What It's Like Turning Off Your Phone at 'World's Best' Spa

SAN DIEGO (TheStreet) -- It took me some time to truly appreciate all that Rancho La Puerta has to offer.

I've been to spas all over the world -- Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam, the Caribbean -- and have plenty of experience treating myself to luxurious facials and massages. And I understand the value of personal maintenance.

Rancho La Puerta, the legendary wellness center in Tecate, Mexico, is far more than a glorified spa.

One of the biggest luxuries the ranch delivers is solitude and the time to slow down, reconnect with yourself, your mind and your body in an environment that couldn't be more peaceful. With its many flower- and tree-lined winding paths, yoga classes, morning hikes and dozens of other health and wellness classes, as well as an gourmet organic vegetarian menu, the 3,000-acre ranch is truly an experience in revitalizing and recharging your body and spirit. Add to this the ranch's guideline regarding cellular phone usage -- all phones are to be on silent and use of them is firmly discouraged except when in your room -- and you've found the ideal place for a detox, digital and otherwise. Still, for a person who has two jobs and is constantly connected to some form of technology or is always "doing" something -- whether it's taking care of my son or working late -- slowing down, relaxing, reflecting and letting go of technology involved a mental adjustment that took time. During my first evening at the ranch, I had dinner with several other guests, all of whom raved about their love of Rancho La Puerta and many of whom confessed to returning to the ranch year after year, some for 20 years now, some multiple times in a single year. Also see: They've Emptied Out a 757 to Take You to Exotic Lands>> I stared blankly at these guests, trying to smile politely, wondering why someone would visit one place over and over when there is a whole world to see? The guests I spoke to aren't alone in their dedication to Rancho La Puerta, though. In 2010, 2011 and 2013 Ranch La Puerta won World's Best Destination Spa from Travel + Leisure's World's Best reader's poll -- meaning it beat out every other destination spa in the world, according to T+L readers. By the middle of my first full day at Rancho La Puerta, I began to understand the raves. Days at Rancho La Puerta can begin any way you want, but the schedule typically includes numerous early morning hike options. Located in the shadow of Baja California's mystical Mount Kuchumaa, on a property lined by mountains and dotted by meadows, the hiking terrain is stunning and inspiring.

After the morning hike, days at Rancho La Puerta can unfold in dozens of ways. There is different health and wellness classes offered every hour, and the list of class offerings from one day to the next is different, allowing each day to be a new adventure based on your mood. There's also cooking classes, and a world-class spa.

The variety of fitness class options is pages long in the ranch's guide and includes Body Bar, Cardio Boxing, Cardio Drumming, Cardio Muscle Blast, Circuit Training, Core Challenge, Dance, Parkour, Pilates Matwork, Pilates Reformer, Yoga Sculpt. I could go on and on.

On my first day, I chose just a few classes and activities -- Release & Mobilize -- a class focused on deep muscle release and mobility using tennis balls, followed by a 50-minute facial, and then the Shallow Water Workout class. The change in my mood and spirit after just these few activities, strolls along the ranch's grounds during the course of the first day and several healthy meals was dramatic. I felt relaxed, more at ease and ready to dive into even more of the class offerings the next day, to get more of this great feeling I was experiencing. Also see: Camping Under the Stars -- Atop a Manhattan Hotel>>

The next day, I chose a more ambitious variety of activities -- some I had never heard of and couldn't wait to take. The day suddenly became an interesting adventure in mental and physical fitness and fun. My class selections included Gentle Yoga, The Wave, Postural Therapy, Tennis and Crystal Bowl: Sound Healing. Interspersed between these classes was a reflexology appointment at the ranch's spa and a 90-minute Energy Balance session. Treatments available at Rancho La Puerta's spa are divided into four categories: cleanse, relax, energize and restore. Guests are encouraged to start with cleansing and move on to relaxing and restoring treatments, finishing a weeklong visit with some of the energizing options. Selections include cleansing facials, body polishes and aromatherapy wraps, relaxing massages and reflexology, and energizing healing therapies and energy rebalances. The ranch also just launched a personalized medical and wellness program called Executive Wellness. The goal of the $6,950 program is to alleviate health problems for those with high-stress jobs. It begins with a physical examination at the Lifewellness Institute, a medical center in San Diego, and is followed by a visit to Rancho La Puerta, where participants are given comprehensive fitness and nutrition plans customized for each individual's needs by the ranch's fitness and health experts. If the price tag seems steep, remember that Rancho La Puerta alone does not come cheap; weekly stays range between about $2,800 and $4,800. At least for me, the luxury of Rancho La Puerta's price tag was not in the accommodations. The guest rooms are lovely, many with charming patios and sweeping views of the landscape. Inside, the rooms are decorated with vibrant local artwork, tile floors and fireplaces. But at the same time, the rooms are spare, and simply furnished. No televisions. No luxurious couches to sink into after a long day. But that also seems to be the point. Why make the guest rooms full of comforts when there is so much to do and see all day long at Rancho La Puerta outside your room? When it came time to leave, I was full of reluctance and found myself wondering how soon I could make my way back. But more then that, I felt healthier then I had in a long time, and spent most of the drive back to San Diego thinking about how I could incorporate all the good from Rancho La Puerta into my daily life.