As pleasing to the eye as they are to the mind, body and soul, AnOther spotlights the most exquisite places to be pampered around the globe
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever,” once mused Keats, and we – eternal fans of the spiritually and aesthetically pleasing – are inclined to agree. With that in mind, AnOther has selected seven of the most lavish, luxurious and utterly beautiful establishments dedicated to health and wellness, from around the world – ranging from an art deco-inspired public bath complex in Budapest, to the extraordinarily opulent Greenbrier in West Virginia.
La Mamounia, Marrakech
Marrakech’s esteemed Hotel La Mamounia, set in an 18th century royal garden which was originally offered by Sultan Mohammed III to his son Prince Moulay Mamoun, is exceptionally well placed. Unsurprisingly, given the Hispano-Mouresque structure’s past, the site is rich with historical resonance; the pathways are lined with 700-year-old olive trees, the buildings’ Moorish influences were recently restored by French architect Jacques Garcia, and the 20 acres of grounds brim with herbs and plants utilised by the resident hotel’s chefs in the kitchen.
At the heart of it all, the Mamounia spa, all 27,000 square feet of which is dedicated to decadence, fuses Moroccan and Eastern culture to the utmost degree, to create an idyllic and peaceful retreat. Upon arrival, for example, guests are greeted with the traditionally Moroccan welcome of a cool glass of sweet almond milk and a platter of tender dates, while treatments in the ornate marble and mosaic spa place Shiseido products on an equal footing with the traditional hot stone massage. Guests are encouraged to take walks in the palatial gardens, which sit facing the Atlas mountains and bathed in quiet, with only the occasional distant peal of a prayer call to remind you that the hustle and bustle of Marrakech's medina is, after all, not far away.
Gellért Thermal Bath, Hungary
If you appreciate an art deco touch you’ll be very much at home in the Gellért Thermal Baths and Swimming Pool, a complex of ornate public pools developed in Budapest in the early 20th century, and supplied by the healing waters which have bubbled up at the site since the 1200s. The water in the baths originates from the Gellért hill’s mineral hot springs, containing calcium, magnesium, various alkalis and sulfates, and, before its most recent employment, was used both by knights, and later, by Turks, during the rule of the Ottoman empire. Most exciting, however, is the famous art deco glass ceiling and gallery, both of which have been preserved regularly since the building’s partial destruction during the second world war; it floods the rippling water below in a soft golden light, casting a nostalgic warmth upon the decorative tile work below.
The main hall is free to enter, but modest prices allow entry to a further ten pools of various sizes and temperatures – from saunas and icy cold plunge pools to an outdoor wave pool and an effervescent swimming bath. A wide variety of massages are also on offer, to complete the experience; try a tub bath with herbs to truly make the most of the mineral water’s healing properties, or if you’re feeling particularly luxurious, the 30 minute-long Cleopatra Bath is an especially tempting offer.
La Grande Mosquée de Paris
Located in Paris’ fifth arrondissement with its back to the luscious Jardin des Plantes, Paris’ Great Mosque is one of the finest hidden gems the French capital has to offer. The mosque was initially founded in 1926 as a token of thanks from France’s colonial empire to the French Muslims who lost their lives fighting in the First World War. Tucked in amongst the building’s stunning tiled minaret and scholarly prayer rooms, however, is a domed hammam built in the mudéjar style which offers an authentic Moroccan experience – from steambaths and saunas to the traditional gommage, a thorough and reinvigorating exfoliation ritual which many Moroccans use once a week – in a perfectly fairytale environment. If you’re not in the market for a scrub, enjoy a sweet peppermint tea and some baklava from the Salon de Thé atop a blue and white mosaic table in the green courtyard, and take in the serenity of the surroundings. It's impeccable.
Espace Henri Chenot, Palace Merano, Italy
A favourite of Pavarotti, who reportedly had to be forcibly weaned from his diet of pasta on arrival, the Espace Henri Chenot at the Palace Merano, developed by the esteemed acupuncturist and intuitive dietician the space is named after, promises a truly cleansing combination of detox and aromatherapy to allow visitors a veritable rest from the toxins and digestive troubles everyday life can create. The menu includes items tailored to aid ailments such as osteoporosis, food intolerances and simple stress-induced conditions, from hydrotherapy and cupping massages to circulatory treatments, all of which are accompanied by a bio-light menu.
If that doesn’t sound too appealing, the décor makes up for lack of culinary charm; the gleaming halls of the establishment are lined with marble, orchids and sofas of papal grandeur, while the town is situated in a basin, creating a surreal green centre-point surrounded by the snow-capped Dolomite Mountains. Both restorative and relaxing, the hotel is a vision of luxury in the most traditional sense.
The Greenbrier, West Virginia, USA
Given the self-administered moniker ‘American’s Resort’, you can rest assured that The Greenbrier, a spa and hotel which was built close to a sulphur spring in the Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia in 1858, is a suitably all-star retreat. Its entrance – a huge, white-columned façade introduced by an immaculately preened lawn so long as to give the impression of the Palace of Versailles – only hints at the marvels within: crystal chandeliers, adorable kitsch upholstery, an atrium populated by a water feature in a huge shell which changes colour with the lightshow underneath it, and an elegantly ruched ceiling suspended over the turquoise swimming pool. Divine!
Indeed, the spa does suggest an ideal venue for an elaborate televised murder mystery – all pale pink pleated lampshades and gold gilded edges – but that only serves to make it more fabulous. The treatments centre around the restorative properties of the water at the establishment’s heart – its signature rejuvenating shower treatments and detoxifying botanical mud wraps allow the earth to purify the body naturally, while many of the facial and hand-and-foot-focused treatments both begin and end in the bath room. The hotel has grown significantly since its foundation, however, so it’s worth paying a visit to the cinema complex, entertainment suites, and partaking of the myriad activities on offer as well as focusing on beautification.
Fascinatingly, the hotel is almost perched atop an enormous underground bunker which was intended to serve as an emergency shelter for the United States Congress during the Cold War, during which time it was nicknamed ‘Project Greek Island’.
Como Shambhala, Bali
In ancient Buddhist texts the word ‘shambhala’ refers to a sacred place of bliss, and if that doesn’t create some inkling of the overwhelming aura of calm to be found at the Como resort of the same name, located on a Balinese jungle-covered riverbank, nothing will. The spa promotes holistic wellness through its own unique programme, composed of a careful combination of modern science and ancient healing, and the building itself is surrounded by tropical greenery, creating a perfectly enveloped spot in which to soothe, relax and revive oneself.
Particularly spectacular features include a series of thatched pavilions, an infinity pool which allows guests to gaze out across the Ubud jungle, and a six-tonne craved stone bath, surrounded by vegetation, while many of the spa’s singular treatments take place in delightful floating treatment rooms. Add to this a tailored menu of energy-giving cuisine and the low-key Bali-lux décor, and the Shambhala resort creates a spa experience like no other.
The Cloister at Sea Island, Georgia, USA
What better place to reclaim a little privacy than Sea Island resort, located in the Golden Isles of Georgia? Sea Island offers a variety of accommodations, including The Cloister, an inexorably lavish establishment characterised by – as described by the hotel – “generations of discriminating guests” – in which luxury is believed to be just as important as health.
Personalisation is the focus throughout the gentile spa facility, which itself is a 65,000 square foot sanctuary, and offers a comprehensive range of treatments ranging from deep tissue massages and rejuvenating facials to exercises in a dedicated performance therapy suite. The equal pairing of wellness and luxury allows guests to develop a new health regimen, and receive cleansing treatments, but also to enjoy a glass of wine and some fine chocolates on a balcony beneath the Georgia sun.
