Restoring Retreat

November 4, 2018
Fashion & Beauty, Travel

Santé Wellness Retreat & Spa isn’t the kind of pamper spa destination where guests enjoy a gentle rub-down, followed by champagne in the jacuzzi. Instead, this is a space for total rejuvenation, relaxation and restoration.

The sumptuous getaway in the heart of the Franschhoek valley is accredited as the only African representative of the Healing Hotels of the World group and blends luxurious surrounds with world class spa therapies, remarkable food and hi-tech Health Optimising facilities to create a cossetting space for holistic recovery.

Everything about a stay at Santé is tailored towards nurturing, healing and nourishing – hence the name of the restaurant, ‘Nourish’, headed by Executive Chef Terrence Ford. Based on the belief that nutritious food is the foundation of health, Ford and his team produce dishes of astounding quality and imagination, rendered all the more astonishing when considering the fact that each dish is created using only unrefined foods, without the use of sugar, dairy, gluten, preservatives, colourants and additives.

Each of the 31 rooms – divided into 20 Spa Suites, 10 Retreat Suites and 1 Deluxe Suite – have an individual character, with custom-made furniture and artworks collected by the owners over several years, making each a relaxing haven within the sprawling property.

The Day Spa is best experienced on a bespoke Retreat Package, which starts at 2 days’ duration and offers the well-drilled team of therapists the chance to understand each guest’s requirements and work to achieve balance between mind, body and spirit. The signature Tranquillity Pro-Sleep massage acts on three different sensorial pathways: the aroma of essential oils work to relieve anxiety and uplift the mood; their application with specialised br ushes promotes calm through touch; and the slow tempo of the background music help slow down the heart and breathing rates, for maximum relaxation.

The Health Optimising Royal Retreat – also a first, on the continent – offers the opportunity to apply cutting-edge technology to diagnosing and healing a vast array of maladies, with a focus on treating the bodily systems which assist in correcting the root cause, rather than treating only the symptoms.

It’s a rarity to find a retreat with such a focused aim of achieving health and wellbeing for guests – and Santé’s pristine setting makes it all the more unique.