Let’s face it, 2020 wasn’t the most relaxing year for most of us, and if you’re anything like me, it was probably a big shock to the system being unable to travel to see loved ones or unwind and explore a new environment.
The team at Dormu hopes 2021 will see everyone safe and healthy, and once we’re able to travel freely, it’s (certainly) time for everyone to seriously pamper themselves!
With that in mind, and in no particular order, here are my top 8 recommendations for spa resorts to visit as the nomadic nature of humans returns.
Ananda In The Himalayas - Uttarakhand, India
Ananda In The Himalayas is a stunning destination spa in a Himalayan mountain state, overlooking the river Ganges… need I go on?
Today, it is considered one of the best spas in the world and rated No. 1 destination spa in 2020. It’s no surprise that ‘ananda’ means bliss in Sanskrit. Hotelier Ashok Khanna and his wife Neelam spent a decade searching for a location that would facilitate their message: “each of us can achieve wellbeing if we are given the right tools and space”.
The Ananda offers 5-to-21 day programmes, ranging from active fitness and weight loss to stress management, with a focus on helping you make a lasting change.
Aro Ha Wellness Retreat - Glenorchy, New Zealand
Every programme and treatment at Aro Ha is designed to regenerate your body and mind. Your entire stay is tailored to fundamentally transform your physical and emotional health through positive daily habits.
You probably know by now that the team at Dormu are very fond of switching off from technology, and at Aro Ha this is a key focus through mindfulness and healing bodywork to renew awareness and reconnect you to nature.
And if that wasn’t enough, Aro Ha is an eco-friendly wellness retreat that is at one with its environment through on-site power generation, solar hot water, permaculture fields and on-site waste water treatment.
aro-ha.com
One of Ubud's most sought after escapes, the COMO Shambhala Estate is frequented by celebrities, politicians and wellness enthusiasts to reconnect with nature and experience programmes designed around cleansing, exercise and Ayurvedic principles.
The Shambhala Estate has a natural and minimal design, seamlessly integrating into the environment surrounding it. Your wellness journey starts as soon as you enter the resort and what makes it a must-visit is that one of Bali's eight sacred natural springs, from which water is drawn to use in all the spa treatments, is located on the estate itself.
One visitor, a renowned tea master, proclaimed this water to be the purest he's seen in the world!
comohotels.com/en/comoshambhalaestate
No spa list would be complete without a nod to the Maldives, and the new 5 star deluxe all inclusive resort Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa does the archipelago proud. Emerald Maldives offers a luxurious experience that sees you enjoying sports, diving, spotting the diverse wildlife on boat tours in the bluest water you’ve possibly ever seen… has it been 5 minutes, or 5 hours?
As long as you avoid over-indulging on alcohol, you’ll have no trouble falling asleep naturally and getting high quality sleep at that.
Visiting Domaine des Etangs is like entering a real-life fairy tale. There are turrets, towers, meadows and mills, and a story just waiting to be told in every corner of the 11th-century chateau. Try the Vénus room for its giant bathroom, or the Saturne for its fireplace and tower which showcases the glass roof.
The Moulin des Etangs spa makes use of its spectacular setting and uses the resources available to deliver incredible treatments. Heritage equipment from the mill is used to produce nut oil, garden plants are used both fresh and dried in compresses, ground wheat is used in body scrubs and Charentes salt enhances the footbaths.
Committed to a sustainable future, Chablé Yucatán strives to protect and preserve natural resources to reduce our environmental impact. Protecting endangered species, promoting native plant restoration projects and anti-straw programs, and encouraging the reduction of plastic use. If this doesn’t sound like the perfect opportunity to unwind and reconnect with Mother Nature, then I have no idea what is.
Voted in the top 5 International Spas 2020, Chablé Yucatán is located in remote rural Yucatán, true escapism from the stress of the city. This resort is best for those who need a little isolation in luxurious surroundings. The star-lit night sky is a memory that will stay with you long after you leave.
Adare Manor has been voted "Ireland's Leading Hotel" at the World Travel Awards three years running. If you’re into stunning architecture you won’t be disappointed, the manor house is a neo-Gothic architectural masterpiece with beautiful Georgian-style furnishings that you’d expect from a five-star location.
The spa at Adare Manor offers a range of treatments inspired by ancient Celtic Wisdom and its Ogham alphabet. Each symbol in the Ogham alphabet relates to a tree and this connection to nature forms the basis of each treatment. Adare say it best themselves, each treatment is “about finding peace and wholeness within ourselves”.
The oldest hotel in St. Moritz, often imitated but never duplicated, Kulm Hotel St. Moritz is the definition of a winter wonderland. It was built on a reputation of entertaining royalty and movie stars and definitely the location to go all-out.
Their 2,000 sqm spa offers stunning views overlooking the lake, mountains and forests that at times look too good to be true. Apart from the spa treatments on offer, they also boast a state-of-the-art infrared room to soothe inflamed joints and muscles – which is ideal if you’re an avid skier and love to hit the slopes.
