Finding Harmony (and Humility) on a Trip Inside the Billion-Dollar Medical Wellness Biz

While the exterior retains its old Italian glamour, the renovated interior builds on that decadence with stunning rooms fit for a princess. With PhD-designed longevity programs and biohacking systems, guests here undergo everything from blood tests and genetic testing to posture assessments and metabolic screenings, all while living the luxury lifestyle of the rich and famous. The palace has been reborn not simply as a hotel, but as a sanctum to longevity. And it was here that I dipped my toe into the billion-dollar wellness industry for the first time.

History rooted in healing

Photo: Palazzo Fiuggi

Although constructed in 1913 as one of Europe’s most luxurious properties (and the first hotel on the continent with a swimming pool), the town’s healing reputation predates the building by centuries.

Andrea Pevosti, the hotel’s manager, gave me a brief history of the region’s connection to medicine dating back to the 500s AD.
“San Benedetto actually invented the monastic system, the first national health system,” Pevosti says. “Herbal medicine began here. Many of the drugs we know today stem from those early discoveries.”

Fiuggi’s famed mineral spring, often referred to historically as a “spring of life,” launched the health focus that has since overtaken this little town, drawing monks, popes, and even Michelangelo, who reportedly drank the water for its healing properties.

“This area has always been dedicated to healing since the ancient Romans, since the popes. This land was created for recovery,” Pevosti says.
Today, that legacy continues in a different form: modern diagnostics layered atop centuries of spiritual and herbal traditions across cultures. Walking into the lobby feels like entering an Italian museum. Frescoed ceilings hovered above us. Marble statues lined the corridors. Antique paintings frame the walls. But beneath the beauty is a dedication to healing its guests as its predecessors did before. Modern science layered atop centuries of spiritual healing. Personalized programs focused on longevity, detoxification, weight loss, or performance, each designed by an in-house medical team.

Each morning, guests receive a tailored schedule of treatments and meals curated by doctors and executed by a Michelin-star-trained culinary team to begin their dive into their own healing journey.

Palazzo Fiuggi is a living study in wellness

Photo: Palazzo Fiuggi

It’s a billion-dollar industry. And 2 years from turning 40, I find myself increasingly curious, not necessarily about living longer, but about living better.
Programs range from three to 14 days, depending on focus: detox, weight loss, stress management, or longevity optimization. Each day of my program began with a ritual of drinking Fiuggi’s mineral water, said to reduce inflammation, blood pressure, and support kidney function. Food, too, was medicine. Meals were intentional and curated: colorful, vegetable-forward, and deeply flavorful.

Where many wellness retreats emphasize holistic healing alone, Palazzo Fiuggi integrates professional medical oversight. Comprehensive assessments like blood panels, metabolic analysis, and spinal exams are overseen by physicians who evaluate your results. If needed, specialists from Villa Stuart, a healthcare facility in Rome, are consulted to assess what Chinese pressure point massages and sound baths can’t fix. With access to more than 350 doctors and specialists, the approach feels safer than many “natural” approaches.

“Longevity without medicine doesn’t exist,” says Dr. Maya Skupien, who oversees spa therapies. “You need the best medical diagnostics and pharmacological support when necessary — then we add naturopathy and bodywork on top.”

Some treatments may seem a little “hippie” at first glance: Sound baths. Water therapy. Pressure-point massage. But beneath it all is data. Biohacking here looks less like finance bros pushing creatine and more like a measurable intervention that’s been proven through medical research and evolved over the course of centuries.

A week inside the wellness machine

Photo: Kelsey Wilking

The rules at Palazzo Fiuggi are universal for every guest: no sugar, no dairy, no pasta, no alcohol, no coffee. I must admit it felt criminal being in Italy and not sipping wine after dinner or waking up to an espresso. Everything was personalized, down to pre-measured snacks and calorie-calibrated meals.
My program was a 3-day Wellness Break. It began with a medical consultation: a detailed intake covering physical health, mental stressors, and lifestyle patterns. Sleep came, as no surprise to me, as the biggest personal struggle for health.

To address it, I was prescribed a Sleep Bands Niraxx headband, a device worn daily for a designated period while guided by an app. Equal parts futuristic and slightly dystopian, I committed to and tested it out. Spoiler: this did not work for me.

In the mornings, I woke to my schedule printed and provided alongside the menu of the day. After I mourned my morning coffee during breakfast, I jumped into my schedule.

Thalasso therapy involved rotating between floating in two warm, magnesium-rich salt pools and taking a quick dip in an icy plunge bath, a process that took 25 minutes. This particular therapy was to be detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, and to improve circulation. Hot tip — don’t shave beforehand, or you’ll feel it immediately.

Also included in my program were Chinese acupressure massages, a Kobido facial designed to stimulate collagen (and yes, face slapping was involved), and hydrotherapy, which turned out to be a humbling experience involving a deep soak followed by a high-pressure water treatment. While naked and gripping wall-mounted bars, an esthetician powerwashed me to stimulate circulation. I did wonder if they would make me wear an orange jumpsuit afterwards (I joke).
One of my favorite sessions was a biomechanical assessment. Specialists mapped my gait, posture, and stability, producing a detailed breakdown of pressure distribution in my feet and alignment through my hips. I left with practical recommendations for walking, balance exercises, and small corrections to help fix the issue.

Between sessions, I lounged by the indoor pool, braved additional cold plunges, walked the grounds, sat in the salt room, and drifted off during sound baths. The daily rituals and amenities available became surprisingly restorative.

The buddy system

Photo: Palazzo Fiuggi

Traveling alone can feel isolating, especially when you’re trying something for the first time. I was lucky enough to have arrived at the same time as a fellow guest, Stephanie, from Germany. We decided, after touring the facilities together, to sit together at mealtimes.

With a fixed menu and assigned seating, the staff created a table for two that was set just for us at every meal. Over dishes designed by 3-Michelin-star chef Heinz Beck, we would compare notes: How did you sleep (over morning ginger shots)? How was your treatment (over detox tea at lunch)? How much do you wish we had a glass of wine right now instead of this sleep-inducing herbal elixir?

We found each other during free time to swim in the pools, soak in the hot tubs, and even took a sound bath class together. Our conversations shifted over time. From treatment reviews to life stories. Daily stresses. Career plans. Political shifts. Family dynamics.

In the world of wellness, having a friend made a world of difference. I didn’t have to experience this new place alone. In a hypercurated world, this human touch felt healing where biohacking machines and science-backed therapies couldn’t reach. She’s still someone I WhatsApp with regularly.

Luxury and the pursuit of wellness

Photo: Palazzo Fiuggi

As my first experience in medical wellness, Palazzo Fiuggi was a stunning introduction. The setting alone, with views over the hills of Fiuggi and interiors worthy of a museum, almost distracted me from the nightly hunger pangs that crept in.

Self-care, with structured rest, focused health evaluation, and time way, is itself a luxury. I understand why biohacking and longevity have become the latest obsessions for those who can afford it. Who doesn’t want to feel better for longer?

And yes, in a billion-dollar wellness industry, Palazzo Fiuggi is not inexpensive – my three-day program starts around $2,000. But what it offers is a highly customized reset for exactly what you need.