Georgia Nelson Lexus has announced they are entering the wellness market — but the luxury car brand isn’t the first of its kind to do so.
With wellness tourism set to thrive in 2022 and beyond, it’s no surprise that luxury brands are jumping aboard the wellness train. Wellness hubs have popped up in airports and new, unexpected destinations around the world — and now, luxury automotive brand Lexus has unveiled new “Wellness Destinations” across the USA.
The new program features collaborations between Lexus and four luxury hospitality and wellness resorts, Cal-a-Vie Health Spa in South California and all three Miraval Resorts and Spas in Arizona, the Berkshires and Austin, offering Lexus-curated wellness packages paired with complimentary transportation for each guest.
“After the last couple of years we have all experienced, it’s no surprise to see the focus on self-care paired with the desire to get away resulting in demand for wellness travel,” says Vinay Shahani, Lexus vice president of marketing. “As a luxury lifestyle brand, Lexus is meeting this need by offering curated, integrative experiences that focus on wellbeing at award-winning destinations.”
At first glance, wellness and cars may seem like an unlikely pairing but the automotive market has been honing in on mindfulness for some time now. Jaguar Land Rover now has a Chief Medical Officer, who has designed a “morphable” seat that combats the effects of sitting down for too long, as well as researching the use of UV light technology to help stop the spread of colds and flus in cars. Volvo drivers are treated to the brand’s CleanZone technology, complete with an air filter to sift out pollen and other nasties in the air.
New Mercedes models can be fitted with an Energising Pack which connects to the driver’s smartwatch to monitor their physical and mental state during a journey and suggests a range of in-car programs such as ambient lighting or in-car fragrance and will even show videos on muscle exercises on the screen if it senses the driver is tired or the car is stationary after a long drive.
And then there’s BMW. Drivers need only say “Hey, BMW, relax me” in the car to activate a range of infotainment and climate adjustments such as air-con, mood lighting and music to calm passengers. Some BMW models also include Executive, Expressive and Wellbeing modes to suit the driver’s mood and an optional Ambient Air package that infuses the cabin with soothing scents and ionises the air to rid it of toxic particles.
Lexus has taken the in-car wellness experience a step further with their latest collaboration. “Lexus Living in Luxury” guests at Cal-Vie Health Spa in Southern California will be treated to a four-night stay which includes a nutritionally-balanced gourmet menu, cryotherapy session, rejuvanating spa facials and treatments, a private fitness session with a take-home program and complimentary transportation in a luxury Lexus vehicle to and from the San Diego International Airport upon arrival and departure.
Guests at the three Miraval resorts will have access to an outdoor wellness experience ranging from six to eight hours, and including a complimentary Lexus vehicle to use throughout the experience. This day experience starts with an intention-setting ceremony with a Miraval Guide before a scenic drive to various destinations where a private guide leads hiking, biking and swimming expeditions. It also includes a chef-prepared picnic lunch and a locally oriented activity, such as kayaking, paddleboarding or birdwatching.
“These new and unique offerings allow us to immerse our guests in scenic, natural settings off-property that encourage external exploration and space for internal reflection,” says Susan Santiago, head of Miraval operations at Hyatt. “We look forward to continuing our mission of providing authentic experiences focused on our guests’ physical, spiritual, and mental wellbeing.”
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