The Rise of Luxury Gut Health Retreats Across Europe
As the multi-billion-dollar wellness industry continues its rapid expansion, a new breed of medical spas is emerging across Europe, offering week-long escapes entirely dedicated to nurturing gut health. These luxury retreats, costing upwards of $7,000, promise transformative experiences through hay detoxes, cryotherapy sessions, extensive medical examinations, and personalized nutrition plans.
A Nutritionist's Journey to Austria's Mayrlife Retreat
When 28-year-old London-based nutritionist and influencer Stephanie Robinson arrived at the Mayrlife Medical Retreat in Altaussee, Austria, she described the experience as reminiscent of summer camp—but with a distinctly medical twist. Instead of traditional camp activities, her seven-day itinerary included cryotherapy, hay detoxes, sauna visits, and rigorous medical assessments, all aimed at deepening her understanding of gut health.
Robinson's stay in May 2025 was gifted by the clinic in exchange for social media promotion to her 264,000 followers, though such packages typically cost up to $20,000. Mayrlife's most affordable program starts at approximately $7,000, covering seven nights' accommodation and regular doctor consultations.
"It's pretty intense, your body is going through quite a bit," Robinson revealed. "The first few days, I felt like I had the flu." However, she soon noticed positive changes, including increased energy and clearer skin. "When I started the retreat, I had some spots on my face and was a little puffy. By the end, my skin was really clear," she noted.
Strict Dietary Regimens and Medical Assessments
Upon arrival, Robinson underwent comprehensive medical examinations that revealed magnesium deficiencies and digestive issues triggered by coffee, gluten, soy, and dairy. Based on these results, she received a personalized nutrition plan eliminating sugar, carbohydrates, and gluten.
Her daily meals at Mayrlife were notably restrictive: a boiled potato with plain yogurt for breakfast, chicken breast with cooked vegetables for lunch, and soup with chia seed oil for dinner. The retreat enforced a zero-tolerance policy on snacks and prohibited drinking water during meals, based on the belief that liquids dilute digestive juices.
One universal rule required chewing each bite 40 times before swallowing, with Robinson using buckwheat bread as a "chewing trainer" before meals to practice proper digestion techniques.
Detox Treatments and Holistic Approaches
Robinson's days blended spa rituals with medical treatments designed to detoxify her body. These included IV drip infusion therapy delivering nutrients directly to her bloodstream, cryotherapy sessions in chambers set to -180 degrees Celsius, and hay wraps on waterbeds intended to stimulate metabolism and liver function.
"The bursts of intense cold gave me huge amounts of dopamine and energy," she reported, adding that doctors were available daily to analyze test results and discuss her nutrition progress.
Other Influencers' Experiences and Discoveries
Twenty-six-year-old London influencer Matilda Bea Lawlor paid approximately $6,800 for her week-long Mayrlife stay in February 2025, spending four hours daily on treatments ranging from salt scrubs and spiritual yoga to food sensitivity tests and VO₂ Max cardiovascular assessments.
Lawlor's results were unexpectedly revealing: she discovered a stomach parasite requiring two weeks of medication and a candida overgrowth linked to high sugar intake. "I didn't even know what candida overgrowth was. I'd never experienced anything like this retreat," she admitted.
Meanwhile, 35-year-old content creator Claire Ezekiel from Michigan visited Buff Medical Resort in Konstanz, Germany, for a five-day gut health program typically costing around $7,723. Her comprehensive heart examination—involving stationary biking while monitored by sensors—motivated her to focus on cardiovascular health improvement.
Criticism and Social Media Backlash
Both Ezekiel and Robinson faced criticism when sharing their retreat experiences online. Ezekiel received accusations on TikTok that her restrictive diet glorified eating disorders, while Robinson's Substack article prompted readers to label her as "out of touch."
"It's not about losing weight for me," Robinson clarified. "I want to be healthy, have better digestion, and calm my body down, since it holds on to so much stress."
Long-Term Impact and Expert Perspectives
Ontario-based registered dietitian Avery Zenker cautioned that while retreat treatments are science-backed, short-term interventions may not yield lasting results. "There's no guarantee that your gut health will improve," she explained. "Sometimes, people also don't know how to integrate everything they did on the retreat back into their lives."
Mayrlife marketing director Branislav Mucina emphasized the retreat's holistic approach: "Gut health is actually directing your whole wellbeing and your health. The whole retreat is a holistic concept, so it's not only the gut and nutrition, but it's also our mental health and movement therapies."
However, Mucina clarified that guests "won't be completely healed within seven days," describing the experience as "an itinerary for your health" guiding participants toward sustainable lifestyle changes.
Post-Retreat Adjustments and Reflections
While Robinson, Lawlor, and Ezekiel all expressed interest in future gut health retreats, none have completely overhauled their lives post-experience. Instead, they've implemented smaller adjustments: Robinson eliminated sparkling beverages after discovering they caused bloating, while Lawlor became more conscious of sugar intake and eating pace.
"It was a beautiful location, but I did question if I really needed to be there," Lawlor reflected. "And when I came back, I was like, 'Oh, I don't know if I could do that again.'" Yet two weeks later, noticing reduced inflammation, she acknowledged: "Oh wow, that was quite amazing. It really did make a difference."
As the wellness industry evolves, these luxury gut health retreats represent both the growing consumer interest in microbiome optimization and the ongoing debate about the value of high-cost, short-term interventions versus sustainable, integrated health practices.
