A Weekend of Wellness

Sometimes a 60-minute massage or fitness class isn’t enough to fully relax and restore our minds and bodies. In search of a stronger wellness boost? Try a multi-day sojourn into self-care, led with empathy by Four Seasons experts. Work with exercise physiologists to fine-tune your performance in California, reconnect with your inner self during a retreat in the French Riviera or discover a holistic approach to healing in Bali. Whether you’re looking to get in shape, change your eating habits or clear your head, these wellness experiences will help you establish new life skills to help you for years to come.

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A holistic twist on health

Unspoiled natural forests, stunning sea views, lush gardens: Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, offers an idyllic setting for establishing a healthy lifestyle. The Hotel’s new Mindfulness and Well-Being programs – upheld by the four pillars of exercise, relaxation, nature and healthy eating – make the most of the beautiful surroundings, with exercises and workshops specifically designed to help participants disconnect from the stress of everyday life and reconnect with themselves, says Spa Director Marie-Cecile Rousset. Enjoy relaxing open-air activities like hiking or cycling along the Mediterranean coast, or take the plunge into wellness with a lesson from two French freediving champions in using mindful breathing to relieve stress . Or cultivate your creative side with a range of hands-on activities that encourage introspection and mental clarity – the tactile experience of making pottery, for instance, is deeply relaxing. End your day with a culinary experience: join Chef Yoric Tièche in the Hotel’s kitchen garden to select fresh herbs and greens, then accompany him to the kitchen to learn how to prepare them with health in mind.

Plan your wellness retreat in Cap-Ferrat

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Deep dive into wellness

Get a jump-start on your quest for good health with help from the experts at Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort. “The ultimate kick-start to one’s journey, guests have the opportunity to meet Sensei Guides and expert practitioners for one-to-one sessions that may range from fitness, mindset or nutrition,” says Retreat Director Catherine Phillips. “Whether it’s peak fitness performance or a refreshed mindset, Sensei’s programs connect the three fundamental paths of the Sensei Way – move, nourish and rest – and align actions with intentions.” The Resort’s Wellness Deep Dive is a customized program tailored to your goals and based on biomarkers like heart rate variability and VO2 max analysis. Join a personal trainer for a one-on-one workout, try a forest bath in the lush Koele gardens, enjoy a lomi lomi massage in one of the spa hales, and fuel your body with meals made from fresh, local ingredients. You’ll leave feeling refreshed and renewed – and with an action plan for life at home.

Start your Sensei Journey on Lanai

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A lifestyle reset

Keep the focus on your fitness at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village during a four-day, three-night retreat at the on-site Center for Health & Wellbeing. Guided by the holistic WellWest Method, experts like registered dieticians and exercise physiologists will help reboot your lifestyle using tools like body composition analysis; guided hikes and daily meditation; individual consultations in life strategies, fitness and nutrition; and cooking classes in the Wellness Kitchen. “Our integrated retreats teach guests how to discover this holistic aspect to well-being and apply these practices at home,” says Akram Al-Kawasmeh, Executive Director of Wellness. “A long weekend retreat with Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village can become transformative and life changing.” Choose from three focused retreats – Sustainable Weight Loss, Optimum Performance or Spa & Beauty – each uniquely tailored to meet your personal wellness goals.

Find fitness in Westlake Village

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A practice centred on gratitude

Discover the healing power of gratitude during a transformative retreat at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, where the Guided by Gratitude program helps guests restore inner peace and strength. “Our spa invites people to slow down through holistic treatments that go back to ancient remedies and traditional well-being practices,” says Regional Spa Director Luisa Anderson. “These retreats remind us to return to wholeness, experience peace and open to greater levels of consciousness.” Resident wellness mentor Ibu Fera – a former Buddhist nun – will lead you through activities like kirtan chanting, guided candlelit meditation sessions and chakra-balancing spa treatments, inspired by Ubud’s unique healing energy and traditional Balinese daily rituals of thanks. Don’t miss the Sacred Nap experience: A relaxing “air nap” in an aerial silk hammock, soothed to sleep by Fera as she shares the life story of Buddha. The retreat requires a minimum three-night stay, but can be personalized to fit your needs and schedule.

Give thanks in Bali

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Discover ancient healing

Immerse yourself in the ancient Indian system of Ayurveda, whose focus on diet, exercise and sleep offers a transformational path to wellness. At Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, work with Ayurvedic physicians, yogis, therapists and chefs during a seven-day retreat to harness health, happiness and harmony through a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Looking to extend your focus on self-care? Try a 14- or 21-day Panchakarma retreat, focused on removing deep-rooted stress and toxins to cleanse and rejuvenate the body. Or have the Resort’s experts plan a bespoke three- or five-day Yoga Therapy Course centred on topics like stress management, spinal care or addiction management. You’ll also receive a lesson in gratitude and an appreciation for the earth during the nightly Rahumathuge Vaguthu, or Earth Blessing: a daily ritual of gratitude celebrating the earth through song, dance and mindfulness.

Explore the power of Ayurveda

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Focus on peak performance

Channel your inner athlete during a three- or seven-day In Census retreat at Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva, created in collaboration with the prestigious Hôpital de la Tour in Geneva, a recognized Swiss Olympic Medical Center. The word incensus means “radiant” in Latin, and that’s how you’ll feel after a run along the shores of Lake Geneva, a hike up Mount Salève, a massage, a meditation session and a carefully prepared organic meal. Each retreat begins with an in-depth health consultation with blood tests, nutritional and osteopathic evaluations, and muscle strength and endurance assessments, and core programs include Detox and Weight Management, Muscle Development or Sports Performance. “My mission is to help you invest in yourself,” says Spa Director Margaux Poilvet. “In Census encourages participants to take care of their bodies and get back into shape, escape the stress of everyday life, and recover vital energy thanks to a 360-degree approach that encompasses both physical and mental wellness.”

Train for success in Geneva

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Ocean-based therapy

Four Seasons Resort Seychelles taps into the healing powers of the sea with its new two- and three-day Ocean Connection Spa Journeys. “There is no set itinerary,” says Spa Therapist Pamela Dewkee. “The idea is to allow guests to be able to enjoy the treatments and sessions over a span of days, so the essence of relaxation and rejuvenation is carried from one day to another.” Treatments include a sea smoothing wrap, crystal ocean facial, and yoga on the beach, where guests are encouraged to let emotions flow without judgment, just like the flow of water. A highlight is the nightly Starlit Serenity experience, on Le Syel Spa’s rooftop and overlooking Petite Anse Bay. As the sea breeze sings and the stars shine, a therapist will perform a Shell Serenity Massage using a shell-shaped object filled with marine minerals and sea kelp to warm and relax the body.

Relax and recharge in Seychelles

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

Where will your quest for wellness take you next?

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5 Ways to Find Your Centre 

Travel – and life itself – can be hectic. Finding a sense of inner calm, though, can be as simple as taking a few deep breaths. Add a dreamy backdrop to your meditation or yoga practice and you might discover a state of nirvana. At Four Seasons, mind-body sessions go beyond spa and studio walls; they’re travel experiences in themselves. Hold your tree pose while surrounded by swaying coconut palms during a runway yoga session in Seychelles. Dive into the pool for a new twist on boat pose, or lift off for an airborne warrior posture with an antigravity session, in Hoi An. Assume aquatic poses like dolphin or mermaid on a paddleboard yoga excursion in Costa Rica. With Four Seasons, your journey inwards is a true adventure.   

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Drift Into Bliss

Even experienced yogis will find new challenges in basic postures when they take their practice from land to sea. Paddling from the shores of Playa Blanca doubles as a moving meditation before you anchor your paddleboard and begin your flow. “Standup paddleboard yoga is all about trust,” says Jose Pablo Rodriguez, wellness ambassador at Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo. “There may not be a firm ground underneath, but relax, tap into your inner strength and youll find all the stability you require. The ripple of waves will test your balance, but it will also lull you into tranquillity when you settle into calming savasana.  

Find balance in Costa Rica

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Wild Thing Pose in the Wild

Don’t be surprised if the rhythmic sound of your ujjayi breathing – a technique that allows you to calm your mind by focusing on your breathing – is joined by the sound of trumpeting elephants or roaring lions at Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti. Embrace the bush and take your practice into the wild on a sunset nature walk along the kopje (hilltop): Kenneth Maluba, the Lodge’s resident yoga instructor, leads guests along a Maasai trail to a stunning hilltop with panoramic views over the plains – the ideal spot for peaceful meditation and stretching. He times his guided meditation to sunset and incorporates beginner-friendly yoga postures. “Watching the sunset over the Serengeti is both magical and soothing, helping achieve an inner sense of tranquillity,” Maluba says. “From atop the kopje, guests are able to lean into this serene experience with gentle, balancing yoga poses such as warrior pose.” 

Soothe your soul in Serengeti

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Reset on the Runway

At Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island, the entire island is yours to explore: The Resort is the only one on the small coral oasis, making it your own private paradise. That also means you’re free to roll out your yoga mat wherever you’d like. Our recommendation? The airport runway. Steps from the Resort, the end of the runway boasts dreamy open ocean views, gentle sea breezes and peaceful quiet to help you turn your focus inwards. “Every month, the sun rises from the Indian Ocean and the moon greets from the opposite side of the island,” says Heriberto Peña, the Resort’s health and wellness expert. “This makes yoga on the runway, especially during sunrise, very powerful. The early sunrise light, the sound of the waves and the breeze coming through the coconut trees bring clarity, peace and creativity to the mind and body. As resident yogi, Peña uses the natural setting as his muse, even suggesting that guests sway in tree pose like the palms swaying in the breeze. If sunrise is a little too early for you, do your sun salutations later in the day and then toast your tranquillity: The runway doubles as the hot spot for sunset cocktail hour. 

Find inspiration on Desroches Island

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Vinyasa in the Vineyards

Napa Valley is known as the food and wine capital of North America, and grape-to-glass is on full display at the new Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley. Before you raise a glass at the Resort’s world-class winery, awaken your senses with a vinyasa yoga flow among the vines: The 4.7-acre vineyard offers a Zen setting to ground yourself, with the Palisades mountains and rolling oak-covered hills as a backdrop. During harvest season, the smell of crushed and fermenting grapes will help you focus as you inhale deeply to move through upward and downward dog and beyond. Once you’re present in the moment, transition from yoga mat in the vineyard to a bar stool in the barrel room for a tasting of Elusa Winery’s cabernet. The aromas of oak and notes of dark fruit will be even more pronounced when your mind is distraction-free. 

Find your flow in Napa Valley

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Feel Weightless

Take your yoga practice to new heights – literally – at Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai Hoi An. Cocoon yourself in a bespoke Harrison AntiGravity Hammock and discover the new range of motion that comes from feeling weightless as you lift off the ground. Performing poses like pigeon and star while upside down can help decompress and realign the spine, and savasana is even more restorative in the air.

Would you rather float than fly? Try the Resort’s unique hatha-based pool yoga class – the buoyancy of the water can help take pressure off your joints, making poses like dancer feel easier than they would on land so you’re free to focus on yourself. Practicing hatha yoga helps us find mind and body alignment,” says Spa Manager Dwi Susanti. “Doing this practice in the open air gives us the opportunity to connect to all elements of nature, such as the calm of the water and the warmth of the sun.” 

Try new moves in Hoi An

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

Where will your spirit of adventure take you next?

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The 7 Most Romantic Getaways

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A Helicopter Over Volcanoes in Oahu

In Hawaii, the two of you can strengthen your bond by sharing the Earth, Wind & Fire helicopter tour offered by Four Seasons Resort O‘ahu at Ko Olina. Prepare for sensory abundance as you and your loved one fly past the verdant cliffs of Molokai, the green – yes, green – sand beaches of Papakolea, the Hamakua Coast’s misty waterfalls and even active volcanoes. “Each of the Hawaiian islands is so different from the next, so beautiful in its own way,” says Concierge Manager Ricarda Schellenberg. “This experience delivers all of the magical landscapes Hawaii has to offer.”

A high point of the journey takes place on the ground. “When you land at the Hawaii Legacy Forest on Big Island, you walk through waist-high grass and get your hands into the rich black volcanic soil to replant a native koa tree, giving back to the ‘aina,” caring for the land, Schellenberg says. “Afterwards, the awe of seeing the landscape from above becomes very real.” You’ll return to the Resort in time for a glass of Champagne at sunset.

Take Your Love to New Heights in Oahu

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A Private, Starlit Spa in Nevis

What could be better than stargazing together? Stargazing from a private volcanic-stone jetted tub in the heart of the Caribbean. The Spa Under the Stars experience at Four Seasons Resort Nevis transforms the Spa into an exclusive sanctuary for serenity and romance. You’ll have the entire space to yourselves – including a Japanese–inspired cold plunge pool and Spa Deck, surrounded by the privacy of a tropical garden. Your Nevisian massage begins with a foot bath in warm coconut milk infused with lemongrass, followed by a massage using a locally infused blend of oils inspired by the exotic scents and spices of the West Indies. End your evening with a candlelit dinner for two on the sala deck, overlooking Nevis Peak.

“Spa Under the Stars is inherently romantic, but I love when a guest goes the extra mile to make it a surprise for their partner,” says Spa Specialist Kevin Raymond. “And if you happen to be here during a full moon night, there’s just nothing like it.” Couples should also make sure to tour the ruins of the Hamilton Estate, a former sugar plantation once owned by the family of Nevis-born U.S. founding father Alexander Hamilton – as in Broadway’s hit show Hamilton.

Celebrate your love in Nevis

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The Coastal Byways of the French Riviera

When Grace Kelly and Cary Grant whirred along the cinematic coasts of the French Riviera in the 1955 Hitchcock movie To Catch a Thief, they became an example for generations to come. You can recreate the scene with the aid of Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel: Set out in your choice of classic luxury car – a Mercedes 190 SL, a Porsche 550 RS Spyder, or a Jaguar XK120 – and drive along cliff-edge roads overlooking the Mediterranean.

“What’s more romantic than a getaway to the French Riviera?” asks Chief Concierge Salvatore Esposito. “Between past and present, our landscape offers you breathtaking views overlooking the sea. You’ll drive a classic car from the Hotel straight to paradise.”

Find a road map to romance in Cap-Ferrat

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A Barefoot Beach Dinner in the Seychelles

The special quality of a candlelit meal is amplified when it’s served on a white sand beach illuminated by the moon. Four Seasons Resort Seychelles arranges that very dinner on Petite Anse Beach, ringed by flourishing coral reefs. If you can take your eyes off each other, you might spot fruit bats (they’re vegan) flying high overhead and hermit crabs meandering along the shore.

“Arrive around 6:30 pm, just in time for sunset and a glass of Champagne,” says Executive Chef Apostolos Dimou, who’s careful to note that the sun drops directly in front of the bay. “We can also work with couples to develop their own perfect menu, so the experience becomes even more personal.” The sky is the limit when it comes to the menu: savour local flavours, or really impress your partner by recreating dishes from your first dinner date.

Toast your time together in Seychelles

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A Pampering Session in the Garden in Thailand

Flowers have symbolized flourishing love for centuries. And they play an integral role in the two-hour Sunset Connection at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui. The two of you first receive an intense, full-body massage with warm oil, and then retire to a warm bath infused with tropical flowers. You have your choice of soaking spots: the Spa’s al fresco tubs beneath the forest canopy, or the tub in your private villa’s spa-like bathroom. It’s a euphoric end to a day on the water, exploring the jungle-clad islands of Angthong Marine National Park.

Find blissful relaxation in Koh Samui

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A Taste of the Amalfi Coast in Miami

Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra stayed (separately) in the legendary Surf Club, reborn as Four Seasons Hotel The Surf Club, so romance comes with the territory. Along with every ounce of glamour from the past, the property now includes Le Sirenuse restaurant, an outpost of the beloved cliff-side original in Positano, Italy.

A Turkish hammam and a Champagne bar with the largest selection of bubbly in Miami make attractive choices for you, but sometimes the most memorable moments come about before the city wakes. “Watch the sunrise from your oceanfront balcony,” says Guest Relations Manager Mark Warren. “We’ll bring freshly brewed coffee and made-to-order breakfast straight to your room.”

Unwind in Style in Miami

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A Lost Mountain City in Bogotá

If your definition of a dream date includes a touch of Indiana Jones, look no further than Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogotá. Taking the Hotel’s Sierra Nevada day trip, you’ll board a private jet for the village of Santa Marta some 45 minutes away, and then hop on a helicopter to soar over Colombia’s lush Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains, where the indigenous Kogi community has lived for centuries. Explore the thatch-roofed Mulkuakungui Village and connect with Kogi locals, learning rituals and receiving a handwoven piqué backpack. Lovebirds can keep an eye out for blue-bearded helmet crests, one of the 28 avian species that occupy only this region. (Colombia has the most diverse bird population worldwide.) As you fly out, take note of the circular terraces of Ciudad Perdida, or Lost City, which the Kogi built in AD 800.

In search of more sky-high adventure? The Hotel can arrange a helicopter expedition to Zipaquira Salt Cathedral and the emerald-coloured Gustavita Lake, scene of the famed legend of El Dorado, or Villa de Leyva – a remote, colonial-era town where you can explore the beauty and fascinating history, culture and art of the Colombian Andes.

Explore Sky-High Adventure in Bogota

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

Where will you and your love go next?

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Journeys That Soothe the Soul

We often turn to travel as a way to escape the daily grind – a chance to relax, recharge and return home refreshed and ready to face new challenges. To make it happen, maintain balance and reconnect body, mind and spirit during a session with an expert residential healer: Focus on the spiritual plane in New York, discover mindfulness through mandalas in Hong Kong, clear mental clutter with a life coach in Los Angeles. Here are some of our favourite Four Seasons experiences that immerse you in transformative teachings.

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A Spiritual Journey in New York

In the heart of busy New York’s Tribeca neighbourhood – bustling with artists, restaurants and chic shops – discover a calming oasis at Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown, where an entire floor is dedicated to the fitness and well-being of both body and mind. Develop your spiritual awareness and personal enlightenment in a one-on-one session with one of the Hotel’s Resident Healers, offering services like acupuncture, clairvoyant readings, astrological readings, sonic alchemy and hypnosis, all tailored to your needs. Heal your spiritual plane and reintegrate spirit with your true purpose and passion with Dr Deganit Nuur, or explore the healing power of sound with Michelle Pirret: Her sonic alchemy sessions pair her four-octave vocal range with instruments like alchemy singing bowls and archaic gongs to shift negative energy and discord away from the body. And allow renowned New York City astrologer Rebecca Gordon to chart your stars – based on the exact time of your birth, your planetary alignment may offer guidance to help you meet life’s challenges.

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Mindfulness in Hong Kong

Achieve a greater sense of balance at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, where wellness offerings in the Spa include lessons in breathwork and lifestyle consultations with Dr Tania Bardhan; guided meditations using vibrational sound therapy; and the ancient Chinese art of tai chi, led by the Hotel’s resident master. Hotel workshops teach mindfulness skills to help you continue your practice when you’ve returned home. Our recommendation? Learn the art of being present with the Mindful Mala Making and Mandala art workshops. Hone your focus as you carefully craft a string of counting beads – known as japa mala necklaces – to use during yoga or meditation sessions, or colour bright mandalas to learn to be present in the moment and discover clarity. Children can make their own japa mala necklaces or mandalas, discovering focus and clarity while expressing their creativity. You’re never too young to appreciate the art of self-care.

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A Focus on Health in Los Angeles

Discover a comprehensive approach to well-being at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village. Leave busy Los Angeles behind and retreat to the Santa Monica Mountains, where a nationally renowned team of health experts is on hand to help you find total body rejuvenation. Transform your lifestyle with healthy eating habits braced by cooking classes and nutritious menu offerings, and then learn strategies to balance your energy, health and well-being in personalized sessions with Four Seasons coaches. Explore alternative therapies like hypnotherapy and qi gong – a mind-body-spirit practice that improves physical and mental health by integrating posture, movement, breathing techniques and intent. Work with an expert to attain the tools to build successful relationships and family dynamics at any stage of life, and reduce anxiety through guided meditation and mindfulness techniques. Continuous coaching afterwards is available through follow-up sessions in person or by phone.

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Hypnosis in Hampshire

Sometimes just a change of setting is enough to shift your perspective. Escape to the picturesque English countryside at Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire. Wander through lush gardens, ride horseback along rolling hills and picnic on the grounds of this 18th-century manor. Once your physical self has been reinvigorated, it’s time to heal mentally and spiritually. The Hotel’s Deep Mind Massage can help boost motivation and encourage positivity and confidence. A clinical hypnotherapist will work with you to change your thinking patterns to overcome a variety of modern ailments, including anxiety, pain, migraines and other headaches. Whether you want to lose weight, reduce stress, combat sleep disorders, break a bad habit or overcome a phobia, hypnotherapy can help you achieve your goals.

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Natural Energy in Bali

It’s easy to ground yourself at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, where treatments at the Sacred River Spa help body, mind and spirit consciously align with the Earth. Explore theta healing – which focuses on releasing energy blockages caused by events, traumas and relationships from our past lives – and sound vibration therapy with Resident Healers like Susanna Queiroz and Vanessa Holliday. Or connect with Ibu Fera, the Resort’s resident wellness mentor and a former Buddhist nun, to develop your meditation practice and explore strategies for overcoming everyday issues with peace and presence of mind. For a uniquely soothing experience, let Fera lull you to sleep during the Sacred Nap ritual: Take an afternoon nap suspended from the ceiling of the bamboo Dharma Shanti Bale in an aerial silk hammock. Relax as Fera gently rocks you to sleep while she shares the life story of Buddha, accented by the sounds of nature. You’ll awake refreshed and recharged.

 

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Deep Discovery in Geneva

After a day spent exploring the lake or Old Town, unwind at the rooftop Mont Blanc Spa at Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva. In addition to soothing treatments like massages and body wraps, the Hotel’s team of wellness experts can help you put your spirit at ease. Work with hypnotherapist and life coach Vick Capt to become the best version of yourself. Pascal Buyck uses hypnosis to help you create new mental paths to become stronger, freer and happier. And you can turn to Fabienne Duffour, who has 20 years of experience with full moon singing bowls. She’ll talk with you about any concerns, and then adapt the sounds of her 14 singing bowls to suit your needs – whether to help with relaxation, release a blockage or guide you to rediscover yourself.

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Pura Vida in Costa Rica

At Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo, transform your outlook with daily yoga and meditation sessions. For a taste of the true pura vida lifestyle, schedule an Ayurveda consultation with Wellness Ambassador Beto Peña. He’ll use the ancient Indian practice to help you identify your primal nature – vata, or space and air; pitta, fire and water; or kapha, water and earth – and, based on your results, develop a customized plan to help you achieve a state of balance and harmony. Another way to boost your spirit? Volunteer through one of the Resort’s community outreach programs. You’ll connect with local schoolchildren over fun activities, treats and laughter – always good for the soul.

How I Discovered a New Side of
Paradise Island

For me, the Bahamas used to conjure images of a teen-spirit beach vacation: neon bikinis, potent rum runners, over-chlorinated megaresorts and the like. My expectations had been set by bus-stop posters of beachgoers rolling around in sand, or giddily gambling inside a cavernous casino. I didn’t anticipate being impressed. But that was before I laid eyes on The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, Bahamas.

Flying into the Nassau airport, I’m struck by the bright turquoise waters encircling the archipelago, the sun reflecting off sandy shallows. From the capital, it’s a breezy 30-minute drive across Nassau’s harbour and over the Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge to the north side of Paradise Island. As I step out of the van, my luggage is discreetly handled for me, and I’m welcomed by the scent of hibiscus flowers, waves of salty ocean air and a cool glass of Champagne.

Maybe I didn’t know Paradise after all.

This is the famed Ocean Club, a private estate–style resort embracing 35 acres of landscaped gardens, pools, guest rooms and villas all overlooking an 8-kilometre (5-mile) stretch of powdery white beach. Since its opening in 1962, the property has matured into an elegant enclave for fine art, Bahamian culture and innovative cuisine.

Standing inside the lobby with its vaulted ceiling and polished marble floors, I realize my previous notions were misguided. Here, a few takeaways from my voyage of discovery.

Get to Know Your Butler

Given the expansive grounds, getting to my room entails following a meandering stone path dotted with tropical palms, their fronds swaying beneath the night sky. A few feet away, ocean waves crash onto what feels like my very own crescent-moon slip of beach. I ascend one flight of stairs and open the heavy mahogany door to my suite. My first thought? Please don’t make me go back to New York.

The stately king-size bed is flanked by pale yellow walls; floor-to-ceiling glass doors open onto a private balcony with an exquisite ocean view. A giant oval bathtub stocked with Jardin Sur Le Nil toiletries by Hermès is a welcome surprise. This feels like a place to fall in love.

David, a born-and-raised Nassuvian, arrives with a broad, friendly smile and asks how he might be of service.

Of course, I’m flying solo. That never stopped James Bond, I say to myself, remembering scenes from Casino Royale, which was filmed here, and staring at the shiny silver cocktail set on my desk. It has all the necessary ingredients for a gin-based stinger the locals call “Sky Juice.” I’d like to make it perfectly, so I call my Bahamian butler. Butlers are on call 24 hours a day at The Ocean Club, rendering services such as luggage packing and unpacking, laundry pressing and the delivery of Champagne and strawberries nightly.

In my case, David, a born-and-raised Nassuvian, arrives with a broad, friendly smile and asks how he might be of service. He’s a great fan of Sky Juice and is genuinely pleased to school me: Combine 2 ounces London Dry Gin, 1 1/2 ounces sweetened condensed milk and coconut water into a shaker; mix, and then pour into a tumbler filled with ice. Just like that I have my first island cocktail (that’s essentially an adult milkshake). Already, this is fun.

Commission Fine Art

By the next afternoon, I’ve let the natural rhythm of this place sink in, swapping my smartphone for the strength of the sun to tell me it’s time to go inside. When I do, I stop to admire a particularly striking painting that depicts tiny figures gathering to form the words “carpe diem.” It’s part of Gatherings, a signature series painted by Jane Waterous, an artist whose work captures the sheer joy of being alive.

A Canadian expat known for her eccentric clothes and outsized optimism, Waterous is the Resort’s artist-in-residence, from whom guests can commission original pieces to take home with them. This is not a typical hospitality offering, so I’ve come to get a closer look. Luckily, Waterous regularly welcomes Ocean Club guests into her private home and art studio, where she and her husband of 25 years permanently reside. Tonight they’re hosting a pre-holiday dinner party, and it’s here I discover that the cheerful energy in her paintings is an extension of the artist herself. Nearly every available wall in this eight-room island estate is covered with art.

For many years, I just sketched these figures who are communicating, celebrating or playing with each other. They express our capacity for joy – to create it and to share it. I love it when people enjoy themselves. – Jane Waterous

Gatherings is what I’ve been working on for 50-plus years. It’s part of my soul,” Waterous says. “For many years, I just sketched these figures who are communicating, celebrating or playing with each other. They express our capacity for joy – to create it and to share it. I love it when people enjoy themselves.”

To her point, there is a 3.5-metre pink flamingo float outside in the pool and a small army of caterers keeping glasses full. Oh, and everyone has received their own elf hat, complete with jingle bells.

On one wall, I notice two sizeable paintings that spell out “Lady Gaga.” On another, a giant butterfly oversees dinner preparations – we’re having spiced pumpkin soup, filet mignon with roasted vegetables and, for dessert, a kiwi passion fruit meringue. The after-dinner drinks and merriment portion of the evening, involving holiday-themed charades and sumo wrestler costumes, takes place in the living room, where a massive ceramic pig holds court in front of another of Waterous’ celebrated series. Into the Blue, with its depictions of children jumping into the sea with abandon, feels right at home here.

Become a Rum Connoisseur

Spend enough evenings at Ocean Club and you’ll soon learn the difference between a fine sipping rum and what occupies the bottom shelf. Having taste-tested the best Bahamian rums, there’s just no going back.

Having taste-tested the best Bahamian rums, there’s just no going back.

For a complimentary crash course in the history and making of modern rum, look no further than John Watling’s Distillery in a 1789 Buena Vista Estate in downtown Nassau. Here, I learned that the first rum distillation took place in the 1600s when it was discovered that molasses, a by-product of refined sugar cane, could be fermented into alcohol. As distillation techniques became more sophisticated, the alcohol had fewer impurities and the quality of the rum improved. Sailors introduced the drink to Colonial America, and rum production has fundamentally shaped the course of island commerce ever since.

It’s a rollicking good story, which only gets more entertaining after tasting a caramel-coloured flight of Watling’s pale, amber and single-barrel offerings. I decide to take home a barrel-aged bottle of the smooth walnut-and-vanilla-flavoured Amber, as it’s not available outside the country.

Tour Versailles-Inspired Gardens

All this imbibing is tempered with a long walk through Ocean Club’s Versailles Gardens, which span the entire width of the island with stone steps that lead to a grand reconstructed 12th-century Augustinian cloister. Staff members insist the cloister offers the best sunset views over Nassau harbour, so I take them up on this promise.

Louis XIV’s resplendent Sun King style has been transported to Paradise Island.

Walking through the stately Hartford Courtyard and out to the gardens, I’m expecting more of the same: sea grapes, palm fronds and ocean air. What I find only adds to my enchantment: Louis XIV’s resplendent Sun King style has been transported to Paradise Island. The garden was the pet project of Swedish industrialist Axel Wenner-Gren, who came upon the island in 1939 and spent two decades building the estate. Wenner-Gren took great pains to ensure that the manicured hedges, tiered stone walls and whimsical marble statues reflected the grandeur of the French aristocracy. There’s a reason so many couples make their vows here – it makes you feel like royalty. You’re still better suited in sandals and flowy resort wear, however, than in gold hardware or tight corsets.

Get Gorgeous in a Spa Villa

Ocean Club has a long line of A-List guests, Bill Gates, Robert De Niro, Sidney Poitier and Joan Collins among them. Hoping to up my own glam factor, I book a treatment in one of Ocean Club’s Balinese-style villas. These fully decked stand-alone abodes have a private stone-paved entryway, and in each one a hydrotherapy whirlpool bath and a cascading waterfall shower beg to be enjoyed.

The whole things feels undeservedly decadent, but I happily check in, ditch my phone (they aren’t allowed anyway), and wrap myself in a fluffy robe and slippers.

The whole things feels undeservedly decadent, but I happily check in, ditch my phone (they aren’t allowed anyway), and wrap myself in a fluffy robe and slippers. One herbal tea later, I’m lying face down on a soft, pre-warmed table receiving a full body hot-stone massage, while also being doused in lightly perfumed Frangipani Monoi body oil. The effect is deep relaxation and release as my muscles let go of deadlines and jet lag–induced tension. After 90 minutes of this, I’m ready to don my fanciest chiffon halter dress and oversize earrings for dinner at Dune, the Resort’s fine dining establishment from Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The lauded French chef isn’t present for my last night in the Bahamas, but I think he’d approve of my choices: Bahamian lobster bisque and a Sky Juice on the rocks.

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