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Pilates has become an increasingly sophisticated part of the global wellness scene, with a select group of studios offering exceptional instruction, privacy and beautifully considered surroundings. For travellers who build movement into their time away, the most exclusive Pilates studios offer experiences distinctive enough to shape a trip around. These ten stand out for their approach to training, intimate settings and wider wellness credentials.
1. Forma Pilates, Los Angeles
Forma Pilates has built its reputation around a deliberately private model, with its Los Angeles studios operating on a referral basis. Private, semi-private and intimate group sessions focus on controlled, athletic movement, supported by heated mat classes and carefully selected amenities. The discreet setting and limited access have made Forma one of the most sought-after names in Los Angeles wellness, particularly among clients accustomed to personalised training.
2. HUME, Venice, Los Angeles
HUME brings Pilates into the setting of a private health club in Venice Beach, with membership deliberately limited to preserve an intimate atmosphere. Its dedicated Reformer Pilates Studio hosts group sessions, while private Pilates is available for more individualised training. Members also have access to indoor and outdoor gyms, heated classes, sauna, steam room, cold tubs and a rooftop social garden, creating a comprehensive wellness experience around each session.
3. Nobu Pilates, London
Located within Nobu Hotel London Portman Square in Marylebone, Nobu Pilates is one of London’s most polished hotel-based studios. Founder Marsha Lindsay’s approach draws on classical Pilates while incorporating contemporary techniques, with reformers equipped with tower extensions for a broader repertoire of movements. Classes are kept small, and private sessions offer greater attention to individual alignment, strength and mobility. The setting also places the studio within Nobu’s wider wellness facilities, making it particularly convenient for travellers staying in central London.
4. Exhale Pilates, London
Exhale Pilates in Primrose Hill is dedicated to the classical method developed by Joseph Pilates, making it a compelling choice for travellers interested in the discipline’s original principles. The boutique studio uses specialist apparatus including Reformers, Towers and Cadillacs, with teaching centred on precise, controlled movement. Its quiet Primrose Hill location and focus on classical practice give Exhale a distinctly different character from London’s larger reformer studios.
5. Now Reformer, Paris
Near the Opéra district, Now Reformer brings a sleek Parisian sensibility to contemporary reformer training. Its Paris studio on Rue de la Michodière focuses specifically on Reformer sessions, combining structured movement with a carefully designed boutique environment. The brand also operates in Neuilly-sur-Seine, where Pilates and Reformer training are offered. For travellers wanting to maintain a regular practice in Paris, the central location and focused format make this one of the city’s most appealing addresses.
6. Plume Studio, Dubai
Set on Al Wasl Road, Plume Studio reflects Dubai’s increasingly sophisticated approach to boutique wellness. The women-focused space incorporates Pilates into a broader programme centred on movement and recovery, with carefully designed interiors that favour privacy and calm. Its combination of specialist training and wellness facilities makes it particularly suited to those seeking a more considered alternative to Dubai’s larger fitness clubs.
7. Pilates in the Clouds, London
Pilates in the Clouds began in Notting Hill with an unusually intimate approach, limiting sessions to between one and three clients for close attention to form and technique. Its expansion to Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge introduces the concept to a larger setting while keeping classes deliberately small, with a fourth-floor studio overlooking London’s rooftops. The combination of highly personalised instruction and distinctive surroundings makes it one of the capital’s most exclusive Pilates experiences.
8. Reforming Pilates Townhouse, New York City
Reforming Pilates Townhouse brings unusual scale and architectural character to Manhattan’s Pilates scene. Occupying a three-storey former carriage house in the Flatiron district, the studio includes two dedicated equipment rooms with ten reformers each, an infrared-heated mat studio and space for private classes. Despite the property’s size, classes remain deliberately controlled, preserving the individual attention that helped establish the brand’s following.
9. COMO Shambhala Estate, Bali
COMO Shambhala Estate near Ubud offers the most destination-led Pilates experience on this list. The wellness retreat has a dedicated Pilates studio alongside a yoga pavilion, jungle gym, indoor fitness centre and 25-metre pool, with private consultations helping shape individual wellness programmes. Pilates can be combined with hydrotherapy, treatments, guided movement and COMO Shambhala’s health-focused cuisine, making the estate particularly suited to travellers planning a longer wellness stay.
10. FLEX Studio, Hong Kong
FLEX has been part of Hong Kong’s wellness landscape since 2005 and remains distinguished by its commitment to Classical Pilates. Its studios offer private training and apparatus-based practice alongside complementary movement disciplines, supported by experienced instructors and an established teacher-training programme. With locations in Central and One Island South, FLEX combines serious Pilates credentials with the polished environment expected of a leading Hong Kong wellness studio.
Pilates may be increasingly easy to find around the world, but these studios distinguish themselves through privacy, specialist instruction, considered settings and experiences that extend well beyond a standard reformer class. Whether the appeal lies in Forma’s referral-based Los Angeles studios, HUME’s private-club setting or a dedicated wellness stay at COMO Shambhala Estate, each offers a compelling reason to keep Pilates on the itinerary.
