MIND SPA
Top and bottom left: Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake chose the Italian resort as their wedding venue in 2012 Bottom right: The underground spa ticks all the right boxes on the luxury front, but its unconventional concept is what makes it stand out
DEEP IN THOUGHT ‘‘M
any people are still not ready to accept that what’s in our mind totally affects our body and visa versa. It’s a big change for a spa to use
this knowledge as a core philosophy,” says Patrizia Bortolin, the creator and director of the Vair spa at the Borgo Egnazia resort in Puglia, south Italy. Her approach to treatments is rooted in
psychosomatics. She believes our wellbeing is related to the subconscious interplay between our emotional and physical states, which is enhanced by working with the body and the mind in a variety of ways – often subtle and playful but always with a real connection between therapist and client. The result is a holistic, reflective and personal spa experience that differs
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spabusiness.com issue 2 2015 ©CYBERTREK 2015 Patrizia Bortolin
An ‘experimental spa’ in Italy offers a new style of
wellbeing destination where psychosomatic techniques are used to gently dissolve physical and emotional
tension. Sophie Benge talks to the creator Patrizia Bortolin
radically from the cookie-cutter concepts of so many hotel spas. Guests at Vair (meaning ‘true’ in Apulian) can, of course, have a body massage or manicure, but can also explore the sound of their voice with a musician or have a facial that’s more of a psychological journey than a pore-cleansing sensation. It’s a daring move given that spa-goers
rarely try new things. So how did Bortolin convince the owner to fully embrace such a different spa concept and how well does it perform from a business point of view?
Variation on a spa theme Borgo Egnazia, a Pompeii-style mapping of villas, piazzas and pools, is a privately- owned, sprawling resort that’s earned its stripes in high-end hospitality. It’s been applauded by Conde Nast Traveller and has hosted Justin Timberlake’s wedding in
EVAN AGOSTINI/AP/PRESS ASSOCIATION IMAGES
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