Be it sacred Japanese onsen, retreats in the African wilderness, or medical spas, these 10 Relais & Châteaux members offer you much more than treatments: They are wellbeing sanctuaries for restoring body and soul.
WATERS OF WISDOM
BENIYA MUKAYU, Kaga-shi, Japan
As legend has it, hot springs – “onsen” in Japanese – have been part of Japanese culture for nearly 3,000 years. Soaking in mineral-rich waters is part of everyday life there. In Ishikawa prefecture, on the sacred hill of the Yakushiyama – “Healing Buddha’s Mountain”, once home to Zen monks – sits Beniya Mukayu. The treatments offered in its Spa Entei are inspired by local healing traditions of Zen monks, particularly the Yakushiyama Treatment that combines hot spring water with medicinal herbs. Each room features a private hot spring bath, and two communal baths are also available.
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
L’ALBERETA , Erbusco, Italy
L’Albereta, set amidst the Franciacorta vineyards in Lombardy is the only Italian location which offers a Chenot Espace, a cutting-edge medical centre. The 2,000 sqm medical spa comprises a medical department for consultations and diagnostic tests, private cabins for treatments, a floor dedicated to hydro-treatments, indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, steam bath and fitness centre. The method promotes a healthier lifestyle designed to enable you to stay fit and healthy for as long as possible. The promise is fulfilled through a team of fifty staff working in the renovated spaces dedicated to new diagnostic programs and tests designed to strengthen our body’s ability to regenerate itself. Programmes can range from three to seven days and are complemented by the detoxifying Chenot Diet®.
NATURAL WONDERS
LA CHENEAUDIÈRE – HOTEL SPA 5*, Colroy-la-Roche, France
You would be hard-pressed to find a more complete spa experience than the Nature-Spa at the five-star La Cheneaudière Hôtel & Spa. The amenities list is long: indoor and outdoor swimming pools heated in summer and winter, a natural swimming pool filtered by mountain plants, a Nordic bath, saunas and hammams at various temperatures. There is also a full spa treatment menu offering massages of every kind, a program to improve your sleep, and even a flotarium – a swimming pool rich with Epsom salts in which you float weightlessly in a cocoon of comfort. This Alsatian temple of wellbeing, run by the same family since 1974, spans 27,000 square feet to offer something for everyone.
KID-FRIENDLY
HOTEL DOLLENBERG, Bad Peterstal - Griesbach, Germany
With 70,000 square feet of wellbeing space and a sparkling mountain lake, Dollenberg invites you to a wholly immersive experience in a spacious setting surrounded by the Black Forest. There is something for everyone: spa treatments using local products, like Black Forest honey wraps, as well as massages from around the world and chocolate treatments for the young at heart. Guests can consult two physicians to establish alternative treatments for chronic pain or age-fighting.
IRISH WOODLANDS
BALLYNAHINCH CASTLE, Co. Galway, Ireland
The Connemara region on Ireland’s west coast is the ideal destination for those who love the great outdoors. There, Ballynahinch Castle, set on the banks of a river, looks and feels just like a mystical fairytale. Two new woodlands sauna cabins are secluded on the shores of the lake, here you can relax while drinking in views of the verdant surroundings before taking a dip in those crystal-clear waters. Once back on land, take a stroll through the ancient woods to complete this totally unique experience.
DESERT INCLUDED
MII AMO, Sedona, AZ, United States
Mii amo is renowned as one of the premier spa destinations in the United States. Tucked away in the desert of Sedona, Arizona, this sanctuary features 26 treatment rooms, 23 casitas and a dazzling array of signature spa therapies. Set in the heart of a sacred canyon, guests can indulge in treatments inspired by the natural elements of the surrounding environment. Offerings include sound and light therapies, sessions to reconnect with your inner self, Reiki and hypnosis, or full-moon massages. ANCIENT AROMATHERAPY MASLINA RESORT, Stari Grad, Croatia Croatia’s Hvar Island has been known since 1868 as a “healing” site for those with lung ailments, as it is blessed with cleansing sea air and a wide variety of medicinal plants. A stay on this island sanctuary is the best way to experience its treasures. The spa at Maslina has a superb menu of aromatherapy options sourced from nearly 600 plants, some of which are harvested directly from the property’s botanical garden. Three- or four-day retreats are available in addition to spa treatments to detoxify the body or rediscover healthy sleep habits.
ANCIENT AROMATHERAPY
MASLINA RESORT, STARI GRAD, CROATIA
Croatia’s Hvar Island has been known since 1868 as a “healing” site for those with lung ailments, as it is blessed with cleansing sea air and a wide variety of medicinal plants. A stay on this island sanctuary is the best way to experience its treasures. The spa at the Relais & Châteaux Maslina has a superb menu of aromatherapy options sourced from nearly 600 plants, some of which are harvested directly from the property’s botanical garden. Three- or four-day retreats are available in addition to spa treatments to detoxify the body or rediscover healthy sleep habits.
ORGANIC TREATMENTS
FINCA LA DONAIRA, Montecorto, Spain
Finca La Donaira, deep in the hills of Andalusia, is a paradise for horse lovers, as they can take dressage courses here, but the property also has a spa that makes it an incredible place for recharging mentally and physically. Body and facial treatments are prepared with natural ingredients from the property’s organic farm. Or opt for meditation sessions to realign your chakras, try Kundalini and Pranayama breathwork, and nourish yourself with Shirin Yoku, a Japanese meditation practice, all surrounded by the exquisite natural Andalusian landscape.
REGENERATIVE NATURE
LONDOLOZI GAME RESERVE, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Reconnect with yourself and your loved ones by spending time in untouched nature: This is what Londolozi Game Reserve offers on the edge of South Africa’s Greater Kruger National Park. Inside its Healing House, experience a range of treatments incorporating wild plants as you are pampered outdoors beneath the starry African sky. The lodge specializes in wellness safaris with five-day retreats and a unique coaching program in direct contact with the surrounding world of wild animals.
THE RITE OF SPRINGS
LES PRÉS D’EUGÉNIE – MAISON GUÉRARD, Eugénie-les-Bains, France
Eugénie-les-Bain is a spa town in southwest France boasting ancient, mineral-rich hot springs. Set in bucolic surroundings, La Ferme Thermale spa at Les Prés d’Eugénie - Maison Guérard is blessed with thermal waters from sources dating back more than 18,000 years. The Eugénie “method” is based on gourmet and diet-sensitive cuisine and provides natural treatments that can be coupled with personalized exercise plans and medical monitoring, if desired. Exclusive spa experiences are available, such as the weightless kaolin bath that wraps you in comfort or hot steam baths infused with medicinal plants.
