Wellness

yoga, massage & sauna

Heal with nature

What we offer is the set and setting for holistic recovery and the ultimate wellness experience.

All our wellness activities are only available for resident guests.

What attracts people to Maruia River Retreat is our reputation as a place of rest and healing.

To find out about our packages, you can click here.

Spring into Wellness: Complimentary Workshops and Classes for a Balanced You

As we look forward to a fresh start this Spring, Maruia River Retreat is offering complimentary Wellness Workshops for all guests throughout all weekends of October and November 2024.

The 60-minute wellness workshops and the daily 75-minute Yoga Classes will focus on practical knowledge and actionable applications on topics such as:

Stress Management & the Pursuit of a Healthy Work-Life Balance

The Magic of Better Sleep

Increasing Energy Levels & Improving your Posture

Improving Focus: Overcoming overthinking and procrastination

Yoga, breathwork, meditation & sound healing

The hosts of Maruia River Retreat are all experienced Yoga teachers.


Lasse and Cristina Holopainen are highly-experienced and certified Yoga teachers who both teach Hatha Yoga. They continue to run one of the oldest and innovative yoga schools through Urban Ashram Yoga and teach internationally through The School of Yoga for continuing Yoga Alliance education credits. Our Resident Host, Jacqueline Inventor, is also a certified Yoga teacher under a full scholarship from Urban Ashram Yoga.

Our teachers focus on the fundamentals of the practice and are able to work across the different needs of each guest.

Hatha yoga's practice spectrum ranges from gentle restoratives to intense vinyasas, along with its inherent healing modality, makes it almost universally suitable for all guests. Utmost care is given to guests with injuries and mobility-concerns. The student’s safety is always of utmost priority and all the teachers are trained to support a safe and progressive practice throughout their stay.

We have just renovated our Yoga Chalet with timber floors, tall ceilings and abundant natural light with big picture window views that make you feel like you are enveloped by the amazing trees of our forest.

The ultimate venue to foster healing, relaxation and personal growth, we offer complimentary yoga classes to all guests. Yoga classes are run most days and are facilitated by well established, experienced residential yoga teachers who are utilising the retreat themselves to deepen their yoga practice. Private classes are available and can be booked with the resident yoga teacher.

For a few weeks each season, Maruia will be hosting yoga retreats and specialised training.

Forest bathing, hot/cold baths/showers & light therapy

Relax and rejuvenate in our outdoor Stoked Hot Tub and 2 saunas - our outdoor Infrared Chroma-therapy Sauna and our Dry Finnish Sauna at the new and improved Dedicated Wellness Centre.

The Hot Tub and Infrared Sauna are located by the river amidst the forest to unwind and detox in complete privacy. Cold shower facilities are available beside each of the saunas and hot tub.

Robes and bath towels are provided during your stay. We have two saunas as well as an outdoor shower and a cold river for this

Our Outdoor Sauna allows you to experience light therapy in the most natural of settings.

Spa, sauna & massage therapy treatments

Guests have access to a wide variety of relaxation and rejuvenation treatments at our Wellness Spa, which has a built-in Finnish sauna and a treatment room. Our services include massage and spa treatments including facial and body scrub treatments, body work massages and aromatherapy sessions, as we specialize in a holistic approach to achieving a lifetime of wellness.

Health & safety protocols

  • If you are not feeling well, please stay in your villas and please do not come to yoga classes if you are feeling unwell. If you have symptoms of cold or flu call your doctor or Healthline and get tested. Please notify your Host by calling 293 if do get diagnosed with COVID-19.

  • All common areas are outfitted with air purifiers and air cleaners.

  • Hygiene and Cleaning - You are provided hand sanitisers and there are toilets with instructions on proper hand washing across the property. We also request that everyone uses the hand sanitiser upon entering the Wellness Center. There will be hand sanitiser in the Main Lodge and Wellness Center entrances and Dining Lounge. Sneeze and cough into your elbow. We will regularly disinfect all surfaces within the facilities.

    • Your own set of props - You will be assigned one set of your own yoga mat and props during your stay. If you do own other yoga props like a mat, strap and bolster, then you are welcome to bring these with you.

    • Hands-on Adjustments - The teachers will not be offering hands-on adjustments during the classes unless you approve and with your permission.

  • Class Sizes - Class numbers are limited to only 12 students plus 1 teacher with 1-metre distance between mats - It is essential that you book in advance and if you can’t make it to the class that you advise your Host the evening before.

  • Social distancing - Please keep 1 metre apart where possible in the Wellness Center. All yoga mats are spaced out in the Premium Yoga Shala and we will be limiting class numbers to 12 students per class. For social distancing, please use the floor guidelines for mat placement to keep the mats spaced out evenly.