The evidence
Each criterion with what we found, where we found it and when. Anything we could not confirm says so.
NTH criteria
NTH Framework v1.2. Score 34.7 (raw 26.2 of 100), calibrated so the best hotel in this edition (Santa Monica Proper Hotel) reads 90. Evidence retrieved 2026-10-22.
Sleep0.0 / 24
The room as an instrument for deep, uninterrupted, circadian-aligned rest.
Mattress & sleep system
Not yet reviewed · in the best room
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 5 pts
Unknown
Bedding & textiles
Not yet reviewed · in the best room
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 4 pts
Unknown
Sleep programme & pillow menu
Not yet reviewed · in the best room
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 3 pts
Unknown
Blackout
Not yet reviewed · in the best room
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 2 pts
Unknown
Circadian & warm evening lighting
Not yet reviewed · in the best room
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 2 pts
Unknown
In-room red light
Not yet reviewed · in the best room
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 2 pts
Unknown
Acoustic quiet
Not yet reviewed · in the best room
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 4 pts
Unknown
EMF & Wi-Fi-off options
Not yet reviewed · in the best room
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 2 pts
Unknown
Air0.0 / 12
What you breathe for eight hours a night: filtered, fresh, smoke-free and unperfumed.
In-room purification
Not yet reviewed · in the best room
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 5 pts
Unknown
Ventilation & building standard
Not yet reviewed · across the property
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 3 pts
Unknown
Smoke-free policy
Not yet reviewed · across the property
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 2 pts
Unknown
Fragrance-free & low-allergen rooms
Not yet reviewed · in the best room
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 2 pts
Unknown
Water0.0 / 12
Clean water to drink, and to shower and bathe in.
Filtered drinking water
Not yet reviewed · in the best room
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 5 pts
Unknown
Shower & bath filtration
Not yet reviewed · in the best room
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 5 pts
Unknown
Gentler pool & hydrotherapy water
Not yet reviewed · across the property
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 2 pts
Unknown
Nourishment7.2 / 10
Food and drink that heal rather than merely please.
Organic & local sourcing
Hotel-reported · across the property
Healthy organic cuisine; herb gardens.
Clean-ingredient standard
Hotel-reported · across the property
Ayurvedic, dosha-led menus.
Clean minibar & in-room hydration
Hotel-reported · in the best room
Spring water bottled on site in reusable glass.
Nutrition guidance
Not yet reviewed · across the property
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 1 pts
Unknown
Movement7.0 / 10
The means to train, stretch and move, indoors and out.
Gym completeness
Hotel-reported · across the property
Activ-Fitness programme and gym.
Classes & studios
Hotel-reported · across the property
Daily classical Hatha and Raja yoga (Bihar School).
Swimming
Hotel-reported · across the property
Pool.
Outdoor activity
Hotel-reported · across the property
100-acre estate with forest walks.
Holistic Wellness10.0 / 19
Healing traditions and the recovery technology that complements them.
Spa facility
Hotel-reported · across the property
Spa; room count not re-confirmed.
Traditional & integrative modalities
Hotel-reported · across the property
Ayurveda (Panchakarma), Traditional Chinese Medicine, physiotherapy, emotional healing.
Mind & breath
Hotel-reported · across the property
Meditation, pranayama, Vedanta.
Heat therapy
Not yet reviewed · across the property
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 2 pts
Unknown
Cold therapy
Not yet reviewed · across the property
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 2 pts
Unknown
Photobiomodulation & PEMF
Not yet reviewed · across the property
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 2 pts
Unknown
Clinical longevity (IV, HBOT, diagnostics)
Hotel-reported · across the property
Diagnostics before, during and after programmes.
Materials & Setting2.0 / 13
What touches the skin and surrounds the stay: finishes, products, cleaning, and the landscape beyond the door.
Natural, low-VOC finishes
Not yet reviewed · in the best room
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 3 pts
Unknown
Clean bath & body amenities
Not yet reviewed · in the best room
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 2 pts
Unknown
Non-toxic spa & nail products
Not yet reviewed · across the property
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 2 pts
Unknown
Non-toxic housekeeping & plastic-free operations
Not yet reviewed · across the property
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 2 pts
Unknown
Green & blue space
Hotel-reported · across the property
100-acre palace estate and forest above the Ganges valley.
Walkability & low-impact mobility
Not yet reviewed · across the property
Unknown. We have asked the hotel.
0.0 / 2 pts
Unknown
Our review
At a glance
- Fragrance
- 5 not yet reviewed
- Air
- 1 hotel-reported, 4 not yet reviewed
- Cleaning & care
- 4 not yet reviewed
- Sleep & materials
- 5 not yet reviewed
- Water & pools
- 4 not yet reviewed
- Food
- 2 not yet reviewed
- Light & quiet
- 2 not yet reviewed
- Building
- 3 not yet reviewed
One reported by the hotel; the rest not yet reviewed.
1 hotel-reported24 of 25 not yet reviewed
Counts cover the 25 scored criteria; the other 5 windows are context.
Checked
Read the full profileThe ledger
Fragrance
Added scent is the most common complaint from sensitive guests, and the hardest thing to see on a booking page.
No added fragrance in rooms
Not yet reviewed.
No scent marketing
Not yet reviewed.
Fragrance-free laundry
Not yet reviewed.
Unscented bath products
Not yet reviewed.
Unscented spa options
Not yet reviewed.
So far, the hotel says: The therapy rooms offer ‘Ayurvedic massages, International and Tibetan therapies, and Aromatic baths’.
Our note. Whether treatments, the sauna and the steam bath can be had without scent is not described.
How we know
What we look for. Treatments, saunas and steam rooms available without essential oils or scent infusions.
Why it matters. Essential oils are fragrance: the EU’s scientific committee lists several natural extracts, as well as single fragrance chemicals, among established contact allergens. A shared sauna with a scent infusion is hard to avoid.
Source: EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, Opinion on fragrance allergens in cosmetic products ()
Source 1: Hotel press kit, September 2026 (PDF)Undated · read 22 Oct 2026
Know something about fragrance here that we don’t? Tell us
Air
What you breathe for eight hours a night: smoke history, fresh air, filtration and anything burning in the room.
Smoke-free property
Not yet reviewed.
Opening windows
Hotel-reportedacross the property
The hotel says: Facilities in all accommodation types include ‘private balconies or gardens’.
How we know
What we look for. Guest rooms have windows or doors that open to outside air.
Why it matters. The US EPA lists opening windows, when outdoor air allows, as a way to dilute pollutants released indoors. An opening window lets guests air a room themselves when it smells of cleaning products or new furnishings.
Source: US EPA, Improving indoor air quality ()
Source 1: Hotel press kit, September 2026 (PDF)Undated · read 22 Oct 2026
Filtered fresh air
Not yet reviewed.
In-room air purifier
Not yet reviewed.
No in-room combustion
Not yet reviewed.
Know something about air here that we don’t? Tell us
Cleaning & care
How a room is cleaned, treated and prepared, and whether a request for a gentler clean is actually honored.
Low-chemical housekeeping
Not yet reviewed.
So far, a press report says: A third-party record says the property publishes that ‘non-toxic’ cleaning agents and pesticides are used, with no product, brand or standard named.
Our note. We could not open the hotel page it cites, and no product list is published.
How we know
What we look for. Unscented, low-hazard cleaning products and no aerosols, with a product list the hotel will share.
Why it matters. In a ten-country study, weekly use of household cleaning sprays was linked to new asthma symptoms in adults. Residue and scent from cleaning also linger for the next guest.
Source: Zock et al., American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The use of household cleaning sprays and adult asthma: an international longitudinal study ()
Source 2: Verified Wellness Spaces record (third party), current as of 17 Aug 2026Undated · read 22 Oct 2026
No ozone or biocide treatments
Not yet reviewed.
Low-chemical pest control
Not yet reviewed.
So far, a press report says: A third-party record says the property publishes that ‘non-toxic’ pesticides are used, with no product named.
Our note. This does not describe monitoring, sealing or targeted treatment.
How we know
What we look for. Pests handled by monitoring, sealing and targeted treatment rather than routine spraying.
Why it matters. Integrated pest management uses monitoring, prevention and targeted controls, with broad spraying of pesticides as a last resort, which keeps chemical use indoors to what is needed.
Source: US EPA, Integrated pest management (IPM) principles ()
Source 2: Verified Wellness Spaces record (third party), current as of 17 Aug 2026Undated · read 22 Oct 2026
Sensitive-guest preparation
Not yet reviewed.
Know something about cleaning & care here that we don’t? Tell us
Sleep & materials
The textiles, mattress and floor you spend the night closest to, and how allergen-aware the room is.
Tested or organic bed linen
Not yet reviewed.
Mattress materials disclosed
Not yet reviewed.
Hard floors
Not yet reviewed.
So far, a press report says: A third-party record says the property publishes that its accommodation blocks have timber floors.
Our note. We could not open the hotel page it cites, and rugs or carpet in rooms are not described.
How we know
What we look for. Hard, cleanable floors in guest rooms rather than wall-to-wall carpet.
Why it matters. Dust mites live in carpet, and US health guidance for allergic sleepers is to replace wall-to-wall carpet in bedrooms with bare floors, which can be cleaned completely between guests.
Source: US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Dust mites and cockroaches (undated)
Source 2: Verified Wellness Spaces record (third party), current as of 17 Aug 2026Undated · read 22 Oct 2026
Allergy-friendly rooms
Not yet reviewed.
Pet-free rooms
Not yet reviewed.
Know something about sleep & materials here that we don’t? Tell us
Water & pools
Drinking water, shower water and pool air.
Filtered or tested drinking water
Not yet reviewed.
So far, the hotel says: An ‘on-site water bottling plant’ produces ‘clean drinking water, served in reusable glass bottles’.
Our note. The treatment and any testing schedule are not described, so this falls short of the criterion.
How we know
What we look for. Drinking water filtered at the tap or refill station, or treated and tested on site, with filters or tests on a schedule.
Why it matters. Public water systems in California are regulated and monitored by the State Water Board, though older building plumbing can still affect what reaches the tap. Filtration mainly improves taste and removes chlorine, and it replaces single-use bottles; private wells need regular testing.
Source: California State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water (undated)
Source 1: Hotel press kit, September 2026 (PDF)Undated · read 22 Oct 2026
Water safety plan
Not yet reviewed.
Shower filters
Not yet reviewed.
Shown for information; not scored.
Outdoor or low-chloramine pools
Not yet reviewed.
So far, the hotel says: The spa has an ‘outdoor heated lap pool’ and a ‘chilled plunge pool’ in each relaxation area, and each villa has a private pool.
Our note. Whether the plunge pools are indoors, and how the water is treated, is not described.
Shown for information; not scored.
How we know
What we look for. Pools are outdoors, or indoor pools have dedicated ventilation and monitored combined chlorine.
Why it matters. Chloramines irritate the skin, eyes and airways, and they build up in the air of indoor pools without enough ventilation. Outdoor pools, and good ventilation for indoor ones, keep levels low.
Source: US CDC, Chloramines and pool operation ()
Source 1: Hotel press kit, September 2026 (PDF)Undated · read 22 Oct 2026
Context, not scored: almost every pool in this catalog is outdoors, so it says little about one hotel against another.
Know something about water & pools here that we don’t? Tell us
Food
Allergen care first; where the produce comes from second.
Allergen-aware kitchen
Not yet reviewed.
Garden or organic produce
Not yet reviewed.
So far, the hotel says: ‘Ananda grows Ayurvedic herbs and kitchen spices in its on-site garden’, and works ‘with local farmers and organic farms to grow a large part of our vegetable and fruit produce’.
Our note. No farm or certifier is named and no share of supply is given, so neither an on-site share nor certified organic produce is shown.
Shown for information; not scored.
How we know
What we look for. A meaningful share of the kitchen’s produce is grown on site or certified organic.
Why it matters. A large review found detectable pesticide residues about four times as often in conventional crops as in organic ones. Over a short stay the difference in exposure is small, so we show this as a note on the kitchen, not a scored health factor.
Source: Barański et al., British Journal of Nutrition, Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: a systematic literature review and meta-analyses ()
Source 1: Hotel press kit, September 2026 (PDF)Undated · read 22 Oct 2026
Kitchen note, not scored.
Know something about food here that we don’t? Tell us
Light & quiet
Darkness and silence at night, and radio-quiet options for guests who want them.
Darkness and quiet
Not yet reviewed.
Radio-quiet options
Not yet reviewed.
So far, a press report says: A third-party record says the property publishes that wireless is limited in its outdoor spaces.
Our note. This is about outdoor coverage, not a way to switch Wi-Fi off in a room.
Shown for information; not scored.
How we know
What we look for. Wi-Fi that can be switched off in the room, or a wired connection. Listed as an amenity only.
Why it matters. Some guests prefer lower radio exposure. The WHO says current evidence does not confirm any health effects from low-level electromagnetic fields, so we list these options as amenities, not as health benefits.
Source: World Health Organization, Radiation: electromagnetic fields ()
Source 2: Verified Wellness Spaces record (third party), current as of 17 Aug 2026Undated · read 22 Oct 2026
Not part of any health score. Shown as an amenity at the guest’s preference.
Know something about light & quiet here that we don’t? Tell us
Building
The materials a hotel was built and renovated with, how it handles damp, and what third parties have certified.
Low-emitting materials
Not yet reviewed.
Leak and mold response
Not yet reviewed.
Building certification
Not yet reviewed.
Shown for information; not scored.
Know something about building here that we don’t? Tell us
Notes & sources
- Hotel press kit, September 2026 (PDF), Undated · read 22 Oct 2026
- Verified Wellness Spaces record (third party), current as of 17 Aug 2026, Undated · read 22 Oct 2026
Room count: Per the retreat’s September 2026 press kit: 64 rooms, 8 suites and 3 villas. A third-party listing gives 78. Hotel website (opens the hotel’s website)
Photographs: Ananda in the Himalayas; Ananda in the Himalayas; Ananda in the Himalayas; Ananda in the Himalayas; Ananda in the Himalayas; Ananda in the Himalayas
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