It’s Global Wellness Weekend; these rejuvenating wellness experiences provide luxurious accommodation alongside holistic treatments designed to nourish both body and mind …
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Ballynahinch Castle, Connemara
Apart from its idyllic setting, gorgeous restaurants and cocooning rooms, there’s a new reason to visit Ballynahinch Castle. Set among the estate’s gorgeous woodlands, guests will find some new outdoor saunas overlooking the lake. They are perfect for a private, personalised wellness experience, providing an opportunity to unwind and rejuvenate in a truly natural setting. Located just a five-minute walk from the hotel’s front door, the saunas are easily accessible, with buggy transportation available for those who prefer it. The one-hour sauna sessions (from €60 per sauna per hour for up to two people) include a cold pull bucket; guests are also encouraged to take a refreshing dip in the estate’s pristine lake plunge area. For those seeking a complete wellness retreat, Ballynahinch Castle has a new “Stillness and Sanctuary” overnight offer which includes dinner in Owenmore Restaurant or The Fisherman’s Pub, plus a private outdoor sauna experience from €525 per room based on two people sharing. www.ballynahinch-castle.com
The Jewel Lodge & Spa, Glengarriff, West Cork
Founded by Cork-born sisters Aiveen Casey and Keelin Fitzgerald, The Jewel Lodge & Spa opened this summer in Glengariff on the Beara Peninsula. It offers simple yet luxurious accommodation and a Riverside Spa where guests can enjoy an outdoor hot tub, natural plunge pool or take a re-energising seaweed bath. Indoor facilities include a relaxation room, an infrared sauna and a range of treatments from massages to manicures.
One-day and weekend group wellness retreats with a focus on meaningful meditation practices are also available, definitely a passion project for co-founder Keelin Fitzgerald. “When I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, I discovered I was allergic to all traditional medications typically used to treat the condition. This led me to explore other holistic treatment options, including meditation and reiki. I immediately felt the benefits of this type of approach and decided to spend the following years studying and training in holistic medicine and alternative therapies specialising in meditation, massage, reiki and reflexology. It’s always been an area that I saw myself working in one day so when Aiveen ran the idea by me about The Jewel, it was a no-brainer. We saw a gap in the market for a space that provided simple but luxurious accommodation with a strong holistic health and wellness offering and first-class facilities immersed in nature – and what better location than West Cork?”
Overnight guests stay in boutique-style suites or self-catering apartments. A two person mid-week stay has a minimum booking of two nights. This costs €276 per night including two spa experiences for each guest (one per day). www.thejewel.ie
Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa, Co Wicklow
With breathtaking views of the Sugar Loaf Mountain and Wicklow’s picturesque countryside, Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa offers a revitalising escape at any time of the year but especially autumn, when the changing colours are spectacular and can be enjoyed on a private riverside walk, within the walls of Powerscourt Estate. An overnight stay there is the sum of many parts – an impressive bedroom complete with featherbeds, marble bathrooms, ESPA bath essentials and rainforest showers. Then there’s the indoor 20m Swarovski crystal-lit swimming pool, the prelude to an ESPA treatment. All spa guests enjoy full use of the thermal areas including the Hamman suite, sauna and steam rooms. The Spa Café offers a tranquil oasis to sit, eat, sip and surrender to relaxation. Check out the midweek Powerscourt Getaway offer, from €161 per person sharing, which includes an overnight stay with breakfast, and a €50 dining credit, with access to the spa facilities. www.powerscourthotel.com
Cashel Palace Hotel, Co Tipperary
As the trend of solo travel continues to rise, Cashel Palace Hotel has created a new Solo Sojourn Stay, from €369 per night, specifically designed for solo travellers seeking rest, relaxation and a touch of well-deserved indulgence. This bespoke package offers overnight accommodation in a King Room (at special single occupancy rates), breakfast in the Queen Anne room, as well as the option of dining amid the buzz of the main bistro or savouring peaceful in-room dining with a curated Taste of Tipperary platter. Guests can relax in the elegant Drawing Room, or the picturesque Garden Terrace (with lots of glossies) as well as choose from a menu of optional add-on activities. These include an outdoor seaweed bath, one hour spa treatment, a private yoga, reiki or meditation session, a guided hike and a Rossa pottery masterclass. Incredibly, there also a special gift to take home too (a posh Cashel Palace Hotel candle) and discount on Bamford and Valmont products. www.cashelpalacehotel.ie
The Europe Hotel & Resort, Co Kerry
At The Europe’s celebrated spa, all treatments are bespoke and carefully curated to create a relaxing experience for guests. A new addition to try is the ESPA LED Nano-Dermabrasion Active Nutrients Facial, €160, which works to restore radiance, refreshing your skin (and mind) to glow with vitality. Therapists concentrate on the face, neck, décolleté and scalp to maximise results. This gorgeous new treatment includes skin analysis with a skin vision lamp followed by a cleanse, then exfoliation with nano dermabrasion and a light salon enzymatic mask with scalp massage. There is also a LED light treatment plus a facial massage which promises to leave you relaxed and glowing. Add on an overnight stay to enjoy the superb facilities fully; a luxury golf side room is €395 with breakfast, based on two people sharing. www.theeurope.com