Wellbeing • February 2017
Five ultimate mind-blowing spas
Whether you want to beat jet lag or just recharge your batteries, there’s nothing more reassuring than knowing your hotel has a decadently good spa to take care of all your pampering needs. Spa expert and writer, Leo Bear reveals five sumptuous sanctuaries that are guaranteed to put a spring in your step – as shortlisted by you in The Club’s 2016 Readers’ Awards
Winner: Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru, Maldives
Set on a private island just 20 minutes by speedboat from Malé airport, Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru is the ultimate fly-and-flop escape. All 48 villas come with their own swimming pool and the spa is in a league of its own, with eastern therapies and holistic treatments adhering to a strict ‘high-touch, low-tech’ approach. The five large outdoor pavilions were designed with couples in mind, so you can enjoy a good pummelling while gazing out across the cerulean blues of the Indian Ocean. Opt for the Nature’s Coco treatment. It’s a deeply restorative massage involving a pouch of freshly grated coconut dipped in warm coconut milk, made from coconuts collected on the island.
Club tip: Book a spa sanctuary villa and you’ll be entitled to unlimited spa treatments – taken either in your villa or in the spa.
Sandy Lane, Barbados
A long-time favourite with the travelling elite, this legendary beach retreat has been going strong for more than 50 years. Everything from the flamingo-pink sun umbrellas to the pristine golf course shouts ‘glamour’, while the roll-call of celebrities who sweep in during the winter months is unrivalled. Down at the Roman-style spa there’s an array of treatments, originating from the surrounding tropical islands and beyond (think Europe, India and China). Five-star pampering takes place within 14 lavishly appointed treatment suites, each with its own bathroom, plus palm-strewn garden or outdoor grotto-style hydrotherapy pool.
Club tip: Make sure you head down to the spa at least 45 minutes before your treatment to make use of the Rhassoul steam room, hydrotherapy pool and crystal cold room.
Runner up: Lime Wood, UK
This devastatingly chic 13th-century hunting lodge has suites that open onto lawns dotted with daffodils and bluebells. A barrow boy will wheel your luggage to your room and breakfast is taken in the Scullery, but that’s where the Downton Abbey similarities end. Lime Wood has been designed with modern, luxury-loving stylistas in mind, and its Herb House spa is one of the best in the UK – so you’ll have to book well in advance. Spread over three levels, expect a fantastic raw-food café, a hydro pool, mud house and steaming outdoor hot tub. Throw in 10 lavender-scented treatment rooms, therapies by Bamford, VOYA, Tri-Dosha and Pai, plus some of the best-trained therapists in the Home Counties, and it’s no wonder this rural retreat scooped second place.
Club tip: Two-day fitness retreats will be running throughout 2017, led by celebrity trainer Matt Roberts.
Ritz-Carlton Abama, Tenerife
The ideal escape for sun worshippers seeking short-haul serenity, Ritz-Carlton Abama is surrounded by volcanic peaks and has a backdrop of tumbling Atlantic waves. Great for foodies, this sprawling, finca-style resort has 10 eateries to choose from, two of which are Michelin starred. The three-storey spa has 11 treatment rooms and an impressive Roman thermal bath circuit, and as well as ESPA beauty rituals and anti-ageing Sepai treatments, there’s a selection of all-natural treatments involving papaya, aloe vera and banana.
Club tip: Why not surprise your travel companion with a Celestial Michelin Picnic? You’ll be joined on the beach by a professional astronomer for an exploration of the galaxy, followed by an eight-course meal curated by Michelin-starred chef Martin Berasategui
Les Sources de Caudalie, France
Nestled within one of Bordeaux’s most scenic vineyards, this 61-room hotel celebrates all that is good about the grape; so expect a plethora of fine wine at dinner and a spa that extols the virtues of ‘vinotherapy’. Harnessing natural antioxidants found in the fruit, the hotel’s Caudalie Vinothérapie Spa has its own unique line of beauty products. Try the Cabernet Crush Scrub, which blends crushed grape seeds, honey, brown sugar and essential oils into a revitalising scrub – if you’re lucky, your treatment room will come with a breathtaking view of sun-dappled vines. If not, the hot tub is perfectly positioned for sunset selfies – wine glass in hand, naturally.
Club tip: Visit during September or October and you can join in with the grape harvest.
Discover more dreamy spa escapes at ba.com