I have the uncanny ability to fall asleep in unusual places, but drifting off in a shallow pool of water—in the arms of someone who wasn’t my husband—was admittedly a bit unexpected, even for me. When my eyes fluttered open, it took me a moment to remember where I was and what I was doing, but at the same time, my mind felt clearer, more active, as if I’d just emerged from the deepest slumber of my life.
Such sentiments aren’t unusual for participants of Watsu therapy, a form of bodywork that’s performed in a pool heated to body temperature. “The overwhelming majority of people say to me that this is what it must feel like to be in the womb,” says Antoine Lamar, a certified Watsu practitioner at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain.
Combining elements of Shiatsu, joint mobilization, and muscle stretching with dance-like movements, Watsu is celebrated for its potential to deeply relax and restore the mind, body, and spirit. Its roots date to 1980, when Harold Dull, an expert in Zen Shiatsu, found warm water to be an ideal medium for unwinding the body. While clinical studies on the effectiveness of Watsu are limited, Lamar says, the general consensus among practitioners is that “you’re getting deeper muscle release and increase in range of motion beyond what you would get in a deep-tissue session, with no pressure applied.”
While some wellness-minded destinations have offered the treatment for decades, other properties have recently caught on to the hype. Below are five excellent resorts worth checking in to for many reasons—but especially for the Watsu therapy.
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain
Paradise Valley, Arizona
Located in the aptly named Paradise Valley, Sanctuary Camelback Mountain is one of the few properties in the Phoenix area where you can experience Watsu. Sanctuary reintroduced it to the spa menu in 2023, after a years-long gap, and has a solid lineup of six practitioners. I had my treatment with Lamar, with whom I’d rebook in a heartbeat—at the risk of sounding dramatic, I can wholeheartedly say the sound bowl therapy he incorporated into the session transported me to a new plane of existence.
JOALI BEING
Bodufushi Island, Maldives
JOALI BEING, the Maldives’ first dedicated wellness resort, has offered Watsu ever since opening its doors in 2021. To keep up with the growth in demand, the property added a second pool in 2024 and today allows guests to book sessions individually or with a partner. One of the pools features a stunning celestial-inspired ceiling, so you can release and unwind (or fall asleep, if you’re me) under the stars.
Rancho La Puerta
Tecate, Baja California, Mexico
Guests have been floating their cares away at Rancho La Puerta, in the tranquil city of Tecate, Mexico, for the past 15 years. Watsu is one of several water-based modalities offered under the broader umbrella of Water Flow Therapy, which is available weekly (and often fully booked—so don’t delay). All practitioners at the Ranch, as the regulars call it, are trained to perform treatments both at the water’s surface and underwater, tailoring the floating, stretching, and massaging to your individual needs.
Amangiri
Canyon Point, Utah
In the high desert of southern Utah, Amangiri is a wellness lover’s paradise, evidenced in part by the sheer number of pools available for Watsu: Book a session in the heated outdoor step pool at the main 25,000-square-foot spa, or stay in one of the 10 tented pavilions at Camp Sarika, the nearby extension of Amangiri, and experience it in your own private plunge pool.
Golden Door
San Marcos, California
Golden Door has long been considered a pioneer in the wellness movement, so it’s no surprise that the decades-old retreat has been offering Watsu since the late aughts. The Door’s longtime practitioner incorporates elements of craniosacral therapy, a gentle hands-on technique used for releasing tension throughout the body, alongside Tibetan singing bowls. The treatment is particularly popular during men’s week, which takes place a few times per year and is frequently booked to capacity.
