Reviews

Kamalaya in Koh Samui, Thailand was honoured with the award for Destination Spa of the Year: Asia & Australasia at the World Spa awards hosted in London last night.

What is Cegonha and who is it for?

Longevity Cegonha Country Club is a boutique style wellness resort in Portugal, near the Algarve. Best suited to those who are looking for looking for peace and tranquillity as well as physical, mental and emotional wellness, it is great for solo travellers, friends or couples and anyone wanting to de-stress and relax.

Set in a secluded bay on the southern tip of Grenada, LaLuna is the ultimate island getaway. My seven-night stay at the luxury resort was just the escape I needed. The road leading up to LaLuna is unpaved and bumpy, but don't be fooled by the drive, upon entering the resort you will realise that you've tumbled upon a hidden paradise.

What makes Grayshott Health Spa special?

Grayshott Spa is a truly traditional English spa with a primary focus on well-being. Set in a rural location within 47 acres of National Trust land, its unique, peaceful, stress-free environment centred around therapeutic spa treatments, exercise and healthy cuisine is unlike any other spa in the UK. The caring, personal service and sincerity of the staff means it's a great place to unwind and recuperate.

Tell us about the resort what makes it special

Lefay Resort and Spa is a unique and eco-friendly hotel, located in a truly beautiful and breathtaking location. It oozes sophistication, elegance, and although contemporary, it's homely, welcoming, and a relaxing place to distress and unwind. You can enjoy the wonderful views of Lago di Garda by day, and a bright sky full of stars by night.

The resort values are luxury, global wellbeing, staff wellbeing, sustainably, and Italian character.  These are embedded and embraced throughout the entire holiday experience in an authentic and traditional Italian way.

What is Wildfitness and who's it for?

I knew Wildfitness had a different approach to exercise before I arrived, but I was amazed to discover just how deeply it ran throughout the retreats’ ethos. Everything gravitates around natural movement and getting back to how things used to be for evolutionary man. Sure, the fitness schedule incorporates all the aerobic and anaerobic training of any typical regime, but without any of the gym work or repetitive, formulaic structure. This was great for me as I’m not someone who can turn up to the gym each day without eventually getting bored and throwing in the towel all together.

What is Shanti Som and who’s it for?

Shanti Som is a serene health retreat in Andalucía’s breath-taking Sierra de Las Nieves valley. Tucked away in the mountains, it’s ideal for anyone looking for peace and quiet, escaping the bustle of city life and hectic schedules. This boutique wellness retreat focuses on yoga, health, detox and weight-loss, offering time for total rejuvenation. 

I started my eight week internship with Health and Fitness Travel at the beginning of July and it couldn't have been more worthwhile. This experience has been incomparable to the other internships I've done, where filing and clock-watching were main activities. Here, I've really been made to feel a part of the small and friendly team, carrying out a variety of different tasks and with some real responsibility.

Author, TV Host and leading nutritionist Lola Berry visited Aro Ha in New Zealand and was inspired to write her first ever blog post about her amazing adventure and wanted to share the love for one of the most amazing places she has ever visited. Lola returned to Aro Ha as Special Guest Teacher. Read on to find out why this retreat has a special place in Lola's heart!

As the name suggests, this new resort which opened in July 2010 offers a wellness experience for those wanting to improve their longevity. Programmes include a wellness and fitness boost week, detox, stress management and weight loss. Situated in the beautiful natural area of Monchique in the Algarve Portugal, this perfect natural and wellness getaway is surrounded by breath-taking views over coastal mountains, making it the ideal location for a health retreat. All guests have access to a weekly health and fitness schedule which include morning and afternoon hikes, classes in Pilates, dance, aqua aerobics, mind fitness, stretching and lectures in Osteopathy, stress management and nutrition.

Tell us about the resort – what makes Santani special?

Santani is a relatively new architect-designed property built on 120 acres of former tea plantation and owned and run by Sri Lankans in central Sri Lanka, about five hours by car from Colombo (you can also take a seaplane to Kandy, which would be a great way to arrive). The last part of the drive, from Kandy, is on a climbing, winding mountain road. You can’t even see the resort until you’re there, that’s how tucked away it is.

Travel Specialist Manuel spent 48 hours at luxury wellness retreat, COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali and this is his snapshot review…

COMO Shambhala Estate is nothing short of spectacular! A world-class luxurious wellness retreat in Ubud, Bali with breath-taking views of the dense tropical jungle. The award-winning wellness retreat creates an unforgettable experience for their guests. Whether you're a wellness newbie and kick-starting your wellness journey or you wanted to achieve optimal health on a fitness holiday, your stay at COMO Shambhala Estate will help you to reach your goals and boost your overall well-being.

I started my apprenticeship on the 3rd September last year and after a one week introduction of training and learning about the brand, I hit the ground running. There are no photocopying and tea run type jobs to do here but rather a variety of different tasks, some done on a daily basis and others done intermittently. In the last 7 months I have learnt everything from social media marketing strategies to the development and upkeep of our website, and most recently I have been involved in the design of the new site that is set to be launched in the summer. 

Having just returned from a seven-night stay at Jewel Dunn's River Resort, it's safe to say that it goes above and beyond any other all-inclusive resorts I've stayed at. I ended my holiday in Jamaica feeling refreshed, revitalised and keen to book my next trip back.

Having only started 2 months ago, after this experience I truly believe the expression “people with clear written goals will accomplish far more in a shorter period of time than those without”. Combing my degree in Travel and Tourism Management and my passion for travelling and all things fitness, it was unquestionable that I was going to enjoy and make the most out of my time at Health and Fitness Travel doing the PR and Marketing internship.

I’m reaching the end of my 8 week PR and Marketing internship with Health and Fitness Travel and I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone. From my first day working for the company, I knew that this internship would be different to others. At Health and Fitness Travel, I’m always kept busy throughout the day and am never short of things to do; with blog writing, product research and web copy are just some of the variation of tasks I’m set each day.

With three years of university over, a degree under my belt and still no clear idea as to what to do next, I was thrilled when I found out I’d got the PR & Marketing Internship with Health and Fitness Travel.

Having started my internship only 6 weeks ago, it's incredible to see how far I've come. My development can be attributed to the genuine responsibility I've been given, as well as the support of a close-knit team. Each day presents a diverse range of challenges, meaning time has flown by whilst learning lots of new skills.

Testing the waters of the travel PR and marketing industry during my internship with Health and Fitness Travel could not have been a more worthwhile experience. Having struggled to find a career path since graduating, my eight week internship gave me the opportunity to change direction and discover a career path I am now passionate about pursuing.

Nestled in Notting Hill, NAMA foods is one of London’s best raw vegan cafes and I was lucky enough to enjoy a very delicious (and very non-traditional) Sunday lunch there in December with my boyfriend. I am a vegetarian and whilst I enjoy eating cooked vegan food at home, I never prepare raw vegan meals for myself so I was really looking forward to a treat. At NAMA, their brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks and of course dessert menus all offer a delicious variety of some of the healthiest foods available, similar to some of the raw and vegan food wellness retreats we send our clients to.