Destination Spa Vs. Resort Spa

Now that you’ve decided to go away for a spa break, you must choose between a destination spa and a resort spa.

Destination spas are fully equipped spas with state of the art facilities and the top practitioners in their fields offering dedicated spa retreat programmes.  The emphasis is on overall wellness with each spa specializing in a different area of expertise, a particular philosophy, or a unique location.  Most people go to destination spas for week-long programmes to kick start their health or to focus on a particular issue that can only be overcome through diet, exercise and spa treatments which are carefully constructed and calculatingly executed.  Spa purists love destination spas, but there are programmes at every spa that are also appropriate for first timers, so anyone can benefit from a spa retreat.

Resort spas are spas located at hotels or resorts for day use by guests of the resort, although some resort spas allow non-guests to book spa services. Resort spas are more common than destination spas.  The quality of the spa facilities, treatments, and practitioners can be extremely high, particularly at luxury resorts, but most resort spas focus more on pampering, relaxation, and beauty treatments than intensive wellbeing programmes meant to foster personal growth. Resort spas are popular with casual spa-goers on a holiday where the spa isn’t the main focus of their experience.

Go to a DESTINATION SPA if you want:

• A purposeful retreat to focus on the solution to a particular issue/problem.
• An adult environment.
• Personal privacy and a high degree of discretion by staff.
• To be surrounded by like minded people who provide camaraderie, inspiration, and energy.
• A supportive environment to recover from a major life event.
• An experience where it is easy to meet others and to socialize.
• To practice under experts in their fields with personal interaction.
• A pre-determined diet of spa cuisine tailored to your needs.
• To follow a particular nutritional philosophy.
• To abstain from alcohol and other toxins, sometimes including caffeine.
• Consultations with doctors, nutritionists, and instructors.
• To make a major, long-term change to your health and habits.
• Programming which includes exercise, classes, outdoor activities, lectures, and meditation.
• An all inclusive pricing plan which includes accommodation, meals, classes, and some spa treatments.

Go to a RESORT SPA if you want:

• To go to the spa while your children or travel partners do something else.
• Spa treatments as a part of your overall holiday, but not to be the main focus.
• To spend time with friends or family that you are travelling with.
• To participate in activities such as golf, tennis, and water sports that are not provided by the spa.
• To drink alcohol or caffeine.
• To eat meals outside of the spa or to not be restricted by particular diets.
• To stay in a particular hotel or location that does not offer destination spas.
• To gamble.
• To relax and rest instead of taking classes.

Many resort spas are now offering more of the services and facilities of destination spas, but they typically charge extra for these classes or activities and offer them a la carte, as they do their spa treatments.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS -

Some of my favourite world-class destination spas:

1. Canyon Ranch Tucson
2. Chiva Som
3. Kamalaya
4. SHA Wellness
5. Mii Amo at Enchantment

Some of my favourite destination spas at the moment:

1. Spa Village Tembok Bali
2. Six Senses Zighy Bay
3. Shanti Maurice
4. Fusion Maia
5. Verdura

I always book my spa getaways with Healing Holidays because I think they offer the best spa holidays to the world’s top luxury spas and their new website  is very interactive with blogs, videos, and other useful resources.

By Spa Samurai

How You Know It's Time for a Detox

Almost anyone could benefit from a cleansing detox, but for some people a detox retreat is absolutely necessary.  Here are some signs that might let you know that it is time for a serious detox:

• Do you have health issues that can’t be diagnosed by a GP?
• Do you feel tired all the time or excessively lethargic?
• Do you have stubborn weight that you just can’t seem to shed?
• Do you feel regularly bloated?
• Do you get frequent headaches?
• Do you have IBS or digestive problems?
• Do you have fertility issues?
• Do you need to balance your hormones?
• Do you have blemished skin that isn’t responding to cosmetics and medicines?
• Do you feel that you need a life changing experience to start leading a healthy lifestyle?

A detox holiday can help to permanently eliminate many of these problems not only by cleansing your system, but by preparing you with the life skills necessary to make a long term improvement to your life.

We are constantly surrounded by toxins in the air we breathe and we voluntarily fill ourselves with toxins in the foods we eat and the lifestyle choices we make.  Many people choose healthy holidays such as a detox retreat at a destination spa to feel cleansed and to lose weight, but a proper detox has far-reaching benefits that many people do not expect. A detox leaves you feeling invigorated and filled with vitality because it not only purifies your body, it relieves deep-rooted stress.

What you can expect

DIET: Most detox retreats last from 3 – 14 nights and take place at specialized destination spa  retreats.  Detox programmes consist of a specialized diet purposely formalized and personalized to your needs.  You will meet with doctors and nutritionists to discuss your medical history so that they can create a plan that addresses your problems.

EXERCISE: Detox isn’t diet alone, it involves an exercise regiment, usually including yoga to further purge the toxins from your body through intensive breathing and stretching.  The postures in most yoga workouts are designed to relieve tension in muscles as well as release repressed emotions.  Yoga also focuses on relaxation at the end of each workout, which is necessary to eliminate stress. Yoga is particularly popular for detox holidays because it combines body, mind, and spirit to leave you feeling powerful, refreshed, and hormonally balanced.

RELAXATION:  Stress relief is a big part of detoxing for a few reasons.  Stress is not only the cause of many of the problems above, but it may also be root of why we subconsciously choose to fill ourselves with toxins in our daily life through smoking, caffeine, alcohol, and an unhealthy diet.  Relaxation and pampering helps to physically eliminate toxins in the organs and muscles and can change your hormonal balance. Massages, masks, wraps, and hydrotherapy are also great ways to treat yourself during your retreat, as detox programmes can be very challenging both physically and psychologically for many people.

EDUCATION:  Through meetings, classes, and lectures  with medical professionals, specialists, instructors, and peers, you will learn the skills necessary to make a positive change in your life and maintain the progress you have made on holiday once you return home.  You will be educated in nutrition, exercise, stress management and lifestyle choices to better understand yourself and be empowered.

MY RECOMMENDATION -

I recommend a detox holiday to anyone who is looking for a wellness retreat where they can not improve their physical health, but can grow personally.  Each spa has their speciality detox retreats and there are specific detox programmes to address certain issues, so it’s best to speak to a professional who is familiar with the spas and their offerings.  Speak to Karen at Healing Holidays.  She has been on detox retreats herself and she is very helpful!

By Spa Samurai

Why Choose a Destination Spa?

Destination spas offer the ultimate in indulgence, pampering, and escapism.  There is no better way to take a break from the stresses of your job, your life, and your daily routine, than to sequester yourself in the comforts of an all inclusive environment where you don’t have anything or anyone to think about but yourself.  It is so rare that we take the time out of our busy lives to focus on ourselves, but it is absolutely essential for our physical and mental health, as well as our spiritual well being.  Regaining the balance in ourselves is the best way to reach a deeper clarity and improve productivity when we return to our daily lives.

Day spas offer a fleeting glimpse of self-improvement, but destination spas offer life-changing opportunities that you can only gain on holiday, away from the familiarity of your daily routine, when you learn to embrace the comforts of a foreign experience.  You come out the other side a new person, confident with the changes that you have seen in yourself during your retreat and equipped with the skills you need to maintain your progress.

A week-long retreat at a destination spa is a total immersion experience.  When you arrive, you are welcomed by staff that are there to take care of you and help you towards your goals.  You are surrounded by  like-minded people that  support you and inspire you by sharing their personal anecdotes.  An evaluation by a medical professional gives you a benchmark of where you are and what you need to do to reach your goals.  Regular meetings with dieticians arm you with the nutritional knowledge necessary to incorporate healthy eating into your daily life and cooking classes and lectures give you the delicious inspiration that may have been lacking.  To jumpstart your lifestyle change, the regimented spa cuisine takes all of the guesswork and temptation out of having to plan and cook your meals.  The food you eat is portion controlled and calorie controlled, but it is packed with nutrients, detoxifying, and absolutely gorgeous.  Top chefs painstakingly prepare beautifully presented cuisine according to strict dietary principles and present the dishes with the panache of a Michelin star restaurant.

Top practitioners in their fields offer personalized sessions in small groups with plenty of close interaction and opportunities to ask questions.  Although the workouts can be difficult, the training facilities are state of the art and the sessions are always engaging.  The scenery of the outdoor classes is so stunning that you are just grateful for having the opportunity to be in such a perfect, natural setting.

When you aren’t sweating it out to lose weight, relieve stress, detoxify yourself, or reach your fitness goals, you spend sunny afternoons lazing by the pool or treating yourself to pampering treatments such as massages and facials.  Unwinding and learning to let go is a big part of the destination spa experience. Finding quietness and learning to once again appreciate the stillness in the silence makes you realize how much constant noise there is in your daily life and how distracting it can be.  The tranquillity eventually leads to introspection, which lends itself to evaluating what is really important in your life.  After several days of detoxifying your body, concentrating on yourself, and being free of stress, you feel a sense of levity and clarity that is normally only reached through intense meditation.

If you are new to the world of spas or a seasoned spa aficionado, there is no better way to improve wellbeing and regain your inner harmony than taking a week to visit a destination spa.  There are some wonderfully unique retreats available at some sensational spas.

MY RECOMMENDATION - 

The experts at HealingHolidays can take care of your travel arrangements to the world’s best destination spas and help you choose the perfect spa retreat to help you reach your goals. Ask for Tracy - she has booked my last 2 spa retreats.

By Spa Samurai