Wellbeing Escapes founder, Stella Photi visited Oceano Hotel Health Spa and gives us the low-down from her escape...
Getting there
I must admit that I had pre-conceptions about Tenerife and thought that it would be full of tacky tourism and those heading to the pub for breakfast! However, how wrong could I have been? Of course there's an element of 'fun in the sun' (and hey why not?) but about 30 minutes into my transfer along the coastal road towards Oceano, the landscape changed from being quite arid to very pretty, green and lush. It felt like I had been transported to a different island and quaint, sleepy villages appeared with dark green and red houses, terracotta roofs and rolling green hills. How lovely!
First Impressions
The first thing I noticed was the sound of the sea, the aromas and the glorious views - took a deep breath and felt my body begin to relax. There are no beaches but there are "natural swimming pools" where barriers have been put around the sea for people to swim in safely and you can also sit around the pool. Oceano does have its own seawater swimming pool within the beautiful gardens too so you can sunbathe and relax and then walk a couple of minutes to the sea for an invigorating dip in the natural swimming pools!
Style
The hotel is not flashy at all but really comfortable. It has been running for 30 years, and you can see how it has evolved. The new, contemporary rooms, spa wellness restaurant sit alongside more traditional decor and somehow it works (but maybe not if you are very style conscious!). I also noticed a lot of people were speaking German and made a mental note that the wellbeing offerings must be good as historically the Germans have taken regular preventative health holidays and really know their stuff!
I had lunch on arrival and enjoyed healthy fresh fish and salad from the menu in the main traditional restaurant - in fact I sat outside and enjoyed the sun on my face! Meanwhile, I could see other guests in the wellness restaurant being served their specific detox menus - it's a good idea to be separate I think as then you can't be tempted!
Bedrooms
My room was the on the newly refurbished design floor and very bright and comfortable. I did inspect every room type in the hotel and was delighted that EVERY room has a stunning sea view - after all, there is something special about a hotel where you don't have to pay a fortune for a sea view supplement. The more traditional rooms were very large and airy and although quite old-fashioned in style, I would have been quite happy to be in one as they all had glorious views and a balcony for chilling out and breathing in the sea air. Plus you really don't spend much time in your room on a wellness programme!
Mayr Detox
I had a long meeting with the very impressive Dr. Rolle whose family built the hotel and who now runs it with his lovely Spanish wife, Magda. He spent time correcting some of my false knowledge on the Mayr Method - it seems that I have read too many write-ups about the Mayr Clinic in Austria that have focused on extreme detoxing. The Mayr philosophy is where Dr Rolle's passion lies and his eyes lit up when he explained that by doing a annual detox using this system, you could ward off disease, improve your overall appearance, reduce digestive issues and the dreaded bloating. Alas, I could not go through the detox as I was only there for a few days and you need a minimum of 7 days to make it work.
The principle of the Mayr Method focuses on cleansing the digestive system to help bring about an optimum state of health. At Oceano, it is very much tailored to your own health situation and experience when it comes to detoxing, so it is by no means extreme for those who are new to detoxing. The beauty of it is that you are constantly monitored by the medical team and the diet is supplemented by nurturing treatments and colonic hydrotherapy or abdominal massages that are included in the programme. Click here to find out more about the Mayr Method
The Thalasso treatments
These are spa treatments that use sea products so think seaweed wraps in floating beds, pure seawater pools with jets, seawater baths and gentle treatments in water, all using seawater directly pumped and purified from the nearby sea. The beauty of the sea and its products is that it has far-reaching effects on your health and is a serious stress-reliever. So when you combine these treatments with sea air and beautiful coastal walks, it not only helps you to sleep but you also feel your muscles relax. Dr Rolle tells me that they are developing a Thalasso Menu focusing on natural sea products such as seaweed & fish. I am very excited about that and how it can complement the treatments!
Fitness & Other Activities
The medical team includes specialist trainers, physios and osteopaths that can give their attention to your postural alignment and, interestingly, Dr. Rolle shared with me that he notices postural improvement with guests that have gone through the Mayr Detox. There is a gym that overlooks the sea at the Medical Centre which I liked as the doors were open and you could feel the sea breeze while you worked up a sweat! There are a number of group classes available that range from yoga, morning stretching to Spanish lessons and Nordic Walking. I really enjoyed the Nordic walking along the coastline as it forces you to work your upper body and to be aware of your posture as well - excellent.
I kept hearing about the Ancient Forest in the Anaga Mountains but just didn't have the time to visit as it takes a good half day to do the trek there. The family is passionate about the nature and beauty of their local environment and do whatever they can to arrange excursions and guides to allow their guests to experience it. They can arrange surfing lessons, paddle boarding, horse riding, mountain biking to name but a few activities and I must go back and try them! Given that the hotel was full, I hadn't been able to work out where everyone was during the day as there were only a few people around the seawater pool but once I realised what activities could be arranged, I understood!
My Top Tips
- For a real health boost, you can do a blood analysis and take advantage of one or two vitamin and mineral infusions prescribed and overseen by the doctors. This makes Oceano is a very cost effective option
- The saunas and steam rooms are state-of-the-art and spotless so use them before a spa treatment if you can
- The view from the yoga studio is totally stunning! There is also a roof terrace where you can sunbathe in the nude relatively privately if that takes your fancy!
- There is a charge for Wi-FI in the bedrooms but it's available free of charge in the restaurant, lobby and library. The management do this to discourage the use of devices in the bedrooms. Unlike some resorts who charge for Wi-FI to make extra money, I really did believe them as they have a lot of integrity with their health approach
- The micro climate in the North of Tenerife means there is a constant sea breeze that keeps you comfortable and, even in the height of summer, the temperature does not go above 28 degrees
Who should go to Oceano:
- Stress Heads: do the Thalasso Relaxation programme and go for long walks and get into nature
- If you want to lose weight and re-energise, do the Detox programme (Mayr Detox method)
- Yoga bunnies who will love the fabulous yoga programme
- If you want to get some sunshine in a beautiful spot and kickstart your fitness, go for the Fitness Booster programme
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