Health generators
Alex Greig discovers four spas around the globe with a focus on staying well.
Mii Amo, Arizona, United States Hugged by – and blending into – the awe-inspiring red rocks of Boynton Canyon, Mii Amo (miiamo.com) is a low-slung 16-room spa located within Enchantment, a 28-hectare resort 14 kilometres north-west of Sedona, Arizona. Packages offer three meals and two spa treatments a day, fitness classes, wellness lectures, mountain biking and hiking; facilities include swimming pools, tennis, a steam room and sauna. Though Mii Amo describes its culinary offerings as akin to “haute cuisine, minus the guilt”, each menu item comes with a calorie count and fat, carb and protein content. Gulp. Alcohol is available.
Lefay Resort & Spa, Lago di Garda, Italy A spa resort with fine wine, cocktails and a cigar bar? We must be in Italy. North-west of Verona, on the shores of Lake Garda, Lefay Resort & Spa (lefayresorts. com) ticks so many boxes it’s hard to think of a reason not to go. Treatments combine traditional Chinese medicine and Western science; there’s even a wellness program for children over four. For an extra €50 (about $75) a day, guests can take their fur babies, too.
Mukul Resort, Golf & Spa, Guacalito de la Isla, Nicaragua Mukul Resort, Golf & Spa (mukulresort. com) is set between a lush tangle of primeval forest and the pearly sands of the Emerald Coast. Its 37 guest suites comprise beach villas, bohios (thatched cottages) and two private compounds. Spa treatments are drawn from diverse traditions, including Turkish hammams and ancient Mesoamerican practices. In-house instructors teach yoga, while resident shaman Yamuna works on the intangible side of things. The David McLay Kidd golf course gives the resort a country-club feel but the Flor de Caña tasting room is pure Nicaragua – the high-end rum has been in owner Carlos Pellas’s family for five generations.
Fregate Island Private, Seychelles You won’t find buried treasure on Fregate Island (fregate.com); its riches are all out in the open. Rare wildlife, including 2200 Aldabra giant tortoises, sea turtles and more than 100 species of tropical birds, call the island home. The Rock Spa offers treatments using products made with ingredients grown on the island. Collect native fruits and herbs from the garden and the therapists will help you transform them into face masks, hair treatments and body wraps. Staying in one of the resort’s 16 residences, each with a private infinity pool, spa and day bed, gives you free access to the island’s walking trails, beaches and inland harbour.