Author: Joanna Macdonald

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AWAY Spa at the W Amsterdam

W Amsterdam – The Jewel of Amsterdam

In the heart of Amsterdam city lies the W Amsterdam, and its story is one to behold.

Split across two unique buildings, a former telephone exchange building and an old bank, W Amsterdam is an intriguing design mix of heritage and contemporary style. This hotel holds back on nothing. It is a funky, modern, upmarket establishment that boasts an elegant restaurant, a stunning bar known as the W Lounge with a rooftop pool, super cool styled rooms and of course, the best in service excellence. We stayed in stunning rooms overlooking the canals which was a real treat to watch the boats go by as the sun set.

The AWAY Spa simply had to make our schedule. I have always loved the look of this spa from its photos, however experiencing it is something quite extraordinary. Deep down in what was the old bank vault lies luxury, relaxation, sophistication and a very much required time-out. Lighting in this spa is everything; candles dancing in the slight breeze lead you down long and dark stair cases, yellow lighting in the hot tubs and pools make you feel as though you are swimming in liquid gold, and of course well-placed fireplaces add to the ambiance of the AWAY Spa at the W Amsterdam. The original vault doors are still in place as well as one of the gold smelting pots, now an ice water dip tub.

On 14 July 2018 at the World Luxury Spa Awards gala celebration, a week before our visit, this magnificent property took away, amongst other awards, the Best Unique Experience Spa award globally and upon arrival it was not hard to see why. The reception, X-bar (drinks and light snacks), Beauty Bar and hair salon are enough to entice your senses into what lies ahead, but finally getting down into that wet area is sublime, an experience like no other. Floating in the lap pool one can see oneself in the low placed mirror ceiling above whilst you can hear the music gently playing under the water.

“This is one spa everyone has to visit when in Amsterdam. It is quite simply a must. The uniqueness of it’s style and decor is like nothing I have ever experienced before and I will never forget my visit to this golden haven of wellness.” – Joanna Evans, Executive Manager – World Luxury Spa Awards

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Power Relax at ESPA at Powerscourt Hotel

My favourite part of any hotel to experience? The spa… oh and what a spa it is…

ESPA and Powerscourt Hotel have outdone themselves with this space. A highlight of my entire trip was being treated to the 2 hour Powerscourt Signature Ritual, starting with a purifying salt and oil scrub followed by an indulgent massage using a combination of essential oils that you select yourself to your preference. And lastly, a therapeutic scalp massage using Rose Quartz Crystals finishes the experience. After this bliss I was left in the serenity room overlooking the gardens and fountain and given a soothing mango sorbet. Time for a powernap!

The wet area is sublime. A large indoor lap pool with an adjoining hot tub, a sauna, steam room, plunge pools and conveniently placed showers will keep you relaxing for hours if you are not there for a treatment.

The lunch at the spa is also a delight. Different courses decadently styled in a Bento box in a chic and elegant café style dining area, and as always, served with a smile. It is the perfect way to end a treatment or even time in the wet area.

Overall, our stay at this hotel was a pleasure. From the door lady to the housekeeping, start to finish, we knew we were in an establishment that was proud to deliver service excellence from its every corner, and we can only hope to once again experience its beauty.

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2018 World Luxury Spa Awards Winners Announced

On 14 July participants from the World Luxury Spa and Restaurant Awards gathered at the magnificent Galgorm Resort & Spa in Northern Ireland for the annual event, recognising and celebrating their success for exceptional service in the luxury wellness and fine dining industries. The red carpet was rolled down the stairs and out between the wide pillars and high arches of the impressive venue – The Great Hall. Guests were welcomed at the entrance by the sound of Irish Uilleann pipes and a single reel Irish dance performance as they were led into an ‘Enchanted Forest’ reception area with exotic cocktails and canapes on arrival.  The theme for the evening was Irish with a mythical feel, guests were immersed in a truly memorable celebration of Irish culture, fine food and ‘craic’. Over 200 guests from 42 countries across the globe attended this unforgettable occasion filled with opulence, glitz and glamour.

This truly unique experience was enhanced by the symphony of tastes from award winning produce representing the best of Northern Ireland’s cuisine on the flavourful 5-course menu. Resort Head Chef, Donna Hughes, oversees the menu selection of all the resort’s outlets and proudly presented the best on offer for the evening’s enjoyment, this included local goat’s cheese, prawn bisque, followed by lamb (2 ways), locally sourced honey and dairy for the buttermilk panna cotta, and was finished off with a selection of Irish cream fudge and coffee macaroon’s.

To accompany the sensational food were the awe-inspiring, national and world champion Irish dancers, The Hooley, who provided world class entertainment which was specially choreographed for the event.

All guests were thrilled to receive a generous gift bag with products supplied by Vanity Group, Voya, Bioeffect, Aromatherapy Association, Vita Liberata, Bushmills and Bacardi-Brown Forman.

The resort, in conjunction with their spa partners, created a Spa Festival for attendees to enjoy, this included a pop-up Wellness Bar by Aromatherapy Associates and Finishing Bar by Vita Liberata (the world’s first non-toxic and organic tan). Attendees were invited to experience the products, tan before the event and relax with complimentary treatments after their travels, before preparing to attend the evening’s event.

All attending the event were impressed with the entire evening, especially with the representation of each attending country’s flag outside the entrance of the Great Hall.  The awards were well received and the evening flowed smoothly from start to finish, culminating with the much anticipated Global awards, followed by the winners of the Global Spa and Restaurant of the Year winners.

The 2018 Global Spa of the Year was awarded to Este Fitness & Spa in Bulgaria. This sought-after award was well deserved for this luxury spa that has stood out among the worlds’ most advanced, respected and trusted treatment centres. The award was accepted by Nadia Halacheva, Spa Director.

The 2018 Global Restaurant of the Year was awarded to Le Grand Restaurant, a luxury restaurant that has showcased outstanding and original creativity, ambience, service and fine dining, among the world’s most respected restaurants. The award was accepted by Yohan Jossier, Restaurant Director and Alexandra Madesclair Freud, Development Manager.

Guests were invited to remain and celebrate their success together in the Grand Hall with lively music from the 7-piece band, The Coves, which rounded off a perfect evening of celebration.

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Soma Spa at Pullman Dubai Deira City Centre

Soma Spa was by far the most relaxing experience on my journey through Dubai.

If you can, get a lady by the name of Chon to get her hands on you, I can guarantee you this will be worth every penny as her healing hands find every knot and aching spot on your body. The spa itself is beautifully laid out, tranquil and relaxing. The change rooms hold the sauna and steam room for use before your treatment, and after being sent into seventh heaven you are seated quietly to some ginger tea while you let the experience run over in your mind, relaxing you even further before returning to your day.

This spa is highly recommended by the Executive Manager of the World Luxury Spa Awards, and surely by all who have visited it.

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The Woodland Spa – A Wonderful, Watery, Wellness Haven

After having the opportunity to visit this day spa, we see it is no wonder this spa wins so many awards, it also proudly took home Global Spa of the Year for 2015 with the World Luxury Spa Awards after receiving thousands of public votes. Situated in the quaint town of Burnley in the UK, set within 100 acres of the most magnificent Lancashire countryside with its undulating rolling landscape, sensational woodland and lush verdant pasture, there is a true sense of intimacy and peace created by the surroundings.

Unassuming from the outside, it is upon entering this spa that you realise what you have stepped into. One of the finest wet areas we have had the pleasure of enjoying, super friendly and helpful staff, heated loungers surrounding a big bubbly pool of joy and probably my most favourite, the Serenity Pool, where absolute silence and relaxation is enforced.

This is a day spa not to be missed. You’ll receive undivided attention from highly trained therapists during luxury treatments and a dining experience at Bertram’s where you will feast on food delivered by award-winning chefs to ensure your sensory journey is totally complete.

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2017 World Luxury Spa Awards Winners Announced

The scene is set; it’s a warm, exotic summer’s evening in Vietnam, the sun begins to set over the bustling and intriguing city of Hanoi, excited participants gather at the event of the year, the event that will later that night honour them as the crème da la crème of the luxury wellness and fine dining industries.

Champagne flows, canapés travel on beautifully decorated trays to guests, and the air of anticipation grows.  Proudly hosted by the spectacular JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi, who with a red carpet welcome invite over 180 guests from more than 50 countries to a dazzling evening of luxury, glamour, and style.

“Over 100,000 votes brought our winners here tonight; 100,000 times the public voiced their opinion on who of the 1,000 entrants are deserving of these accolades. Tonight we honour the staff of these fine establishments, who through their immeasurable service delivery have brought success to the proud brands of which they are a part.” says Marna Lourens, Executive Manager for the World Luxury Spa Awards.

Setting the basis for service industry standards around the globe, the World Luxury Spa Awards and World Luxury Restaurant Awards pride themselves on providing true recognition to luxury spas and restaurants in their relevant categories during its annual voting phase. Votes are garnered through various marketing channels from guests, showcasing yet again the true value of service excellence.

“The most coveted award on the evening is our Global Spa and Global Restaurant of the Year awards. Each year the task to determine these top establishments begins after voting has closed and we announce to our winners if they have been successful. We are six senior managers who take weeks to decide, as voting is not the only criteria we look at to bestow this prestigious award. A multitude of factors come in to play; brand, location, overall guest satisfaction from online reviews, services and facilities, design, and even menu offerings whether spa or restaurant. It is important to look at each establishment as an individual as well, some are on an island, some are in cities or in a desert, it is not always possible to compare apples with apples when defining luxury. This year the focus was on unique design with a touch of classy elegance, and we were as such proud to award Global Spa of the Year to Harnn Heritage Spa at InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, and Global Restaurant of the Year to Ithaa Undersea Restaurant at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. Both of whom encompass the ethos of luxury and supreme service.” says Joanna Evans, Marketing Communications Manager for the World Luxury Awards.

The evening was as glamorous as one would expect from a JW Marriott brand hotel; a delectable 6-course fine dining menu adorned each table throughout the night and was paired with fine wines and champagne from Moët et Chandon. Entertainment fitting of the destination included a Dragon Dance, a Vietnamese based string quartet performance by Độc Cầm – Toxic Quartet, and a local Ao Dai Dance, all of which added to the evening’s Asian flair.

“The food tonight was exceptionally impressive, and has been during our entire stay at the hotel. Executive Chef Brendon Partridge and his team receive full honours from the World Luxury Awards and all our guests for the tireless effort of crafting these delicious plates of exquisite foods we received this evening.” says Linda Cooper, Executive Manager for the World Luxury Restaurant Awards. “I am proud to know that the awards they themselves received tonight are so well deserved.”

After all awards were received and each representative had an opportunity for exclusive photos and interviews on the red carpet, guests were welcomed to the chic and ultra-stylish Cool Cats Jazz Club, a name so apt for the warm red glow it provides, while live musicians entertained crowds late into the night with some fabulous classic jazz music.

Luxury establishments from around the globe are welcomed to participate in these exciting awards, to proudly show the world what they have to offer in terms of luxury and excellence.

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2016 World Luxury Spa Awards Winners Announced

It is with great pleasure that we celebrate a highly successful 2016 World Luxury Spa Awards’ season. We want to thank our participating spas for their continued and loyal support. Congratulations to each and every one of our 389 category winners and especially to our Global Spa of the Year Winner, the Portugal based Sayanna Wellness, EPIC SANA Algarve. As a luxury resort and fitness spa with the focus on wellness, Sayanna is one of the leaders in achieving total life transformation, wellbeing and longevity.

Our hugely successful first spa and restaurant gala event was concluded at the exquisite 5-star Grand Hotel Kronenhof Pontresina in Switzerland. Guests were pampered in lavishly furnished rooms and the spa and wellness at Grand Hotel Kronenhof comforted tired bodies in an oasis stretching over 2,000 square meters, specially designed to bring natural freshness inside.

Spas from all over the world were present and media coverage at the event included interviews and filming as each attendee was rewarded with their trophy on stage. Cultural performances by the Alphorn Players and Leo Wundergut & the Jetset-Singers complemented the sumptuous 6-course dinner that was hosted in the hotel’s signature Grand Restaurant. What an amazing evening was had by all at this Swiss National Heritage Site. Situated 1,800m above sea level in Pontresina, a city founded more than 1,000 years ago and just 6 kilometers away from St. Moritz, this magnificent hotel was the perfect setting for this spectacular inaugural gala event!

Maintaining and awarding the highest standards within the global luxury spa sector remains our primary goal. This motto is reflected in our distinguished list of prestigious winners, some of which have been a part of our Luxury Awards family for many years. We would like to give the guest a feeling of security when booking a World Luxury Spa Awards recognized spa as their first preference.

We pledge our continued support through substantial marketing and promotional campaigns to promote participants on a global scale by means of an online spa profile hosted by the World Luxury Hotel and Spa Awards website as well as media-networking opportunities with our established sponsors and media partners.

This has proven in the past to raise service standards within the luxury spa industry and ensure awareness of your brand. We support all participants equally in promoting their status with our Awards and it is our wish to have a long and successful journey with you.

It is with great pleasure that we can announce our next gala event to be hosted at the JW Marriott Hanoi in Vietnam on 22 July 2017, and we look forward to seeing each of you there.