As you get older, checking in every now and then for a body reset can be very beneficial – for both body and mind. Rosaleen McMeel tries a one-day fitness retreat at a luxury London hotel to see if it can transform her approach to fitness and wellbeing …
I don’t mind admitting I was nervous ahead of my Bodhimaya day retreat at The Lanesborough Club & Spa in London. Exercise and I have had a love / hate relationship for many years. Thanks to a broken foot and torn ligament 12 months ago, the gap between us has widened further. However, my recent immobility, along with some lifestyle changes have made me revaluate my priorities. It may be cliché, but you never appreciate your health until it’s compromised.
Thankfully, nerves give way to excitement on arrival at London’s exclusive lifestyle club, which is spread over 18,000 square feet. This world class members club offers an integrated approach to wellbeing that has been developed by leaders in their respective fields.
Located in the heart of London, between Mayfair and Belgravia, the club and spa has sumptuous interiors that reflect the elegant architecture of the grand Regency-period building that houses this landmark hotel. Conceived by interior design studio 1508, the club features luxurious touches including marble, silk wallpaper, leather upholstery and peacock blue satin. The spa houses cutting edge technology, while social spaces include a restaurant and an opulent lounge with dedicated spa butlers on hand to provide a personalised client journey and concierge service.
I signed up to the Bodhimaya Restorative Retreat, which launched last September. I was looking for a health reset, a chance to recharge the batteries and enter a new decade with a positive frame of mind and a healthy body. The retreat combines Bodhimaya’s knowledge and expertise of personalised nutrition, authentic meditation and body movement run by founder, Cornelius O’Shaughnessy, whose paternal grandparents hail from Westmeath and Limerick respectively. Cornelius is an experienced meditation, stress management and Eastern philosophy expert. Having suffered from drug-resistant depression since the age of 15, he searched for alternative solutions and studied meditation for 23 years. He now offers a logical and highly effective approach to the mind, which focuses on helping people explore and resolve personal issues, find clarity, manage stress and increase their confidence.
I start with a personal training session in the hyper-modern gym, which looks more like a large walk-in closet rather than a sweaty workout room. My trainer, Lee advises doing exercise you enjoy and emphasises the importance of the warm up to give you a greater impact on the machines. The hour is up before I know it. Next, I meet the nutritionist, Olga Hamilton, who talks me through the science behind my diet and what might be working against me. She has a biochemistry background and it is the most in-depth nutritionist appointment I’ve ever had. I soak up her knowledge and she promises to send on some more in-depth analysis in a few days. I’m then guided to the restaurant where, under Olga’s recommendation, I enjoy charcoal salmon with baby spinach, piquillo pepper and curry dressing. It’s delicious and filling, so much so that I regret finishing it when I realise my next appointment is a one-to-one Pilates session in the mirrored fitness studio. My instructor, Lemi, is a former ballerina from Azerbaijan. Despite regularly practising Pilates at home, the session is intense. I use muscles previously undiscovered and can already tell my body will ache later, but in the best possible way.
Then comes the massage. There are all manner of expensive, extravagant therapies that promise to make you feel reborn. I opt for a full body massage and while I had been looking forward to this, my body is so awake at this point, that I’d almost prefer to keep it moving.
A meditation session with Cornelius comes late in the afternoon. He is warm, articulate and passionate about his speciality. I’ve meditated before, but this feels next level. He challenges my thought process and guides me through the meditation. I feel relaxed and focused. I wonder how I’ll replicate this feeling at home, but he tells me he’ll send on a recording of the meditation and advises that I’ll have three follow up Skype or phone appointments with him as part of the package.
Lastly, there’s reflexology. My therapist advises that my pituitary gland, which controls many hormones, appears blocked. She suggests follow up reflexology back in Dublin.
While I don’t walk away two stone lighter, I feel somewhat transformed. Since returning home, I’ve meditated, followed Olga’s nutritional advice and increased my physical activity. They’re small changes, but they help me feel more in control of my health. There’s no such thing as a quick fix, but maybe, just maybe if I can make these adjustments habits, I might just succeed. Wish me luck.
Bodhimaya’s one-night ‘Restorative Retreats’ at The Lanesborough start from £1,795 (€2,106) per person, including overnight hotel stay. One-day fitness retreat starts from £750 (€880) per person www.bodhimaya.com / www.lanesboroughclubandspa.com