LOS CABOS, Mexico -- The sun is blazing, and as I sidle up to the swim-up bar at the Grand Velas Boutique Los Cabos, I do something deeply out of character: I order a mocktail.
It's not just any mocktail, however, but the resort's signature Cabo concoction, a fizzy, alcohol-free drink made with fresh mango and mint. They're so delicious that by the second one, I'm no longer craving my usual poolside mojito or margarita.
That's not to say I've sworn off alcohol completely. But I'm here on a hosted trip to experience Velas Resorts' annual Wellnessing Getaway, which means I'm focused on sampling the diverse range of wellness programming that the Grand Velas brand has to offer across its Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Maya all-inclusives.
The program runs each June, with wellness activities folded into the all-inclusive rate, which is commissionable and starts at $709 per person per night at the Grand Velas Boutique Los Cabos and $844 at sister resort Grand Velas Los Cabos.
Can wellness and the all-inclusive experience, which has traditionally been synonymous with excess, truly coexist?
It's a big question for the all-inclusive category, particularly in an era of GLP-1s and sober curiosity, and as a health-conscious generation of Gen Z travelers comes of age with real spending power.
Food and fitness
But Grand Velas is already a step ahead when it comes to adapting to today's wellness-obsessed landscape. The brand has long been known for its quality-over-quantity culinary approach, focused on elevated a la carte dining, locally sourced fare and menus that make sure to highlight vegetarian and "light" food options.
A group of guests enjoy a floating sound bath at the property's infinity pool. Photo Credit: Christina Jelski
And eating right at a Grand Velas all-inclusive, it turns out, requires almost no extra effort at all. At the poolside Roca restaurant at the Grand Velas Boutique Los Cabos, I don't set out to order healthy, but my lunchtime order ends up being pretty darn nutritious, consisting of a tuna tostada made with locally sourced fish, mango, avocado and citrus ponzu and a watermelon salad with arugula, mint, basil and feta, lightly dressed with a mesquite honey citrus vinaigrette.
It's all fresh and delicious, and a pretty clear sign that the property's Wellnessing Getaway isn't about restriction or sacrifice, but instead about making wellness moments accessible and genuinely enjoyable while on vacation.
That philosophy also carries over to the resort's Wellnessing Getaway fitness offerings, which are held entirely outdoors and turn many of the property's most picturesque spaces into workout venues.
On my first full day at the resort, I attend a morning power barre class that's held in the shade of a palapa at the neighboring Grand Velas Los Cabos. The next day, a water cycling class has five of us pedaling exercise bikes while fully submerged in an infinity pool. My legs are definitely burning during this particular workout, but as I watch birds swoop over the Sea of Cortez, I barely notice.
Sound baths and spa treatments
Later that day, a floating sound bath finds a large group of us cradled in pool noodles and bobbing peacefully, eyes closed, in the Grand Velas Boutique's pool, while a wellness practitioner guides us through a meditation with singing bowls. The sound of crashing waves just beyond the pool's edge only adds to the soothing experience.
A treatment room with a view at the resort's SE Spa. Photo Credit: Christina Jelski
And what's a wellness trip without a visit to the spa? Luckily, I've got some time booked at the Grand Velas Boutique Los Cabos' SE Spa, where a spa valet guides me through their "Hydrotherapy Journey." I quickly realize this journey is essentially a series of temperature shocks, as I move from a hot dry sauna to an ice room to a hot steam sauna, followed by a series of showers that vary in pressure and range from cold to colder.
The journey ends with a short stint in an infrared chair, then a soak in the spa's large hot tub and cold tub. I'm happy to report that the latter is refreshingly cool, rather than punishing.
At this point, I'm already fully relaxed. But there's still a massage to come, and my masseuse guides me to a treatment room called Oceana -- it's her favorite one, she tells me, and I soon find out why. She presses a button, and the room's curtains draw back to reveal a stunning sea view.
By the time the massage is over, I've gone somewhere past relaxed. I'm not sure there's a word for it, but maybe we can call it "wellnessed."