![]() Rooms and suites are peppered with antiques exuding understated elegance that make you feel both at home and somewhere very, very special. With a two-starred Michelin restaurant and chic spa, this is the country lodging of Francophile dreams. But with the city of Bordeaux lately spruced up to shiny weekend break status, cemented by the opening of the landmark Cité du Vin, a temple-like museum to wine, the region is attracting a broader base of bacchanalian visitors.A 20-minute drive from the city, surrounded by pleasingly manicured rows of pampered vines belonging to the 600-year-old Château Smith Haut Lafitte winery, Les Sources de Caudalie was an early adopter of all-embracing wine tourism. The local vintner’s preoccupation with creating impeccable wines has traditionally surpassed their desire to attract tourists beyond day-tripping tasters. Have a light breakfast of smoothies, croissants and fruit in the Zen Garden restaurant, or head to the main restaurant, Cambium, where hot dishes can be cooked to order, and there’s an extensive buffet.īordeaux and its surrounding vineyards haven’t always been an obvious choice when booking a spa break. If you’re feeling brave, head to the ice grotto to shower beneath a bucket of ice water suspended from the ceiling. Retreat to relaxing rooms with heated beds, therapeutically-lit showers, and opulent sauna and steam rooms. Unwind in the huge hydrotherapy pool, where each section provides a different experience, with targeted massaging jets, waterfall-style showers and an intense whirlpool. Be sure to take up the offer of a guided tour – you’ll need it to navigate your way around the sprawling network of relaxation rooms, fitness suites and yoga studios.The main swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room are available for all hotel guests, while paying spa guests are issued with a special wristband allowing access to the more extensive spa areas. ![]() ![]() In contrast, the hotel’s Thai-themed SenSpa is invitingly exotic – and the flagship venue for the SenSpa brand. On arrival, the reception feels quintessentially British, from the grand staircase to the cosy fireplaces. ![]() Surrounded by the lush, leafy New Forest, yet conveniently close to the neighbouring village of Brockenhurst, Careys Manor is ideal for a gloriously grown-up getaway. You’ll then head back to the hotel and make a three-course menu (£175 per person, includes market tour, wine, lunch and an apron). You’ll go to the local market in Barga to buy ingredients first, and while you’re there you can pick up top-quality produce to take home, including huge slabs of pecorino for £4, chestnut flour and dried pici (the local thick spaghetti). If you want to have a go at making pasta, the hotel’s cooking class is great fun. The breakfast buffet is excellent with croissants, fruit, yogurt, eggs, bacon, Tuscan salami, local cheeses and juices. Sit out on the terrace and order the outrageously cheesy ricotta & truffle timbale with pecorino fondue to start, followed by a light stuffed mushroom ravioli (both £14). To sample traditional food, you don’t even need to set foot out of the hotel as the main restaurant, La Veranda, serves a menu of tempting Tuscan classics. The spa menu is extensive with massages, wraps, scrubs and facials, using local ingredients where possible – try the 80-minute pindas massage using Tuscan herbs soaked in olive oil (£115), and feel your stresses melt away. But the real star is the in-house spa, with a wellness area complete with a sauna, steam room, Turkish bath and heated indoor pool with hydro-massage. Set in the hills above the pretty town of Barga with its impressive duomo and pink and yellow-hued houses, the Renaissance has spectacular views from its huge terrace and sparkling aquamarine pool – the perfect place to sip an Aperol spritz and watch the world go by.Many of the rooms have generous balconies, as well as marble bathrooms and luxurious feather beds. But at Renaissance Tuscany II Ciocco Resort & Spa, relaxation is taken to a new level. With its rolling hills, fabulous food and wine (this is the home of chianti, prosciutto and pecorino, among other Italian greats), and slow pace of life, it would be hard to be anything but relaxed in Tuscany.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |