Ireland is coming down with spas. So which are the good ones? Our writers have been checking them out, beginning with Miriam Donohoe, who brings her reluctant husband to one of the world's leading spas: Monart, in Co Wexford.
'THERE IS NO way you are going to get me to go around like that," my sceptical better half muttered as he observed a couple in fluffy white towelling robes waltz through the corridors of Monart Destination Spa while we waited to check in for a two-night break. "I repeat: there is no way."
I quietly chuckled, knowing my powers of persuasion are great. An hour later my man had succumbed to the Monart ways and was tentatively making his way towards the thermal spa suites in a too-small towelling robe and slippers that would not quite go around his size-12 feet. He still managed to look the part.
His rapid conversion from spa sceptic to chilled-out spaholic was testament to the Monart spell, which is cast the moment you enter this impressive oasis of contentment tucked away in 40 hectares of woodland five kilometres from Enniscorthy, in Co Wexford, a handy 100km or so from Dublin.
We were both exhausted and needed time away from it all. A spa break was the solution, and we promised to keep the mobile phones off. Monart, a purpose-built destination spa that was the brainchild of former Wexford hurling manager and hotelier Liam Griffin, has built a big reputation since it opened, three years ago. Forbes has named it one of the world's top 10 luxury destinations, it is on Condé Nast Traveller's hot list and, for the third year in a row, it has been voted Ireland's best destination spa.
The experience starts when you enter the grounds through electronic gates and drive up a tree-lined avenue to Monart House, which dates back to the 1740s. We were greeted by a doorman who took our keys and promised to park the car and deliver our luggage to our room. We made our way into the main house, with its old-world library and living room, and through a big glass corridor leading to the contemporary spa building. Checking in is an experience in itself. Fruit sticks are served, and first-timers are given a tour of the spa, bar and restaurant before being shown to their rooms.
Wearing the fluffy white towelling robes is encouraged, even for breakfast and lunch. "Though we recommend you dress for dinner," our host stressed, much to the relief of the sceptic.
There are 68 spacious bedrooms at Monart, all with sliding doors on to a private cedar deck overlooking the grounds, with mature trees and man-made lake. The bedrooms are decorated in soft beige colours, with large bathrooms with separate showers and cool marble floors and walls. Pevonia Botanica toiletries and generous soft towels complete the picture.
The general design of Monart is a balance between wood, glass, earth and water. In a word the place is serene. At the heart of the operation are its state-of-the-art thermal spa and treatment rooms. Guests have unlimited access to the thermal spa; treatments cost extra. As well as an indoor and outdoor sauna, the spa suite has a sanarium (a combination of a sauna and steam room, I was told), a caldarium (borrowing an old Roman word for sauna, it uses steam to produce sweat that reduces inflammation and toxins in the body), a kneippe cure pool (where you can walk on polished stones), salt grotto, aromatic steam room and hydrotherapy pool.
The spa also has a mud chamber, a traditional hammam, a nail bar, a hair salon and a cafe that serves healthy smoothies and fresh fruit. Just so you don't get confused, friendly attendants are on duty at all times to give assistance, answer queries and offer complimentary foot massages.
The idea is to start in the kneippe cure pool, then work your way around the other sections. At the end of your tour and treatments you escape to the relaxation room, an oasis of calm. The pod-shaped cubbyholes in the wall are perfect to curl up with a book and have a snooze.
In truth you could go to Monart and happily experience the thermal spa without indulging in any treatments, which dont come too cheap. I had a prescription facial that cost €85 and left my face tingling and refreshed. The male robed wonder indulged himself with a full body aroma massage that cost €95 and left him wondering why he could not do this every day. We skipped the option of having a joint mud-chamber experience, which would have set us back €100 for 25 minutes. But next time.
There are two eating options at Monart. The formal fine-dining restaurant has huge chandeliers, lavish decor and waiter service that is nearly too intense. The menu is very creative, with seasonal meats and seafood and spa dishes giving a healthy option. The food is beautifully presented.
On our second night we preferred the more relaxed surroundings of the Garden Lounge, which has a bistro-style menu. The desserts at Monart are worth noting, especially the warm chocolate fondant - just to undo any of the goodness of the earlier treatments.
It was a great novelty to tumble out of bed and stroll down in the robes for a superb breakfast, with smoothies made to order, plenty of cold and cooked dishes, and super-friendly staff.
A destination spa is a different experience from a hotel with spa facilities. At Monart you get the sense that you are in captivity and there is precious little else to do apart from walk the grounds and relax. As a couple you get sucked into the serenity and peace of its surroundings, and after two days and nights I, for one, felt as if I had been away for a week. The strict ban on under-18s, with no high jinks from children to spoil the peace, is a bonus.
I would have gladly stayed two more days. The robed wonder was chilled out but happy to regain his clothes and get back to Dublin.
* Miriam Donohoe was a guest of Monart, the Still, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, 053-9238999, www.monart.ie. Two night's bed and breakfast, staying in a deluxe room, costs from €275 per person sharing this month at weekends and from €195pps midweek. Next month it costs from €265pps at weekends and from €185pps midweek. Includes scheduled classes and unlimited access to the thermal spa. The Deluxe Monart Experience, which also includes a massage and champagne and chocolates, costs €515pps at weekends, €385pps midweek
Lorna Kernanwas a spa virgin before she visited Sirana, in Athlone
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN a bit of a sceptic when it comes to spas. Sort of couldn't quite get my head around the whole idea of treatments, massages and indulging in a bit of me time. But when my good pal the queen of all things beautifying invited me for a Shannonside jaunt to lap up the luxury at the Sheraton Hotel's new Sirana Spa, I put aside the arguments of a lifetime and said yes to my first spa treatment.
Mmmm, I thought as I read the brochure . . . Relax in the serenity area and detox in the tepidarium, indulge in an array of massages and facials before chilling in the relaxation suite . . . Elemis treatments, an exotic rasul chamber . . . Asian and Orient-inspired treatments in the Cherry Blossom room. Mmmm indeed.
Before we went into the spa area we were invited to "take a crystal salt, fill it with negative thoughts, and leave them all behind". Gentle music tinkled, and the moody half-light was filled with sand and umber hues and spaces divided and half-hidden by swirls of creamy translucent fabric. I had stepped inside a Stephen Pearce work of art, his signature colour palette evidence of his involvement in Sirana Spa's design. And there are no prizes for guessing what the "Stephen Pearce Ritual" is: a warm organic mud-cum-herb concoction that is lavished on the body before being washed away with lymphatic drainage techniques. Mmmm again.
Hushed staff glided around, escorting spa-goers to their treatments and offering a variety of Orla Gallagher's herbal mixtures to sip on. Kombucha? Apple mint? Or how about pomegranate and acai berry? I had all three.
Warmed by a spell in the tepidarium, I considered having a Tibetan massage with warm Himalayan pebbles and Dead Sea salts, but I was most intrigued by a massage using warm bamboo. I found myself on the horizontal, being rubbed with warm bamboo canes with distinctive personalities: the "full monty", "half monty", "pint", "half pint", "middle man", "shorties" and "slim Jim". Rolling, rolling, rolling . . . rolling away the weight of life's stresses.
My resistances mingled with the heady spicy oils and the heat, and, as my body became limp and relaxed, my mind untangled. Nothing to do. No looming deadlines. No appointments. My thoughts began to drift, ebbing and flowing through time and events - some happy, some sad - bringing a surprise flood of tears.
Then it was over. I glided into the relaxation room, where adjustable and remote-controlled day beds shaped themselves around huddles of renewed bodies, there to drowse for an hour before lunch. Perhaps all spas are similar, but this experience was a first, and first times are always the sweetest.
*Lorna Kernan was a guest of Sirana Spa, Sheraton Hotel, Athlone, Co Westmeath, 090-6451000, www.sheratonathlonehotel.com. Its December half-day package of a scrub plus a wrap or massage, followed by mulled wine and mince pies, costs €100 per person
Spaficionado Phyl Clarkesays the Island Spa at Inchydoney Island Lodge, in Co Cork, is about healing
THE STUNNING BEACH at Inchydoney, near Clonakilty in west Co Cork, sets the tone for the therapeutic experience at Inchydoney Island Lodge Spa. Located on an island connected to the mainland by a bridge, the hotel brings with it a sense of getting away from it all and leaving your cares behind.
Already well established before the country broke out in spas, the Lodge at Inchydoney revolves around thalassotherapy, which uses seawater to treat and revive both body and mind.
The medical benefits of seawater are well known, and the heated indoor seawater pool is the highlight of the Lodge. Fresh seawater is drawn from the ocean daily, and the pool has an impressive range of jets, which target different areas of the body. There is also a wonderful sea-massage bath, in which top-to-toe massage jets travel up and down the body to relax and invigorate.
A doctor in residence can advise on the best treatments for guests with specific requirements.
For sheer pampering, the Golden Glow ritual is designed to bring out your inner Cleopatra, with its milk bath, diamond body exfoliation and 24-carat gold cream. The relaxation rooms have magical views across the beach, and watching the ebb and flow of the water across the sand is food for the soul.
For bodily sustenance, the Gulfstream Restaurant offers a menu full of Mediterranean flavours, with low fat and vegetarian options, and during the day you can eat a relaxed lunch in your robe in the lounge.
In your room, sea greens and aubergines offer a tranquil and soothing atmosphere: the carpets are reminiscent of seaweed washed ashore, and a felted draped lampshade casts flickering shadows through its cut-out patterns. Shots of opulent glamour in the soft furnishings save the decor from veering too far into New Age territory.
Most rooms have balconies to further enjoy the views.
Golf, surfing and horse riding are all on hand, and of course a morning stroll on the sand will set you up for the day.
If you're staying more than one night and want to venture out from your cocoon of tranquillity, Deasy's Harbour Bar Seafood Restaurant, in nearby Ring, will reward you with a wonderful menu. And don't skip dessert: after all, you're on your holidays.
*Phyl Clarke was a guest of Inchydoney Island Lodge Spa, Clonakilty, Co Cork, 023-33143, www.inchydoney island.com. Bed and breakfast starts at €100 per person sharing. The His Hers winter special, which costs from €300pps, offers two nights' accommodation in a deluxe ocean-view room, with full Irish buffet breakfast each morning and dinner one evening in the Gulfstream Restaurant, plus an Aromapure facial for the woman, a herbal back cleanse for the man and unlimited access to the heated seawater pool, sauna, steam room, gym and relaxation areas
Fiona McCannhated the idea of a fitness weekend but fell in love with family-run Harvey's Point, in Co Donegal
THERE ARE THOSE among us for whom the words "fitness weekend" could easily mean "prison sentence". The thought of spending what little leisure time you have denying yourself hard-earned end-of-week pleasures, and eschewing your boozy Saturday night and Sunday fry for an early-morning exercise regime, appeals even less when the term Fitness for Life is applied, making the entire endeavour sound too difficult.
But when the whole event takes place in an award-winning, family-run four-star hotel on the shores of a lake in the foothills of the Blue Stack mountains, and when a few hot-stone massages and delicious food are thrown in, the fitness lark takes on an altogether different hue.
It begins with a welcome meeting and three-course meal in the Harvey's Point restaurant, where those tempted to overindulge may do well to recall that the next day will dawn with a fitness test in which every extra dollop of cream tells its tale on the scales.
All this is conducted by Enda Coyle, an executive turned personal trainer who boasts among his clients the Tánaiste, Mary Coughlan. When Coyle helped Harvey's Point owner Marc Gysling to shed an impressive 16kg (two and a half stone), the newly trimmed Swiss hotelier was eager to pass on the good health to his customers, and the hotel's Fitness for Life weekend was born.
Coyle has a newfangled Gameboy-like device that he'll point at your body so he can give you some worrying statistics, such as your BMI, to convince you to reform. He pulls no punches if the news is bad. At 48, Coyle challenges the notion that a changed metabolism and a bit of padding are the inevitable results of getting older.
Your weekend then mixes Coyle's nutritional advice, weights, circuit training and yoga and spa pampering with organised walks in the spectacular Blue Stack mountains, for an ultimately enjoyable kick-start to your lifestyle change.
The hotel also runs hillwalking weekends, led by its gardener, a trained hillwalker who also knows a fair bit about the local flora. With bicycles available for cycles around the lake, and boat trips also organised, there are plenty of outdoor alternatives for those brave enough to take on the constantly changing climes of Ireland's northwest corners.
If the weather leaves you dampened after your outdoor experience, a small wooden boathouse has an iron stove where tea and scones are served while your clothes dry.
When you're ready for a nap your luxurious room will be large enough to run laps in, with lake views and friendly staff at your beck and call.
*Fiona McCann was a guest of Harvey's Point Country Hotel, Lough Eske, Co Donegal, 074-9722208, www.harveyspoint.com. Harvey's Point's next Fitness for Life weekend runs January 29th-February 1st. From €595, with three nights' full-board accommodation, personal trainer and yoga classes
Alanna Gallagherhas decadently traversed the country, one face-plumping facial at a time. For best value and real results, here are her recommendations for 10 top spa delights.
1 Voya Seaweed BathsStrandhill, Co Sligo, 071-9168686, www.voya.ie. Seaweed baths are simple, natural and incredibly effective. The heat releases the seaweed's silky essential oils, so your body feels smooth and luxurious. This 50-minute treatment (€25) includes a quick steam in an old-fashioned box.
2 Slieve Donard Resort and SpaNewcastle, Co Down, 048-43721066, www.hastingshotels.com. The revitalizing Espa full-body massage (about €82) is an instant pick-me-up. A spa-break package includes a night's bed and breakfast and a 55-minute treatment (about €175).
3 Lough Erne Golf ResortEnniskillen, Co Fermanagh, 048- 66323230, www.lougherne golfresort.com. The Thai Spa offers the genuine article: a deep-tissue Thai massage that includes vigorously assisted yoga movements to increase flexibility - the lazy man's yoga. (£75/about €88 for 90 minutes).
4 The Europe Hotel ResortKillarney, Co Kerry, 064-71300, www.theeurope.com. The beautiful setting of Lough Lein works wonders, as does the facial, shoulder and scalp massage, which starts by cleaning and hydrating the skin and finishes with a scalp massage that frees your mind - and leaves your brain like jelly (€115 for 60 minutes).
5 Seafield Golf Spa HotelBallymoney, Co Wexford, 053-9424000, www.seafieldhotel.com. The hotel's Radiance facial is a deep-nourishment mask followed by a collagen mask to plump up the skin with exclusive Payot products (€95 for a 90-minute treatment). If booking for the night and bringing children, expect to pay about €10 per hour for babysitting.
6 Muckross Park Hotel Cloisters SpaLakes of Killarney, Killarney, Co Kerry, 064-23400, www.muckrosspark.com. The name of the Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage is translated as "to rub, press, squeeze, massage; to work in and out, as the claws of a contented cat". Or try a Dr Perricone nonsurgical facelift (€250).
7 Delphi Mountain ResortLeenane, Co Galway, 095-42208, www.delphi mountainresort.com. Eminence Organic Skin care is a Hungarian brand with green credentials. Try the Fresh and Wild rose-hip facial, billed as a sensory delight (€95). The spa uses filtered spring water, so you're showering, bathing and drinking the softest of mineral water, which helps to give you glossy locks and clear, smooth skin. The spa is for over-16s only, but the resort has adventure packages to keep kids happy while you unwind. Indulgence special €99 Sunday-Thursday, €149 weekends.
8 Manhattan Beauty Med SpaAungier Street, Dublin, 01-4788888, and Pangaea Day Spa Sutton, Dublin, 01-8324999, www.pangaeaspa.com. At Manhattan, the Jet Tel skin-rejuvenation facial uses oxygen and fluids to slough off dead cells (€125). Pangaea offers Thai massages by therapists trained at the Grand Palace Wat Po, in Bangkok. Its 60-minute exfoliating foot massage restores neglected winter feet (€140).
9 Nádúr Spaat Ballygarry House Tralee, Co Kerry, 066-7144560, www.ballygarryhouse.com. The Face Ritual Regenerative facial for damaged or aging skin uses products potent in vitamin C, camellia oil, neroli and fennel. Or treat your feet with a wild-thyme foot pumice, then a massage with tangerine and rose (€115). A cellulite-busting sea-kelp contour wrap lasts two hours and includes a full-body lymphatic massage (€175).
10 Temple Country Retreat and SpaHorseleap, Moate, Co Westmeath, 057-9335118, www.templespa.ie. A favourite for stressed-out workers who want to let go and relax. Try the vinotherapy facial, a rejuvenating treatment with a combination of Chardonnay grapes, Chianti grape must and exotic spices (€195).
Go there
If you're planning a visit, contact each spa to hear about its latest overnight, midweek and weekend deals. If you're giving a voucher, be generous, as treatments are expensive.