While we may well visit a spa to have our bodies pampered and relaxed, just as often we need solace for our spinning brains and over-stressed minds, which is why location can be so important. I love the silence of the desert, the wide open spaces of the bush, the sound of waves and anything at all to do with the Himalayas. However, every so often I come across a place which literally takes my breath away…one such place was the Six Senses spa at Ma’in Springs in Jordan. A short drive into the mountains from the shores of the Dead Sea takes you almost into the heart of the hills and as the road narrows and gets more and more winding you feel the world almost falling away. Before you know it you are completely surrounded by ochre and red toned crags and cliffs as you pull up in front of an old arched entry. The hotel is a fairly ordinary building but just a little behind it is a gorgeous facsimile of a small Berber fort which is the spa. It comes with its own natural pool into which hot mineral-rich water flows down the mountain side. Behind the pool is a hidden cave which is like a natural sauna. Of course there are treatment rooms for the more usual massages, wraps and facials…but it’s the pool, the water and the near-Biblical landscape that you remember.
