All posts filed under: Inspiration

SpaFinder Wellness Travel Awards

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SpaFinder Wellness 365 has been busy judging its Wellness Travel Awards which honour spas, hotels, resorts and retreats around the globe on how they boost their guest health and wellness. Awards are given to the top properties on six continents, in 41 countries/regions and in 18 special categories. A panel of Wellness Travel experts nominated 373 nominees for the awards and over 14,000 consumers voted for the winners. It’s a massive undertaking and you can see the full list of winners here: Spa Finder Wellness Travel Awards. I wanted to highlight a few outstanding spas which I have visited, and it shows, I have a long way to go before I get around all the winners. Crystal Award winner Europe: George V Paris Four Seasons, Paris, France Country Awards winners: Switzerland: The Dolder Grand, Zurich (read my review) Thailand: Banyan Tree Resort, Phuket (read my review) Nordic: Blue Lagoon, Iceland

Spa on the wildside at Armathwaite Hall

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It’s time to unleash your inner Bear Grylls with the ‘Wilderness Therapy’ break at Armathwaite Hall Country House Hotel and Spa. Get back to nature and learn some wilderness survival skills on the shores of Lake Bassenthwaite in the Lake District surrounded by some of the UK’s most breathtaking scenery. Get back to nature with wilderness expert Ben Mcnutt who offers a gentle introduction to wilderness living, teaching skills such as creating fire by friction, using carving tools, building effective natural shelters, cooking on a camp-fire and re-connecting with nature as you forage for wild foods and track mammals. You will also be taught the art of barefoot running and ‘movement naturelle’ before ending the day spending the night in a ‘Wild Camp’. It’s not all about survival skills, there are some treats and luxury at the end. The next lunchtime you head to the spa for a soak in the outdoor hot-tub, and then you can enjoy a 60 minute treatment and dine at the restaurant before retiring for the night in the luxury …

The best autumn spa escapes

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A sunshine spa break always pops into my head as the night’s draw in and the Autumn chill hits the air. Flights are cheaper in Autumn and it’s a great way to use those few extra days of holiday you have left. A spa break in Southern Europe is an easy option, and often much cheaper than in high season. Whether it’s a weekend spa break or a week long spa programme to sort you out. Look around, do a bit of research and you easily can secure a great package deal that includes accomodation, spa treatments and food. Here is the Spa Man’s top pic of Autumn’s sunshine spa escapes. ALGARVE Weather: Average temperature in November is 16 degrees, dropping to 14 degrees in December. Hours of sunshine around 6 (day light – 10). Spa: Situated in Quinta do Lago, around 20 minutes from Faro Airport, Conrad Algarve and the Spa & Health Club is one of the tops spas in Portugal. The Spa & Health Club is a haven providing holistic therapies, combining …

Five of the best spas for fitness

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Spas are turning high-tech when it comes to fitness, so now you can enjoy a fitness break, really working on your technique or taking time to hone your skills and then soothe any aching muscles with a relaxing, targeted massage in the spa. The Spa Man picks the best spas for fitness in the UK. * Picture credit above: courtesy of Champneys Champneys Tring Location: Wigginton, Hertfordshire Price per visit: Double bed and breakfast from £398, Single bed and breakfast from £224. Sports performance analysis from £45 Fitness focus: Recovery and rehabilitation, movement and gait analysis A comprehensive sports treatment menu provides a rounded approach to sports injury rehabilitation. Integrated screening techniques like gait analysis and Tensiomyography (TMG) assessment (a diagnostic tool used by Barcelona FC) helps to identify muscular imbalances, asymmetries and weaknesses to pinpoint the root causes of injury. The team then design a corrective training programme and can incorporate traditional sports psychology, such as goal setting and the motivational aspects of NLP to maintain a positive approach to recovery. Added extras: FIFA sized football …

The Spa at Pennyhill Park, An Exculsive Hotel

The best places to spa outside in the UK

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Summer has turned all “scorchio” on us, so it was timely to round-up the best places to spa outside. What better way to enjoy our fabulous summer, than to enjoy relaxing spa treatments and the great outdoors. The UK has some brilliant spas and what’s more – lots of them have an outdoor pool or patio. Book it now. Aqua Sana, Center Parcs, Woburn Forest A woodland setting and infinity edge outdoor pool, this is a perfect place to spend a sunny afternoon. Powerful water jets help sooth aches and pains and all looking straight out to the trees. It’s a pure forest experience. www.aquasana.co.uk Pennyhill Park There’s a new spa’s decking area with additional seating for up to 200 guests around the outdoor pools. Luxurious loungers and new dining tables and chairs have been introduced to take advantage of the revamped pool bar which now includes a Pimms pump to complement The Spa’s summer barbeque menu. www.pennyhill.co.uk The best places to spa outside continued Bamford Haybarn Spa at the Berkeley Unique among London hotels, …

The best places to spa outside in the UK

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It’s been a great couple of weeks for summer sunshine and with temperatures soaring there are lots of UK spas that you can visit that extend the experience outside. Some have outside relaxation areas and spectacular outdoor pools where you can swim, sit, sleep or simply chill enjoying fresh air, a gentle breeze and the warm sunshine. Summer is here, so let’s spa outside! Thermae Bath Spa Famous the world over, Thermae Bath Spa was re-opened in 2006 and is Britain’s only natural thermal spa. It combines both historic and contemporary spa facilities. The roof top pool has a view that looks across Bath. In the late evening sun – it’s hard to beat. www.thermaebathspa.com St Brides Spa Hotel Perched on top of a cliff overlooking Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire, the infinity pool is something to savour. I visited one January a few years back and took a dip in the pool (it was heated) – the views across the sea and beach below are spectacular. Imagine blue skies, relaxing spa treatments and a soothing dip …

To swim with a view

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Everyone loves a pool with a view, especially if it’s an infinity pool. Here is a collection of inspiring images that will make you want to book a holiday right away. It’s not the definitive list of the very best, by any means. But spa lovers note, these hotels and resorts all have a spa. Overlooking the sea, the jungle, the desert or a river below, don’t delay, soak in the scenery and book a spa break right now. ALILA UBUD, BALI The infinity pool is suspended over the jungle high above the Ayung river below. The views stretch endlessly into Bali’s lush, tropical rainforest – with only the wildlife (including regular visits from the monkeys) for company. Alila Ubud is an enchanting hillside retreat located only minutes away from the ecentre of Ubud, Bali’s artistic cultural centre. Try: the Balinese Massage Rooms from £140 per night. www.alilahotels.com/ubud BAY OF ISLANDS – RAHIMOANA, EAGLES NEST, NEW ZEALAND Eagles Nest offers five world-class luxury villas which have been awarded as one of the World’s10 Best Cliff Edge …

Postcard from Zurich

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Zurich regularly tops the list of best places to live and rightly so. It has a great feel, the people are friendly, the transport is excellent, well integrated and inexpensive. But what makes this places so fabulous is the access to lake, forest and mountains. There’s even beach areas beside the lake. Within minutes you can be swimming in the lake or hiking through the forest. Winter obviously offers the chance to go skiing. I was really impressed with the city and how it offers a real balance between cosmopolitan cool and outdoor adventure. I was lucky enough to visit and stay at the Dolder Grand – a grand historic hotel build high on the hills overlooking Zurich in 1899. Remodelled and reimagined with two new wings – the hotel now boasts a spa wing and golf wing both designed by architect, Norman Foster. The views are to die for, the spa is modern and well equipped (more to follow later) and in seconds you can be cycling through the forest. and aside from the …

Father’s Day deal at Spa Intercontinental

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Here’s a really great spa deal for your Dad this Father’s Day. Spa Intercontinental is a fuss-free modern spa in the centre of London with an expert spa menu designed by Lee Kynaston, one of the UK’s leading male grooming experts, each treatment is focused on rapid results and attention to detail. The treatments use Elemis skincare products for men which have been designed to meet the specific needs of male skin. So for Father’s Day 2014, book your Dad in for a Deep Tissue Massage, and as a special treat, your Dad will also receive a complimentary Flotation Bed treatment (worth £22.50). Simply quote ‘Father’s Day offer’ when booking directly or purchasing a Gift Voucher. And that’s all for £90. A pretty fine deal! The Deep Tissue Muscle Massage targets stress and eases aching muscles with a powerful, targeted massage. Choose between the following options for the ultimate relaxing experience: Stress Away – Wind Down and release tension Spirit Reviver – A powerful surge to invigorate and recharge Muscle Melt – Relax and renergise a …

Life through the lense: join Spa Man on instagram

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In today’s digital world of social media which is dominated by selfies, we are living our life for the camera. This can result in images of true brilliance that make you stop, think and dream. Others however are less inspiring and totally self-obsessed. Whether you like it or not – our lives are lived online and we share, retweet and like images, photos and icons all day long. As a writer and spa explorer, the camera and resulting image is an instant way of capturing a moment forever. It can be shared with the world in a matter of seconds, filtered, adapted and captioned. Images are so important to the travel and spa industry. I share lots on facebook and twitter and of course, here on The Spa Man. But for instagram, which I have only just joined, it’s all about the image. Join me now at my instagram profile: markthespaman

Condé Nast Traveller Spa Awards 2014

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Condé Nast Traveller has announced the winners of The Spa Awards 2014, in association with Healing Holidays. Imagine, you could soon be visiting Six Senses, Zighy Bay (above). Drum roll! And the winners are: Most Avant-Garde Clinic – Lonhea, Switzerland Best Value For Weight Loss – Absolute Sanctuary, Thailand Most Consistent High Perfomer – IN:SPA Best Healthy Hideaway – Vamizi Island, Mozambique Most Effective Reboot – Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman Most Soulful Spa – Song Saa, Cambodia Best New Destination Spa – Vana, India

Dreaming of…Costa Rica

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I have always wanted to visit Costa Rica and one day I will. In the interim, I am left to dream about it, and what better way than to dream of a spa in a tropical treehouse – I mean, seriously. Get me there now. Andaz Peninsula Papagayo is situated on the north pacific coast of Costa Rica and has launched the new ONDA SPA, elevated into the trees of Costa Rica’s lush tropical forest. The new ONDA SPA features nine treatment rooms – six indoor and three outdoor with sweeping vistas of forest and sea. Two of the three dual ONDA Suites, which are ideal for couples treatments, come complete with a luxurious soaking tub and private relaxation area. The spa menu comprises a wide array of therapeutic treatments and for the more active, there is also a 24 hour fitness centre with steam and shower rooms too. Treatments at the ONDA SPA are individually tailored for each guest, but all use the healing power of water, natural local ingredients and Costa Rica ancestral …

Spa before you fly

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Before any long haul flight I recommend a little pre-flight pampering. You might not be a member of an exclusive executive club with an airline, but No.1 Traveller now gives you the chance to travel in style (and escape the crowds in the terminal). Pre-flight to Phuket which was a travel time of almost 20 hours (including transfer at Bangkok) I popped into the No.1 Traveller lounge and spa in Heathrow’s Terminal 3. A bite to eat, a cup of coffee and a treatment – Pre-flight relief for Head – which is a head and neck massage using the wonderful oils of Dermalogica. It was fragrant, uplifting and helped me to chill just enough so that once boarding the flight, I was relaxed and ready to go. No.1 Travel Spa uses Dermalogica, Aromatherapy Associates and OPI products. The treatment I had was just £15 and is money well spent. There are lounges right across the UK and partnership arrangements around the world. I love the free WIFI, views across the runway and the great selection …

Best spas for Mother’s Day

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Giving your mother a spa break as a gift is (for me) the perfect present. No doubt she has a whole range of perfumes, candles and skin creams in the cupboard. Pass on the cook books and kitchenware – even the clothes. What mum needs most is a little time to herself, to chill, to sip a glass of champagne and indulge herself. Now. To spa can be expensive, so I have provided a little round up with some top end options and some that are more affordable, but still just as enjoyable and indulgent. I am only listing spas below that I have actually tried, so they have The Spa Man stamp of approval. Spa London Starting with the wallet friendly Spa London, it’s a new-ish brand with six locations around London that extends to Epsom. I’ve visited the Wimbledon branch and can confirm it’s professional, smart and a great way to spend an afternoon. There are a whole range of Mother’s Day packages available. Check out the website for more ideas. In Soho, …

Postcard from Phuket

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After 18 years I have finally returned to Thailand, to the island of Phuket. It’s my first visit to this part of Thailand and it has reaffirmed my love of the country and its people. The Thai people are so kind, gentle and humble. I don’t think that there’s another country on earth like it. This trip has mostly been about spas – and the very best that Phuket has to offer: Banyan Tree Phuket, Amanpuri, Sri panwa and Point Yamu by Como. If you want the bucket and spade brigade, and by that I mean buckets of alcohol, head to the resort of Patong. If that’s not your scene the northern beaches of the West coast are quieter and more refined. We have been at the Laguna complex (Banyan Tree), Pansea Beach (Aman) and on Surin Beach and now the East Coast which is completely different. Cape Panwa is fabulous. It’s a big island and takes a while to get around and as public transport is pretty poor you will rely on taxis and …