We’re booking in for a seaweed bath and massage – on the Aran Islands …
Asked for her ideal Christmas present, beauty panellist Bairbre Ní Fhatharta said she would love a voucher for Aran Islands Seaweed Baths and Spa. “This spa is on Inis Oírr, the furthest west of the three islands, and it’s an absolute haven. There are three baths and a relaxation room overlooking the Atlantic Ocean: it’s all about serenity, and the delicious scents of herbal oils waft and calm one’s senses. Annette, the proprietor and magical beautician from Co Cork, works her magic with treatments from a brilliant body scrub to Indian head massage.”
I was intrigued and contacted owner Annette Joyce to find out more. Located on Inis Oírr, Aran Islands in Co Galway, Joyce set up Aran Seaweed Baths and Spa ten years ago when she married an islander and moved to live there. Open all year round, the spa offers a variety of treatments, from various types of massage to body wraps and reflexology. There is a relaxation room upstairs plus a new outdoor pod where you can relax after your treatment with a herbal tea.
“My husband Oliver hand-harvests fresh seaweed daily – we use this in the baths, and we dry the seaweed also so the customer can take home the experience.” Bags of seaweed are €12 and boxes of seaweed are €15. Love this as a Christmas present idea.
You’ll also find a wide range of great Irish products in stock – Joyce has a keen interest in supporting local businesses – including The Irish Chandler, The Moher Soap Company, The Handmade Soap Company, Connemara Organic Seaweed and Meadows Skincare.
Book by email: annettejoyce1@hotmail.com or mobile 087 7600684.
Lighthouse Road, Inis Oirr, Aran Islands, Co Galway
Stay on the island overnight if you can – Bairbre recommends a trip to Inis Meáin Knitting Factory on the next island, and so do I – their knitwear is exceptional, and there are always sales bargains to be had that you won’t find anywhere online.
