guide -...

SPA GUIDE

PH

OT

O: P

AT

RIC

K W

ON

G

The C&TH

Follow these pages to find the best spas for everything from a gentle cleanse to a holistic

makeover. Edited by Daisy Finer

Salt Camisole by Rose Fulbright

March 2017 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 97

T H E S PA G U I D E

SPA GUIDE

PH

OT

O: P

AT

RIC

K W

ON

G

The C&TH

Follow these pages to find the best spas for everything from a gentle cleanse to a holistic

makeover. Edited by Daisy Finer

Salt Camisole by Rose Fulbright

P00-Guide-Opener.indd 47 23/01/2017 10:48

If you’ve felt turmoil during the last 12 months (and who hasn’t?), let the following pages guide to you to a clearer, healthier, gentler place. This year we’ve honed in on those escapes that we believe really work, because a wonderful massage isn’t all we seek. In fact, these days it may even

be bottom of the list. Our incredibly busy schedules, our fight against time, our desire to look and feel our best, mean that quick, effective, solid solutions and real self-nurturing are essential when it comes to a healthy holiday. So, we’ve tried to cover everything, from those places that are serious about digestion, detoxing and the power of fasting, to our favourite yogi hangouts, to those action-packed outposts that work to rev up your fitness.

From Thailand to Mexico, these are the stalwarts you can trust, but because we also understand that sometimes long-haul defeats the purpose of your intent (namely rest), we’ve also included a flurry of short and sweet easy escapes which also do a great job at loving you back to life. Appreciating our bodies and minds, and allowing our spirits time to soar, is truly the only path to peace. I for one believe too much emphasis can be put on obtaining perfection, and that while many medi-clinics and spas out there offer advice and rules for living, I speak from experience when I say – take what works for you, for your needs and circumstances. No one else holds the key to your happiness.

When I launched my website SPA.Kitchen it was to act as a portal for spas and retreats to showcase how to keep up the good work at home – combining recipes, meditations, yoga, pilates and wise words. None of it is written in stone, the idea is to dip in and take what you need, mix it up, try a new flavour. We hope these pages encourage you to do just that. Make 2017 a year of personal transformation, one where the voices of self-criticism fade into the background and you start to love the true you. Enjoy! Daisy Finer

SPA RADARPre-trip tips, news, beauty and more

AIR ON MAYR Donna Air sorts herself out at VIVAMAYR

DETERMINED DETOX Purge your digestive system for fantastic results

FIGHTING FIT Build both strength and stamina

GENTLY DOES ITYes, it’s a detox but without the denial

OM MY GOODNESSAnd breathe...

SPIRITUAL SUSTENANCEAddress your mind and soul as well as your body

WELLNESS WEEKENDSShort, sweet fixes

CONTRIBUTORSDonna Air, Lydia Bell, Lucy Cleland, Harriet Compston, Juliet Kinsman, Olivia Palamountain Anna Pasternak, Caroline Phillips

100

102

104

106

108

110112

114

EDITOR’S LETTER

CONTENTS

ON THE COVER: Salt Camisole by Rose Fulbright TOP RIGHT: Tide Robe by Rose Fulbright at Keturah Brown

PH

OT

O: P

AT

RIC

K W

ON

G

98 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | March 2017

SPA RADARGET

PAMPEREDNathalie Eleni chooses her fi ve

favourite spa products

What to wear, how to prepare, who to see and where to be seen

WHAT’S NEW IN SPA LAND?

ILA Face oil, £75. ila-spa.com

OMOROVICZA Gold Sugar Scrub, £57.

omorovicza.com

ESPA Balancing Herbal Spafresh spritzer, £19. espaskincare.com

TATA HARPER Purifying Mask, £52. tataharperskincare.com

VALMONT C Curve Shaper Body, £210.

whiteroombeauty.com

MAYAN MASSAGEThe Yucatán Peninsula’s reputation for spring breakers and cheap tequila has long since faded. The luxury hotel industry has been seduced by its azure beaches, abundant nature and rich cultural industry. Two brand new resorts utilise these aspects to great effect. Chablé, a collection of 38 stand-alone casitas, opened at the end of last year (chableresort.com), while eco-conscious Hotel Xcaret will welcome its fi rst guests on the Riviera Maya at the end of 2017 (hotelxcaret.com). The spas at both are built inside cenotes (natural cave formations) with treatments inspired by ancestral Mayan traditions. The new Ayurveda, perhaps?

NEW YOOSuper swanky Cotswolds haven The Lakes by Yoo has teamed up with a spate of wellbeing brands to spoil their villa guests rotten in the Kate Moss-designed Barnhouse. The wellness retreat includes a physio session with the Bosworth Clinic (as used by Team GB), treatments by Spiezia Organics and daily yoga with Clare Loughnane, the limber powerhouse behind Cheltenham’s prestigious Studio 13. From £1,150pp, based on ten guests staying in the barn. 17–20 March. thelakesbyyoo.com

SHEPHERD’S SAVASANA

Yoga is as much about tuning into nature as it is about raspy breath and tying yourself in knots. Neal’s Yard Holidays’ shepherd’s hut retreat on

the Isle of Wight should help you tap straight into that all-important prana, with long coastal walks, horse riding and fi elds fi lled with llamas. Courses

run through spring, autumn and winter, just beware that they recommend

this course is for yogis looking for a challenging practice. £265pp for two

nights. nealsyardholidays.comDESIGNER TREATMENTAs Chanel opened its fi rst spa at the newly reopened Ritz Paris, Versace announced it was also diving into the industry. The former is a neoclassical playground inspired by Coco Chanel’s Rue Cambon apartment. We imagine it would be close to her heart, as she was a resident there for 40 years (ritzparis.com). Palazzo Versace Dubai promises to be 24-karat glam – as you’d expect of the Italian label – with Granito Nero Assoluto marble fl oors, elaborate mosaics and incorporating traditional Middle Eastern beauty rituals (palazzoversace.com).

GET READYIf you’ve made the choice and paid the money to do a proper detox abroad, it’s worth investing time and thought to your pre-trip prep. Sign up for The Detox Kitchen, which will bring you seriously delicious healthy food and snacks, free from wheat, dairy and refi ned sugar, to your door fresh every day, and you’ll kickstart a good regime that will pay dividends on your week away. Think granola with fl aked coconut, pecans and rice milk for breakfast; prawns, buckwheat tabbouleh with promegranate for lunch; and salmon burger with bean tomato stew for supper. From £28.90 per day. detoxkitchen.co.uk

GET SETMineral water with fresh mint, plush velvet sofas,

luxury bathroom products – sounds more like a boutique hotel than a fi tness club, but thanks to

the team behind the Library, The Clock is a new four-fl oor Georgian townhouse where the A-list go to get

in shape and build up strength – fast and in top-notch style. Zana Morris, author of the celebrated book the

High Fat Diet, revolutionised fi tness with 15-minute, high-intensity training regimes through her private

members’ clubs. Now short-term memberships for this Marylebone space mean transformational

time in a wood-panelled workout room with custom-built brass equipment. theclock.com

GET DRESSED There’s no reason why your gym kit can’t be holistic too. Italian athleisure atelier Black Label is renowned for creating fabrics using natural organic materials that work with your skin, like milk protein, seaweed, bamboo and

eucalyptus. It has designed an exclusive range for Rocco Forte Hotels using Egyptian mercerised cotton, containing just 20 per cent elastane, and made

in Italy, from yarn to fi nishing, and available to buy from their spas. From £77. roccofortehotels.com

LEFT: Hotel Xcaret

BELOW: Chablé

Kate Moss

designed the

Barnhouse

LEFT: Ritz Paris BELOW: Palazzo Versace Dubai

PH

OT

OS

: TH

INK

ST

OC

K

100 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | March 2017 March 2017 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 101



What a year 2016 was. Like many, I’m sure, I was desperate to get away from it all, leaving the headlines behind and giving myself some serious me time. I had

been running on adrenaline and skinny lattes for too long and wanted to rest, re-set and completely reboot.

And so to VIVAMAYR. Nestled deep in the Austrian Alps, the newest addition to the VIVAMAYR family was just what the doctor ordered, almost literally. Based on the principles of modern Mayr medicine (fundamentally health based on good digestion) and combining a state-of-the-art medical facility with a luxurious spa, VIVAMAYR Altaussee promised a complete MOT for body and mind.

Thanks to its notoriously strict reputation (did anyone see Michael McIntyre’s skit on his experience there? Google it), I knew VIVAMAYR meant business but also sensational results (Michael Gove, Elizabeth Hurley and Sarah Ferguson are fans).

But what to expect?The week began with a consultation with

my doctor – daily medical appointments are what sets this place apart – who immediately diagnosed stress. Blood tests and an applied kinesiology session followed, after which I was prescribed my bespoke programme of treatments, therapies and meal plan.

Daily vitamin infusions left me glowing from the inside and the regular liver compresses were just heavenly (you lie cocooned in bed with a hot water bottle). Not to mention the aerial yoga, which I’ve been meaning to try ever since I met a woman on holiday who waxed lyrical about its benefi ts.

Famous for its emphasis on chewing (oh, the chewing!), I was perhaps most apprehensive about the food – but I needn’t have been. With a head chef who used to

work in a Michelin-starred kitchen, the menu was fresh, local and utterly delicious. Yes, the amount of chewing took some getting used to (like most working women I am used to racing through lunch) but making time to enjoy my food is defi nitely something I’m sticking to at home.

But it wasn’t all about the treatments, the stunning location didn’t hurt either. I spent my down time hiking – anywhere that I can climb gets bonus points from me as I’d far sooner be outside than busting my gut in the gym.

VIVAMAYR encouraged me to really listen to my body – I went to bed early but was up at 5:30am

and for once I wasn’t constantly hitting snooze. My mind felt sharper, more focused and, since I’ve been back in London, I’ve felt so much

more energised. I’m not going to lie, the sugar cravings were intense but VIVAMAYR helped me to fi nd my rhythm, and I intend to keep it.

AIR ON MAYR

A glorious lakeside setting

Supplementing the regime

Donna gets to grips

with aerial yoga

Donna Air was stressed, so she took herself off to VIVAMAYR in Austria to press the reboot button

Food is fresh and delicious, if modest

Take the plunge

102 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | March 2017

THE DETERMINED DETOX

PACKING ESSENTIALS

BUCHINGER WILHELMI, Lake Constance, Germany Don’t be put off by appearances (the building resembles a clinic-cum-1970s accommodation block, but in any case the location makes up for it by perching above the glorious Lake Constance). Think instead about how you’re going to feel after a ten-day (minimum) fast, where you’ll be surviving on just 5,500 calories overall as you partake in the Buchinger Amplius Method (therapeutic fasting), like each of your fellow bathrobed guests/patients (some as fat as sumo wrestlers, others whippet thin). The answer is pretty bloody marvellous, in case you were wondering.

The Amplius Method was devised in 1918 by Dr Otto Buchinger, who cured himself from rheumatic fever after a 19-day therapeutic fast. And so, four generations later, the clinic attracts the biggest names in Hollywood and beyond who are on burn out and come to press the reset button; for some it becomes like a religion as they make their annual pilgrimage. And it’s easy to see why.

The rhythm of your stay here soon takes over. A glass of glauber salts to jig up the elimination process, morning weigh in with the nurse, a cup of herbal tea with honey (savour it), a couple of exercise classes (all excellent), a meeting with a doctor or a chosen therapy (everything can add up, so make sure you’re aware of the pricing structure), a nap with a hot liver compress, more herbal tea, a cookery demo, an art class

or – the highlight – a guided 6-7km hike in the hills, forests and mountains surrounding Überlingen).

Results start showing around day three or four (whether it’s the downsides of fasting – headaches, disturbed sleep etc, or the lighter feeling of things beginning to shift). You’re

also learning all the time, taking notes from talks, scribbling down cooking hints, gaining insights

from nutritionists – there’s a lot to take in and it inspires you to make changes to your

everyday lifestyle. Buchinger is a streamlined, slick

operation. There’s a quiet – and caring – effi ciency at its core, where nothing is forgotten, you are never kept waiting for an appointment, the bill arrives in your room two days before departure, hot water bottles magically

appear when you most want them; and staff are sweet, profi cient and attentive.

You lose weight, you fi nd energy you thought long lost, you feel empowered and

strong, heavy eyes are lightened, thoughts are clearer. As one guest said, ‘Everyone has a twinkle in

their eye at the end of a stay at Buchinger.’BOOK IT: Ten-days, from ¤2,440. buchinger-wilhelmi.com

You take your health seriously and want a complete reboot

ESPACE HENRI CHENOT AT PALACE MERANO, Merano, Italy A game-changing, fat-busting, life-resetting retreat. The Henri Chenot method is designed to recharge the body, reboot digestion and reinvigorate the mind. Yes, people fl ock here for weight loss, but others come to tackle more complex issues, from insomnia to recovery from surgery. This is a deeply comfortable environment, a gilt-edged grand palace hotel with a gently institutional mentality – everyone sits at the same restaurant table for every meal. Portions are small but perfectly formed – slivers

PARKHOTEL, Igls, Austria This diagnostic detox spa, which practises the modern Mayr Cure, feels zingy and fresh. Glorious alpine views counteract the dreary effects of ‘the cure’. Expect detox headaches while the brilliant team of German doctors get your intestinal tract fi ring again. You chew on stale spelt rolls until your teeth rattle, then snooze through daily hot compresses to detoxify the liver. If you suffer from a bloated stomach, book now. The German doctors perform a special treatment to activate toxin release and unclog the abdominal lymphatic system, so within days stomachs fl atten as energy levels

of fresh fruit, grilled baby vegetables, one precious serving of steamed fi sh during a week’s stay. Tea and coffee are offered misleadingly – herbal infusions and barley Americanos. There are mud wraps and hydro-aromatherapy baths, jet showers, aqua aerobics and PT sessions in the gym. More leftfi eld meridian energy therapies are balanced with clinical blood tests and IV drips. As well as shifting the pounds, there are all sorts of targeted programmes: energy promotion, cellulite busting and even hair loss. BOOK IT: Six-day programme, from €2,650. Seven nights’ accommodation, from €1,540pp. palace.it

rise. Uniquely, there are eight levels of nutrition, so if you can’t face deprivation and need nutritional nurturing, you can savour mouse-like portions of outstanding food. The soups are prize-winningly original; mustard, horseradish or olive fl avours. Health analysis is cutting edge: they even offer tests to see if you are predisposed towards dementia. The de-stress week includes craniosacral therapy, while psycho emotional stress is dealt with in effective talking therapy sessions with fi rst-rate psychotherapists. This is top notch holistic health and healing.BOOK IT: An all-inclusive week’s de-stress package, £2,459. parkhotel-igls.at

YOLKEDenim lounge suit, £150.

yolke.co.uk

BRORA Linen and cotton cricket jumper, £149. brora.co.uk

FITFLOPBanda, £85. fi tfl op.co.uk

EBERJEY Alpine Chic reversible modal-jersey and fl eece robe, £165.

net-a-porter.com

CHINTI AND PARKER Breton lounge pants, £275.

chintiandparker.com

Golden Rules1 Tap into your natural but

forgotten ability to forgo food in order to balance and heal your body – and mind.

2 Otto Buchinger’s mantra was ‘In daily life, the hunger of the soul is often confused with the need to eat’, so be mindful of the reasons why you’re eating.

3 Moderate exercise is a vital part of the detox process – it helps speed

things up.



RACK UP YOUR HEART RATE

PACKING ESSENTIALS

IN:SPA, Marrakech, Morocco If you want to re-start, kickstart or just start a detox and healthy living programme, the In:Spa retreat, just 30 minutes from Marrakech, is an effective way to do it.

First-timers may not quite grasp what a healthy detox holiday means in practice until they fi nd their bespoke agenda in their Berber-carpeted, Atlas Mountain-facing rooms. The schedule mixes up group circuit and fi tness training (often two sessions per day) with two yoga sessions per day (on most days), as well as one-to-ones with Alli Godbold, author of Feed Your Health and the ‘resident’ nutritionist, and personal training with either Kath Beesley or Craig Carroll.

Your package also includes two very deep tissue sports massages with Frank Horstmann. His massages are not only welcome but essential and the only extra cash you may need on this trip are for a few extra sessions.

Although there can be between 14 to 20 people on these trips, the fi tness and yoga groups never seem large as people are divided into two groups based on general level of yoga expertise. Taught by Triyoga

teacher Alan Kelly, the yoga is a welcome stretch in the morning and very pleasant restoration at the end of each day of vigorous exercise.

For the two half-day hikes, the nutrition lecture and cookery class, as well as mealtimes, all the guests come

together to swap notes and life stories on the yellow stone veranda that faces Mount Toubkal, behind

which the sun sets each day. Six specialists are fl own out to look after the guests

but the real secret to the yoga and fi tness mix is the menu free from red meat, gluten, dairy, sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Chef Sara Kempton is on hand to cook up nourishing meals full of fl avour, each of which are tailored to any guest’s individual requirements.

Although not a boot camp, if the regime is taken seriously, you can see

satisfying visible results, particularly if you start letting go of alcohol, caffeine

and sugar before you get there. BOOK IT: Seven nights from £1,995 (upcoming dates:

24 February to 2 March, 23–30 March, 10–17 November). inspa.co.uk

Fit not thin is our mantra

CHIVA-SOM, Hua Hin, Thailand Twenty-one years old and still nailing it. This legendary spa retreat on the Gulf of Thailand is hard to beat. With a whopping 70 treatment rooms, it’s life on a big scale – and the perfect place for a life shift. All the classic programmes are here (stress relief, weight management, R&R) and treatments (including botox), then there are the workouts. Boy, it’s good, with world-class personal trainers, super stretch classes, hypoxic training (exercising with reduced oxygen), ta’i chi at sunrise, aqua aerobics and pranayama. Phew! Bring your heart-rate down by fl opping

RANCHO LA PUERTA, Tecate, Mexico Summer camp but for grown-ups. A 4,000-acre resort below Mount Kuchumaa, just over the Mexican border, it’s all about the great outdoors here. A fi tness concierge helps you plan your week, which is good as the choice is staggering. It’s hiking central but these aren’t any old hikes – think an ‘intention voicing meditation hike’ or – if you are up for an adventure – you can thrillingly trek the 7.5 miles to the US/Mexico border (there’s no wall yet). Back at ‘The Ranch’, there’s no excuse not to get moving with six gyms and more pools than you can count. Boxing, circuits,

beside the pool, walking along the beach or have a massage with one of the deeply intuitive therapists (the detoxifying balneotherapy, which withdraws toxins and attacks cellulite, is a highlight). Rooms are equally relaxing, coolly understated with triangular silk cushions, gilded ceilings and tropical wood fl oors. Food will leave you skipping for joy. There’s nothing about starvation here. Tuck into peppered tuna with Thai-herb mushroom salad. You skip off skinnier, rested and beaming. BOOK IT: Elegant Resorts offers seven nights from £3,690pp, based on two people sharing, full board, fl ights and transfers. elegantresorts.co.uk

ropes, weights, barre work, hula-hooping, H2O

bootcamp)… Cure your aching body with an indulgent massage. Eating is communal and lifelong friends have been made here. But if you’re not feeling it, give the silent dinner a go – you feel like you are tasting food for the fi rst time. Flop at the end of the day into one of the Spanish colonial-style redbrick villas, set amid the sweeping gardens, bursting with wisteria and with fountains under olive groves. It’s three nights minimum but when it’s this good, don’t go for anything less than a week. BOOK IT: Seven days from $3,750. rancholapuerta.com

CHARLI COHENLaser leggings, £99.

charli-cohen.com

NO KA’OILani performance bra, £105.

matchesfashion.com

ASICSNimbus, £145. asics.co.uk

BODASSwimsuit, £115. bodas.co.uk

ADIDAS Sweatshirt, £60. yoox.com

Golden Rules1 The combination of energising

yoga classes followed by invigorating activities is a killer mix and greatly assists

the detox process.2 Set aside your smart phones and detox your mind

as well as your body, you’ll get far more out of it. 3 It’s not just about what we eat, but also

about when we eat what and the nutritionist is on hand to explain the best food

combinations and the optimum time to indulge in different food

groups.



GENTLY DOES IT

PACKING ESSENTIALS

CUGÓ GRAN, MenorcaThe Gut Makeover Retreat No calorie counting, no low fat, no deprivation. Just excellent, abundant gourmet meals. Who knew that losing weight was so much fun? Or who realised that the gut is the control centre of good health? That there are the on-going clinical trials that have used a gut-friendly diet to reverse early onset Alzheimer’s, improve diabetes and treat depression? And that you can sort out digestive issues and improve sleep and skin conditions with food? Welcome to The Gut Makeover Retreat in Menorca. The brainchild of Jeannette Hyde, an erstwhile journalist turned nutritionist. And author of The Gut Makeover – a four-week programme to revolutionise your health. She’s evangelical about the gut – having burnt out ten years ago and, fi nally, healed herself with ‘real’ food.

The retreat takes place in Cugó Gran, a 19th-century sandstone villa with 11 bedrooms. Think manicured gardens, lavender fi elds, olive trees and a pool that looks out to sea. Inside is very Daylesford – uplifting and airy – with taupes, creams and exposed stone walls.

There’s lots of rest time. Sometimes you’ll do gentle pilates and yoga. Have a great

Aboriginal-inspired ‘Kodo’ massage. A private consultation with Jeannette. Or attend informal chats on the gut: you’ll soon be well acquainted with the needs of the microbiome – the trillions of bacteria living in the gut and weighing 3.3lbs.

There are normally around 11 (Lululemon and upmarket beachwear clad) clients, including one or two men, and almost as many staff as guests, offering superb service

in smart shorts. As for the food – superb. It’s all very colourful, a plant-based diet with protein at every

meal. Breakfast is eggs from chickens that roam the property, and a bowl of fruit with

coconut kefi r – a fermented milk that’s benefi cial to the gut. For lunch perhaps homemade gazpacho, prawn curry, and several super tasty salads with ingredients plucked from the garden. Dinner may include molten chocolate pots (with just a smidge of honey).

It’s so good you’ll hardly notice that you’ve given up caffeine, alcohol

and sugar; have gone gluten, dairy and grains-free; are not snacking between

meals; are chewing each mouthful 20 times to keep those gastric juices fl owing; and are

observing a 12-hour overnight fast. On a seven-day retreat, you’ll likely lose 3lbs. You’ll kick-start your health. Re-set your gut. And, best of all, feel as if you’re on holiday.BOOK IT: The next dates run from 28 April to 3 May, and 4–9 October 2017. Costs from ¤3,500 pp for a fi ve-night retreat based on two sharing. cugogranmenorca.com

You want results without the deprivation? Be our guest

SHA, Alicante, Spain A sleek medical spa overlooking the Med, which looks the business and delivers too, with its seamless mix of cutting-edge Western science meets ancient Oriental therapies. Treatments cover everything from weight loss and insomnia to genetic testing and quitting smoking. And they pull out all the stops with programmes combining diet, phytotherapy (the use of plants for medicinal purposes) and a long list of therapies (Shiatsu massage, refl exology, reiki and lymphatic drainage massage). Don’t miss the stellar list of visiting masters – a session with naturopath, Karen Himlok, formerly head

BODHIMAYA, Cotignac, FranceA storybook setting with a bespoke, scientifi c approach to detoxing run by Harley Street-based nutritionist Cornelius O’Shaughnessy and his brother Daniel. The turreted towers are lit up like a fairytale castle and princess-like rooms come with four-poster beds, crystal chandeliers and their own dressing rooms. After the fi rst night’s three-course candlelit supper, there are two days of juices, tailored to each guest depending on their ailments, and packed with power foods such as red cabbage, spinach and pineapple. The programme is informal, so you can opt in or

honcho at Chiva-Som in Thailand, is a must. Beauty issues are tackled too, including varicose veins, cellulite, frown lines and sunspots. There’s even a dentistry unit for hardcore polishing. The macrobiotic diet provides the backbone to this retreat. Wholegrains, vegetables, soya protein, seaweed and seafood are in. Dairy products, sugar, caffeine and alcohol are out. The best thing is that all this takes place in pretty perfect surroundings. BOOK IT: Four-day Discovery programme from €1,190 (not including fl ights but Monarch fl ies all year round). Suites start from €340 per night. shawellnessclinic.com

out of hikes, yoga and meditation sessions (do try some meditation though: Cornelius teaches breathing techniques to calm chaotic minds). There are also one-on-one nutritional-based consultations, group workshops and cooking demos where you learn to make sauerkraut and Indian favourite, ghee butter. On day three, you move on to smoothies before – yippee – reintroducing food with a tiny dinner (courgette and spinach soup with ghee). On leaving you get a nutrition plan and supplement suggestions, to make sure you keep on it for when you get home.BOOK IT: Seven days from £2,595, including accommodation and meals. bodhimaya.com

ELIZABETH HURLEY BEACH

Neptune swimsuit, £165. elizabethhurley.com

OCTAVIA HIXKaftan, £159. octaviahix.com

RAE FEATHERMonogrammed sliders, £185.

raefeather.com

PENHALIGON’SHammam Boutique eau de toilette, £97. penhaligons.com

PLÜMOSarouel pants, £98. plumo.com

Golden Rules1 Eat as much variety and as many

different colours and textures of fi bre in your diet as you can – e.g. aim for up to

30 different veg, herbs and fruit in a week.

2 Slow down, relax and chew every mouthful properly.

3 Have an easy 12-hour overnight fast each night – gives a long stretch for

the gut to repair itself.



OM MY GOODNESS

PACKING ESSENTIALS

SILVER ISLAND YOGA, Silver Island, Greece Staying on this idyllic, family-owned island gives you a fl avour of living on a private paradise. The downside is that heaven isn’t easy to reach; a three-hour coach journey from Athens, an hour’s ferry ride, 20 minutes on another bus before, fi nally, a speed boat drops you at Silver Island’s tiny jetty. But the minute you walk through the undulating groves of a working olive farm, clocking the two pristine white beaches and realise that you have 60 acres shared among ten guests, any travel niggles melt away. There are fi ve bedrooms, so all guests share a room and not all have en-suite bathrooms. This is eco-luxe, Greek style, with a profoundly touching attention to detail. Every table setting is different. Freshly picked wild cyclamen are placed on linen napkins, creating an atmosphere of nurtured beauty.

Silver Island attracts a brilliant roster of superb yoga teachers who offer week-long yoga retreats, from April to the end of October, with everything from yin to dynamic to postural alignment to vinyasa fl ow. Days are well planned with space in between yoga to sunbathe, kayak or swim around the island. The sea is Aegean perfection; glassily still and clear. With its impressive green credentials, you feel totally plugged into nature. There

is no mains water or electricity on the island. Solar power heats the water and the generator is only on for three hours each evening. At ten o’clock, lights go out, so it is essential to bring torches for night-time reading. With no pollution, the darkness is velvety and the stars blindingly bright.

The sensational food is a massive draw. Think the Hemsley sisters with a Greek twist. Every

meal is a colourful take on clean eating with robust, zingingly fresh produce. Freshly

squeezed juices for breakfast, with homemade granola and organic sheep’s yoghurt and local honey. Lunch is a riot of homemade fl at breads and salads. Garlic bread with olive tapenade, homemade tzatziki, while a typical salad might be black quinoa, roasted baby beetroot,

drizzled with pomegranate and fi g syrup. Chocolate cravings are sated

with nut-covered fi g balls. Dinner is warming stews with an amazing array of

vegetables; spicy aubergine casserole with stuffed peppers or vegetarian moussaka. You don’t

realise until you leave, how deeply you have connected with yourself and nature here. It’s jarring to hit civilisation with all that halogen light. You crave the simplicity of Silver Island; a special, spiritually uplifting escape. BOOK IT: From £1,150 per bed, per week, all-inclusive. silverislandyoga.com

Perfect your pranayama and excel at your asanas

ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY, Koh Samui, Thailand Sprawled over a hillside, less than a mile from the coast, this tropical retreat ticks all the boxes: feel-good food, beach walks, weight loss, all while being tended to by tip-top practioners. There are plenty of programmes to get stuck into but it’s the yoga to really get excited about, and it doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or a limb-twisting yogi. Just take your pick: detoxing yoga (to stimulate digestion), hatha, hot fl ow, ashtanga, restorative (to help with stress and fatigue) and yin (where postures are held for fi ve minutes,

ROSA YOGA RETREAT, Santa Eularia, Ibiza ‘An island within an island’ is how Rosa Klein describes her Ibizan retreat, a tranquil haven, set amid pine trees. Rosa, a beautiful, serene woman, turned to yoga after a car accident 12 years ago, and it transformed her health. Now her mission is to help others. Every morning begins with therapeutic yoga, held in the open-sided sala, surrounded by fragrant bushes. The session starts with sun salutations and continues with asanas – the repetition helps with your equilibrium. A sumptuous brunch follows with divine porridge, fresh eggs and imaginative smoothies.

calming the pelvis, hips and lower spine). The Sanctuary has its own type of yoga, too – Absolute yoga, circuit-training in style, which hits your core hard. Book your stay for when yoga teacher Jana Brauer is in town – you’ll never have felt so stretched. There are lots of lovely treatments to break up the day – scrubs, wraps and delicious massages. The diet is happy-making, too – low carb and high in fi bre so think super fresh soups, Thai-spiced salads and double-dark-chocolate cake made with cocoa, palm sugar and soy milk. BOOK IT: Five-night yoga package from approx. £2,000. absolutesanctuary.com

Afternoons are spent relaxing with massages and in hammocks. After an hour of meditation and pranayama, tuck into a magnifi cent three-course dinner with delights including courgette spaghetti with rich tomato and chickpea sauce and crema Catalana. Accommodation, beautifully plastered over roughly hewn stone walls, have timber rafters and red fl oor tiles and come with sitting rooms and fully-equipped kitchens. After a week at the retreat, Rosa’s gift is the rediscovery of your own wisdom and the confi dence to continue your daily practice at home.BOOK IT: Three nights from €750, all-inclusive (excluding fl ights). healingholidays.co.uk

Golden Rules

1 Experiencing the feeling of relaxation and wellness during a retreat is remembered

on many levels by body and mind.

2 A week devoted to yourself will leave you a more centered, restored and joyful version of yourself.

3 An appreciation of your body as it is, as well as tools that will help build a meditation

and self-practice for life, on and off the mat.

BALLET BEAUTIFUL

Belle stretch-jersey wrap top, £76. net-a-porter.com

EILEEN FISHEROrganic cotton jumper, £255.

eileenfi sher.com

SWEATY BETTYUrdhva reversible yoga

leggings, £85. sweatybetty.com

COCHINETravel candle, £20.

fortnumandmason.com

BOTTEGA VENETAButterfl y-print cashmere scarf,

£620. matchesfashion.com



SPIRITUAL SUSTENANCE

PACKING ESSENTIALS

VANA, The Himalayas, India When this 66-room retreat in North India opened in 2014, there was nothing like it – and there still isn’t. Vana refuses to be called a spa. Spiritual development is at the heart of this chic holistic retreat in the Himalayan foothills. Bold contemporary architecture is more European art gallery than ashram; the Ayurvedic organic menu resembles that of a fi ne-dining restaurant; and it’s the only health centre to practise this combination of therapies with such authenticity and integrity.

Your journey to wellbeing starts with a doctor’s consultation to create a bespoke programme. Their winning a ‘Best Life-Changing Retreat’ award had inspired high expectations. Floating from treatment to treatment in this tranquil forest-hugged compound, it was clear that the way in which Vana might change your life is different for each individual. Some come seeking medical fi xes, others crave mental or emotional development. Whatever your ailments or ambitions, Vana eases you into its slow, soothing pace, insisting its kurta-pyjama-clad Vanavasis switch off for at least a fortnight.

There’s much talk today of fi nding balance and tuning into nature, but what does that mean? Time at Vana teaches you that everyone’s path to equilibrium is unique. Their detox retreats are a safe bet to get you on the road to enlightenment and the signature 21-night traditional

Panchakarma cleansing programme is customised to individual constitutions.

But can Vana change your life? It can certainly help switch off the noise

from life’s many distractions so that you can stop, slow down and truly process what the wise therapists tell you. They can inspire you to think intelligently about your own mental and physical wellbeing in a way that gives you a better understanding of causes and not just symptoms, so that

you can live a life that better suits your health, head and heart. And if God is in

the detail, it is a near-religious experience spending time in Vana’s fi ve-star suites and

amid this elegant sandy-toned palette, specially commissioned art and organic environment.

BOOK IT: Seven nights, from approx £2,740, including all-inclusive accommodation, treatments and transfers. vana.co.in

Address the mind as well as the body

KAMALAYA, Koh Samui, Thailand Overlooking the coast of southern Koh Samui, this spiritual retreat is all about self-discovery with a solid dose of relaxation on the side. Founded by former monk, John and his traditional Chinese medicine master wife, Karina, this is a place which knows its stuff and gets results. The hillside setting has you hooked from the get-go, with a cave at its centre that once served Buddhist monks as a place of meditation. It’s no longer used but the healing journeys continue here and many of the counsellors are former monks. A state-of-the-art diagnostic centre uncovers all

ARRIGO PROGRAMME, Somerset, UKThe value of an Arrigo Programme retreat is not to be found in a moment of pure bliss and indulgence. What Fiona Arrigo offers is something more profound, something that stays with you for the long haul, the chance to rebalance, nourish and get back to your deepest self. Fiona checks you into one of her cosy cottages in Somerset, with fresh fl owers, glowing with open fi res, fl uffed up with sheepskin rugs and cleansed with salt candles. Your ‘angel’ – aka housekeeper – is a fairy godmother of sorts who brings you tea in the morning and makes your

your troubles and then you’re off on a run of spa treatments, therapies and holistic medicine: ayurveda for de-stressing, acupuncture for insomnia, cognitive healing to cope with loss and bereavement. Start the day feasting on museli with fl axseeds, pumpkin seeds and goji berries then skip off to yoga, t’ai chi or a meditation session with Rajesh, where you experience peace like never before. Suites are equally zen-inducing, nestled amidst the tree with natural furnishings and sea views. BOOK IT: Three nights (minimum), from around £1,090, including full-board accommodation, treatments and transfers. kamalaya.com

breakfast before clearing everything away, and leaving lunch and dinner to be warmed up later. Everything you eat is wholesome, organic and nourishing. Based on chats and questionnaires beforehand, Fiona designs a course for you, which includes daily visits from herself, or another of the top intuitive psychotherapists in her mould. This is no one-size-fi ts-all approach – this is an experience that is all about discovering the uniqueness of you, and because of that, it blows people’s minds and changes their lives. BOOK IT: A four-day programme, with four treatments daily, starts at £5,395 all-inclusive. thearrigoprogramme.com

ASTLEY CLARKEEvil Eye earrings, £80.

astleyclarke.com

PAULA CADEMARTORI FOR KARTELL

Bag, £253. 020 7584 3923

MALONE SOULIERS X NATALIA VODIANOVA

Neva slipper, £395. malonesouliers.com

LILLIPUT & FELIXMaroon marble kaftan, £350.

lilliputandfelix.com

BAMFORDBalasana essential oil blend,

£25. bamford.co.uk

Golden Rules1 Start your journey to spiritual

wellbeing by experiencing ancient healing therapies and through connecting with nature.

2 Balance your metabolism through a healthy, nourishing Ayurvedic diet

suited to your body type (dosha).

3 Leave with lifestyle, health, nutritional and philosophical

learnings to last a lifetime.



WELLBEING WEEKENDS

Short on time? Mix a spot of spa with a mini break

HOTEL CAFÉ ROYAL, London Next time you hurry across Piccadilly Circus, think

about the healthful relaxation you could be having in a secret space right under your feet. The Café Royal, now a sleekly modern hotel with a calm, Eastern influence to its décor, has been a centre of London dining and entertaining for over 150 years and has conserved its ornate, gilded, Belle Époque public rooms. But the

underground Akasha Spa has a 21st-century sense of luxury and serenity. Based on the four elements, with holistic treatments that link Western innovation with Eastern tradition, its natural materials, warm colours and fresh aromas exude wellbeing. Nine treatment

rooms, including one for couples, a gym, fitness and yoga classes, a sauna and hammam and a beautifully

lit pool with London’s first Watsu pool for private hydrotherapy sessions make this a place to linger. BOOK IT: Day spa packages from £95.

Doubles from £440. hotelcaferoyal.com

EPIC SANA, Albufeira, Portugal

A spanking new – and already award-winning – resort of sprawling buildings, all white, modern and pristine. But the spa is the place to hang out. Book a week-long programme (weight-loss, fitness, yoga, mindfulness...) or simply indulge in the long list of treatments that range from

bamboo massage to anti-ageing facials. There are excellent free morning and

evening classes, too. BOOK IT: Health and Fitness Travel offers three nights from

£690pp, including breakfast, a BodyBreak programme, flights and transfers.

healthandfitnesstravel.com

ONE AND ONLY THE PALM, Dubai

Intimate by local standards and regarded as the most elegant resort in Dubai, One & Only The Palm will definitely make an impression.

But look further than the magnificent setting, private beach and fabulous restaurants, and it’s the Guerlain spa that will blow your mind. Therapists get to work with a series of rituals,

inspired by a fusion of Arabic culture and French savoir-faire. Désert d’Orient is

a typical journey, taking in a silky milk scrub followed by a cleansing body wrap and

steam, topped off with a lush personalised massage. Where Guerlain triumphs in the

treatment room, it’s One & Only that sets the bar in terms of service, with all staff expertly trained and sensitively informed to provide

the ultimate spa experience. BOOK IT: Premier rooms from approx £700.

oneandonlyresorts.com

THE CLOVER MILL, Worcestershire, UK

The UK’s first boutique ayurvedic retreat. Set in a restored 17th-century

water mill in the rolling hills of Malvern, it’s all very idyllic here, with exquisite treatments, home-cooked food and

log fires. And that’s before you’ve even got started on the spa, which is

a stroke of genius. Programmes tailored to your dosha will make you leap with

excitement, packed with ayurvedic treaments and yoga sessions, which

take place underneath wooden beams. Take time out in the steam room, read a book beside the pond or put on your

wellies for a stomp around the weir. Bed is an eco lodge, surrounded by

woodland, kitted out with floor to ceiling windows that open out onto private

decking, with a deep bathtub and walk-in shower and a super comfy bed.

It’s a quiet retreat, with only six guests at a time, and that’s its magic – peace,

quiet and solitude. BOOK IT: From £550 fully inclusive. theclovermill.com

RIAD FARNATCHI, Marrakech, Morocco It’s hard to get much better than this ten-suite oasis tucked away in a quiet alleyway,

created from five smaller riads. And now award-winning hotelier Jonathan Wix has even more to celebrate with a fantastic new spa. Boasting two marble hammams and four treatment rooms, indulge in blissful therapies from British spa brand ila and Moroccan

aromatherapy line, Nectarome. Emerge into the tranquil collection of courtyards, adorned with bougainvillea and chill by the tiled pool scattered with rose petals (perfect for quick dips). But it’s at night where the magic really comes alive: dine on traditional fare in the courtyard to the flickering shadows of ornate lanterns accompanied by the soundtrack

of the local mosque’s call to prayer. BOOK IT: From £690 a night. riadfarnatchi.com

PUENTE ROMANO BEACH RESORT,

Marbella, SpainWithin earshot of crashing waves and within view of Marbella’s Golden Mile’s palm trees lies the Six Senses Spa at the heart of this

resort located near Puerto Banús. And, wow, what a spa with dizzyingly good treatments

such as a vitamin C and papaya enzyme facial and delicious Indian head massage. Post-treatment is fantastic, too – relax into your

fluffy robe nibbling on fat medjool dates while sipping ginger and cinnamon tea. Then retreat

back to your spacious spa suite by crossing the first century Roman Bridge. BOOK IT: Doubles from €250. puenteromano.com

HOTEL GRAND TREMEZZO, Lake Como, ItalyIt’s the family touch that makes the difference at hotels and this lakeside jewel is no exception, where the devil is in the detail and they know what you want even before you do. Eating and drinking is de rigueur but you can restore some balance: stroll through the Italianate gardens and head steeply upwards till you find Bobo the bear. Take a selfie with him, then bring it back and you’ll get your own mini version. There’s also the spa, not just any old spa, but an Espa spa, which boasts an infinity pool, hammam, yoga studio and some of the most effective treatments around. And if you’ve forgotten your togs, the hotel shop is to die for.BOOK IT: Elegant Resorts offers two nights B&B from £890pp, including flights and transfers. elegantresorts.com

CHÂTEAU ST PIERRE DE SERJAC, Puissalicon, FranceAfter a €25m revamp, you would expect this magnificent 200-acre château and vineyard in the Languedoc to be good. But it is even better. Re-opened last year by winemaker Laurent Bonfils and hoteliers Karl and Anita O’Hanlon, it’s a picture of grand historic splendour with whimsical turrets and suitably opulent furnishings. There are eight rooms – laidback chic with French grey walls, terracotta tiles and rolling views. But, wherever you lay your head, don’t miss the Mediterranean-inspired spa overlooking the vineyard. With treatments by French botanical skincare brand Cinq Mondes, the stress-busting Moroccan massage must not be missed. BOOK IT: Doubles from €220. serjac.com

114 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | March 2017 March 2017 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 115


guide -...

Documents