Morning Rituals: Extraordinary Ways to Start the Day

February 5, 2025 by Hidden Doorways

Dawn breaks differently around the world. In India’s Himalayas, it arrives with sacred mantras echoing across mountain peaks. In Guatemala, it paints ancient volcanoes in strokes of gold. In the English countryside, it beckons the brave to slip into crystal-clear lakes, shocking the system awake. These nine destinations have mastered the art of beginning anew, with beautifully crafted morning experiences that transform the daily routine of waking into something transcendent.

Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle

As if staying within the walls of The Palace of Versailles wasn’t special enough, make every day spent here an unforgettable start with its Royal Awakening treatment. The discreet and detail-driven team at Le Grand Contrôle awake guests to the sound of 18th-century music as a butler arrives by lantern light to open the curtains wide and prepare a morning bath for guests to slink into. Breakfast is then served at leisure in the sun-soaked restaurant below or in the comfort of the room. The pastries are as fine as you’d expect in a French palace, with savory specialties cooked to order and rich, moreish coffee to wash it all down.

Mii amo

Located in one of Sedona’s major energy vortexes, rest assured every morning at Mii amo begins in a recharged and replenished way. Bolster its natural energy resources by booking onto its guided morning ceremony and meditation session held in its healing crystal grotto. From here, descend to its Juice Bar for an invigorating mix of fruit and vegetable from the Chef’s Garden (we vote for the Sunrise Juice: a healthy mix of golden beets, carrots, apples and turmeric). Balanced and hydrated, next is breakfast at its wellness restaurant, Hummingbird or on the terrace of each guest’s private casita with the call of the red rocks of Boynton Canyon calling out when plates are cleared.

Heckfield Place

Sure, mornings at Heckfield Place absolutely include fine dining — a three-course and more breakfast at its green Michelin starred restaurant Marle is a slow, steady and luxurious start to the day. But Heckfield breakfasts are best enjoyed with a starter of cold water immersion therapy — something they offer guided sessions of in its Lower Lake – a short woodland stroll away from the main house. Here, guests warm up through a series of gentle stretches and steadying breathing techniques before learning about cold water science. When ready, they’ll be invited to slowly lower themselves into the lake’s calm but cold depths, emerging revitalized and very much ready to get their breakfast order in!

Ananda in the Himalayas

Mantras at sunrise but the sorts of mantra that harmonize with the Himalayan backdrop found at Indian wellness retreat, Ananda. That’s what morning sounds like here — sacred sounds that create meditative connections with one another and the world around. Stays at Ananda are rooted in soulfulness, so drift from morning meditation to yoga and holistic sessions designed to encourage balance and conscious living. It is the birthplace of Ayurveda, Yoga and meditation after all, and so annual pilgrimages to Ananda are quite common. A morning trek, be it the downhill trek through verdant Sal forests or the Kanjapuri Temple Trek, is another way to welcome sunrise as each guest treads their own spiritual path before returning to a nourishing ginger and lemon tea.

Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni

Breakfast, but make it regal — correction, really regal. At Italy’s Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio breakfast option one is held in its Salone Reale that leaves every guest speechless. A historic space that encapsulates the noble Neoclassical tastes of the late 19th-century, the chandelier and mirrored space spills out onto an air-conditioned veranda for those wanting to breakfast al fresco, be it on its gourmet breakfast buffet or finely prepared à la carte dishes. Or for a more intimate affair, request breakfast in the peace and harmony of its prestigious rooms and suites with a hand-sewn silk bedspread and views of the glimmering lake or Bellagio village for company.

The Leela Palace Udaipur

New to the The Leela Palace Udaipur is Arq at Pichola – a collection of luxurious pool villas where every moment is crafted to create unforgettable memories. Guests are treated to uninterrupted views of Lake Pichola during sunrise, a truly magical sight as the first light of dawn gently illuminates the serene waters. One of the highlights is the memorable pool floating breakfast in each villa’s private pool – imagine enjoying a delectable meal while floating in the water, surrounded by the stunning landscape. This unique experience combines exquisite cuisine with a picturesque setting that transforms the morning into pure luxury.

Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona

Breakfasting in Barcelona is best done here, at Majestic Hotel & Spa where every meal served is nothing short of majestic — so much so that they received an award for the Best Hotel Breakfast in Europe at the 16th edition of the Prix Villégiature in 2018. Their secret? Healthy Mediterranean flavors meets local produce and an atmosphere bathed in natural light — it’s an experience for the senses and then some. Enjoy the artistry of it all at the show-cooking area where guests can watch its legendary Eggs Benedict being prepared in front of their eyes. Be sure to follow anything savory up with a delectable sweet something by its renowned pastry chef Marc Pérez.

SUJÁN Jawai

Staying in nature means awaking with nature, and at the luxury tented safari camps of SUJÁN, travelers are encouraged to lean into just that. An early morning game drive before even the sun has stirred is the very best way to make the mornings at its Jawai camp. The light is pink and golden, the morning mists leave the jungle floor drenched with dew, and amongst it all is an all-encompassing sense of the mystical. Ears become more alert than eyes, listening out for the crunch of a stick or the brush of a bush as its jungle’s shy inhabitants skulk in the shadows. Track leopard pugmarks with the SUJÁN experts and together trace big cat movements in the quest of seeing one living its wild life in peace. Good morning indeed.

Casa Palopó

And finally to Guatemala where waking up at Casa Palopó should absolutely include morning coffee, watching the sun rise over the volcanoes and Lake Atitlan, taking in the sights but also listening to the sounds of its many exotic birds. A morning chorus of crested bobwhites, cuckoos and stripe-headed sparrows fill the limitless skies as guests perch on the edge of paradise soaking it all in, coffee in hand, seasonal fruits on piled-high platters and every worry set aside and put to bed. And breathe.