Luxury Rehab Vs Standard Rehab: Which one is right for you?  

May 7, 2025

10:00 am

There is no such thing as the wrong rehab for anyone. All the centres we recommend are regulated by the Care Quality Commission: As they must be. Regardless of which centre you choose to go to for treatment, they will all provide the essential elements necessary to get into recovery. Making the right choice requires planning, information and discussion. Just because someone is ready to make the transition from addiction to recovery doesn’t mean they should book themselves into the first available centre but neither does it mean that they need a small fortune to achieve abstinence. If you fly economy class on a long-haul flight or first class, you are going to arrive at the same destination: Sure, you might have a bigger scree to watch your movies, more comfortable headphones and different food served on white linen, but turbulence affects the whole plane: regardless of where you sit! The parallel being that luxury rehabs are easily accessible, but if someone goes for treatment purely for the asethhics and is not prepared to put in the hard work then abstinence will not follow, and relapse becomes inevitable.  

Our clinicians here at Find me a rehab have many decades of experience of working in rehab centres, from entry level (low cost) to the most premium of retreat style care. Our advice is free, impartial and in total confidence. If you need 24-hour addiction help, call or email. If you need help with alcohol addiction or drug rehabilitation UK, we are here to help.  

What treatment is provided at an entry level (low cost) centre?   

All rehab centres run on a model centred around a group therapy model. This could be on a 12-step model, SMART or an eclectic mix: It really doesn’t matter. What does matter is that someone who is caught up in the madness of addiction is getting the help they need. Additional therapies are also built around the nucleus of group therapy, most importantly individualised (one to one) therapy which may use elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and/or Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT). This is sometimes augmented with motivational interviewing. Individualised therapy can help to address past traumas as well as examining negative thought processes and work on more positive responses to stressful situations that lead to using. Group walks are often on the programme as well as relaxation and breathing workshops. Hotel services (catering, linen/towel changing) are also included though there are a few centres that use a model where clients take turns to clean and cook but they are not necessarily lower cost than others that are “full service.”  

Where someone needs a detox, this will be prescribed by a qualified healthcare professional: A nurse/pharmacy prescriber, a GP with a special interest in addiction or a consultant psychiatrist addiction specialist. However, it does not necessarily translate that the more you pay for a centre the more qualified your prescriber will be. Some of the entry level centres use a consultant psychiatrist addiction specialist to prescribe for clients whereas some of the most high-end centres use a GP or nurse prescriber: Paying more does not always get you more.  

Our clinicians are here to help. All advice is free, impartial and confidential. Call or email if you need help with alcohol addiction or drug rehabilitation UK. Call Find Me a Rehab to get the help you deserve.  

If I choose a luxury, high end centre, what are the advantages?  

While not an exact parallel, think of it as going into hospital for elective surgery on the NHS versus the private sector. The outcome will be the same, but the trajectory of how you are received, the surroundings and the smoothness of the process will be infinitely different. With an entry level (low cost) centre there will be a structured admission and discharge time where, on occasion, there is little scope to move these around. At a higher end centre, you will be collected in a luxury vehicle and taken to the centre. For those who are physically dependent on alcohol, it is understood that the person may need to consume alcohol during the trip to stave off withdrawal.  

High end centres provide additional adjunctive therapies which are normally focused on behavioural changes. This could be:  

  • Gestalt therapy: In individualised therapy sessions, the person caught up in addiction works on their awareness of the here and now. It is not about past trauma but an intense understanding of what is happening at that moment. It explores feelings, behaviours. The aim is to change thought processes so that change can be transformative with new goals being laid down.  
  • Person centred therapy: A method of therapy that has been in use for eighty years it is built around the concept that, with the right approach, anyone can reach their full potential and reach their full potential. Within the model this is known as self-actualisation. Within person centred therapy it is the client who brings their issues to the session and explain their situation and where they want to be.  
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  • Humanistic approach: Based on the concept that every person is inherently a good person with potential; the therapist uses open questions to reflect on what is said and helps the client to explore and set goals.  
  • Psychoeducation groups: These are expert led sessions which provide education on addiction, dual diagnosis and co-dependency. 
  • Motivational interviewing: In a one-to-one setting, motivational interviewing is a goal orientated style of communication which is focused on change. It is designed to heighten a person’s motivation and their desire to achieve a particular goal  
  • Gong baths: Does not involve water and you keep your clothes on! A gong bath is a method of deep relaxation using the sound of gongs. By lying down and taking in the sounds it can have a significant calming effect.  
  • 1-1 personal training (physical exercise): There is a growing body of research on the importance of physical fitness in recovery and long-term abstinence.  
  • Music therapy: In addiction treatment and recovery, music therapy helps to promote connection to self and increases motivation to change.  
  • Art therapy: There is a wealth of evidence to show that art therapy is a strong force in assisting those in treatment to move from a state of denial to where they can recognise ingrained emotions so they can be focused upon in therapy.  
  • Nature therapy: This involves working with a therapist while being surrounded by nature. It is focused on a task and not the individual. The core is to appreciate the natural world through exploration. While it involves working with others, everything is done at your own pace. Usually, it is done near running water to truly enhance the therapeutic value.  
  • Yoga: An ancient practice from Asia, this philosophy can be very useful in reducing cravings by enhancing emotional regulation. It centres around focusing on your breathing, as well as physical posture which can provide equilibrium to the nervous system, reduce stress and increase self-awareness. In combination, this can reduce urges which, in addiction, can lead to using.  
  • Creative writing: Where those in treatment find it difficult to open in group and individual therapy, creative writing acts as a tool to help you explore, and express, your thoughts, emotions and feelings. Another powerful element is using the writing as a journal: A way of self-healing that can be continued after treatment.  

For 24-hour addiction help call or email and speak with one of our experienced addictions clinicians, all of whom have many years of working in rehab centres. If you need help with alcohol addiction or drug rehabilitation UK, we are here to help.