Leo Bear
Travel and spa writer for Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Aspire, and Blue Executive Club Member
leobear.co.uk
@leobear
INSPIRATIONS • February 2014
Spa trends: cure-all or codswallop?
New, cleverly-crafted spa programmes that marry the traditional holistic approach with the latest scientific breakthroughs are constantly being offered to us as the latest in wellbeing – but which therapies are worth investing your time (and money) in? Expert Leo Bear strips down the trends for 2014
Naked Crystal Meditation
The lowdown: Crystals are making a comeback thanks to the ‘Abramovic Method’, a form of deep meditation combined with performance art involving skin-on-skin contact with giant crystals. Lady Gaga is a fan.
Our verdict: People have been swearing by the life-enhancing energy of crystals for centuries and, although I am a crystal cynic, there is something quite liberating about how bonkers this concept is.
Book it: Sign up to one of Marina Abramovic’s workshops or, for something less radical, the spa at the St Regis Sanya Yalong Bay in China has a sparkling crystal cave where you can relax.
Lunar Rituals
The lowdown: Treatments are conducted at night in line with the cycle of the moon.
Our verdict: Lunar benefits or not, this concept is certain to work in the tropics where outdoor treatment rooms can benefit from the cooler temperatures and views across empty moonlit beaches.
Book it: Kuda Huraa resort in the Maldives offers guests lunar spa treatments from 11pm-1am while the Jumeirah in Dubai offers full-moon yoga classes after the sun sets.
Intuitive Healing
The lowdown: Based on the philosophy that wellness comes from within, professional ‘intuitives’ cleanse your mind and body by exposing any subconscious issues that might be inhibiting your wellbeing.
Our verdict: Definitely worth a try. Shedding emotional baggage can take years off you.
Book it: Try a tête-à-tête with flame-haired siren Katie Winterbourne at Harrods Urban Retreat in London.
Telomere Analysis
The lowdown: Top medi-spas are taking the consultation process to new scrupulous levels by testing patients’ blood and using the results of a genome examination to customise anti-ageing treatment programmes.
Our verdict: Knowledge is power. Nothing wishy-washy about it. And don’t worry, specialists are on hand should any genetic markers for early onset illnesses such as Parkinson’s Disease be detected.
Book it: The SHA Wellness medical spa in Alicante, Spain.
Tibetan Healing
The lowdown: It’s the new Ayurveda: treatments are holistic and involve an in-depth consultation followed by massage, herbal dietary supplements and meditation.
Our verdict: It’s nothing we haven’t already seen in the world of Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine.
Book it: New super-spa Vana Retreats in India offer week-long Tibetan Healing retreats in wonderfully serene, forested surroundings.
YOGAqua
The lowdown: It’s the Californian fitness craze sweeping the globe that involves doing yoga on a stand-up paddleboard in the sea. Some yogis can even stand on their head.
Our verdict: It’s great for experienced yogis with unlimited core strength but for anyone else, it’s nigh on impossible.
Book it: Both the Raffles Praslin in the Seychelles and the Skiathos Princess Hotel in Greece now have a roster of YOGAqua classes.