Starting today, a new once-a-week format… although the gal never says anything is ‘the best’ it is more than possible to praise what is great. Every Saturday, therefore, Girlahead shares Five Greats. And, please, come up with your own ideas for themes.
First off, Five Great Wellness places, in alphabetical order.
Bürgenstock Resort, high above Lucerne and its beautiful lake, is the epitome of Swiss fresh-air health. As well as offering hiking and biking its 148 acres, its Alpine Spa wins many accolades, including HD Award’s best spa design (designer MKV). I stayed in the Bürgenstock Hotel’s corner suite 1111, looking far down to the lake.
ForteVillage Sardegna is one of eight properties currently recommended by Health & Fitness Travel. ForteVillage is masterminded by football-mad Lorenzo Giannuzzi, and offers every sport you can think of on its 63 beach-set acres. Room 1501 is in Villa del Parco, conveniently next to the spa. As well as the main spa, with a cascade of Thalasso pools, it has just added an exclusive book-by-day private facility (see the photo above – the 3,000 sq ft area comes with three Thalasso pools, plus hammam and sauna).
Gleneagles, the iconic Scottish way-of-life resort, specialises in everything from croquet, falconry and serious golf through to off-road driving (last time there, I was in room 364, which had the added benefit of being 74 stairs up from the lobby, which provided aerobic exercise instead of elevator convenience). The Technogym, busy with regular and serious local members, is again up 20 steps. Later, I walked down to the redone golf club grill, with its famous Johnnie Walker Blue inside-out bar.
Nihi Sumba makes you feel better simply for being there. Hike the hilly resort campus, and the additional 74-acre wellness area with open-air yoga pavilions. Gallop the beach at sunset – the resort has 16 ponies and also hosts an annual global polo tournament. I loved my villa, MaranggaV2, with its very-private 495 sq ft pool and outdoor sala (a 26-step wooden pathway leads directly down to the beach).
Park Hyatt Sydney is great for runners and walkers. You are two minutes from the start of BridgeClimb, the must-not-miss trek over the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge – but if you cannot afford the total time of four hours that it takes, just allow 45 minutes to run the main bridge over to Woolloomooloo and back. Or head in the other direction, around Circular Quay, to exercise in the Botanic Gardens, open from 7 a.m. Favourite rooms at the hotel are those looking across the harbour to the Opera House.
Another Five-Great, next Saturday (with Sybaritic Single tomorrow, and more individual hotel reviews after that…).
