STYLE ETC. SPA SECRETS
STYLE ETC. SPA SECRETS TO GOOD HEALTH The ultimate sybarite destinations HOT TICKET In Tuscany, the scene at ADLER THERMAE heats up (literally) with a pair of new facilities: the glass-walled Travertino Biosauna and the Panoramica Finnish sauna, set in a cube overlooking a lake. They round out a comprehensive wellness landscape that includes a grotto with a steam bath, an Etruscan salt-steam bath and a blue-tiled herbal sauna. adler-thermae.com ABOVE THE SALT Set along the crystal-clear waters of Cyprus’s Chrysochou Bay, the THALASSA SPA at 177-key Anassa hotel has long counted among the Mediterranean’s most intriguing health retreats – and not just thanks to its elegant classical aesthetic. With saltwater pumped from the sea directly into treatment rooms, therapies here harness the healing power of the ocean, from a moisturising beauty bath administered with hand-harvested gigartina algae to a jet-stream seasalt shower followed by a circulationimproving massage inspired by an ancient Hawaiian technique. Freshly added to the roster are facialistto-the-stars Anastasia Achilleos’s renowned treatments, which, based on a combination of various massage techniques and craniosacral therapy, render stressed skin smoother and firmer for a rejuvenated look that lasts. anassa.com ON THE WATERFRONT Spanish designer du jour Patricia Urquiola has transformed a centuries-old boathouse at Lake Como’s IL SERENO resort into a swish spa offering signature treatments by Swiss skincare marque Valmont and a striking over-the-lake pool and relaxation area. ilsereno.com THE RIGHT TRACK BELMOND’s Royal Scotsman pioneers the concept of an on-the-rails spa with The Bamford Haybarn Spa. Featuring bespoke treatments by the eponymous British skincare authority, travellers can now take in a facial amid breathtaking views of the shimmering lochs and sweeping valleys of the Scottish Highlands. belmond.com —Claudia Roelke MEXICAN MARVEL It was when my spa therapist blew into a conch shell; then asked me to acknowledge north, south, east and west to balance Earth’s energies; then whacked me with a stick of rosemary; and finally set some palo santo on fire that I knew that this was not going to be a regular spa day. No, this being Chablé, a new Mexican spa-resort 25 minutes from the historic city of Mérida, what I was in for was a vacation involving fullblown Mayan shamanic mysticism. From the second guests arrive on the property, in a 304ha reforested jungle on the grounds of a 19th-century hacienda, the focus is on ancient Mayan heritage. The spa itself is above a spring-fed cenote (sinkholes are healing in Mayan culture). Guests meet with a spa attendant who asks a series of questions: What’s your daily routine? Are you stressed? Do you sit at a desk all day? The answers lead the attendant to suggest one of three spa journeys for the guest: the Fountain of Youth (to enhance one’s flow); the Tree of Life (to create balance); and Heaven on Earth (to inspire). My attendant told me to do the Tree of Life to bring about transformation, stability and manifestation. I started, like all guests, with a pretreatment hydrotherapy circuit involving Jacuzzis, a steam room, a sauna and a cold plunge pool. Then the “journey” treatments – such as the Mayan Herbal Compress Massage (to rid the body of muscle tension), which I did – are meant to help guests on their odysseys. Is this voodoo or does it actually do the body good? I can’t really say, but it’s worth noting that I came home super-relaxed, refreshed and healthyfeeling – not to mention espousing the Toltec wisdom I inherited from reading Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements while lazing by the spa’s granite pool. chableresort.com ♦ —Jessica Flint CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: ALFREDO AZAR, WALTER VERA, ADAM PARKER, © ADLER THERMAE, © IL SERENO, © THANOS HOTELS (2) 42 DEPARTURES-INTERNATIONAL.COM CONTACT PLATINUM CARD SERVICE FOR BOOKINGS
N E V E R J U S T S T A Y . S T A Y I N S P I R E D. The award-winning Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is the quintessence of resort destinations, inspiring travellers to awaken the senses to nature’s wonders. An untouched slice of paradise, Conrad Maldives features three resort experiences across two islands, award winning dining featuring 12 world class restaurants and bars, two spas and an abundance of locally inspired experiences. Conrad Maldives is an inspired state of mind for the globally connected to disconnect and revel in the luxury of nature and time. South Ari Atoll, 20077, Republic of Maldives l Phone +960-688-0629 l ConradMaldives.com Facebook @conradmaldivesrangaliisland l Twitter @conradmaldives l Instagram @conrad_maldives
