shiatsu treatments where a masseuse swirls the kinks out of your body around a private pool—or one-on-one sessions with a rotating cast of expert practitioners and visiting speakers.) Don’t miss beloved burlesque and Broadway-style dance instructor Yuichi, who has been with the Door for decades and is still sashaying expertly to ABBA well into his 80s.
How environmentally friendly is it?
Very. The Door uses biointensive farming practices to protect and promote land fertility, and guests can visit the gardens, chickens, and apiary whenever they want. (Several of the hikes cruise through the 131 acres of citrus and 75 acres of avocado groves, which leads to casual farmers market-style shopping to and from one’s room.) Guests are provided with metal refillable water bottles, and there are stations using water from local mineral-rich Carlsbad springs. Outside of the property, the Door bought a nearby 2,000-acre plot of land in the mountains known as the “Newland Sierra,” which, as a result, will remain undeveloped in perpetuity.
What else do we need to know?
If the idea of group activities strikes fear into your heart, fret not: As much as community and camaraderie can play a very soul-enhancing part of a stay at the Door, if you’re the introspective sort, or looking for more of a private retreat, that’s entirely possible to do, and seamlessly, while still reaping the countless benefits of the property. But, if you’re on the fence, err on the side of socializing: You won’t regret it.
Who can go?
The spa and grounds are only available to Golden Door guests.
Booking details for Golden Door
Address: 777 Deer Springs Rd, San Marcos, CA 92069, United States
Read more from Vogue’s Global Spa Guide.
