Tried & Tested: Reviews
but plenty of attended sun loungers ensure Marbella Club guests will always find a spot waiting for them.
Family focus The hotel could quite easily have sailed along on the back of all these facilities, its reputation, the unfaltering service of 500 staff, that glittering history and the loyalty of its repeat visitors. But over recent years, it has attempted to further its appeal
by paying heed to two main trends of the past decade – family travel and wellness. For the former, the super-cool kids’ club was created and is like a mini hotel in itself – it’s on the spot that was the original von Hohenlohe family home, where their children played alongside those of guests such as Audrey Hepburn and the Duke of Windsor. Custom-designed by Minimec, it has a modern Scandi-chic-meets- Ibiza feel to it – something which is probably lost on the kids, but no doubt appreciated by the adults. In this mini-village, there’s a kitchen; computer room; library; aroma workshop, vegetable patch and herb garden; studios for pottery, art and music; toy and games room; a little lagoon pool; and decking for the parents to hang out. But child-free as I am, it was the
wellness developments I was more interested in. The spa and wonderful thalassotherapy pool have been at the hotel for a while, as has a well-equipped gym. But this year, the resort has pulled all
this together with the launch of a raft of “integrated, medical, physical and emotional wellness programmes”. They range from a wellness weekend to a seven-day “breathe free/stop tobacco” break, and 14-day purifying or slimming programmes. A suite of offices in the main
hotel building are the starting point and my short wellness break began with a consultation with nutritionist Carmen Tapia, or the “food police” as I would later refer to her whenever I saw her approaching. She assesses the diet of anyone on the programmes – there was no point lying and I knew I was in for some hefty judgment about my eating habits; they would disappoint anyone, let alone a trained nutritionist. Tapia then goes on to create special meals if you’re following a dietary regime and for me, this seemed to include escorting me around the breakfast buffet each day – none of my usual croissants; I enjoyed a green juice of cucumber, celery and apple, a bowl of cereal with skimmed milk, a cup of tea and some fruit (10 pieces; she counted). Tapia also decided on my lunch
and dinner menus and even though they were controlled, the meals were always delicious. I managed to sneak a glass of wine each night, and my options included seafood soup with a fresh fennel aroma, grilled king prawns with vegetables and a vanilla creme caramel. Plus, I could take them at any of the restaurants (or in my room) be confined to one dining spot. In The Grill, steaks are delivered under silver domes by waiters wearing white jackets, with a pianist in the background – but in MC Cafe, the vibe is more relaxed and the food more internationally influenced; think tempura prawns, sashimi or scallops with parmesan and spinach.
Health check I also had an assessment with Dr Jose Luis Guijarro, a specialist in endocrinology, nutrition and predictive medicine. He asked about my health and habits, then gave me a medical. His conclusion was on the whole positive, but my water retention, lymphatic sluggishness and tiredness were deemed things to focus on. And so it was that I found myself being pummeled underwater. But
another fascinating treatment was the Detox Lymphodrainer (pictured opposite, far left). It’s designed to aid the lymphatic system, which I learned has no natural drainage of its own, so needs all the stimulation it can get. It involved having crystal cups moved across my body aided by electronic pulses and vibration to help eliminate accumulated impurities. The treatment’s effect was noticeable in how much lighter and more energised – perhaps even a little bit tingly – I felt as I walked back to my spacious garden suite. Other parts of the assessment included time with psychologist Alan Blundell and head fitness trainer Daniel Blanco. I didn’t know which of their assessments I was dreading the most, but in fact, they both provided some accurate insight and relevant counsel, with personalised takeaways and tips. Blundell said I needed to walk more; Blanco said my core and posture needed work. They’re both right of course and I even found myself acting on Blundell’s advice pretty immediately, as the resort is very large –my walks from the consultation offices, to the gym, the spa/pool, my room and along the beach must surely have meant I checked off at least a couple of kilometres. People have been coming to Marbella Club for the past 60 years for a range of reasons – and with this latest investment in wellness, no doubt they’ll do so for many more to come. Tel: 00 34 95 282 2211,
marbellaclub.com
How to book it Rooms start from £250pn; a two-day Wellness Weekend from £545pp. British Airways flies to Malaga twice weekly from Heathrow (£122 return), London City up to 10 times a week (£118), Gatwick up to 29 times a week (£82) and Stansted once a week (£127),
ba.com
Or, Carrier offers a two night-stay from £1,340pp (sole occupancy), including breakfast, wellness programme (one Vichy exfoliation, one Anti Jet-Lag massage, one Multi-Jet Bath with Magnesium, one Marine Massage, one Back Relaxation Massage, one Facial Thalasso and two Thalasso Centre sessions), flights from Gatwick and private transfers. Tel: 0161 492 1357,
carrier.co.uk
TRIED & TESTED SUMMER 2016
TTGLUXURY.COM 81
Historic & holistic
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