We’ve all heard the term “positive thinking,” but when it comes to spas it’s all about blissful thinking, combined, of course, with sensual treatments that are designed to rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit. Whether you book a day at the spa or plan to spend your entire holiday being pummeled and pampered, Passport has left no hot stone unturned, or therapy untried, to bring you our favorite spas from around the globe. When planning your next delightfully indulgent getaway, you’re sure to find the treatment of your dreams at one of these exceptional locations. Whether it’s a couple’s massage, mud bath, or seaweed facial, the astounding array of international spas covered here is sure to provide you with just what you need to relax and revitalize.
EUROPE
BLUE LAGOON ICELAND
REYKJAVÍK, ICELAND
The first time I experienced Iceland’s Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa, I didn’t know what to expect. I had seen pictures and knew it was big, but I didn’t realize just how enormous the spa complex is. The Blue Lagoon itself was formed in 1976 during the operation of a nearby geothermal power plant. Its geothermal water has a unique composition of three active ingredients: silica, algae, and minerals. The water is a blend of fresh and seawater, combined at extreme temperatures rising at just about 100-degrees Fahrenheit. People started bathing in the lagoon and noticed the incredible effects it had on their skin. In 2005, the New Blue Lagoon Clinic opened with a variety of retail shops, building on the existing spa with skincare lines. Guests can opt to stay at the glamorous Silica Hotel with sweeping views of the nearby lava fields. The standard entrance fee to the Blue Lagoon (which includes a silica mud mask) is $55. I wanted to completely pamper myself, so I booked the Luxury Pass, which granted me entrance to the lounge and my own separate area to change and store my belongings prior to entering the spa, as well as a silica mud mask, towel, algae mask, a bathrobe, slippers, wine, and a special Spa Journey product set. Also, having the time to dip into the water from an extravagant indoor pool is a true luxury. A door opens directly from the indoor pool to the lagoon itself so there was really no need to step out into the frigid winter air. I took things to a different level on my second adventure at the Blue Lagoon by adding on their Signature Treatment (120 min/$255). The treatment begins with a salt glow: my therapist scrubbed and polished my skin with a combination of Blue Lagoon minerals and oils followed by an algae wrap while floating on a mattress. It felt like two therapists rubbed my face and scalp softly as I floated in the gentle pool of perfection. The whole experience was rounded out with a full-body, in-water relaxing massage for just under an hour. www.bluelagoon.com
—Jeffrey James Keyes
Blue Lagoon Iceland
AKASHA HOLISTIC WELLNESS CENTRE AT CONSERVATORIUM HOTEL
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
Amsterdam’s luxury hotel boon has given affluent travelers much to love. Almost six top-notch properties have opened in the past two years alone, and they brought an arsenal of decadent guest rooms, elevated dining experiences, and personalized service. The caveat? Many of these hotels opened within centuries-old town homes, so space was limited when it came to building over-the-top, full-service spa facilities. Conservatorium Hotel is the exception. Housed within a historic, 1897 former bank and music school, this architectural masterpiece wasn’t subtle when it debuted their massive, 10,800-square-foot Akasha Holistic Wellness Centre. The city’s largest and most luxurious hotel spa is considered the city’s premiere sanctuary, and with good reason. Aligning with the four elements (earth, water, fire, and air), the subterranean retreat didn’t hold back their vision to create a relaxing, pampering, visually engaging, and cozy space. Once you walk through the semi-hidden entrance, you’re whisked away to an enchanting oasis that blends contemporary design with holistic sensibilities. The relaxation lounge feels space age with soft glows of turquoise, lavender, and sapphire against white walls, not to mention a gorgeous fireplace anchoring the space. Further relaxation can be had in the Watsu pool, whirlpool sauna, hammam, and 60×16-foot swimming pool, the largest in the city. My Thai Massage (by an actual Thai therapist!) left me completely knackered (50 min/$127), and the Natural Bisse Energizing Facial (60 min/$150) helped my face glow after the long haul to get here. The spa’s fully equipped fitness center (with views of an actual, glass-enclosed tree garden that climbs up to the lobby) has an army of trainers on hand, and nothing tops the spa journey like a shake at their organic bar…that is, if you have the will power to end the amazing experience! www.conservatoriumhotel.com
—Jimmy Im
AIRE DE SEVILLA
SEVILLE, SPAIN
Aire de Sevilla is one of the hottest spas in Seville, yet it almost feels like a secret oasis when you enter this gorgeous den of relaxation and restoration. I went with a group of friends on a hot summer day, and it felt as if we were stepping into the city’s ancient Moorish baths. Air Group emerged at this location 15 years ago, as part of a desire by a group of friends to bring back the spirit of bathing like the Ancient Greeks and Romans. The space they chose for this first property used to be an old palace built on the foundation of Roman ruins dating back to the first century CE. The basic price for taking in Aire de Seville’s thermal baths is $31, which includes entrance into a variety of rooms including their hot-, cold-, and warm-water baths, their bath Mil Chorros, and hammam facilities. My favorite part of their thermal circuit was the meditative salt bath. Time actually seems to stand still when floating in soothing salt waters in this ancient chamber. Massages at Aire de Sevilla are definitely worth it, so add a relaxing 60-minute massage (45 min/$80). Their Green Hammam Experience (120 min/$110) is truly a unique opportunity to try something completely different. Start with a 15-minute hammam to open the pores followed by a deep exfoliation with peeling sugar and the essence of lime to remove impurities from the skin. After the exfoliation, therapists worked on my body with green tea oil and then gave me a head massage using citrus to activate the “Marma” points on the scalp. Just when you think it couldn’t get any better, the treatment continues for another hour throughout various rooms of water at different temperatures. At the end of the two-hour Green Hammam Experience, you get to sip on a refreshing cucumber-lemon-melon smoothie. Afterward, head up to the roof for sweeping views of this beautiful city. www.airedesevilla.com
—Jeffrey James Keyes
DIPIÙ SPA AT GIARDINO ASCONA
ASCONA, SWITZERLAND
This is a sensitive part of the world. That’s what Ayurvedic specialists say about Ticino, the Swiss state where I settled in at the dipiù Spa. Located in the Giardino Ascona luxury hotel, the spacious spa seemed a natural extension of the soothing atmosphere along Lago Maggiore’s verdant shore. Treatments at dipiù are quite diverse, extending well beyond the familiar into wellness arenas like Personal Sports Training (60 min/$150), Ultrasound Cellulite Reduction (90 min/$305), Permanent Hair Removal (90 min/$255), and more—including gender- and age-specific treatments. In 2016, the spa added to its holistic array a full-fledged Ayurveda program that introduces the Indian art of healing in this five-star accommodation. Specialists offer treatments such as Sound Massage (50 min/$150) and Metabolism-Stimulation Massage (60 min/$180) à la carte; or as more sequential multi-day packages that span pulse diagnosis, nutrition advice, daily yoga and meditation, and excursions to natural energy points in the region. The hotel enhances the theme with an Ayurvedic dining menu based each guests’ physical constitution (called Dosha), but there are enticing traditional services at dipiù too, from hair styling to hand-and-foot treatments to more than a dozen Aveda-cosmetics treatments, and the Only for Men deepcleansing facial and neck massage (60 min/$150). After my treatment, I retreated to the sauna followed by a dip in the outdoor pool to wrap up an afternoon of sweet relaxation. www.giardino-ascona.ch
—Kelsy Chauvin
Giardino Ascona
ASIA
SOKKHAK SPA SIEM
REAP, CAMBODIA
Cambodia is a country renowned for its warmth and hospitality, human qualities that local Khmer entrepreneur Soann Kann has put at the heart of his business. Despite having no formal education, he worked his way up from humble beginnings in 1997 as a waiter at Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor. By 2012 he’d gained enough knowledge and experience to open his own business. Deriving its name from the Sandskrit word for tranquility, Sokkhak Spa is one of Siem Reap’s top-rated day spas. This calm and tranquil oasis came highly recommended to me by gay friends, perhaps not surprising, since the owner is also gay. Upon arrival, my boyfriend and I were greeted by Dara, the handsome and charming spa coordinator, and offered iced lemongrass tea. After being introduced to our two male masseurs (around 20% of the therapists are male), we enjoyed a pre-treatment foot wash and scrub with fresh lemon and herbs, with Dara explaining this to be a Khmer tradition, one that symbolizes greeting, respect, and good luck. Continuing upstairs, a spacious treatment room was prepared for our side-by-side massage. Originated in Cambodia, the Khmer Traditional Massage (90 min/$38) incorporates passive stretching and gentle pressure along energy lines, with the magic hands of our masseurs skilfully working on soothing our tense, knotty muscles. Solo travelers may utilize two masseurs for the signature Four Hands Massage (30 min/$28). Facial and body treatments are also available using effective natural ingredients such as Cambodian sea salt, mango, pumpkin seeds, and coconut cream. The spa menu is so affordable that you may wish to indulge yourself every day, if so, you might consider staying at Sokkhak Boutique Resort. This secluded hotel and spa with 12 guestrooms opened in 2014, close to the famous Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Sokkhak team also operates a spa within stylish Viroth’s Hotel, which is also gay-owned. As well as this spa and resort, Soann owns two of Siem Reap’s most fashionable restaurants, suggesting there’s no limit to his hospitality. www.sokkhakspa.com
—Stuart Haggas
