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.

At Wahanda, we’re incredibly proud of our community of therapists – and we want everyone to know it. In order to help spread the word about the great work you do, we’ve compiled a handy guide, explaining how to make the most of your therapist profile and maximise your presence on the site.

Ready to face the spotlight? Follow these simple steps and all eyes will be on you. We hope you’re not feeling shy…

Complete your profile

If you want to make the most of your profile on Wahanda, it’s important to fill out as much information as possible. Adding an image of yourself will immediately set your profile apart from others, while including full details of the services you provide and your qualifications will make it easier for clients to find out what you have to offer – always a bonus.

Attach yourself to the venue you work for

It’s a simple step, but one which is often overlooked. If you work at a venue which is listed on the Wahanda website, remember to include it under ‘Where I practise’ – this will help potential customers to find out more about the business.

Start blogging

At Wahanda, we love sharing – and we know that lots of you do too. If you want to spread the word about the latest news and innovations in beauty and wellbeing, or fancy letting our community in on some of your top tips, then why not start a Wahanda blog? Visit our therapist hub to see some examples of previous blogs, or email angharad@wahanda.com to get started.

Get involved with Q&A

Our Q&A section is the perfect place for you to share your expertise and interact with other Wahanda users (they won’t bite, promise!). Head to the community page to see the latest questions, or sign up within your profile settings to receive notifications when a relevant question is asked. Then all you have to do is get answering…

Stay active on the site

The more active you are on Wahanda, the more places on the site you’ll appear in – giving you the perfect excuse to get reviewing, scrapbooking, answering questions and blogging. Interact as much as therapists Paola Bassanese and Claire Benson and you could even end up with a place on our ‘most active practitioners’ leader board – a sure sign of a therapist who knows their stuff.

Not yet got a profile? Creating one is simple (and free!) – just click on the ‘Sign in/join’ link at the top of the Wahanda homepage and follow the instructions to become a part of the fun.

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!

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…

Congratulations to Habia, which has successfully bid to become the UK Commission for Employment and Skills’ (UKCES) preferred provider of services to the UK hair and beauty sector. The deal will cover a minimum three-year period, and is set to begin on 1^st April. It certainly looks as though exciting times are ahead…

Amongst the services that Habia will be providing are apprenticeship frameworks, qualification-related activities and National Occupational Standards – all key to ensuring that new therapists are as well trained as possible.

Alan Goldsbro, chief executive officer of Habia, says: ‘This is great news for the hair and beauty sector as it shows that the development of qualifications and standards for our industries is of national importance.

‘It is particularly good news for hair and beauty employers, who need staff and new recruits with constantly updated skills to make an impact on the bottom line in these difficult times.’

We don’t know about you, but we think it seems as though the UK’s hair and beauty industry is set to become better than ever…

In need of a helping hand when it comes to your own hair and beauty? Check out our fantastic facial deals and offers, or browse hair treatments.

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.

Treat the one you love this Valentine’s Day with one of the many fantastic offers from Wahanda, Europe’s leading marketplace and online home for health, beauty and wellness. Wahanda can help you find the perfect gift – from luxury spa days for her to grooming gifts for him or, best of all, why not spoil the both of you, with a romantic spa break.

Valentine’s Day is the ideal time to relax and unwind together, indulge in a couples-treatment, chill-out with one night spa break for two or jet off for the weekend to one of the many luxurious European spa destinations.

Whatever you’re looking for, Wahanda has thousands of listings and offers available at any one time, including 2 for 1 treatments and spa breaks from as little as £49.00. And if you can’t decide what to spoil them with, choose one of the beautifully presented Wahanda Gift Vouchers, redeemable at over 1,000 outlets nationwide.

LOVE Wahanda, this Valentine’s Day.

www.wahanda.com

For more information, please contact Imagination PR: 020 3384 9750 / sophie@imaginationpr.co.uk.

Leading the way in offering consumer support, interaction and information, Wahanda is delighted to announce their new ‘Expert Contributors’ platform.

Offering unique insights and information from some of the UK’s most prevalent experts, the forum will be contributed to by top beauty & health Journalists, fitness authorities and professionals in all aspects of the beauty and wellness world.

Launching in January with an in-depth and insightful piece by Harpers Bazaar’s Deputy Health & Beauty Editor, Katy Young, the content will be educational, yet light-hearted, offering readers the opportunity to source information from leaders in their field.

Kicking off with ‘The Bootcamp Hot List’, Katy provides the ultimate read for anyone contemplating a fitness escape. Offering helpful, practical and eloquent advice on a host of alternatives, including beach bootcamps, park-based fitness, exotically located escapes, luxury French retreats and, a little more relaxing, a Cornish-based yoga camp. Alongside these options, she gives the ‘insider benefits’ to each variation, allowing readers to make the ultimate informed decision.

A fresh contributor will join the site each month, covering a multitude of subjects, including tanning, nail trends, cosmetic dentistry, anti-ageing and spa etiquette.

www.wahanda.com

For more information, please contact Imagination PR: 020 3384 9750 / sophie@imaginationpr.co.uk.

About Wahanda:

Wahanda is Europe’s leading marketplace and online home for health, beauty and wellness, with a comprehensive directory of over 250,000 businesses, practitioners and services. Offering a plethora of pampering possibilities, Wahanda provides the ideal platform to satisfy your every beauty need, from great offers in your area, reviews of local salons, recommended spa breaks and fitness bootcamps to the latest health and beauty news and advice. The first interactive beauty community of its kind, Wahanda allows customers to voice recommendations and write reviews, whilst also listing over 6,500 health, beauty and fitness offers at any one time. Spa enthusiasts can save on unique deals from the UK’s most premium spa brands, such as Stoke Park Club and Champneys, plus daily MobDeals and the beautifully presented Wahanda Gift Vouchers, redeemable at over 900 outlets nationwide. Beauty addict, fitness fanatic or yoga guru? Wahanda offers a whole world of wellbeing at your fingertips.