| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 26/06/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 54 |
| Copyright: Other |
India: by Linsey McNeill
Retreat to India where the waters are a tonic
Hotels capitalise on traditional treatments
Hotels capitalise on traditional treatments
SOME of the oldest spa treatments come from India and several of the country’s leading hotels have added international-style health resorts to cater for the growing number of western visitors.Most offer a wide range of facilities and treatments in opulent surroundings, catering to the upmarket traveller. Many clients stay for two or three days at the end of a tour of India, though some stay longer.
India specialist Cox and Kings features several of these properties, three of which are owned by the five-star hotel chain Oberoi. These are The Cecil in Shimla, the new Raj Vilas just outside Jaipur, and the Amar Vilas, which will open in Agra this autumn.
Cox and Kings research and development executive Priya Aggarwal described The Cecil as “an ideal retreat”, even though its spa is only small. She said a much wider range of treatments were available at the Raj Vilas, where President Clinton was a recent guest.
“The Raj Vilas has an enormous range of treatments,” said Aggarwal. “It is the most luxurious of the Oberoi hotels, built in the style of an old palace.”
The hotel has been added by specialist Erna Low for 2001.
Further south, Cox and Kings features The Coconut Lagoon and sister property Marari Beach Resort in Kerala, an area that is famous for its Ayurvedic treatments that focus on a particular area of the body.
The Coconut Lagoon spa uses ancient Indian remedies to cure ailments, and its resident doctor devises individual treatment programmes for guests.
Aggarwal said many clients were now opting to stay in a spa hotel at the end of a cultural tour, rather than heading for the beach.
“These hotels are not necessarily more expensive than staying at the beach,” she said. “The cost depends on what treatments you have and how many you want.”
She said agents should urge clients to pre-book treatments, which will earn them extra commission and ensure their customers get exactly what they want.
Both Cox and Kings and Abercrombie and Kent have just introduced a new spa hotel in India, the Ananda Resort in Rishikesh that has been built in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Built around a 19th century palace, the Ananda, owned by the upmarket Rafael group, is a luxury property with prices to match. It opened in March.
Abercrombie and Kent head of planning Stuart Douglass-Lee said: “There is nothing else of this quality in India. The pedigree of the management team endorses the product, and it has been built in a great location.”
Douglass-Lee said one of the attractions of the Ananda Resort was that it was not far off the beaten trail, even though it is in a remote location. There are rail and air services from New Delhi, otherwise it is a 5hr-6hr journey by road.
“It is an ideal spot to spend two or three days after a tour of India, particularly in the spring,” added Douglass-Lee.
Cheaper alternatives include new spa packages introduced by JMC Holidays in Goa. It offers Ayurvedic treatments at the Heritage Village Club and the Renaissance Goa Resort. Seven nights at the Heritage Village starts at £655, and a three-day Health and Rejuvenation package costs £65 per person, with a doctor’s diagnosis and consultation, three head massages, two body massages, one intensive body massage, one special head treatment and three herbal steam baths.
Meanwhile, Indus Tours and Travel offers Ayurvedic holidays at The Taj Ayurveda Centre and The Kairali Ayurvedic Resort in Kerala. Prices start from £1,980 per person for 18 days, including flights, accommodation, transfers, one week’s treatment and full-board at the resort, plus one week’s beach stay at the Marari Beach Hotel.
n What is Ayurvedic treatment?
Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient system of health promotion and healing that began in India thousands of years ago. It is part of a complex science that includes physical, psychological and spiritual components. A typical plan consists of exercises such as yoga, lifestyle changes, including meditation, and dietary practices, including the use of herbs.
Ananda Resort: built at the base of the Himalayas, the property opened in March
factfile
ananda resort
Spa treatments: Swedish massage, Ayurvedic massage, hydrotherapy, Thai Massage, body wraps and aromatherapy.