For gold-standard skincare
SANTA MARINA GINKO SPA, MYKONOS, GREECE
By Jackie Annesley, editor
Dr Yannis Alexandrides is wearing his brand’s signature black stick-on eye masks under his sunglasses and sipping water. Half an hour before, I watched him catch the last rays of summer, but here he is, freshly showered, his 55-year-old face remarkably lineless.
A ‘small amount’ of sun is fine, he says, but ‘heal, hydrate, protect’ is the mantra of this London plastic surgeon. ‘There’s more demand than ever,’ he adds, but prevention is better than surgery when it comes to rejuvenating inelastic, lined skin.
We should all have been wearing SPF50 since our 20s. I nod while a voice in my head shrieks ‘eek!’ Yannis and his wife Eva launched their 111Skin brand 11 years ago, introduced it to the Santa Marina Hotel spa in 2019 and are preparing to add suncare to their range of 60-plus products.
In the harsh light of late afternoon, I peer closer at the doc’s glossy skin. I daren’t ask him what he’d do with a scalpel on mine. Not that he has time. A plane awaits, as do more faces and boobs to tweak back in London. As soon as he’s gone, the factor 50 is on. Pronto.
Scientifically led products in a spa that’s all turquoise terrazzo tiles, stepping stones and gurgling water features, with a view of the Aegean Sea – no windowless dungeon here
Sell it to me in a sentence
Scientifically led products in a spa that’s all turquoise terrazzo tiles, stepping stones and gurgling water features, with a view of the Aegean Sea – no windowless dungeon here.
Perfect moment
Swimming in the thin light of dawn off the hotel’s beach. At dusk it resembles a sheltered Arcadian sea pool.
Treatment to try
De-puffing Cryo Facial with Cryo Machine – an 80-minute gymnastic workout for the skin. All you have to do is close your eyes.
The crowd
With chef Jason Atherton sorting the menu, a Buddha Bar on the beach (if you don’t love dance music, this may not be for you) and some of Mykonos’s finest clubs a 15-minute speedboat ride away, it attracts mostly tech millionaires and footballers.
Hit me with the cost
This level of luxe isn’t cheap. Buy that lottery ticket now. Rooms from around £500 a night, santa-marina.gr
For kicking back in rugged wilderness
CAMERON HOUSE, LOCK LOMOND, SCOTLAND
By Anna Pursglove, features director
Cameron House is deceptive because – despite looking like the set of a Tolkien movie – it’s only 40 minutes from Glasgow
Cameron House is built around a 17th-century baronial mansion on the shores of Loch Lomond. Living in Scotland, Mr P and I sometimes fancy ourselves immune to the charms of the Highlands, but it’s hard to remain unmoved when waking up in a luxury suite a stone’s throw (and I mean that literally) from the waters of the loch. Add in the mountains of the Trossachs National Park as a backdrop – plus a rainbow which obligingly appeared as we threw open the balcony doors – and, well, turns out we’re not immune. Don’t forget to book a ride in the hotel’s sea plane or a trip in a kayak, although there’s plenty of room for all water sports – the loch is Britain’s largest inland stretch of water at over 36km long.
Sell it to me in a sentence
Cameron House is deceptive because – despite looking like the set of a Tolkien movie – it’s only 40 minutes from Glasgow. So you can pretend you’ve strayed into Middle Earth (albeit a five-star version) but still make the late train home.
Perfect moment
Settling down in the grand drawing room to try out Cameron House’s afternoon tea (prebooking advised). We made a valiant attempt to try all the blends on the menu. Standouts: the fruity-spicy Highland Whisky and the apple-cranberry Cloud Catcher.
Treatment to try
The Rasul Mud Chamber experience, washed off in our own private spa bath. We then headed for the heated rooftop pool where we watched a storm roll in across the mountains. Magical.
The crowd
An eclectic mix of Central Belt hipsters plus enthusiastically tartan-clad Americans (who have invariably discovered their Scottish ancestry).
Hit me with the cost
Rooms from £330 a night, inclusive of a signature cocktail on arrival, cameronhouse.co.uk
For cold-water fanatics
BEAVERBROOK HOTEL AND SPA, LEATHERHEAD, SURREY
By Stephanie Sofokleous, senior fashion assistant
Being submerged in sub-zero temperatures aside, the spa delivers unadulterated decadence in a serene setting
Holding your breath and plunging into an ice bath may not sound like the most indulgent of treats, but this isn’t your average spa day.
The Wim Hof (aka the Ice Man) workshop follows Hof’s three pillars: breathing, cold exposure and commitment. First up, along with four other spa-goers, I was taught the intense-breathing practice of sharp inhales, relaxed exhales and breath holds – which we lengthened with each round until we were amazed to discover we’d learnt how to hold our breath for two minutes.
Most of us saw beautiful flashing colours and felt tingling in our extremities, others felt cold and a weightlessness in their arms. Altogether we felt lighter, brighter and ready for what was coming next: a private courtyard with a roll-top bath filled with ice. We took turns lowering ourselves in until we were up to our shoulders in freezing water, and we sat for two minutes. Committing to the breathing practice I’d just learnt was a serene experience, but the icy chill felt like needles all over my body,
Sell it to me in a sentence
Being submerged in sub-zero temperatures aside, the spa delivers unadulterated decadence in a serene setting. The whole place is designed to make life bliss, down to the buggies to transport you around the grounds.
Perfect moment
Waking up early for a swim in the heated outdoor pool, as the mist was lifting over the Surrey Hills.
Treatment to try
If you’re looking for something less intense than a dunk in icy water, go for the Wonderful Woman spa experience, which includes a full-body exfoliation, 90-minute facial, massage and, lastly, a glass of champagne.
The crowd
Fifty-something locals and Lycra-clad yoga mums.
Hit me with the cost
Rooms from £630; Wim Hof workshop from £250, including lunch and access to the spa, beaverbrook.co.uk/spa
For dog lovers
ELLENBOROUGH PARK HOTEL AND SPA, CHELTENHAM, GLOUCESTERSHIRE
By Luisa Avietti, deputy picture editor
Ellenborough Park doesn’t just allow dogs into the hotel – it positively makes them feel like VIPs, with a friendly welcome and doggie treats at the ready
I booked a spa weekend over Bonfire Night because my miniature poodle Bruce gets anxious at this time of year – and pulling up to this grand 16th-century estate, set within 90-acre grounds and in view of Cheltenham’s famous racecourse, proved the perfect distraction.
Ellenborough Park doesn’t just allow dogs into the hotel – it positively makes them feel like VIPs, with a friendly welcome and doggie treats at the ready. I may have had a four-poster bed, but Bruce got his very own sofa. The room also had a secure private garden space, so I could leave him while I enjoyed the spa – a deliciously fragranced hideaway indoors and heated pool outdoors. I’ve never known such a stress-free Fifth of November.
Sell it to me in a sentence
A game-changer for anyone who yearns for a minibreak but can’t bear to leave their pooch behind.
Perfect moment
Dinner at the Horse Box Brasserie was the indulgent end to a relaxing day: tasty British fare, delicious cocktails and, for my spoilt pup, a dog menu. Bruce even popped on his bow tie and thoroughly enjoyed his ‘bark burger’ and special dog brew.
Treatment to try
The Couture Touch, which is a 55-minute Elemis facial with a neck, shoulder and back massage. So my tired skin and achy muscles both got some TLC.
The crowd
Four-legged, waggy-tailed and furry.
Hit me with the cost
Rooms from £259, ellenboroughpark.com
For feeling on top of the world
ALPINA DOLOMITES, SOUTH TYROL, ITALY
By Amy Hanbidge, senior designer
Here on the slopes of Alpe di Siusi (Europe’s highest mountain meadow), the focus is on making the most of the hills
Just the sight of the Dolomite Mountains is enough to make you forget your worries: snow-capped peaks looming over tumbling green hills, the sound of cowbells echoing – this is like something out of The Sound of Music. By contrast, the family-run Alpina Dolomites hotel and spa looks like a Bond villain’s lair – all concrete edges and low lighting – but the atmosphere inside is welcoming, right from the prosecco I’m offered on arrival.
Just breathing in that magical Alpine air from my (huge) room terrace feels like the reset I needed. Here on the slopes of Alpe di Siusi (Europe’s highest mountain meadow), the focus is on making the most of the hills. Guests head for hikes in the summer or strap on skis in winter (the hotel is ski-in), before soothing their aching muscles in the new Asian-inspired spa, Como Shambhala.
Sell it to me in a sentence
Normally I spend my weekends clubbing with friends, but after a four-hour hike followed by a massage so good it nearly put me to sleep, I was questioning my life choices.
Perfect moment
Swimming in the panoramic outdoor pool as steam swirled around me and clouds hung low overhead.
Treatment to try
The Deep Tissue Massage aims to increase blood flow so that muscles can operate at full capacity. And it will have your legs raring for another day on the slopes.
The crowd
Keen walkers ready to switch off and embrace wholesome mountain life – there’s no bar-hopping up here.
Hit me with the cost
Scott Dunn offers a seven-night itinerary from £2,780 per person, including stays at Alpina Dolomites and Gardena Grödnerhof hotels, plus return flights, scottdunn.com
For frazzled parents
THE PELIGONI CLUB, ZAKYNTHOS, GREECE
By Natasha Tomalin-Hall, creative director
There are two crèches on site, fully equipped with toys, a sleeping area and a separate playroom with an outdoor playground
If you have ever attempted a holiday with a two-year-old, you’ll know that it is anything but relaxing: same chaos, different postcode. This place, however, is a revelation. It’s a beach club and spa set in a hillside overlooking the Ionian Sea.
There are two crèches on site, fully equipped with toys, a sleeping area and a separate playroom with an outdoor playground. Which meant our son happily went off to join the very enthusiastic staff and his new holiday pals every day, while his exhausted parents headed, guilt-free, to the secluded boutique-style spa.
Sell it to me in a sentence
The crèche facilities are open from 9am to 6pm. Every. Single. Day. Need I say more?
Perfect moment
Finishing my spa treatment and going for a dip in the sparkling sea.
Treatment to try
The Dermalogica Pro Firm Signature facial – probably one of the best I’ve had. It consisted of facial massage and firming techniques, combined with retexturing and replenishing potions that left my skin feeling visibly tighter and very much brighter. Peligoni also runs a wellness week every May called Pace where you can indulge in all the spa treatments, yoga and meditation that you can cram into your stay. Hooray!
The crowd
Tired parents in much need of some R and R.
Hit me with the cost
Villas from £500 a week; club membership from £250 a week, Pace wellness week £400, peligoni.com
For the original health and beauty retreat
CHAMPNEYS, TRING, HERTFORDSHIRE
By Lindsay Frankel, deputy editor
Opened in 1925, the Tring resort was the first of what are now six Champneys locations
Long before Instagram spawned 100 million (rough estimate) spa influencers, there was Champneys, the original ‘health farm’.
Opened in 1925, the Tring resort was the first of what are now six Champneys locations. At the sprawling spa, set around this former Rothschild-owned estate, you can sign up for anything from a diet and fitness bootcamp to relaxing massages and five-star beautifying. As a day guest, I opted for a total chill-out – mooching from hydro pool to steam room to heated waterbed in the relaxation rooms.
Sell it to me in a sentence
The ultimate 360 beauty and wellness emporium.
Perfect moment
Being alone in the outdoor Jacuzzi – warm bubbles from the neck down, above the surface breathing in the minus-one-degree country air – was a proper zen-out experience.
Treatment to try
‘Can you remove all the ‘London’ from my face?’ I asked my therapist. Miraculously she understood what I meant and prescribed the Champneys Jade Contouring Facial. For 50 heavenly minutes she massaged out the tension pain in my jaw and evened out my stressed, pollution-laden skin with cooled jade gua sha stones. The treatment even includes hot moisturising gloves which restored my age- and RSI-ravaged hands.
The crowd
No poseurs or hipsters here – simply chilled-out, robe-clad couples of all ages and groups of female friends.
Hit me with the cost
A day starts from £99 and a stay starts from £173; for Tring a day starts from £159 and stay from £240, champneys.com
For 50s glamour meets 21st-century treatments
BÜRGENSTOCK RESORT AND SPA, LAKE LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND
By Cath Sheargold, sub editor
The views – Lake Lucerne on one side, the Alps on the other – are enough to restore and revive. But the resort, perched on a cloud-piercing ridge with three hotels and seven restaurants and bars, takes you to another level
Audrey Hepburn got married here in 1954; Sophia Loren came to visit and stayed for 13 years. From Sean Connery (he filmed Goldfinger here) to Yul Brynner, the great, the good and those of us in search of mountain-high luxury and clear air have been coming to Bürgenstock Resort in Switzerland for over a century.
The views – Lake Lucerne on one side, the Alps on the other – are enough to restore and revive. But the resort, perched on a cloud-piercing ridge with three hotels and seven restaurants and bars, takes you to another level. As does the spa. There are saunas, steam rooms (I loved the peppermint-fragranced one), pools, treatments and relaxation areas to cater for every pampering whim. At the hotel, my room – with its enormous picture windows – was the ultimate in five-star opulence. There was even a doggy bed for my French bulldog Hugo. If you can, arrange to make a Bond-style entrance from Lucerne across the lake on the hotel’s sleek white catamaran, then a funicular ride up the 950-metre ridge takes you virtually straight into the lobby.
Sell it to me in a sentence
A mountain-top luxury escape that combines modern glamour with 150 years of history.
Perfect moment
Relaxing in the heated outdoor infinity pool that seems to float above the lake. I was there on a winter weekend – tired after a long drive – so sitting (yes, it even has seats!) in 35-degree muscle-soothing water looking out on to the best view in the world really was a pinch-me experience.
Treatment to try
The Amra Skincare Pure Rarity Body Ritual, which includes a 24-carat-gold hot stone massage. Does life get any more decadent than this?
The crowd
A mix of well-to-do Swiss couples and Brits on second honeymoons.
Hit me with the cost
Rooms from £1,200 a night (expensive, yes, but worth it for that once-in-a-lifetime treat), burgenstockresort.com
For old-world charm
SPA AT YE OLDE BELL, BARNBY MOOR, RETFORD, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
By Shelly Vella, fashion director
It’s where old-world charm meets modern luxury – from fabulous food to restorative facials, staying here is like a big hug from a good friend
You’ll find the picture-book village of Barnby Moor – and the Spa at Ye Olde Bell – almost halfway between London and Edinburgh. It’s loved by locals for its warm hospitality and award-winning food – and a night in one of the cosily furnished rooms or Alpine lodges with fire pits is a must, before a day enjoying the extensive spa. A short walk from the main hotel, it’s a beautifully designed, modern space with thermal treatment areas, an indoor/outdoor vitality pool and heated loungers outside.
Sell it to me in a sentence
It’s where old-world charm meets modern luxury – from fabulous food to restorative facials, staying here is like a big hug from a good friend.
Perfect moment
Being slathered in mineral mud then scrubbed clean to glowing for the Rasul treatment in a ‘steam temple’ under a ceiling of twinkling lights.
Treatment to try
The Sabbia Med therapy room is guaranteed to chase away the winter blues. It’s an area converted into a mini beach where low levels of ultraviolet light are emitted to prompt absorption of vitamin D and specialised lamps are used to help alleviate seasonal affective disorder (SAD). We sat on deckchairs, planted our feet in the sand and revelled in the feeling of being on a warm beach somewhere exotic.
The crowd
All the luxury with zero snobbishness; the spa attracts a mixture of ages – predominantly women. The well-stocked bar next to the restaurant is popular for special celebrations. Despite the state-of-the-art facilities, nothing feels too showy.
Hit me with the cost
Rooms from £380, yeoldebell-hotel.co.uk
For an oasis in the heart of London
CLARIDGE’S SPA, LONDON
By Ester Malloy, picture director
It rolls out all the five-star luxe and attention to detail – even spare underwear and a phone charger in your locker – that the Claridge’s faithful expect
The newly opened Japanese-inspired spa at Claridge’s is just a short walk from London’s Oxford Street with its crowds of shoppers. After a swim in the low-lit pool I was ready for the Bamboo and Silk Ritual, a complete body massage and facial, starting with my feet to relieve tension and soften skin, and working upwards from there. Using warmed bamboo sticks and soothing hot-herb-infused poultices, the therapist helped the knots in my muscles melt away, while delicate spun-silk thimbles on her fingertips aided facial exfoliation to hydrate and replenish my complexion. Result: my skin felt smoother than it has in years.
Sell it to me in a sentence
It rolls out all the five-star luxe and attention to detail – even spare underwear and a phone charger in your locker – that the Claridge’s faithful expect.
Perfect moment
Face down, eyes shut, mid-Bamboo and Silk Ritual, it was as if the piles of washing and carpet of Lego I’d left behind half an hour previously never existed.
Treatment to try
The 30-minute signature Facegym Sculpt. The therapist was right to warn me that they call this a face workout, not a facial. It’s a high-intensity assault on your facial muscles with a combination of massage and electrical muscle stimulation technology; nowhere near as relaxing as the Bamboo and Silk Ritual, but if you want results this is a winner. My face hasn’t looked this invigorated since I was a teen.
The crowd
There wasn’t one. Everyone was in John Lewis down the road.
Hit me with the cost
A 90-minute Bamboo and Silk Ritual is £295, the 30-minute Facegym, £100, claridges.co.uk
For more spa reviews go to mailplus.co.uk/you
READ MORE:
FEMAIL discovers whether staying in a five-star resort on one of the world’s most beautiful islands is REALLY worth the price tag
The deep clean of your bedroom you need to do NOW if you suffer hay fever – and it will transform your space immediately
Could one of these lavish hotels be the next White Lotus? As show creator hints next season will be in Asia, FEMAIL reveals the stunning (and VERY pricey!) locations that could serve as its set – from a resort in the Maldives to a Zen-like spot in Kyoto
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk