Archive for the ‘Spa news’ Category

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Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Spa Awards 2012 – winners announced

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

We wish we could have been a fly on the wall at last night’s Condé Nast Traveller Spa Awards. Held in London’s elegant Corinthia Hotel, the bash awarded the best health and beauty destinations across the globe – definitely cause for celebration.

The winning spas, which were voted for by the magazine’s readers, included The Spa at Coworth Park in Berkshire, Ushvani Spa, Chelsea and Ananda Spa, Ananda in the Himalayas. The criteria for judging? Quality of facilities, ambience and design, body and facial treatments, amenities and products, exercise programs, cuisine and the service and staff. Looks like the winning destinations must be pretty top-notch all round, then…

Fancy treating yourself to something a bit luxurious? Look no further than these spas, all of which were voted firm favourites:

Best hotel spas in the UK

  1. Ushvani Spa, Chelsea, London
  2. Hay Barn Spa, Daylesford Organic Farm Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire
  3. Hush London Hair & Beauty Clinic, London

Hotel spas overseas

  1. ESPA Riga, Riga Latvia
  2. Maison Guerlain, Paris, France
  3. Dragonfly @ Forbidden City, Beijing, China

Best UK spa retreats

  1. Yeotown, Devon.
  2. Lifehouse Country Spa Resort, Essex.
  3. Grayshott, Surrey

Best overseas spa retreats

  1. Ananda Spa, Ananda in the Himalayas, India
  2. The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat, Malaysia
  3. COMO Shambhala Retreat, COMO Shambhala Estate, Bali, Indonesia

Best medical/thermal/natural spas

  1. Espace Henri Chenot, Palace Merano, Italy
  2. FX Mayr & More, Carinthia, Austria
  3. Clinique La Prairie, Montreux, Switzerland

The world’s top spas

  1. Ananda Spa, Ananda in the Himalayas, India.
  2. Six Senses Spa, Evason Ma’In Hot Springs, Jordan
  3. The Mekong Spa, La Residence, Phou Vao, Luang Prabang, Laos

All this talk of spas has us longing for a weekend away… If you feel the same, why not have a browse of our great spa break offers – the ideal way to enjoy luxury for less.

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Government launches free mentoring scheme for spa professionals

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

At Wahanda, we’ve always maintained that spas are important – and it looks as though the government agrees. A recently launched government initiative, called Get Mentoring, will allow spa and beauty professionals to access free business mentoring training – putting them in a good position to share their valuable knowledge and skills. That’s exactly the sort of thing we like to hear…

Led by the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI), the scheme is set to receive £1.2m of grant funding to help it achieve its objectives. Once they’ve undergone the seven hours of training required, mentors will then be deployed across a variety of different mentoring organisations, providing services both in person and via distance learning. Looks like future generations of spa professionals are going to get the best start possible…

Alan Goldsbro, CEO of Habia, the government-approved standard setting body for the hair, beauty and spa industries, says: ‘Mentoring can be an extremely powerful and instructive tool for anyone running a business or thinking of running one. A good mentor can pass onto you their own knowledge and experience, giving you a vital head start.’

Want to become a mentor yourself? Mentors will receive a SFEDI Certificate of Recognition for completing the Introduction to Enterprise Mentoring Course, in addition to free membership of the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (IoEE) and a listing on www.mentorsme.co.uk. Not bad, if you ask us…

If you enjoy passing on your experience to others, why not visit our community page to answer the great questions our users are asking. Alternatively, email angharad@wahanda.com if you’re interested in sharing your professional advice through blogging – we’d love to hear from you!

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New spa opens at Grand Hotel de Bordeaux

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

Francophiles rejoice – a brand new luxury spa has opened at the Grand Hotel de Bordeaux in France’s famous wine region. Named ‘Les Bains de Léa’, the spa is run by French organic beauty brand Nuxe – and is open to members of the public as well as to hotel guests. Bath robes at the ready…

Inspired by the architecture of Ancient Roman baths, the spa features an outdoor terrace complete with pool, rooftop bar and spectacular views across Bordeaux. For those able to tear themselves away from the scenery, there are ten treatment rooms, an indoor counter-current swimming pool, a sauna and a Turkish bath – everything you need to really relax on holiday.

All the treatments at Les Bains de Léa are supplied by Nuxe, and the signature treatment is a 90 minute Olympe massage, exclusively designed for the spa. We don’t know about you, but we think it sounds like the perfect pampering treat…

Fancy a weekend away but not sure what you’ve done with your passport? Why not have a browse of our UK spa breaks to see if anything tickles your fancy. Now if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got a Eurostar train to catch…

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Medium-sized spas suffer in recession

Thursday, January 12th, 2012

Feeling the pinch? You’re not the only one. The Trends in the Hotel Spa Industry 2011 report by PKF Hopsitality Research has shown that people are thinking twice before splashing their cash – with hotel spa revenue experiencing, on average, a 10.5% decline in 2010. With mid-market and medium-sized spas feeling the squeeze the most, it looks like it could be time for businesses to consider different marketing tactics…

According to the report, urban hotel spas have been affected the least, with a drop in revenue of only 1.2 per cent – while the spas at resort hotels have been hit the hardest, experiencing a fall of 13.6%. One of the reasons for the overall decline could, the report suggests, be over saturation of the middle market:

‘A possible reason for the significant decline in the medium-size spa group is overbuilding.

‘Medium-sized spas are often found in hotels that likely should have a spa as a guest amenity, but the property is not specifically known for its spa facility or experience. Therefore, it is neither an intimate, boutique spa nor is it a grand showcase spa for the property’s marketing and reputation.

‘Additionally, the spa facilities may have been built as a ratio of spa treatment rooms to total guest rooms, rather than built to an actual projection of hotel spa demand and capture. Either individually or combined, these factors result in a greater potential negative impact on spa revenues during recession and early recovery periods.’ Hopefully the spas will soon be able to get back on an even keel…

Of course, treating yourself doesn’t have to break the bank. In need of some serious relaxation? Why not check out our deals and offers on spa breaks for savings that could save the day.

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Maldives spa ban overturned

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

Earlier in January, we blogged about the Maldives government’s decision to close the islands’ massage parlours and spas – a major blow to the tourism industry and to spa lovers worldwide. Luckily, the ban has since been lifted – allowing hotels and resorts to continue operating as usual. We love it when a story has a happy ending…

Unfortunately, however, the ban has only been temporarily overturned. Fans of the Maldives will have to wait for the Supreme Court to officially adjudicate the matter and decide the fate of the nation’s spas – but until then, it looks as though honeymooners and holidaymakers will be able to enjoy massages and spa treatments to their hearts’ content. Best organise a break to the islands quickly, in case things are set to change forever…

Has all this talk of holidaying got you daydreaming? Browse our overseas spas or treat yourself to a spa break in the UK.

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Blue Harbour Spa reopens

Thursday, January 5th, 2012

Looking for a bit of luxury to cheer you up this January? Fans of Wyndham Grand London Chelsea Harbour will be glad to know that the hotel has recently reopened its Blue Harbour Spa to guests and non-resident club members. Race you to the massage table…

Visitors to the refurbished spa will be able to enjoy use of the steam room, sauna and 17ft swimming pool (complete with waterfalls), as well as the fitness centre, hair salon and nail bar. However, it’s the brand new range of Voya treatments and rituals that’s got us really excited – and we think you’ll like the sound of it, too…

Ireland-based brand Voya joins Susan Molyneux and Aromatherapy Associates in offering products at the spa – adding a touch of the ocean to the mix with its nourishing seaweed extracts. With all Voya treatments inspired by the brand’s organic philosophy, you can ensure there’ll be no synthetic nasties lurking  here – only gentle, natural ingredients designed to relax, replenish and rejuvenate. What better way to kickstart a cleansing detox?

Fancy setting the tone for your New Year’s beauty and wellbeing regime with a Voya experience at the Blue Harbour Spa? Why not start as you mean to go on by visiting our dedicated Blue Harbour Spa page for more information.

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Maldives government orders spas to close

Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

The Maldives have long been a buzzing travel destination, popular with holiday makers and honeymooners looking to enjoy the sun, sea, sand and – until recently – spas. However, this December saw the government issue an order to close all massage parlours and spas – a move that may be set to dramatically alter the islands’ reputation for luxury. Looks like spa lovers might have to go elsewhere for that holiday of a lifetime…

Despite the impact that the closure of the nation’s spas is likely to have on tourism, the government has placed a ban on spas and massage centres after opposition members argued that these venues were being run as brothels. Needless to say, it’s a move that hasn’t been welcomed by the many hotels and island resorts offering beauty treatments and massage therapies to customers – not to mention by outraged consumers across the world.

But don’t worry just yet if the Maldives is your favourite leisure destination – the decision isn’t set in stone. The islands’ Supreme Court is due to rule on the matter shortly, meaning that there may still be hope for the country’s health and beauty centres. Many think that the government may retract the ban due to the impact it could have on tourism, whilst others argue that such a strict ban was not what protestors were calling for in the first place. Keep your fingers crossed, spa fanatics…

Fancy an exotic spa break but worried that the Maldives might not be quite the catch it used to be? Whilst we all await a verdict, why not browse our top overseas spa destinations, or stay a little closer to home with a UK spa break.

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Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Limerick, shows support for ‘Living in a Window’

Monday, November 28th, 2011

We love to see people coming together to help a worthy cause – so we were very impressed by the efforts of the staff at the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Limerick. The staff, along with leisure centre members and guests, recently completed a sponsored treadmill challenge as part of Limerick’s Live 95FM ‘Living in a Window’ project. We’ve got to admit, we admire their stamina…

This year’s fundraising saw hotel and spa staff take it in turns to complete 30 minute workouts on a treadmill in the lobby area. With over €800 raised for ‘Living in a Window’, we reckon the dedicated team members must be feeling pretty proud of themselves – not to mention nice and fit.

‘Living in a Window’ is an annual project, which helps to raise funds for CARI (Children at Risk in Ireland) and the Children’s Ark Unit at the Midwestern Regional Hospital, Dooradoyle. The project is right up the Radisson Blu Hotel’s street, as the hotel and spa have had an Active Responsible Business programme in place since 2002. A leisure venue that gets involved in community projects, environmental work and health and safety? We like their style…

Fancy a bit of a break? Why not visit the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa for some perfect pampering. We promise you won’t have to hop on the treadmill (unless you want to!)

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