News and Reviews
Review – Juliet Kinsman’s Life Changing Programme at VANA Retreat
By Juliet Kinsman“Well, I’ll be, says Juliet Kinsman. I went to north India for a week’s holiday, ate to my heart’s content and spent most of my time supine. And you know what – it was the most life-changing holiday I’ve had.”
Review – Buchinger Wilhelmi – The No-Nonsense Medi-Spa that Promises to Restore Body, Mind & Soul
By Anna HartThe original – and many say still the best – therapeutic fasting clinic, Buchinger Wilhelmi is a no-nonsense medi-spa that promises to restore and revive body, mind and soul. An impressive medical pedigree elevates the Buchinger Wilhelmi above its imitators; Dr Otto Buchinger’s therapeutic fasting cure was developed some 80 years ago, the clinic – in the bucolic setting of Lake Constance in Southern Germany – is still run by the Buchinger family, and many guests have been coming here for over 40 years for their annual ‘tune-up’. Recent years have seen mounting evidence that the health benefits of calorie restriction and fasting extend far beyond weight loss, lower blood pressure and reduced cholesterol.
Review – Tackle Your Longstanding Sleep Issues With a Sleep Retreat at Ockenden Manor
By Laura MillarClinical psychologist and co-founder of the Good Sleep Clinic, Dr Maja Schaedel, leads an in-depth retreat aimed at helping you achieve a good night’s rest.
Review – We Check in to Villa Stephanie, Baden Baden, Germany
By Rachel SullivanThe Romans knew a thing or two about spas. The thermal waters and spa towns they used are still flocked to thousands of years later by people looking for everything from a hardcore health fix to a chance to rejuvenate and relax, and Baden Baden is no exception.
Review – Schloss Elmau, Germany – Leo Bear Checks In
By Leo BearSchloss Elmau, located in the lesser-trodden parts of southeast Germany (45 minutes from Innsbruck airport) is one of the swishest family-friendly hotels in Europe.
A wickedly indulgent spa-hotel-cum-castle with a roster of cultural events to rival the Royal Albert Hall, it’s not uncommon for famous authors to drop by, and when it’s not hosting the literati, presidents and prime ministers (the G7 summit has been held here) it’s the ideal spa retreat for fresh-air-seeking families.
Review – We Check in to Six Senses, Douro Valley
By Laura Ivill“Remote yet accessible” is the Six Senses motto, and the Douro Valley is just that.
Spa News – Nescens Arrives at Harrods
Swiss cosmeceutical brand Nescens, known for its high-performance anti-aging treatments, will be available at the famous London store in Knightsbridge starting from March 1st.
Review – We Check in to Gilpin Lake House & Spa, Windermere
The Lake District lays claim to many wonders – being the home of craggy fells, gleaming waters, England’s highest mountain, Beatrix Potter, William Wordsworth, the UK’s biggest red squirrel population and the best selection of spa hotels and Michelin starred restaurants in the north, for starters. Which makes it hard to stand out from the crowd. Not that the Gilpin Hotel and Spa has any concerns on that front. When you’re privileged enough to review luxury travel in the name of ‘work’, it’s shamefully easy to get a little blasé about places. Yet we were utterly blown away with quite how downright glorious of an experience our stay at this 21-acre estate near Lake Windermere was.
Clinique La Prairie Announces an Exclusive Health Resort in Partnership with Amaala
Amaala and The Red Sea, has announced a partnership with leading longevity clinic and wellness brand, Clinique La Prairie.
The partnership involves the development of a high-end 36,115 sqm Clinique La Prairie Health Resort within Amaala, which is located on Saudi Arabia’s north-western coastline. The exclusive resort will offer 13 villas, as well as housing 52 rooms and suites.
“Clinique La Prairie’s world-renowned facilities and health and wellness experiences, set against Saudi Arabia’s extraordinary natural landscapes, will take our visitors on transformative personal journeys inspired by arts, wellness, and the purity of the Red Sea. The resort’s subtle beauty – a product of Islamic architecture and modern craftmanship – will deliver a serene place in which to unwind, meditate and rejuvenate,” said John Pagano, Group CEO, Red Sea Global.
Review – Leo Bear Checks in to the Selman, Marrakech
By Leo BearBlending Moorish architecture with splendid baroque flair (none other than Jacques Garcia designed the interiors), this red-brick pleasure palace is one of Marrakech’s swankiest yet most serene spa retreats.
Pass your time lounging next to the hotel’s 75 metre freshwater pool – the longest in Marrakech – or getting to know the owner’s pure-bred Arabian ponies, then when the mercury hits scorchio, there’s the cool climes of the Henri Chenot spa to which to retreat.
Just 10 minutes from Marrakech airport, The Selman has ‘exotic spa break’ written all over it.
Review – Anna Hart Checks in to Golden Door, Escondido
By Anna HartGolden Door comes with a starry spa pedigree that other destination spas can only dream of. Opened in 1958 by Deborah Szekely, philanthropist, writer and early pioneer of the So-Cal wellness movement, this groundbreaking spa was soon attracting Hollywood luminaries such as Natalie Wood, Elizabeth Taylor, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Burt Lancaster, in preparation for film roles.
Review – Jo Foley Checks in to Baraza Resort & Spa, Zanzibar
By Jo FoleyFor a small island, or in truth a small group of islands, Zanzibar has always punched above its weight.
Historically it was where traders, pirates, rogues and romantics met and merged between east and west, just off the coast of Africa, a few miles from Tanzania. It was an important stopping off point for spice and silk traders alongside those carrying diamonds, porcelain, philosophy and disease…and it’s from where Dr Livingstone headed off to Victoria Falls. It was also home to the largest slave market in the east while its capital, Stone Town, became the capital of the Sultanate of Oman.
Clinique La Prairie Launches a Revitalisation and Beauty Stem Cell Programme
Swiss longevity clinic, Clinique La Prairie, is now offering a Revitalisation & Beauty Stem Cell Programme, an exclusive experience which combines two unique elements – the iconic longevity-focused Revitalisation offering, complimented by the cosmetic beauty protocol which uses stem cells to rejuvenate the face.
Designed by the clinic’s medical specialists, the Revitalisation & Beauty Stem Cell Programme harnesses regenerative medicine and anti-aging science over a seven-day stay to regenerate both body and mind, activate the immune system and add cutting-edge aesthetics intervention to regain a more youthful appearance.
Guests will enjoy the luxurious surroundings of the Swiss Riviera setting during their bespoke treatment programme.
Seven of the World’s Most Luxurious Detox & Wellbeing Retreats
From stress-busting yoga retreats to gut-cleansing detoxes, a beauty overhaul to a mind and body MOT, The Luxury Spa Edit shares the world’s best luxury retreats to refuel your mind and body.
Review – We Check in to Bawah Reserve & the Aura Spa, Indonesia
By Annabel KermanOn the mini-break-ometer, just the journey to Bawah Reserve sets bells ringing. Arriving by seaplane from nearby Batam off the coast of Singapore, after a travel escorted first leg, the glamour rating is high pitch excitement inducing. Through the pilot’s windscreen a tropical paradise is glimpsed: all lush vegetation, white beach and the most turquoise of seas.
Review – We Check in to Cempedak & the Rock Spa, Indonesia
By Annabel KermanTwo speedboats and a limousine transfer from Singapore lead us to Indonesian private island Cempedak, created by friends seeking a city escape combining a culturally sensitive ethos with barefoot chic style. Our excitement is piqued not only by its description but that Cempedak is for adults only, a prospect that has these parents of three in a frenzy over a potential sleeping opportunity.
As we approach, organic bamboo structures emerge from rainforest, with white sand beaches peeking out of turquoise sea. On a side of the world where every island inspires James Bond comparisons Cempadek surely out-Bonds them all.
Review – We Check in to Kamalaya, Koh Samui
By Amanda ByramKamalaya (translation Lotus Realm – a symbol for unfolding life’s potential) is a game changer. Truly. The brainchild of John and Karina Stewart, a former traditional yogi monk and a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, respectively, this is one hotel where you know you’ll be in great hands.
Introducing the Fabulous New Wellness Retreats by Mandarin Oriental
Mandarin Oriental are renowned worldwide for their award-winning 5 star hotels and resorts – offering world-class accommodation, outstanding service, innovative dining and exceptional holistic spas & wellness facilities.
Reflecting on the past couple of years and all the stress that has been endured, the iconic brand have launched their new wellness retreats with a focus on complete rejuvenation of body and mind – offering guests the chance to de-stress and re-boot in the lap of luxury.
Review – Wellness in Dublin – Jo Foley Checks in to the Merrion Spa
By Jo FoleyFor many, the very fact that you are in Dublin is sufficient to bring about a sense of wellbeing – a welcoming city, friendly people and when it stops raining, a glorious place to be.
Review – We Check in to Daios Cove and the Kēpos by GOCO Wellbeing Hub
Set in a Mirabello Bay near Aghios Nikolas, Crete, Daios Cove is a five-star retreat that provides a hub of world-class wellness in breathtaking surroundings.