The Art of Wellness: 4 Homes for Health & Fitness

January 30, 2025

The Latin motto Mens sana in corpore sano, “a healthy mind in a healthy body,” can feel like an ever-retreating goal nowadays, a merciless injunction, given the pace of 21st-century living. Hectic schedules, demanding workloads, even the stresses of everyday life can take their toll on body and mind.

In this Luxury Defined showcase, we present four homes which integrate the amenities of gracious living with those of physical and spiritual well-being: Unleash those daily stressors on the lap pool or against the weights of the fitness center; uncoil those tensions in the hammam, the meditation room, or the yoga studio.

Relax amid tranquil landscapes, bask in idyllic gardens groomed for serenity and meditation, or simply treat yourself to a good old-fashioned “steam and a shvitz.” Close your eyes and exhale: Relax: At last, you’re home.

1. Stonewood Lodge in Hout Bay, Cape Town, South Africa

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Eclectic, contemporary, and a touch whimsical, Stonewood Lodge is a haven of serenity on South Africa’s Western Cape.

Tranquility and privacy abide at Stonewood Lodge, an idyllic country house above the Cape Town seaside suburb of Hout Bay, yet just 20 minutes from the city’s central business district.

A thatched roof and a moat stocked with koi embrace the nearly 33,000 square feet of open-plan floor space across five levels framed in native stone, brick, and exposed wood beams, all illuminated by walls and skylights.

The main lounge, with its monumental stone fireplace, is served by a vast kitchen, featuring a pantry and walk-in refrigerator/freezer. A separate laundry room adjoins the staff quarters.

The dining room seats 14, and the informal lounge opens to a large entertainment deck. From there, a spiral staircase twines to a private roof deck with a 360-degree view of Table Mountain.

Three entertainment spaces included a games and theater room, a lounge with full bar, pub, and a separate kitchen. There’s a vaulted wine cellar and tasting room. The exercise room has a half-bath, sauna, steam room, and shower.

A guard office at street entry and a video security system provide peace of mind. An underground garage accommodates 16 cars, augments the double garage at grade level.

The gardens are a private paradise with meandering pathways, water features, a pergola under the trees, and a lagoon-style pool with submerged seating, climbing ropes, and slide entry from the home’s upper level.

2. Golf-Front Villa in Nueva Andalucía, Marbella, Spain

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Indoor and outdoor pools and a sauna are among the spa-worthy amenities at this villa on the Costa del Sol.

This luxurious resort villa fronts the fairways of Nueva Andalucía, a luxurious gated community in Marbella’s Golf Valley.

Numerous terraces and a lush Mediterranean garden with Balinese-style landscaping, provide the perfect space to relax outdoors. The interiors, finished in a serene neutral palette, showcase the elegance of modern design.

The floor plan offers more than 9,000 square feet of living space across three floors. The open-plan layout creates harmonious flow between living and reception rooms and the chef’s kitchen.

Accommodations include five luxurious bedrooms. The main suite has a dressing room, sun terrace, and an en suite bathroom designed as a private spa.

The resort experience continues with an indoor plunge pool, sauna, fitness room, cinema and an entertainment suite. Outdoors is a sun terrace with a kitchen, dining pavilion, fireside lounge, and infinity pool facing the greens.

3. Château-Inspired Mansion in Beverly Hills, California

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An elegant neutral palette and a suite of wellness amenities highlight this stately manor in Beverly Hills.

This magisterial, 7,448-square-foot manor resides behind tall hedges on a level half-acre in a quiet cul-de-sac in Beverly Hills.

Built in 1986, the residence and its lovely gardens underwent renovation by celebrated LA-based architect Michael Smith.

The gardens embrace the sunny California lifestyle with a classically inspired pool, a lavish spa, and a guest house that doubles as a private fitness studio.

Styled for grand gatherings and events, the main level offers a formal dining room and elegantly appointed living space executed in a superb neutral palette that exudes an exquisite calm.

The chef’s kitchen, highlighted by a large island and top-of-the-line appliances, blends superb functionality with style.

There are five bedrooms, two full bathrooms and six partial bathrooms. The highlight is the grand suite, complete with a vast walk-in closet, a private office, a terrace, and exquisite his-and-her bathrooms with striking marble finishes and a sauna.

4. Custom Home in Southlands, British Columbia, Canada

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A brand-new walk-in pool, hot tub, and sauna cabin highlight this delightful custom-built log home in the wooded environs of Vancouver’s Southlands district.

Eclectic and ingenious, with a touch of whimsy, this exquisitely renovated contemporary timber-frame home is tucked away in the leafy equestrian neighborhood of Southlands in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The 2,334-square-foot home and its gated grounds underwent an extensive redesign with a focus on health and well-being.

The outdoor spaces of the 9,000-square-foot plot invite rest and relaxation with a walk-in pool, hydrotherapy hot tub, and a cozy sauna cabin steps from a cold plunge pool. The separate gym has a studio space for yoga, meditation, and workouts.

The alfresco dining space, just off the pool deck, has an outdoor kitchen with a dedicated pizza oven and a barbecue grill.

Walls of glass admit the views of the gardens and plenty of light. Vaulted ceilings grace the entrance hall and the living room. A family room, a versatile den/office, and a gourmet kitchen complete the main level.

Upstairs are three airy bedrooms: the primary suite, with a sumptuous bathroom and walk-in closet, and two guest bedrooms sharing a full bathroom.

Seeking a spa-worthy sanctuary closer to home? Find it here.