When my colleague and I were invited to visit a luxury rehab center in South Africa, I was intrigued. I had been to the continent of Africa once before, but never to South Africa. I knew it would be a fun place to visit, but what I quickly discovered upon arrival is that it is an ideal place for recovery.

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Tequesta, Florida, United States

Futures Recovery Healthcare

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Futures of Recovery Healthcare specializes in treating adults 30 years and older suffering from substance use, mental health disorders, and co-occurring disorde...

$29,500 - $82,500

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Vail Valley, Colorado, United States

All Points North Lodge

All Points North Lodge is a comprehensive wellness and personal development campus specializing in addiction, trauma, and mental health.

$49,000-$200,000

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Malibu & Los Angeles, California

Oro House Recovery

Oro House provides compassionate treatment focused on connection and a full continuum of services. Voted California's Best Addiction Treatment Center of 2021 by...

$30,000-90,000/month

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Canton, Massachusetts, United States

Bedrock Recovery Center

(1)

Located on 6 acres of greenery, Bedrock Recovery Center is a hotel-style rehab providing trauma-informed and evidence-based treatment plans for adults.

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San Clemente, California, United States

Chapters Capistrano

Located in sunny Southern California, Chapters Capistrano provides holistic, evidence-based treatment for substance abuse and addiction.

$39,500 (Insurance Accepted)

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Los Angeles, California, United States

Hollywood Hills Recovery

(3)

Nestled in the private hills of Los Angeles, Hollywood Hills Recovery is a boutique substance abuse treatment center offering holistic care.

$30,000+/month (Insurance Accepted)

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Houston, Texas, United States

J. Flowers Health Institute

(13)

J. Flowers Health Institute provides personalized, concierge care, for busy professionals, adolescents and young adults, and highly complex individuals.

$49,500 - $129,000

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Raymond, Illinois, United States

Lincoln Recovery

Located in the countryside, Lincoln Recovery takes an evidence-based approach to treatment, offering onsite detox, individualized programming and luxurious priv...

$25,000 - $35,000

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Dana Point, California, United States

Monarch Shores

Monarch Shores offers luxury housing with beautiful ocean views and individualized addiction treatment in Southern California.

$34,500

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Malibu, California, United States

Rise in Malibu

(1)

A 5-star Yelp-rated Luxury Treatment Center in Malibu, offering a majestic ocean view, 1-1 doctorate-level therapy sessions, and private ensuite rooms.

$90,000 (Insurance Accepted)

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Tucson, Arizona, United States

Sierra Tucson

Using an innovative treatment program called The Sierra Model, Sierra Tucson has been rated one of the region’s top-ranking hospitals by U.S. News.

$20,000-$45,000

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Newport Beach, California, United States

Sierra by the Sea

With multiple facilities strategically located on magnificent Newport Beach, Sierra by the Sea provides gender-specific, primary and long-term treatment.

$16,500-$33,000

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Ashby, Massachusetts, United States

Spring Hill Recovery Center

A 70-acre secluded retreat offering tailored treatment plans, evidence-based therapies, and a family-like atmosphere in the Massachusetts woodlands.

$22,000 - $31,000 (Insurance Accepted)

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Florida, USA

Tikvah Lake Recovery

Tikvah Lake Recovery is an extremely personalized executive treatment center for those who seek the ultimate in treatment, privacy, and luxurious comfort.

$60,000–$85,000 per month

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Hollywood, Florida, United States

United Recovery Project

A multi-structured program that offers gender-specific residential housing and personal treatment plans.

$30,000-$60,000 (Insurance Accepted)

Getting There

Although a long flight across the Atlantic, there are 2 U.S. airports (JFK and Atlanta) and numerous other major European and Asian cities offering direct flights to Johannesburg, South Africa. The airport in Johannesburg (O.R. Tambo International) is the busiest African airport and was completely renovated and expanded for the 2010 FIFA World Cup hosted in South Africa. It was nicer and had more shops and restaurants than most U.S. airports I’ve been to!

Once we arrived in Johannesburg we had two options to get to White River Manor. One option is a pick up by White River Manor directly at the airport in a luxury van for about a 2.5 hour drive to the center. Or, the second option, which we chose, is to take a 45 minute connecting flight to the Kruger/Mpumalanga airport and White River Manor will pick you up for the 15 minute ride to the center. With connecting flights basically on the hour, we were able to pick the perfect time for the connection and found that option to be extremely convenient.

First Impressions

We arrived at the Kruger airport and I knew right away we were in a special place. Since this airport is the gateway to the world famous Kruger National Park, the terminal is built to look like an African lodge, and the interior and exterior are African themed, with lots of information about the “Big Five.”

Within minutes, we were met by a White River Manor staff member who helped us with our bags and loaded them into a luxury Mercedes van. On the quick ride to the centre, we were able to take in the surrounding beauty of this part of South Africa. A lot of rolling hills and farmland. The climate and scenery reminded us of time spent in Napa Valley, California.

We turned off the main road and after a few more minutes saw the entrance to White River Manor. Once past the main gate, the driveway runs through a grove of tall trees, and then leads to the main building. The main building’s front room is where clients first check in and has a welcoming, yet modern style.

As we began to tour the grounds and surrounding buildings, I was immediately struck by the perfect serenity that is offered in this place. Thousands of miles away from home, I felt completely comfortable and immediately refreshed. As we sat and talked on the patio with the owner, Jerry Hartless, and other members of the team, I recognized another element that is sometimes missing from luxury centers: excellent service. Staff checked in with us frequently to make sure that our needs were met, bringing us lattes, and giving us a menu to choose which course we preferred for the upcoming meal.

The Story Behind White River Manor

The location of the center was formerly a 5-star boutique lodge that was well regarded in the area. Jerry, a successful American businessman who had his own struggles with addiction in the past was looking to start a luxury rehab centre in South Africa. So when the property came up for sale, he purchased the property and transformed it into the world-class centre it is today. While there we were able to hear his and his team’s vision for offering luxury treatment that has better accommodations and better customer service at a fraction of the price of U.S. luxury centers.

A Personalized Program

White River Manor provides a highly personalized program, and is a great fit for executives who might need more flexibility from a treatment program than others. While 28 days is a very short time for rehab, White River Manor has structured a program that makes full use of that time and when there is buy in and drive from the client they have seen great success.

Enjoying an African Experience

A key piece of the program is the excursions clients go on to enjoy being in Africa. Whether it’s a safari in Kruger National Park, white water rafting, traditional African dancing, mountain biking, the team helps clients make the most of being in South Africa! While we were there we had the opportunity to enjoy a safari in the neighboring Kruger National Park. So cool!

Check it out for Yourself!

After having spent a few days at White River Manor myself, I highly recommend it to people who are open to traveling for rehab. If you are, the benefits are well worth the trip! If you have any specific questions about what White River Manor is like feel free to send me an email at ben@luxuryrehabs.com or check out White River Manor’s international page which gives more details about their international program.

By 

Ben Camp

Ben Camp

Writer

Since 2010, Ben has been helping rehabs around the world connect with patients through the Internet, from de-addiction centers in India reaching low-income treatment seekers on their mobile phones to centers in the U.S. attracting luxury clientele.

| Published September 6th, 2017|  Professionally Reviewed By 

Olivia Mueller

 

 Reviewed by Olivia Mueller on September 6, 2017

Olivia holds over 10 years of experience in the addiction treatment industry and a Master’s in Addiction Studies from King’s College London, University of Adelaide, and Virginia Commonwealth University.