CBD and wellness experts CFAH have analysed the top 15 UK destinations for a relaxing getaway to see which UK holiday destination can provide the best zen escape. They looked at the number of spas, retreats, green spaces, number of CBD shops, number of yoga studios, wifi medium download speed and the area’s happiness rating to rank the destinations in order of most to least ‘zen’.
The key findings are:
- Devon is named the best UK zen escape with an overall score of 86.96. It boasts 20 CBD shops and has a happiness rating of 7.2/10.
- Wye Valley, where Sex Education is filmed, has come in 5th with an overall score of 64.07 and a great green spaces ranking.
- Edinburgh (7th place with 54.43) has 104 spas and zero retreats, making it the most populated by spas out of all 15 destinations but the least occupied by withdrawals.
- With 14 spas Pembrokeshire and New Forest both have the least spas out of the 14 UK destinations.
- Harrogate has been ranked the least zen with an overall score of 42.07, only 17 spas and an average green spaces rating.
Top 14 UK destinations:
Location | Overall Score | No. Spas | No. Retreats | Green Space Ranking | No. CBD Shops | No. Yoga Studios | Wifi – Medium Download Speed (Mbps) | Happiness Rating |
Devon | 86.96 | 85 | 4 | Great | 20 | 60 | 9.9 | 7.2 |
Cornwall | 73.54 | 39 | 3 | Great | 24 | 60 | 12 | 7.5 |
Hampshire | 73.17 | 78 | 3 | Good | 30 | 83 | 13.3 | 7.3 |
Norfolk | 70.29 | 55 | 4 | Good | 27 | 36 | 11.5 | 7.4 |
| Wye Valley | 64.07 | 67 | 1 | Great | 12 | 78 | 21.4 | 7.8 |
Dorset | 56.57 | 68 | 2 | Good | 9 | 40 | 13.8 | 7.7 |
| Edinburgh | 54.43 | 104 | 0 | Average | 40 | 84 | 17.1 | 7.6 |
Cotswolds | 53.53 | 56 | 0 | Great | 1 | 45 | 13.1 | 7.7 |
| Lake District | 53.16 | 28 | 2 | Great | 4 | 12 | 17.3 | 7.5 |
New Forest | 51.52 | 14 | 0 | Great | 18 | 51 | 12 | 7.8 |
| Bath | 46.82 | 28 | 1 | Average | 40 | 97 | 15.5 | 7.5 |
Pembrokeshire | 45.66 | 14 | 0 | Great | 14 | 12 | 12.5 | 7.5 |
| Oxford | 43.17 | 49 | 2 | Average | 11 | 58 | 19.2 | 7.5 |
Brighton | 43.04 | 50 | 0 | Average | 35 | 100 | 21.8 | 7.3 |
| Harrogate | 42.07 | 17 | 2 | Average | 21 | 72 | 16.1 | 7.5 |
In the southwest of England, Devon has been named the best UK location for a zen weekend. With 85 spas and four retreats, Devon has the second most spas out of the 14 UK destinations analysed.
Harrogate, known for its cream teas and Turkish baths, has been ranked the worst location to go for a zen weekend, with only 17 spas and two retreats. Harrogate has a green space score of 10, the lowest on the list and Edinburgh, Bath, Oxford and Brighton.
Wye Valley is the home of the Netflix hit series Sex Education which appeared back on our screens on 17th September. It’s a great filming location and the fifth-best UK destination for a zen weekend, with 67 spas and one retreat. Wye Valley also has 78 yoga studios, and yoga is a great way to manage stress and helps improve balance and strength.
Home to Princess Anne, the Cotswolds has been ranked eighth best UK destination for a zen weekend. With three CBD shops and 45 yoga studios in the whole of the Cotswolds and a wifi-medium download speed (Mbps) of 7.7.
With 40 CBD shops and 104 spas, Edinburgh has been ranked the seventh-best UK destination for a zen weekend. Edinburgh also has 84 yoga studios and a wifi-medium download speed (Mbps) Score of 7.6.
