Still loving the view of the beach and sea from the spa. What is impressive is that even when the spa is full…and there are 33 treatment rooms, a fitness centre and exercise studio, it still seems calm and uncrowded. But best of all there is NO MUSIC pumped into the rooms…oh the joy of the gentle whir of the air-con rather some horrible tinkling, wheezing, fake chanting or sub Enya…bliss. And while the resort is supposed to be full you are rarely conscious of the fact as so many are out water-ski-ing, tubing, running, playing golf,tennis, walking, mountain biking, pilates, yoga, snorkelling or simply lying down…and that’s before they hit the spa… Am also fascinated by the clientele – all ages, all sizes from early 20s to early 80s and from super skinny to simply super!
Author: JoSentMe
bodyholiday
At the BodyHoliday in St Lucia (still known in places as LeSport)…which has just had a major refurb, and I must admit is very impressive. There is still some finishing work being done, but the guests don’t see to mind, after all they were alerted to it and given a massive discount (50%) for putting up with it. However there is so little noise and now it is mostly cosmetic – planting gardens and finishing the pizza style restaurant. The rest all runs smoothly, while the spa, the Oasis, see top left, is far above it and nothing impinges upon the peace and quiet experienced up there. It looks down on the beach (see right) and is a very calm area. Surprising really as there are 33 treatment rooms, a plunge pool and relaxation area as well as an ayurvedic pavilion and an outdoor area for head, neck and shoulder massage.
So far have only had one treatment – one of the signature massages, a St Lucian Sizzler which was more relaxing than sizzling…but had a therapist, Rosalie who has a very good touch. Guests get one treatment a day as part of their package (which is all-inclusive) and a huge choice of activities – everything from yoga to golf. Other treatments and extra activities are, of course, extra, so little wonder that it’s almost always 80-90 per cent full. Surprisingly, as I’m not a great fan of food in the Caribbean, the food is good. The good thing about the BodyHoliday is it does what it says on the tin
la prairie 2
Am always fascinated by who comes to places like this…and although it’s almost full…hardly see anybody. Occasionally pass in a corridor or at spa reception…and see a few in the dining room. Mostly Europeans at the moment – women with scary faces and eavesdropping gather none of them done here! silly…
a couple of very elegant elderly Italian couples and a rathar good looking Asian couple, could be Korean, could be Taiwanese. Spa area very ordered and smooth running, while the medical centre the soul of discretion.
Food is delicious if a tad fancy, although wildly healthy – grills, baked, salads and wonderful broths …many paying lip-service to the growing element of the clientele with a smattering of Asian fusion tastes.
Had a great yoga session today with Veronique. V worried because my back playing up at the moment but she just concentrated on gentle ways to create the spaces at the base of the spine and bewteen the vertebrae.
Terrible music throughout – but then I hate most spa music
Had a
You meet the dietician on arrival and choose your food for the day ahead…as I’m only here for a few days am opting for healthy eating rather weight loss…pity.
la prairie
How it’s grown! When I was last here Clinique La Prairie consisted of just two buildings – a medical centre and the Residence…it now has four…but it is still compact with just 69 rooms. The spa, though, has grown and is v impressive with 17 treatment rooms, hydrotherapy, chromotherapy, steams and saunas as well as rather glamorous pool and a host of massages and beauty treatments.
Over at the medical centre, where here are also rooms and suites you can have your bone density scanned, get a new hip, new face, new boobs or simply have a filler or two, not to mention its renowned Revitalisation Therapy – cells taken from sheep embryos which once were injected into your buttocks…but now you can take orally.
Had a terrific yoga session this morning with Veronique. I haven’t done yoga for years having had a bad fall…and this woman not only gave me back confidence, but also did wonders for my aching back with special asanas
burn-out
Forget stress…forget sleep deprivation…the new buzz word(s) is burn-out. Spas are fallin gover themselves to now offer special burn-out packages…Viva Mayrvivamayr is one, while http://alpadisiusiAlpa di Suisi in the Italian Dolomites is another. while a whole lot more are joining in.
It stands to reason really – if you’re stressed you get tired, if you get over-tired you can’t sleep, if you can’t sleep you get exhausted – therefored stress+exhaustion+sleep deprivation = burn out time.
Mind you, the current economic climate isn’t helping to de-stress any of us…perhaps this is the moment to take time for yourself and even if it’s just for a few days to go somewhere quiet, nurturing and most of all relaxing
the works
Facial acupuncture, which has existed for centuries in China is still making headwat in the west with a number of very good practitioners. I’ve had a series of treatments from John Tsagarishttp://johntsagiris.com where I once ‘enjoyed’ having over 100 needles in my face. However had one this week with Annee de Mamiel www.demamiel.com visiting London from New York. This time I had a few needles on my face but others on various parts of my body, and while they did whatever needles stuck in your legs , between your fingers and in your feet do, she gave me a facial including a massage with jade rollers and a going over with tuning forks along my meridians…or whatever. The vibrations across my chest, which I got from the latter, were quite strong and quite strange. Suffice to say the following morning my breathing was noticeably easier!
The treatment I was enjoying at Fortnum and Mason’s Beauty Roomfortnumandmason.co.uk
which lasted a good 80 minutes is known as a ‘seasonal attunement’, as Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that our bodies as well as our emotions change with the seasons, hence wevneed to adjust to those changes. She deals with this through acupuncture and her own specially formulated seasonal oils. I felt great immediately afterwards and my skin looks terrific. However the following day tiredness set in – odd how bodies react to various things.
But the treatment and the woman are fantastic…can’t wait until she returns to attune my creaking carcass for winter. Also the woman herself is a walking miracle – who only on a recovery
spa vibrations
This is one of the strongest therapies I have experienced anywhere – it is the Spa Bath Sound Therapy at Chiva Som. Given that we are all supposed to aim for good vibrations within our body (like everything else if the frequencies within the body become unbalanced it affects our wellbeing and stress levels), this treatment is geared to assist vibrational healing. I have had something similar before which used cymbals, singing bowls and Tibetan bells which I found deeply relaxing. However this, adminstered by a sweet man called Danchai Chernprateep – half Chinese, half Thai – was supposed to be much more rigorous. I had been warned by Pilant, my advisor throughout my stay at the spa, that she had been sick after her first treatment! Yikes, I nearly called it off as I had a two hour car journey to Bangkok the following day.
But, I didn’t, I carried on in the name of research. Indeed I found the treatment restful and relaxing and had a terrific night’s sleep that night. Woke refreshed and ready for the journey…but by the time I hit Bangkok the after effects began to catch up with me.
Whatever it had released into my system I needed to take to my bed – and missed a half day’s shopping into the bargain.
I slept straight through until the following morning – about 16 hours non-stop. I felt fine when I woke but after calling Pilant to find out whether this was usual or not…back came the reply that my body obviously needed serious rest.
Suffice to say I had a perfectly normal day and no more signs of heaviness and tiredness…but for the first time on my return to the UK I had no trace of that heaviness that accompanies jet lag.
travel wellbeing
I have got airport angst. I used to love airports, they were glitzy, glamorous and invariably the gateway to somewhere warm and wonderful or exciting and exotic. Now they fill me with dread – it’s not just the queues, the security or even the simple bad manners of many of the people working there – they are simply places to keep, herd and dehumanise us while at the same time trying to extract as much money as possibly by serving indifferent food in uncomfortable watering holes. I’m sure it’s quite different if you are cocooned in First or Business Class but the majority of us aren’t. Interesting really that most places of refuge for the frazzled traveller i.e.spas are to be found only within the Business and First Class airport lounges.
British Airways are provided by Elemis but only for up the front travellers
Emirates has a two storey spectacular in their Dubai Business Lounge (only snag here, once you get in, you have to pay for your treatments!)
The Virgin ClubHouse at Terminal 3 is possibly the best of the lot, but again only for upper class
which is why I have to applaud some of the innovations found in airports for the humble traveller. Recently I spotted a Beauty Bubble at Nice where for 10Euros you could get an express blow-dry or manicure. Munich is dotted with little Sleep pods where you for a few Euros you can have a little peace and quiet all on your own. I know Clarins has a little manicure place at Gatwick, and a few others are now offering massage chairs but give me Bangkok anytime. Here for a few bucks you can have a back and shoulder massage with a good shot of oxygen to revive you after a long, long flight.
My dream airport treatment would be a dry floatation bed – just lie down in a darkened room and let the bed take your weight for total relaxation – I wouldn’t mind the hassle if I could look forward to one of these.
hot vitality pool
I spent hours in the warm vitality pool at Espa’s spa at the Europe Hotel in Killarney just soaking up the views, the warm sunshine (Yikes! even in Ireland), while at the same time having my thighs and buttocks pulverised by the warm jets. Obviously what is good for the body is in a place like this…also good for the soul.
Managed to heave myself out of it to have a glorious wrap, scrub and massage – the Dosha Specific ayurveda inspired ritual. Funny place to choose for an Indian inspired treatment – still…it had the right effect – pure pampering and relaxation….
spa spirit
What was I saying about location? about how some places truly lift your spirits and help you feel better, easier, more relaxed even before you enter a spa. I am currently in such a place – theeuropehotel.comthe Europe Hotel in Killarney, Ireland and visiting Espa at the Europe. But before I even hit the spa the view from my room is so serene and tranquil that all thought of the journey and work evaporated. I am looking over the lakes which are still and silver in tone, but best of all they are surrounded by the blue/violet/deep green colours of the McGillycuddy Reeks, Killareney’s famous mountain range. Last night the whole scene was washed by gold as the sun set in almost clear sky, while this morning a wisp of mist just floated over the lakes – I couldn’t stop gazing at it and so before my treatment ( a two hour pamper session of scrub,wrap, massage)I just took up residence in one of the two outdoor vitality pools and while my flabby bits were being pounded by the jets, simply soaked up the scenery.