Eight Splendid Spa Resorts for 2012

It's a new year so how about a new you for 2012. We uncover a selection of spa retreats around the world where you can relax and rejuvenate.

By Sharron Livingston on 06 January 2012 in Travel Articles

1/ LUOSTO TUNTUR HOTEL AND AMETHYS SPA

Where: Luosto in remotest Northern Finland, about 1 hour 30 minutes Rovaniemi Airport and 1 hour 50 minutes from Kittilä Airport. It overlooks the Finnish Lapland within the Aurora Zone.

Accommodation: A mix of hotel rooms, apartment suites and pine cabins slightly away from the hotel.

Spa: Stendhal ultrasonic (deep exfoliation using ultrasound), pur luxe treatments, maritime salt baths and Turkish and Finnish saunas and a Jacuzzi tucked away in a small amethyst cave. There's a glass-fronted Aurora Lounge to see the Northern Lights passing over the night's sky.

Other activities: Husky-sledding, reindeer-sleighing, old-fashioned sledging, skiing and the opportunity to visit an amethyst mine. Or watch the night sky by lake behind the hotel. You will receive an "Aurora Alert". When the scientists at the Observatory detect the Aurora you will get an text message alert.

How much: from €85 on Booking

2/ SHERATON MALDIVES FULL MOON RESORT AND SPA

Where: In the stunning North Male Island Atoll in the Maldives. It has its own lagoon and is 15 minutes from the Malé International Airport by speedboat.

Accommodation: Beach front rooms in the shade of palm trees, thatched cottages with private balcony some with ocean views and direct beach access, stand-alone bungalows that sit over the water and villas with plunge pools and hammocks.

Spa: Shine Spa is located on a private island reached by a bridge. It has six treatment rooms, with stunning views of the Indian Ocean, relaxation pools and a herb garden for home grown spa products.

Other activities: Deep-sea fishing, various water sports and the chance to go diving to see the sharks, turtles and mantas and spectacular reefs. If the mood takes you, there's also sunset cruising.

How much: from £179 per night with Expedia

3/ MARADIVA RESORT AND SPA'S AYURVEDIC DETOX RETREAT

Where: In a lush 27-acre setting on the Tamarin Bay, Mauritius, under an hour's drive from the Mauritius International Airport.

Accommodation: Villa only along the coastline. Some have views of the ocean other with lush garden views. All have plunge pools.

The Spa: This is a week long spa treatment to detoxify. Dr Seema Paliwal uses Ayurvedic treatments, Indian herbalism and yoga-based fitness and meditation. Therapies include massage and chakra therapy and Pavani lymphatic drainage and herbal wrap.

Other Activities: Golf, coral diving, big game fishing and visiting the island's national parks. You'll see dolphins along the bay.

How much: check dates for exact prices

4/ RAFFLES SPA RESORT

Where: On Praslin Island in the Seychelles overlooking the Indian Ocean. The resort is a short 30-minute drive from the Praslin Airport. Air Seychelles has regular 15-minute flights from Mahé International Airport to Praslin. Or, you can take a scenic 45-minute ferry ride from Mahé to Praslin.

Accommodation: Villa only along the coastline. Some have views of the ocean other with lush garden views. All have plunge pools.

The Spa: Signature treament is Pure Pearl using local pearls, reputed to calm the spirit, open the heart chakra, stabilise emotions and rejuvenate the skin. It begins with an exfoliation using therapeutic-grade pearl powder and essences of organic ylang-ylang and bergamot. A rehydrating body mask is applied and eyes are covered with a sea-derived eye mask while the face, scalp and feet are massaged.

Other activities: Island hopping, cycling, site seeing to the Valley de Mai to see the coco de mer palms.

How much: from €659 per night on Booking for a villa with a garden view, sleeping 2 people or from £550 with Expedia

5/ GLENWOOD SPRINGS

Where: Colorado's Rocky Mountains in the Roaring Fork Valley in between the Aspen and Vail ski resorts. You can reach Glenwood Springs by flying to Vail/Eagle County Regional Airport, 30 miles east, Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, 40 miles south, Grand Junction Regional Airport, 90 miles west or Denver International Airport, 160 miles east.

Accommodation: Choose a cozy cabin, cottage or hotel room.

The Spa: It is all about the mineral springs here and their hot spring pool, 5,700 feet above sea level, is the largest in the world. Combine this with he Spa, of the Rockies housed in a sandstone bathhouse. It has nine treatments rooms and a hydrotherapy room for Vichy showers.

Other Activities: Explore caverns, paddle the whitewater, fish in Gold Medal waters, ski, horse ride or snowshoe.

6/ ISLE OF ERISKA SPA AND GOLF

Where: On the small, secluded Eriska island on the west coast of Scotland north of Oban. It nestles on a rift valley created by cataclysmic upheavals that took place 600 million years ago. The island is virtually a nature reserve, with nature trails and seals, otters, badgers and roe deer all around. Eriska is best reached by car and train (Connel Ferry train station is 6m) with the closest airports being Glasgow (90miles) and Edinburgh (110miles)

Accommodation: Five star accommodation, with views over the 350-acre estate. There's a further 50 acres on the mainland which includes a 'Special area of Scientific Interest'.

Spa: The ESPA contains its own 17m ozone filtered pool, gym and Veranda Restaurant with views over the nine-hole golf course.

Other activities: Clay pigeon shooting, water activities, nature walks tennis, bowls, badminton, table tennis, putting and golf driving bays.

How much: check dates for exact prices

7/ THE SPA AT GALGORM

Where: On the banks of the River Maine, near Ballymena 25 miles from Belfast city centre in Northern Ireland. It is set in 165 acres of parkland. Nearest airports are Belfast International (20 miles) and Belfast City (30 miles).

Accommodation: Modern rooms and suites within a country mansion. There are self-catering cottages and log cabins by the river.

Spa: Created from local stone and wood, it offers treatments from ancient rituals of bathing in cold, warm and hot waters, a hydrotherapy pool and hot tubs. Packages include liquid seaweed bath, a two- hour thermal spa.

Other activities: Horse riding, a golf at Galgorm Castle golf club, miles of fishing opportunities and pathways for ramblers and cyclists.

How much: check dates for exact prices

8/ FIVE ELEMENTS

Where: Puri Ahimsa, Bali. The resort has the serene Ayung Riveras its backdrop. It is located about 30 kilometers (under an hour's drive) from Denpasar Airport.

Accommodation: There are five suites facing a forest hillside with waterfalls with open verandas exposed to the river. They come with a private bamboo enclosure with a large open-air bathtub made of stone boulder.

Spa: There are severals therapies that include meditation, deep bodywork and prana energy.There are massage therapies such as deep healing reflexoglogy, acupressure.A massage in warm water means floating effortlessly while receiving water-assisted massage and yoga-like stretches.

Other activities: There are several excursions including a day to the ancient kingdom of Mengwi the ancestral palace of the kingdom and a trip to the cave temple and other sacred sights.

How much: $475 per night plus tax and service charge (you can also buy a gift voucher from here)

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