Healthy hedonists can now savour their wine tours with a dose of wellness thanks to top-class spas in leading wine regions. With products rooted as deeply in their terroir as their vines, made from vine extracts and local ingredients, you can enjoy wine from the outside and the inside.
From 12th-century monasteries to ultra-modern resorts, here are ten destinations that add a dose a wellness to your wine tour or a glass of wine to your wellness retreat.
The pioneers
Credit: MP Morel
Les Sources de Caudalie was the pioneering force of the wine spa concept. Vinothérapie® is at the core of their philosophy. The Cathiard family bought Château Smith Haut Lafitte in Bordeaux in 1990, and opened the Les Sources de Caudalie hotel and spa in 1999, inviting guests to enjoy the French wine country lifestyle.
The hotel takes its name from the range of grape-based cosmetics used in all the treatments, from wine baths to exfoliating massages with fresh grapes. After Bordeaux, they opened Les Sources de Cheverny in the Loire, and have recently purchased hotels in Burgundy and Alsace. Keep an eye out for new wine spa experiences there in 2024.
Architectural masterpiece
Credit: Hotel Marqués de Riscal
Hotel Marqués de Riscal in Rioja, Spain, is also home to a Caudalie spa. This stunning 21st-century masterpiece is the only hotel designed by architect Frank Gehry, a daring concept for a vineyard that traces its history back to the 1800s. Opened in 2006, it became a regional icon in the ‘City of Wine’.
Alongside the grape-based treatments, the spa has a pediluvium, a unique traditional foot bath – a nod to the nearby Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. The hotel is in the perfect location to discover the vineyards of Rioja or to spend two to six days enjoying the completely personalised health cures.
Water into wine
Castilla Termal Monasterio de Valbuena is in Ribera del Duero, another famous Spanish wine region. The five-star hotel and spa is in the spectacular 12th-century Cistercian monastery of Santa María de Valbuena, were the monks once made wine.
Medicinal mineral water from the San Bernardo spring, a 386 metre-deep aquifer, feeds directly into the spa. In the 12th century, this same water was used to irrigate the vineyards. The sodium-, calcium- and sulphate-rich waters are recommended for digestive issues and are also good for the liver – perfectly aligned with a wine region!
Ancient Burgundy
Credit: Spa Holistique Marie de Bourgogne
In the heart of Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy, Hôtel Le Cep is a longstanding reference for lovers of the region’s wines. The 16th-century buildings include a unique spa, named Spa Holistique Marie de Bourgogne, after the Duchess of Burgundy who inherited the duchy at just 19 years old.
Treatment products are made from extracts of Pinot Noir, the famous red grape of Burgundy, and blackcurrants, used to make the local Cassis liqueur. It opened in 2016, combining traditional massage and high-tech treatments, winning two titles at the World Luxury Spa Awards in 2019. In 2020, the Ayurvedic Centre opened, bringing ancient yogic treatments to a very modern concept of wellness and offering complete retreat programmes for weary wine tasters.
The Royal Treatment
Credit: Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa
If you prefer your wine-based spa treatments with a view, travel to the ultra-modern Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa in the heart of Champagne. Every room in the hotel enjoys the spectacular view of the Montagne de Reims between the towns of Reims and Epernay.
Biologique Recherche products will awaken your natural sparkle. The treatment rooms, fitness centre, wood-lined yoga studio, eucalyptus-infused sauna and mosaic-tiled hammam offer personalised wellness treatments. Swim in the indoor or outdoor pool then sip your Champagne, or freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juice, as you enjoy the view over the vines.
Modern Mendoza
For a very different spa view, travel to the…
Source : https://www.decanter.com/wine/top-wine-spas-of-the-world-awaken-your-senses-496084/
