Spa News
I had three interesting meetings up in London this week, all relating to new spa developments, which seem to be continuing apace despite the economic slowdown.
On Monday I heard about the Parkhotel, at Igls in Austria – which reopens this autumn following an extensive refurbishment. This is a medical spa offering prescribed programmes of modern Mayr medicine – similar to Viva Mayr. White coat holidays, as medical spa stays are sometimes called, are growing in popularity as their positive effects on health and wellbeing become better known.
On Tuesday, I enjoyed a business lunch at the Caesar Hotel, courtesy of Prestige Hotels of the World. We had an interesting presentation of 20 or so consortium’s members – all individual city and resort hotels in Europe and around the world.
I was particularly interested to hear about the fantastic new spa at the Sport Hotel Hermitage and Spa at Soldeu in Andorra. This is the largest Wellness and Spa centre of its kind in Europe and is situated in the mountains at the foot of the ski slopes.
The Hotel Peralada Wine Spa and Golf is also on my ‘must review in the future’ list. Located just 30 mins by road from Girona and 90 mins from Barcelona, the spa treatments include vinotherapy with products made from local grapes.
The afternoon ended with a meeting with the Kempinski hotels. Kempinski have long been one of my favourite hotel groups, and have opened up many fascinating new properties in 2009 – including their first Safari Lodge with an Anantara Spa in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.