Call me a bloke but I think a spa should be the pay-off, not the purpose of a
holiday. The best spa experience I’ve ever had involved hiking up a canyon
and abseiling down a waterfall in Jordan before soaking weary limbs in a
bubbling thermal pool at the bottom of the valley.
This one, a break at Hotel Byblos, in Courchevel, in the French Alps, offered
similarly ideal conditions. The main part of the day was spent negotiating
the slopes, slavishly trying to imitate the graceful swishes of the ski
instructor. In the process, I ventilated my lungs with mountain air, got
blood pumping to places it doesn’t usually reach, basked in brilliant
natural light and built up stony thigh muscles. I didn’t need a doctor to
tell me it was all good for me.
It was only towards the end of the day, with ruddy cheeks and gelid
fingertips, that I left the piste for the spa. Making the transition between
the two contrasting worlds — one dry, bright and cold, the other humid, dark
and warm — couldn’t have been easier. I swished straight off the snow,
through some automatic doors and on to the massage table. Salopettes,
goggles and a woolly hat were left in a crumpled pile in the corner of the
candlelit, petal-strewn room and replaced by a fluffy white bathrobe.
One minute I’d been wearing a ski mask, the next a Sultane de Saba
Moroccan-clay face mask, which was excellent for rehydrating the skin after
its exposure to UV rays and intense cold during the day.
My nightly après-ski Swedish massage was rigorous and was followed by a hammam
— a sauna and spa bath combo. This not only made me feel great but
miraculously removed that dull leaden pain that ill-prepared skiers get in
their legs the morning after. So the next day I took to the slopes as good
as new.
After all the spa-ski stuff I was ready to do the table-groaning dinner buffet
justice. The wellbeing jackpot is the combination of the wholesome goodness
of skiing followed by the relaxing warmth of spa treatments. Old-fashioned,
alcohol-fuelled après-ski, at least in Courchevel, is rapidly becoming a
thing of the past.
Quality of experience Young team of friendly, efficient
therapists, used to tackling burly Russian clients.
Ambience Cosy-chalet chic, with pretty poolside views of
snow-laden firs. There’s a spa bath, swimming pool, gym, hammam, sauna and
treatment rooms, where a range of masks, wraps, peelings, anti-cellulite and
post-ski energising treatments are on offer.
Food Healthy, gourmet Franco-Italian fare, including local
Savoy dishes. Signature dish: venison-style fillet of beef, tender potatoes,
sun-dried tomatoes and Madeira sauce.
In-crowd The hotel was full of Abramovich lookalikes and
skinny Russian dolls.
Wallet watch A double room at the Byblos Courchevel costs
from €700 (£480) a night on a half-board basis. Treatments cost €70 for a
30-minute Swedish massage, one-hour massage €130; full face treatment, €130.
Need to know For reservations at Hotel Byblos, Courchevel,
call: 00 33 47900 9800 or visit www.byblos.com
MORE COLD COMFORT
ITALY
Pragelato Village Resort and Mineralia spa, in Piedmont, which opened
in time for the Winter Olympics. (00 39 0122 740011; www.pragelatoresort.com)
Hotel Rosa Alpina, San Cassiano, has a Daniela Steiner signature spa, a
Michelin-star restaurant and is surrounded by the Dolomites’ extensive
network of pistes. (00 39 0471 849500; www.rosalpina.it)
Many of the Vita Nova Wellness hotels in Trentino have spa facilities and are
located near leading ski resorts such as Madonna di Campiglio. (0039 0461
420603; www.vitanova-wellness.it)
AUSTRIA
Thurnhers Alpenhof, Zurs, a delightful de luxe hotel and spa with 39 guest
rooms in one of Austria’s finest resorts. (01244 202 000; www.seasonsinstyle.co.uk)
FRANCE
Club Med’s Chamonix Mont Blanc resort is housed in a cool
Art Deco building, with a Cinq Mondes Spa offering treatments from around the
world and plenty of skiing. (0700 2582932; www.clubmed.co.uk)
CANADA
The Westin Resort and Spa on Whistler Mountain has a new Avello spa, with more
than 75 treatments, and some of the best snowsports in North America. (00 1
604 935 3444; www.whistlerspa.com)
For more than 210 independent spa reviews log on to timesonline.co.uk/goodspaguide
