The SPA Travellers: 10 best spas
It's time to be inspired and experience far flung spas, fabulous beauty experiences and epic vistas from the comfort of your spa lounger.
We have hand picked 10 leading spas that will allow you to relax and indulge yourself for just a day, a weekend away or even a well-earned spa holiday abroad...
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New-kid-on-the-spa-block is Temple Spa based in the converted coach house at Cotswold House in the picturesque village of Chipping Campden.
The exclusive Temple Spa range is a total lifestyle brand that beautifully fuses product, philosophy and spa.
Stepping into the Temple Spa retreat, you are entering the perfect setting for your total enjoyment and benefit.
Unwind and chill in seven luxurious treatment rooms, a spatini manicure bar, a stunning hydrotherapy pool and Turkish
Hammam
(the only Hamman in the area).
Temple Spa's passion is professional-standard skin care and body care, aromatherapy and spa treatments, made from natural products inspired by the Mediterranean, that replenish, revive and renew.
You can indulge in a menu of refreshing or rebalancing body treatments from expert therapists and including holistic treatments, massages, facials, pedicures, and aromatherapy.
Give yourself a winter boost, have a dip in the pool and, in the summer months, lie back on a sun lounger with a cool drink in your hand and the sun on your face.
One of our favourites...
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Red hot peppers in the Cotswolds
www.cotswoldhouse.com
When you escape to COMO Shambhala Retreat, Cocoa Island in the Maldives you will
literally live the dream.
Where else could you wake to an empty horizon from your over-water bungalow
before indulging in a host of Asian-inspired treatments including massage,
emotionally rebalancing holistic techniques, facials for restorative skincare
and authentic Ayurvedic therapies.
Ayurveda, the ancient Indian tradition of healing, helps restore the body to its
natural state of equilibrium by rebalancing the three doshas – vata, pitta, and
kapha – which make up our constitution.
Two baths to try at COMO include the Shambhala Bath and the Javanese Royal Lulur
Bath.
The Shambhala cleansing therapy exfoliates and softens. After dry brushing, COMO
Shambhala’s Invigorate salt scrub is applied. A soak in a revitalising bath is
followed with a relaxing massage.
The Javanese Royal Lulur Bath is the ultimate beauty ritual which begins with an
Indonesian massage. A body scrub with aromatic mixed spices precedes the
application of cooling yoghurt and a flower-filled bath. The bath therapies both
last 120-minutes and cost US$220.
Cocoa Island itself is a small, private island surrounded by the rich, warm
waters of the Indian Ocean boasting bountiful coral and a promise of the world's
best beaches, snorkeling, diving and spas. What more could you ask for?
www.cocoaisland.como.bz
This hidden gem is an oasis beyond the edge of the city lying in the shadow of the Hajjar
Mountains. Al Maha is a high-end but low-key desert retreat, surrounded by oryx, gazelle and incredibly peaceful
surroundings.
The spa is hidden among the golden dunes in the perfect anecdote
to leave behind the stresses and hustle and bustle of the city.
Handsome treatment rooms nestle under swaying palm trees and look out over the sparkling blue pool towards the undulating sand dunes
and Hajja mountains beyond.
We recommend the signature skin-smoothing date and frankincense and sand massage and scrub and don’t miss the traditional Rasuul which
is full of mineral-enriched clays, mood-enhancing lighting and aromatic steam that feels uplifting and ancient –
'solo or as a couple'.
Then hang out poolside feasting on plump local dates and delicately fragranced white tea.
www.emirateshotelsresorts.com/al-maha/en/
This idyllic Gloucestershire spa rates among one of the best in the world.
Housed in a Cotswold stone building near Tetbury (just opposite the hotel’s pub)
is Calcot Spa. It’s big and airy, comforting and cosy which is why you must book
in advance as it’s very popular with the locals.
The spa is a magnificent private leisure complex, with outstanding facilities
for health, beauty, fitness and relaxation. Imaginatively designed around a
central courtyard, Calcot Spa blends sympathetically with its Cotswold
surroundings and features a 16-metre pool, sauna, steam room, outdoor spa pool,
exercise studio, tennis and no fewer than seven treatment rooms.
One of the highlights is a sexy outdoor hot tub (the size of a small swimming
pool) that steams away like a geyser and where you can indulge in the ultimate
luxury of ordering champagne.
The actual spa menu is long and comprehensive with everything from hot-stone
massages to Reiki. The ambience and treatments hit all the right buttons and
this spa is well worth the wait if you have to book ahead.
www.calcotmanor.co.uk
This peaceful, Zen-like sanctuary is designed to calm the mind and relax the body and embodies the definition of a true destination spa.
After sipping your ginger-infused tea and choosing a treatment you literally float past the lagoons that envelop the outdoor reception area and stroll along the stone path through the luscious gardens and retreat to one of the spa's six suites.
All the rooms are set in their own courtyard, with indoor treatment beds that face outwards, through floor-to-ceiling glass windows into your personal outdoor sanctuary. A deep, outdoor terrazzo bath designed for two and a dual alfresco ‘rain' shower are features of each suite.
The spa's treatments are all deliciously indulgent. The elixirs and oils all use the finest indigenous ingredients and beauty essences such as sandalwood, ylang ylang, patchouli, mandarin, lavender and lemongrass.
Signature to this property is the four-hour Ayurvedic Healing for the body and soul which consists of a Bolus Bag Massage - an ancient aromatic treatment designed for war weary soldiers to soothe their aching muscles. Nowadays, it mainly helps burnt out executives to unwind.
Practiced more than 200 years ago, steamed herbal pouches containing five different Thai herbs known for their healing and rejuvenating properties are used to massage the body for healing and pleasure. This is followed by a dreamy Ayurvedic Steam Bath and then to release any remaining mental tension and end the journey in a calm state of mind, a Shirodhara treatment.
For those seeking a boost in stamina, an improvement in digestion and concentration, the Shiatsu massage is known for relieving stress and calming nerves.
Anantara's facials also use nature's healers with anti-oxidants such as green tea, chamomile, rose and lavender.
And if you have the time the ultimate in pampering is the blissful five-and-a-half hour Anantara Indulgence which includes a herbal steam bath, choice of a body scrub or enzymatic sea mud wrap, floral bath, nature's healing touch massage, a spa cuisine meal, deep cleansing facial, choice of manicure or pedicure and a cup of ginger-infused tea before you float out of the door, cleansed and utterly relaxed…
Add a dash of Thai hospitality and the experience is complete.
www.samui.anantara.com/spas.aspx
As Cyprus is awash with hotel spas it’s essential to identify the wheat from the
chaff.
Look no further than the 290-room Aphrodite Hills which is situated near the
spot where the Greek deity is supposed to have emerged from the waves.
The Retreat Spa is an award-winning haven of calm surrounded by lush gardens and
the soothing rhythms of the Mediterranean Sea.
Galleried hallways lead to quiet treatment rooms where experienced therapists
provide the latest in facial and body treatments rich with indigenous plants and
minerals.
The dynamic spa packages are designed to make you look like you’re about to step
onto a Hollywood red carpet. The new Pilates and Power Plate studio helps and
includes sessions with a personal trainer.
Treatments begin with thermae bathing, an ancient detoxifying treatment to
cleanse and relax. The spa also boasts Greco-Roman-style heat rooms, massages
and complementary classes, with healthy meals as optional extras. Our top treat
is the Green Coffee wrap which is described as a secret weapon in the fight
against cellulite.
There’s also a golf course, a tennis academy and an infinity pool overlooking
the Mediterranean plus treatments by Aboriginal-inspired brand LI’TYA.
www.intercontinental.com/intercontinental/en/gb/spa/cyprus-aphroditehills
Set within the iconic Dorchester Hotel this newly-opened spa is
definitely the county’s most glamorous with its lacquered walls and pearl
chandeliers.
Signature treatments include the fantastic Vaishaly facials which have to be
experienced to be believed. The Kerstin Florian body treatments are also
wonderful plus there is a hair salon and barber shop for the boys.
The Spatisserie is far too tempting serving cookies and fizz alongside the
healthier options.
The cost is probably not as astronomical as you would expect – a Vaishaly facial
is 95 pounds and a Lavender Crush body treatment, which involves exfoliation, a
massage with hot stones and a head massage is 130 pounds.
www.thedorchester.com
Cowley Manor nestles in the heart of the Cotswolds five miles from Cheltenham
and combines country-house grandeur with its best kept secret - the C.Side spa.
This spa, which has been visited by Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow,
photographer Mario Testino and Jasmine Guinness, is cleverly carved into the
hillside and is barely visible from the hotel.
Once you have located the glass-fronted spa (just passed the renovated stable
block) the final decision to be made is which treatment?
Cloud 9 is C.Side’s signature treatment which is a mix of aromatherapy, Qi
energy balancing, reflexology and acupressure in an all-over 90 minute massage
(including face and head) performed to your choice of music.
C.Side offers the unique product range, Green & Spring, which was only launched
in 2008. Inspired by the idyllic English countryside Green & Spring is a natural
bath and body range which captures the spirit of the British countryside by
blending herbs, flowers and plants native to the British Isles.
The spa features two swimming pools (large indoor lined with dark grey slate and
a small outdoor one surrounded by a sun terrace), sauna, steam room and ice-cold
plunge shower. You can choose from a 60 or 90-minute massage, wraps, and
facials. There's Thai Yoga massage, or Reiki. You can try Ashtanga yoga,
reflexology or Breema - a form of "physical and mental energy workout". Classy outfit, quiet location. A great retreat and escape from the city...
www.cowleymanor.com
Honeymooners’ or holidaymakers will both find solace in the idyllic Banyan Tree Spa. This lush tropical forest setting will soothe your senses and ease away the stresses and strains of modern life.
Against the backdrop of majestic granite mountains facing the deep azure Indian Ocean, relaxation comes easily in the luxurious hillside pavilions.
The therapists’ innate grace, attentiveness to detail and instinctive sensitivity sets the Banyan Tree Spa apart from the rest as they are given formal training at Banyan Tree Spa Academies in Bintan in Indonesia, Phuket in Thailand or Lijiang in China.
One signature Banyan Tree Spa innovation is the Rainmist experience. This indulging combination of rainmist steam bath and rain shower uplifts your senses and is an ideal prelude to the body treatments that follow. This treatment culminates with a massage to complement the refreshing treat and leave you in a state of deep relaxation.
Another treatment to try is the Royal Banyan Herbal Pouch Massage which uses East-meets-West techniques and a herbal pouch dipped in warm Sesame Oil. The therapeutic touch of the therapist helps iron out muscular tension and improves blood circulation.
Everyone leaving this spa feels they are in the “honeymoon period” for quite some time afterwards…
www.banyantreespa.com
CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La draws inspiration from the origins of the Shangri-La
legend, a place of personal peace, enchantment and well-being.
Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing introduced CHI, The Spa in the hotel's Valley Wing in
2007.
The spacious and atmospheric facility offers 11 private treatment suites with
self-contained herbal steam showers, changing areas, a colour therapy bath and a
relaxation area.
Signature treatments, such as the Empress Imperial Jade Journey, weave in
Chinese culture and history alongside the core CHI menu of Asian treatments
devoted to vitality.
In 2009, CHI, The Spa Beijing received three awards, including "2009 Best Spa"
from China Travel Weekly and "Best Spa Services 2009" from Voyage Magazine.
In traditional Chinese philosophy, "chi" or "Qi" is the universal life force
that governs well-being and personal vitality. For people to maintain good
health, it is believed that "chi" must flow freely within the body and, when
blocked, "dis-ease" and illness follow.
Movement is therefore a key element in releasing blockages. Body massage,
exercise, stretching, hydrotherapy, and movement of the mind through relaxation
and meditation combine to assist the body's natural renewal and form the basis
of the CHI spa philosophy
All CHI signature therapies start with a welcome foot ritual, to prepare you for
a memorable experience to be relished long after the treatment has ended.
A unique blend of Asian techniques personalised to suit your current Yin/Yang
status, focusing on the earth element (building CHI), wood element (moving CHI)
and fire element (clarity and peace of mind). Techniques include acupressure,
energizing massage for yang stimulation and a relaxing massage for yin calm.
Pure oriental element oils are use to harmonize CHI flow.
Goto: CHI The Spa at Shangri-La Beijing
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