Our MD Stella pays a visit to Villa Eden to take in all that fresh, Alpine air and try out the range of treatments.
After a particularly hectic and stressful couple of months, I decided to pop over to Northern Italy for 4 nights to rejuvenate and find out a little bit more about our special discovery, Villa Eden Health Spa. It was when I met Angelika Schmid, who owns and runs Villa Eden, whilst she was in London that I started to get very curious. We talked about the challenges of running a business and finding time for ourselves. To practice what we preach so to speak....well Angelika glows and looks fantastic. She told me that she regularly has treatments in the spa to not only keep her eye on the quality but also to look after herself. I was inspired and wanted to get some of that glow!
So off I went to Verona where I was picked up by a very polite gentleman in a Mercedes who looked very Austrian but spoke Italian. Merano, although in Italy, is close to the Austrian border so there is a really interesting mix of Austrian and Italian culture and architecture. The drive from Verona is about 1.5 hours and I was delighted with what I saw when I arrived - a charming villa surrounded by palm trees and beautiful gardens. A perfect environment for a healthy break – fresh clean air, blue skies and mild temperatures. It was 20 degrees at the end of April...
I must say I loved the place. It is not flashy at all and quite different to many of the other very well known health retreats. The quality of the treatments, food and care from the team are comparable but the main difference is that I felt that I was staying in somebody's traditional country home, being watched over and cared for by the hosts. It didn't feel at all like a hotel and I guess with just 30 rooms they can achieve that atmosphere. It has quite an old fashioned feel as if you have entered a bygone era with an emphasis on service rather than processes.
The guests were mixed. Beautifully elegant Italian women from Milan and Rome, couples doing a detox together, a sophisticated art dealer from New York who claimed to be close friends with Meryl Streep, and of course our gorgeous Wellbeing Escapes single travellers who I always love meeting and spending time with.
Here are my highlights and why I will be going back:
The initial wellbeing consultation and tests:
Usually this is only accessible with full week health programmes but even if you want to go for a short break, our clients have access to this as part of the Wellbeing Booster programme. It is definitely worth it to get a good overview of your health. The bio impedance analysis measures your cellular health, levels of hydration and BMI in addition to muscle and fat mass. The really interesting test for me was the Tomography test which measures levels of inflammation and stress. This is always a wake-up call for me as I am reminded about how easy it is to get used to high stress levels – not good at all for our health or bodies. To do these tests in the UK would cost a fair packet so it's a really good deal. The icing on the cake is the consultation with the charming Doctor Emanuele who has been at Villa Eden for over 15 years but quite frankly doesn't look old enough. He talks through the test results with you and makes recommendations regarding lifestyle and nutrition.
The treatments:
The therapists were incredible. I have had more than my fair share of treatments but Oh My Goodness, they were excellent. One of the highlights was their signature treatment, the Body Cast treatment. It starts with a massage, followed by an algae application before the cast is applied and you are cocooned. It is a detoxifying treatment that is relaxing at the same time and I did feel svelte afterwards like I had a flatter tummy and lost an inch or so around my hips. It is very effective if you have some water retention which I didn't realise that I had but obviously did. To get full effect it is good to have at least a couple of these. I also loved the fact that while you are wrapped the therapist didn't disappear. She felt the tension in my face and gave me an amazing face massage while I drifted off. Every treatment is obviously personalised and there comes through the genuine care rather than following a formula that happens at so many spas. I have to mention the facial too. I am not a big facial person as always prefer to have a body treatment but it was very effective and my skin looked much more hydrated and bright. A worthwhile treat. Last but definitely not least and probably my favourite, was the amazing Shiatsu with Fausto. It was very powerful but all I can say is you need to drop your inhibitions if you really want to reap the benefits! (if you are interested, call me and I will tell more...)
The Food. You can either have the delicious and seasonal Italian gourmet food or, if you want to detox and lose some weight, the Doctor will advise you of which plan to go on. All the restaurant staff and kitchen staff are briefed and you are served beautifully prepared and presented food. If you go on the detox diet, be prepared for herbal teas and barley coffee (which I couldn't acquire a taste for unfortunately). There is no coffee or alcohol unless you sit in the gourmet restaurant. If you are there for a week, the doctor will put you on a juice fast for one day to totally cleanse the system. After my usual detox fatigue by the 4th day I felt energised.
Merano:
I had no idea how beautiful the location is. The town is gorgeous. I recommend that if you have time, go into town on the first day and have some local delights such as the gelato before you start your detox. Villa Eden organises a daily excursion which is well worth going on. I joined other guests to visit Verano up in the mountains where you can sit in the mountain cinema and take in the unbelievable views (a great spot for a short meditation too). Also make sure you do the 4km walk around Merano on the Tappeiner Promenade as it's stunning.
If you wish to know more call us today on 0203 735 7555.
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