3 of a kind

Healing hotels

LES SOURCES DE CAUDALIE HOTEL AND SPA, FRANCE

Les Sources de Caudalie Hotel and Spa , Chemin du Bourran, 33650 Martillac, France, Tel: 0033-557838383, sources-caudalie.com

The cliche of health farms feeding you three lettuce leaves and a gallon of water a day has truly been popped at this spa on a vineyard which celebrates the healing power of wine: only in France. And there is also a Michelin-star restaurant – La Grand’Vigne – on site (run by chef Nicolas Masse). When the first reports emerged around 20 years ago about the healthiness of the diet in southwest France, and the role of plonk in fighting heart disease, Alice and Jérôme Tourbier (from the family that owned Château Smith Haut Lafitte just outside Bordeaux) had an idea and the result is the Sources de Caudalie which opened in 1999 – slogan: In vino sanitas. Many will be familiar with the Caudalie cosmetics brand sold the world over, and this “hamlet” style collection of environmentally friendly buildings, made from recycled materials in a natural setting (surrounded by woods and vines), uses the pepping qualities of vines, pips and grapes. The centre also sits on a warm spring where the water is riddled with minerals. Treatment names are reminiscent of a good night out: red-wine, or barrel bath, crushed cabernet scrub, honey and wine wrap, and winemaker’s massage.

Rooms: there are 40 rooms and nine suites and not a number 13 among them. Decor reflects elements of the surroundings, drawing from the Atlantic Ocean to vineyards and monumental architecture. Rooms are in various buildings, including a bastide-style tower, a traditional-style wooden-floored cottage beside a pond and a vegetable garden, and “bird island” houses on stilts. Doubles from €225.

COMO SHAMBHALA ESTATE, BALI

Banjar Begawan, Desa Melinggih Kelod, Payangan, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia, Tel: 0062-361978888, cse.como.bz

The menu of things that will help put your head and body on the road to better balance is huge here, never mind the heavenly setting in jungly gardens by the Ayung river. Exercise, healthy eating and self-development are the watch-words at Shambhala – something we are all well aware of in theory. But this Bali retreat provides a platform for pursuing them.

While “shambhala”, in Buddhism, refers to a sacred place of bliss, the owners of this company realise that, while they offer a tranquil location, you will actually find the bliss within yourself by exploring body, mind and spirit – and they aim to hold your hand along that route. Facilities include a vitality pool, treatment areas beside the river, a gym, a Pilates studio and yoga pavilion. Staff include a yoga master, a ayurvedic practitioner, guides for outdoor activities (including rafting, tennis, walks and rock climbing), a psychologist, and a nutritionist who will devise a diet that will lift energy and concentration and address blood-sugar imbalances. Therapies range from ayurveda to hydrotherapy and massage.

Rooms: there are mainly one-bedroom suites and some two-beds. Each is designed to suit different types of people and moods, and the staff can advise, although, in a recent interview, Carmen Busquet, founding investor in Net-a-Porter, said when she stays at Shambhala she moves suites every three days because each gives her a different feeling. After all, our personalities are made up of many things. Prices from $500 (€396) for a one-bedroom terrace suite.

SHA WELLNESS CLINIC, SPAIN

Verderol 5, El Albir, Alicante, Spain, shawellnessclinic.com, Tel: 0034-966811199

After finding a cure for digestive problems that went back over many years, Sha founder Alfredo Bataller Parietti established this wellness clinic in a place dear to his heart: the site of his family holiday home. The Sha centre is up in the Sierra Helada, in a protected natural park and bird sanctuary. From these heights, there are views over the Mediterranean, and the pretty town of Villa de Altea.

Having sought conventional cures, Bataller Parietti finally found his answer in natural remedies and was cured within weeks. Having raved to family members about his discovery, some of them also tried them and benefited, and went on to help him to run the Sha Wellness Clinic (where Naomi Campbell and Kylie Minogue have been spotted). Therapies combine western remedies with various types of eastern medicine, including ayurveda from India, shiatsu and reiki from Japan, and a bian-shi stone treatment from China (pressing stone on the skin).

Rooms: there are various suites all decked in the latest technology and organic products. Many have sea or mountain views which you can request when booking. Deluxe suites start at €275 and having a Jacuzzi on the terrace costs an extra €50 a day. The two-storey presidential suite comes with bells, whistles and a butler.