Unwind and relax in the bush

WHILE the Big Five game drives and encounters with wildlife are always a huge drawcard, it’s only half the safari experience at Garonga Safari Camp, #SouthAfrica. Equally important is slowing down the pace of life, nurturing yourself, and ‘resetting your system’. #Garonga has just upped the relaxation ante to a whole new level by revamping the existing bush bath by adding a new freestanding bath – but even more excitingly, now offer a dreamy new Star Bath and Yoga Deck.

The Star Bath not only offers views over the bush and the dazzling African night sky - but has its very own galaxy of twinkling stars, all in complete privacy. Soak away your troubles, let go and look back on the sightings and experiences of the day with a glass of wine in hand. 

Those already familiar with the practice of mindfulness and meditation, or those that just love a good stretch or daytime nap, will be excited to see Garonga’s new Yoga Deck. An enclosed tented structure designed to allow air to flow freely, perfectly frames an exquisite view of the valley. You can step onto the mat and practice in privacy surrounded by only the peaceful sounds of the surrounding bush. If you’re lucky you might even get some of the local wildlife passing by!

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Nuts for oil in the Maldives

THIS April, the Navasana Spa at Outrigger Konotta #Maldives Resort celebrates one year of producing its own coconut oil on the island. The coconut oil is all-natural 100% pure, made by the spa’s therapists who hand press it from the naturally fallen mature coconuts around the island.

It takes approximately 50 mature, fallen coconuts to make 2.5 litres of pure coconut oil. Over the last year, the staff has perfected the process which involves gathering, dehusking and shredding the coconuts. They then squeeze the milk-juice from the grated coconut and discard the residue.

The spa staff then chill the coconut milk overnight or until it sets. The top solid layer is gently removed, cooked on constant heat, stirring until the oil separates and is clear. It is then bottled. It’s a two-day process.

A truly unspoiled paradise, it’s “your own private world,” surrounded by pristine natural beauty and unmatched luxury. Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort is on a private island in the azure Indian Ocean, the resort features spacious stunning villas, all with private pools. Guests can enjoy a range of activities including, innovative dining experiences, rejuvenating spa treatments, and world-class water sports and scuba diving at their Reef Centre.

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Exclusively for adults: Marella Explorer 2

JOINING the fleet in 2019, Marella Explorer 2 will be the first ship in the Marella Cruises fleet to be exclusively for adults, offering customers more choice and flexibility. The popularity of adult-only sailings from Dubrovnik and the Asia itineraries for winter 2018 prompted the decision to offer an adults-only ship.

Marella Explorer 2 will be tailored to meet the needs of couples, friends and groups by doubling the size of The Veranda featured on Marella Explorer. The Veranda is the premium sunbathing spot onboard and will feature brand new facilities. 

From May 2019 Marella Explorer 2 will sail from a new homeport Naples, Italy. The exclusive adults-only ship will sail to some of the finest European cities including Venice, Rome and Dubrovnik. 

Marella Explorer 2 will also feature a luxurious Champneys Spa which will launch first on Marella Explorer this year, offering a variety of indulging treatments.

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Groundbreaking Eco resort planned for South Yorkshire

AS a truly groundbreaking project, Tyram Lakes is utilising the latest cutting edge ecological and eco-friendly innovations as inherent parts of its designs and is the first of its kind, thus of particular interest to energy focused investors.

The Tyram Lakes Hotel, Spa and Resort is set in the heart of the Humberside Peatlands, Hatfield Moor and the National Nature Reserve in South Yorkshire. Plans are already approved for 325 luxury eco-lodges set on and around 65 acres of lakes adjacent to 100 acres of natural woodlands, plus the hotel and spa.

Some of the lodges (125) will be floating structures, and the remaining 200 will be set amid the vast woodlands. Ranging from two and three bedrooms, as well as a number of larger four bedroom accommodations, all lodges will blend into the landscape providing a private gateway with natural spaces all around. Their attractions include rooftop gardens fitted with solar panels, decking areas with sunken spa bath and a choice of classic or contemporary interiors.

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Pop open the bubbly

PROBABLY Johannesburg’s best kept secret, Fairlawns Boutique Hotel and Spa is an exclusive cocoon of pure indulgence just a stone’s throw from Sandton’s hub of trendy shops and restaurants. Now there is even more reason to linger longer before or after your safari - with the addition of its exclusive new champagne bar, MUSE.

Inspired by nature, with striking colours of emerald green and rose gold – MUSE seamlessly combines the vintage feel of Perrier-Jouët’s Belle Epoque design elements with contemporary decor. MUSE also offers a beautiful outdoor Courtyard to relax and enjoy your bubbles beneath the stars.

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Six Senses Spa Qing Cheng Mountain wins

SIX Senses Spa Qing Cheng Mountain received the Grand Jury Award at SpaChina’’s 9th Annual Award Ceremony in Chengdu. The award is an acknowledgement of its superb performance and exceptional facilities and presented to only three hotels in the country. The SpaChina Grand Jury Award is considered one of the industry’’s most influential accolades, both in China and across the Asian region.

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Luxury Greek Spa

THE newly built Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa, which opened its doors in 2016, is located in a privileged setting at the edge of Oia. 

Santo Maris Oia offers seclusion and direct views to the renowned sunset of Oia. Accommodation is offered in 44 suites & private villas and facilities include four outdoor swimming pools, the 300 sq.m. Luxury Spa with indoor swimming pool and the Alios Ilios restaurant.

The Spa has been nominated in the category “Greece’s Best Resort Spa for 2017” at the prestigious World Spa Awards.

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New Ambassador for Spabreaks.com

EUROPE'S leading #spa booking agency, Spabreaks.com, announced that actress and TV presenter Denise van Outen will be joining the team as a new ambassador for the upcoming year.

As spa travel experts, Spabreaks.com sends more than 4,000 people on spa breaks each week and is a pioneering leader in the spa industry, known for making #wellbeing more accessible for those with cancer and championing body confidence and mental health awareness. 

As part of her work with Spabreaks.com, the mum of one, famed in particular for her role presenting The Big Breakfast and performances in the West End and on Broadway, will be reviewing spas, sharing her thoughts on health and wellbeing on the company blog and working with the brand on upcoming initiatives throughout the year.


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Transform your body, mind and soul at Hidden Dragon Lodge

OPENED in 2009, Hidden Dragon is a privately-owned alpine lodge and spa situated in Veysonnaz, the heart of Les 4 Vallées, #Switzerland. Perched at 1500m, this secluded mountain retreat offers panoramic views over the Rhone Valley.

For the first time ever the ultra-luxurious lodge will be available to hire during summer for private groups, corporate bookings and events. A programme of travel packages has been launched under the theme "Summertime Samadhi". Samadhi, the Buddhist concept of bliss, will be the focus for guests booking a summer package.

Created for a unique tribe of alpine adventurers, explorers, dreamers, yogis, nature lovers, foodies and free spirits, the Summertime Samadhi packages provide the perfect transformative travel experience for people looking to improve their quality of life.

Package themes include holistic health coaching, wellness, yoga, fitness and weight-loss bootcamps, digital detox, family fun, alpine sports, food, music and more. Guests also have the option to tailor-make their own experience or retreat.

www.hidden-dragon.com.

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Thailand targets women travellers

THAILAND’S tourism authority has launched a campaign to attract women holidaymakers, especially those from India.

Soraya Homchuen, at the authority’s Mumbai office says: ‘Once a negligible proportion of Thailand’s market mix and only visiting on family holidays, today women travellers represent 30% of our arrivals from India. We would like to scale this up to 60-65% by 2022.’

Ms Homchuen cites a study by Thomas Cook earlier this year, which concluded that 70% of women today prefer to travel with friends instead of family members, and many studies have indicated that culture, cuisine, spa, and shopping are the main interests of women travellers.

‘#Thailand emerges as the perfect choice and the best fit for this segment,’ she says, ‘because it meets all these needs effectively. An Amadeus study has indicated that by 2020, the women traveller’s market would have grown by 891%.’

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Picture Credit: Copyright David Kernek

Spa in the sky

AIR MALTA has introduced The Sky Spa – the first free in-flight spa experience on a commercial short-haul flight. It had its debut on a Malta-Gatwick Airport, London.

Available on selected flights, the service is provided by Malta-based Myoka Spas.

Two professional therapists welcome passengers with beauty product samples and pamper them with complimentary treatments including hand, feet, and neck massages while listening to relaxing music.

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Picture Credit: Air Malta

Luxury in Lisbon

A PROJECT to turn the 500-year-old Palacio dos Condes de Lumiares into 5-star luxury serviced apartments has started in #Lisbon, #Portugal.

The plan includes the restoration of the facade of the historic family palace – the only element that remains from the original 16th century building – as well as a complete re-build of the interior.

The Lumiares will include a spa and gym, and a roof-top bar and restaurant.

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Picture Credit: Baixa by Ian Gampon from NYC, USA - BaixaUploaded by tm. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

Travel shorts . . . UK

STAYCATION BOOM: This summer will be a bumper year for staycations, says letting agency, holidaycottages.co.uk, which has seen record increases across the UK for self-catering summer bookings.

Compared to the same period in 2014, bookings made so far in 2015 for holidays in the summer period (June-August) are up 16 per cent across the UK. The north of England has seen an increase of 329 percent, while Wales has also seen significant increases, with a 101 percent increase across the country.

MAY RECORD FOR LUTON: More than one million passengers used Luton airport in May, a 15.7% rise over the same month last year. It was the first time the milestone of a million passengers in a month has been reached before the start of the peak summer period.

The airport is embarking on a £100 million re-development programme to raise annual capacity from 12 million to 18 million passengers by 2026.

HOT SPA: The Gainsborough Hotel in Bath, Somerset, will be opening on July 1. The hotel’s spa pool will be fed by water pumped from the city’s natural thermal waters.

The hotel’s private water reserve bubbles to the surface at 47C/116.60F.


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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31369133@N04/3177316787">DSC_1244</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license), http://www.flickr.com/photos/28752865@N08/6254675563">Cavendish 09-10-2011</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

Hotels team up for 4-night get-away offer ...

THE Feversham Arms Hotel and Verbena Spa in Helmsley, North Yorkshire, and Seaham Hall – a boutique hotel near Durham – have joined together to give guests a luxury driving experience get-away. 

The four-day driving tour package offers holidaymakers an opportunity to experience the very best of the north of England.

Guests can start their luxury break at either hotel, where they stay for two nights. 

They will be given a picnic basket to set them on their way for the second half of the journey, where they get to spend two nights at the other hotel.

Charles Merchie, general manager at The Feversham Arms: ‘We are in some of the most beautiful scenery in England, yet more often than not people don’t get to see this, as they come for a short break, and head straight back. The drive up to Durham, through the Yorkshire Moors is stunning.'

Guests will have access to spa facilities at both hotels, and the offer includes tickets to two local attractions, Castle Howard - pictured above - and The Beamish Museum, the world famous museum which tells the story of the people of North East England during the Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian periods. Pictured at right is the 'Dentistry' display at the museum.

Find out more at www.fevershamarmshotel.com and www.seaham-hall.co.uk 

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Picture Credit: Courtesy fevershamarmshotel.com and seaham-hall.co.uk; "CastleHoward-LakeSide" by chris 論 - Own work via Wikimedia Commons; "Dentistry, Beamish Museum" by Immanuel Giel (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons

Spa treats in Wales

QUALITY COTTAGES has started a spa treatments service for holidaymakers in Wales. Its Cottage Spa Experience package will give customers staying in its luxury cottages the chance to have a treat often associated only with luxury hotels.

Therapists offer a range of treatments from deep tissue massage to hand and feet treatments - www.qualitycottages.co.uk/cottage-spa-experience

‘We recognized that the treatments needed to be for the whole party,’ says Tim Rees, general manager at Quality Cottages, ‘so kids don't miss out with nail polish treats, teenagers have their own range, and a mum-to-be gets the proper treatment for her and her bump.

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Say 'I do' in Yorkshire

SELF-CATERING company Natural Retreats has gone into the weddings business, offering marriage ceremonies and receptions for parties of up to 200 at its property in Swaledale, Yorkshire.

Rental prices at the Sanctuary for the ceremony and reception start from £2,500. Receptions are held in the main building, and there are 18 3-bed self-catering lodges.

Packages include a personal wedding planner, spa treatments, and flowers on the big day.

www.naturalretreats.com/uk/weddings-yorkshire-dales

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For WEDDING INSURANCE try; http://govillasandcottages.co.uk/blue-wedding