What were your first Impressions?
I was pleasantly surprised by the sense of spaciousness. The retreat only has 3 rooms and a handful of glamping tents so I expected it to be more compact. Instead I was greeted with gardens, orchards and quiet spots to meditate, all on a backdrop of the Caribbean sea. . The sights and sounds of nature revived me after my long journey and I immediately felt that I could breathe deeply and connect with the place.
I also took note of how stylish everything was and how a lot of detail and thought had been put into the construction and décor of the rooms and public spaces.
How did you rate the treatments and activities?
The stand out for me was the wellness consultation with Kyra. This wasn’t a time restricted, formula driven consultation that you get in a many wellness resorts but personal and intuitive. Kyra combined the ancient health system of Ayurveda with her naturopathic wisdom and gave me some unique insights into what I could do to balance my hormones but also be more gentle on myself mentally. This was followed up with written recommendations that I can continuously refer to. The massages are good and have an Ayurvedic slant with long sweeping movements. I also loved the detoxifying mud application which was great fun and eased the tension and aches in my shoulders and neck.
How about the food?
Delicious! Living in London I am used to having a great choice of healthy foods available to me and I sometimes get disappointed with the quality of food and ingredients when I am away. Not here. Organic ingredients, inventive recipes, beautiful presentation and largely gluten and dairy free. It is not a strict vegan retreat but you can easily just have vegan dishes if you follow a vegan diet. Similarly if you would like a piece of freshly caught fish or organic chicken, ask your hosts.
What else did you do?
I love sea swimming and there are steps directly into the sea so a swim before breakfast was a perfect start of the day for me. I would also recommend getting out and about to explore the beauty of the Dominican Republic. The team organised a boat trip to Saona Island which I would highly recommend where you spend the day on an idyllic white sand beach. You can also go by boat up the river to the neighbouring reconstructed colonial town of Altos de Chavon for a spot of shopping. The indigenous local semi previous stone is Larimar which represents peace and clarity is available there and you can select your stone and have it made into a necklace or bracelet.
I stayed in the beautiful blue room but really wanted to try the glamping experience and ended up loving it so much that I spent two nights in a luxury tent. You are closer to the sea so fall asleep to the sound of the waves and have the back to nature experience in comfort (and fully functioning toilets and showers). If you like the thought of this ask us to include one or two nights in a tent as part of your stay.
Is this suitable for a relaxed healthy holiday?
We have created two experiences for different levels of wellness immersion. If you are looking for break in the Caribbean where you can eat healthy food, do some yoga and relax with a couple of treatments, then the signature retreat is perfect for you. The intention for our signature retreat is that of relaxation and ease in a beautiful and safe environment. There are no strict rules here and if you want freshly ground organic coffee in the morning and a glass of wine with dinner just ask.
If you are looking for a more comprehensive experience then go for the mind and body detox where you can follow a more structured programme to achieve your wellness goals.
Why have you chosen this as a Wellbeing Escapes Retreat?
I had been speaking to Kyra and Simon, (the founders) for a while and I love what they stand for. They are an English couple that have chosen to live their dreams by stepping away from a conventional life, and really do walk their talk and passionately believe in connecting with nature and living a holistic lifestyle. Kyra is a healing wonder woman – a Naturopathic Doctor, an Ayurvedic specialist, a reflexologist and a yoga teacher, and brings a hand on approach to both beginners and those more advanced in their personal wellbeing journey . They are both wise souls that understand the pressures of many of their guests and are dedicated to help bring some peace and balance to their lives. This is not an action packed retreat but fits with our philosophy of optimising ones wellbeing in a gentle and personal way. It is a place to take deep breaths and deeply relax surrounded by nature. We hope you love it as much as we do!
Why Wellbeing Escapes?
