Beautiful Mallorca!
Anyone who reads this blog will know that I love Spain with a passion! So I was greatly looking forward to a three night trip to beautiful Mallorca, one of the loveliest islands in the entire Mediterranean. Our EasyJet flight touched down in glorious sunshine late Friday afternoon. By the time we’d settled into our comfortable rooms at the Hotel Bon Sol Resort & Spa in Illetas, a small resort a short drive from Palma, the weather had deteriorated. Saturday was unseasonably cool and cloudy and it rained on and off for most of Sunday. Fortunately, we enjoyed warm sunshine on Monday before our flight home. Despite the inclement weather, we had a fantastic weekend, staying two nights in the charming Bon Sol and one night at the chic Hotel Tres in the centre of Palma. ...
Read MoreAutumn in Spain
We’re back in Spain for a too short week of catching up on the ‘after summer chores’ around the villa, gardening and hopefully soaking up some late autumn sun. It was raining heavily when we crept out of the house at the ghastly time of 2.30am for our early morning flight from Gatwick. With all the changes at the airport, access to the North Terminal is more difficult than ever. Gone are the days of being dropped off outside Departures with an easy walk to the check in desks – now, it’s a marathon sprint in all weathers. And inside the airport, it’s another long walk to across the Gatwick airbridge if your flight departs from the Pier 6 satellite building , which most easyJet flights to Alicante do! Apparently, the 198m air passenger bridge is the largest in...
Read MoreA 10th anniversary treat at the Elemis Day Spa
Spent a very pleasant couple of hours in the Elemis Day Spa in the heart of London’s Mayfair. I arrived late and rushed but emerged calm and refreshed after my Total Face and Body Polish treatment, one of the spa’s new face and body combination treatments. It’s hardly surprising that the flagship home of the renowned Elemis skincare brand has won a host of awards since opening 10 years ago. It’s the perfect urban retreat, a peaceful haven tucked away in a quiet courtyard, minutes from Bond Street and the bustle of the city. Just stepping inside the welcoming candle lit reception lounge is instantly becalming. Moroccan-themed treatment rooms are located on several floors and include couples suites and London’s first rasul mud chamber, while an extensive spa menu offers quality facials and body therapies, male grooming, detox programmes...
Read MoreSpanish Wellbeing
We couldn’t resist the opportunity for another short trip to Javea. The early mornings and evenings in Spain are such a magical time in summer – that wonderful light, cloudless skies, warm air and of course, the promise of more gloriously sunny days to follow. In late June and early July, the gardens are abundant with brightly coloured flowers, fruit is ripening on the trees and grapes sweetening on the vine. On one of my trips into the town, I noticed a fish spa had opened in the town – the Natural Fish Spa offers treatments for hands and feet, along with other beauty services. Fish therapy originated centuries ago in hot springs in Turkey, where being nibbled by tiny ‘Garra Rufa ‘ fish was found to improve skin disorders like psoriasis and eczema. Fish spas have been popular in the...
Read MoreJapan comes to Switzerland
Flew off to Switzerland to visit the Victoria-Jungrau Grand Hotel & Spa in Interlaken in the beautiful Bernese Oberland. I’ve been invited to experience the new Sensai Select Spa, which opened last year and offers a range of exclusive treatments that combine Japanese healing and beauty traditions incorporating the latest skin research. The Victoria-Jungfrau has long been renowned for its excellent spa, which was further enhanced in 2003 when ESPA opened a new 16-treatment room complex within the hotel and added a menu of 30 different types of treatment. Now that Sensai Select have also opened this exclusive state-of-the-art spa with six treatment rooms – guests are really spoilt for choice as far as spa treatments...
Read MoreA Trip to the New Forest
Drove down to rural Hampshire to visit Herb House – chic country house hotel Lime Wood’s fab new facility and the New Forest’s latest spa. And very impressive it is too. Airy and light and designed over three floors with a roof top herb garden and fully equipped gym (including Powerplate), ten spacious treatment rooms ( two of which are double suites with private baths for two and private steam rooms) and well-designed amenities. I was given a quick tour of the gym, work out studio and pool area and also looked around the hotel. Since opening a year ago, Regency-style Lime Wood’s stunning interiors and laid back luxury have enjoyed great acclaim. Sophie Dahl and Jamie Cullen chose Lime Wood for their winter wedding in January, since when it has become one of southern England’s most exciting new...
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