There are few holidays more deserving of an intentional pause than International Women’s Day. Observed each year on March 8, the day marks more than a century of advocacy and achievement and also offers women a chance to reclaim space, rest, and solitude.
For those who spend much of their energy supporting others, a solo trip devoted to personal well-being can be both a reward and a radical act. If you’ve been moving through burnout, coming out of a difficult winter, or simply longing for quiet in a beautiful place, stepping away for a restorative getaway can be a clear way to return to yourself and regain focus.
This moment on the calendar holds both symbolic meaning and practical value. Early spring creates a natural window for transition, a time to reset before the rhythm of the year intensifies. The day can serve as a quiet prompt to look inward and make space for clarity and reflection.
International Women’s Day And The Power Of Rest
International Women’s Day began as part of a labor movement in the early twentieth century and has since become a global moment of reflection, celebration, and action. The United Nations officially recognized the day in 1977, and recent UN Women themes have emphasized the importance of investing in women’s health, economic security, and long-term well-being.
Rest is one of the most undervalued resources in modern life, especially for women who carry the emotional, logistical, and physical burdens of care work and survival. In the words of scholar and activist Tricia Hersey, rest is a form of resistance. Choosing to take time for yourself, to sit in silence, or to heal in a place that centers your needs, is not a luxury. It is an essential act of rebalancing. Solo travel can be a tool in that process, particularly when the destination is intentionally designed and well cared for.
To honor that spirit, this guide highlights destinations shaped around calm, care, and connection. These are not high-traffic resorts or social-pressure scenes. They favor serenity, safety, and thoughtful design, creating space for solo travelers to reset without distraction. From wellness escapes in Ghana and South Africa to alpine castles and eco-resorts overlooking the Pacific, each stay is open in March 2026 and ready to welcome those who choose to celebrate International Women’s Day by stepping away and going inward.
Vineyard Stillness And Lakeside Healing
In the heart of France’s Champagne region, the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa in Champillon provides a quiet, expansive escape among the vineyards. The property is known for its large wellness complex, featuring multiple treatment rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, a hammam and sauna, a fitness area, and a yoga studio, all set against panoramic views of the Champagne vineyards. The spa uses premium products such as Biologique Recherche for facial treatments, and the hotel’s location above the valley creates a restful setting that many travelers find particularly quiet in early spring.
For solo travelers drawn to quieter landscapes and cooler climates, the journey continues in the Austrian Alps. Rosewood Schloss Fuschl sits on the shores of Lake Fuschl just outside Salzburg, where still water, forested paths, and open skies shape the pace of each day. Reopened under the Rosewood brand following an extensive restoration, the castle hotel preserves its fifteenth-century architecture while introducing contemporary wellness spaces designed for calm, intentional use. Guests have access to a full spa with saunas, pools, and treatment rooms, along with programs inspired by Alpine botanicals and water-based therapies drawn from the surrounding landscape. The property’s grounds invite long walks and unstructured time outdoors, and the service style emphasizes discretion and ease.
Sanctuaries Rooted In Cultural And Emotional Restoration
A countryside reset outside Washington, D.C., comes to life at Salamander Middleburg, a luxury resort within Salamander Collection, the hospitality company founded by entrepreneur Sheila Johnson. The property is built for travelers who want quiet that feels intentional, with the Salamander Spa positioned as a central part of the stay and wellness experiences tailored to individual needs. Solo travelers can shape their days around spa time, movement, and long stretches of calm, then return to a setting that feels private and expansive rather than busy.
On Ghana’s coast near Elmina, AnoMansa Beach Resort is in a region rich in heritage sites, including Elmina Castle and nearby Cape Coast, making it a strong base for travelers seeking rest and cultural grounding. The property is owned by Mona Boyd, a Black American entrepreneur who has spoken publicly about creating a welcoming space for diaspora travelers while supporting local connection through curated experiences. The setting lends itself to slower mornings and unstructured time by the water, with day trips that can carry real historical weight. For solo travelers seeking emotional restoration with depth, AnoMansa offers a retreat-style stay rooted in place.
Island Calm And Spa-Centered Architecture
Ayana Resort and Spa in Bali, Indonesia, is a sprawling, cliffside property with direct views over the Indian Ocean. Though it has won multiple awards and spans several hectares, it never feels overwhelming. The spa is a centerpiece of the experience, offering seawater hydrotherapy, Thalassotherapy pools, and a wide range of Asian and Western treatments. Guests can walk from their room through landscaped paths to yoga pavilions or private spa cabanas. The property’s scale allows for privacy, and solo travelers will find it easy to move at their own pace.
Across the ocean, The Palms Zanzibar is a small luxury resort with seven private villas set along the white sands of Bwejuu, each with terraces overlooking the Indian Ocean and a layout that prioritizes privacy. The property includes an on-site spa, and its own materials describe a setting shaped by Swahili style and candlelit calm, while guest reviews frequently highlight attentive, high-touch service. For travelers who want an intimate stay at a slower pace, The Palms is a retreat-style option, with its design and setting naturally supporting rest and reflection.
City-To-Island Retreats With Built-In Ease
For travelers who want their reset to include great food, neighborhood texture, and a little cultural pulse, Brooklyn delivers without demanding a packed itinerary. Akwaaba Mansion in Bedford-Stuyvesant is a boutique bed-and-breakfast owned by Monique Greenwood and Glenn Pogue, with Greenwood also known for her former role as editor-in-chief of Essence. The inn’s Stuyvesant Heights location supports slower mornings and easy walks, and Akwaaba’s “Enhance Your Stay” options include in-room massage services, which keep the experience restorative without turning it into a major production.
On Kauaʻi’s North Shore, 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay centers on eco-luxury design, with a wellness program that includes Bamford Wellness Spa and recovery-focused experiences offered by the property, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy and other touchless modalities. The hotel also highlights Anatomy Fitness, a large indoor-outdoor training space, along with sustainability commitments and local sourcing through its food program, which supports a slower rhythm that still feels structured and intentional.
Booking With Purpose This International Women’s Day
These destinations reflect the same core principle: your well-being matters, and travel can support it in concrete, restorative ways. A long-haul retreat and a nearby escape can serve the same purpose when the goal is intentional rest and personal renewal. Choosing to step away from obligation and into care honors your individual needs and the larger spirit that International Women’s Day represents.
Rest lives at the center of health, clarity, and resilience. It belongs in your life as a steady practice, not as something tied to exhaustion or productivity. For many women, especially those carrying layered stress, solo travel serves as a tool for survival and a form of care that restores focus. Wherever you land this March, may the experience affirm your strength and leave you feeling grounded.
