Tag Archives: Singapore

The Flavor of Swiss Spas

beau rivage 721020 The Flavor of Swiss SpasThe Flavor of Swiss Spas
by Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Fast forward from my last blog entry re Zurich and skydiving. The weather turned rainy – skydiving was cancelled – change of plans – we all got into the car and headed for Lausanne. We drove the back way over the hills so Nicholas could hear the cowbells and see some of the “real” Switzerland, with its cute homes adorned with white lace curtains and flower boxes. We made a few stops on the way and ended up at the Beau-Rivage Palace (photo to the left). Our first stop was the famous Clinique La Prairie which I found fascinating. Known for its sheep cell rejuvenation program, it warrents its own blog post which I will add tomorrow.

I was in spa-hopping-heaven. Our first experience (and according to Nicholas the best) was the very large and comprehensive spa at the Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa. It has an expansive and beautiful pool, fitness facilities with Technogym (and some cardio outside which I found a fresh touch), a Clarins beauty spa, and most impressive of all, the beautifully designed ESPA. It had a hamam and sauna, quiet relaxation room, showers with a variety of experiences, and a salt water vitality pool that began indoors, ended outdoors, and has a large variety of therapeutic Jacuzzi features.

I have blogged often about my various ESPA experiences – Park Hotel Kenmare in Ireland, Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo in Monaco, Mandarin Oriental New York, etc. Always, without exception, the therapists have been outstanding, the spa design has been unique, and always keenly tasteful. The ESPA at Victoria Jungfrau seems like another winner. There is a reason Susan Harmsworth and her ESPA company have been so successful. I must say, no one else seems to have accomplished achieving such consistent quality in design, treatments and staff training around the world. I have lost track of how many ESPA spas there are – ones they either manage, built or which use their products. I do remember Susan telling me a couple of years ago that they were in over 50 different countries. Since there are only a little over 200 countries in the entire world, that’s an amazing accomplishment!

After our Victoria Jungfrau spa experience, we stopped at the Fairmont Le Montreux Palace to visit their Willow Streamspasuite 001 zoom 784708 The Flavor of Swiss Spas Spa. Then I headed to the Lausanne Palace & Spa (photo to the right) for a tour and a meeting with their personable spa director. The next stop was the Beau-Rivage Palace, where we all had treatments in their lovely Cinq Mondes Spa. Again, all of the therapists were well trained, and I liked the way they set up their therapy area with hamam, sauna, swiss shower, and rainshower walk over wooden boards. In fact I think that the Cinq Mondes concept has come a long way since I visited one of their first spas a few years ago.

evian.royal.resort 737734 The Flavor of Swiss SpasToday we took the ferry from this side of Lake Geneva to the other side where we got off at Evian to visit the Evian Royal Resort (photo to the right). After lunch we toured this well-known facility where I noticed an entire area (almost shrine-like) proudly displaying all the various awards they have won from SpaFinder. They have been our Crystal Award Winner (Top Spa in Europe) in several of the past years. Last stop after lunch….the new buddha-bar Spa at the Hilton Evian-les-Bains.
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Touring Spas of Switzerland – First Stop, the Spa at the Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel

victoriajungfrau hotel 764206 Touring Spas of Switzerland First Stop, the Spa at the Victoria Jungfrau Grand HotelTouring Spas of Switzerland – First Stop,the Spa at Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel
by Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Landed in Zurich, rented a car and drove with Peter and his son, Nicholas, to Interlaken where we checked into the historic Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel. (It took us under two hours, which included a stop for my much anticipated first Swiss café latte.) I soon learned that the Victoria-Jungfrau was built in 1865 and used to be two hotels – one the Victoria, the other the Jungfrau. They were later connected. It appears to me that the contemporary arched space which now connects them (effective although unexpected) was also carried into the architecture of the new spa, which was added five years ago.

We are traveling through Switzerland this week as part of preparations for next May’s Global Spa Summit 2009 which will take place at this beautiful hotel. I had been to Interlaken before – with my twin sister post-high-school-graduation – and, no, we did not stay at the Victoria-Jungfrau. In fact, I don’t remember where we stayed, as our budget back then surely must have put us someplace quite forgettable. I do remember thinking that Interlaken was the most beautiful place I had ever seen! (I was 18.) I also remember that we did the full day trip up the Jungfrau and also the trip which takes you to the Shilthorn where you have drop dead gorgeous 360 degree views and where the James Bond movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” was filmed.

victoria jungfrau spa 220x342 745706 Touring Spas of Switzerland First Stop, the Spa at the Victoria Jungfrau Grand HotelThis time around I learned that Interlaken is known for more than just these Alp excursions. It is an ideal place for adventure-seekers (something I wasn’t then, nor am now). Indeed, Nicholas (who had done his internet research before our trip) was already signed up for sky diving! It all sounded so outrageous when he first told us about it back in New York, but when we got here and stood on our balcony overlooking the park where we saw a bunch of paragliders land in front of our hotel room, it kind of went with the territory.

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Successful Spa Sleep-Health Program Leads to Scheduling Many More

Successful Spa Sleep-Health Program Leads to Scheduling Many More

by Susie Ellis
SpaFinder Insider

When I was at the Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat in Australia at the end of July, I was thrilled to see that they had planned a specialty “Sleep Discovery Week” for September. Gwinganna really impressed me in terms of how forward-thinking thehypno sleep 793432 Successful Spa Sleep Health Program Leads to Scheduling Many Morey are, and seeing this “sleep intensive” was another example. I asked Sharon Kolkka, the General Manager, to please let me know how the sleep week goes. Since sleep health was a spa trend SpaFinder predicted two years ago (before almost any spa had it as part of their curriculum) it has been especially gratifying for me to see sleep programs pop up at different spas across the country. This one in Australia, however, was one of the first full immersion sleep programs I have come across outside of the U.S.
Yesterday, I received this email from Sharon with her post Sleep Discovery Week report and wanted to share it with you. I think you will enjoy hearing it in her own words. My kudos to Sharon for blazing trails once again.
Dear Susie,
Just wanted to touch base with you regarding our sleep retreat, we loved it and so did our guests.

In a nut shell it was a huge success, we had 43 guests and one person from the media. It seems that about 1/3 came specifically for the sleep information and have never been to a retreat or spa previously, many of them brought a support person. About 10 guests came because that was the date that suited and the rest were return guests interested to see what they could learn about improving sleep.

The workshops covered the science of sleep, the body clock and the significance of the hormonal cycle as a result of this clock. The impact of the liver and detox on sleep, nutrient absorption and its relevance to sleep, what amino acids promoted sleep and in what foods they are found. The impact of light and dark on the hypothalamus, the effect of electromagnetic fields in the bedroom, the art of rituals and of course stress and the biochemistry of cortisol. We also covered the support systems such as herbs and aromatherapy and a lot more!

We encouraged guests to stop their sleeping tablets whilst staying with us and replaced this with a natural product and offered herbs for support, of course encouraged early rise and meditation. In short we had a ball and the feedback was sensational. We also asked them to continue to look for improvements over the next 3 months rather than expecting a quick fix.

This week, Tracy has received flowers from the media contact [for the first time] thanking her and a note suggesting she is sleeping better than she had in years. We have received many thank you notes, one of them from a husband who is demanding to know what we have done as his wife, is sound asleep by 10pm and stays that way and he has not seen her do that since the death of her father 2 years ago.

I know I don’t need to tell you how rewarding this is, this is what we in retreats truly live for to make a difference. So we have put two more Sleep Discovery programs on our dates from January to April and hope to offer this program at least 4-5 times a year.

Thank you for all the support that you offered with the information you supplied, wish you could have been here I think you would have enjoyed the vibe.

Warmest always

Sharon

Sharon Kolkka
General Manager
Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat

192 Syndicate Rd
Tallebudgera Valley Q 4228
Australia
Tel: +61 7 5589 5000
Fax: +61 7 55338378
www.gwinganna.com
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If you wish to be put on a list that automatically sends my blog posts to your email, just let dulcy.gregory@spafinder.com know and she will add you to that list. Thanks so much!