One of my favourite tweets from @VeryBritishProblems on X (formerly Twitter) states: “Nobody in Britain can believe how tired they are.” It is so true; I am one of those stumped Brits, and I am sure a fair few of you are too. So, when I was invited to Anantara Spa in Benahavís, southern Spain, one of the largest and most plush spas in Europe for a personalised wellness break, it was a no brainer. I was on a plane and ready to relax like there was no tomorrow.
First impressions with the wow factor Anantara Spa is located within the vast green grounds of Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Hotel , which is conveniently located close to the sandy beaches of the Costa del Sol, as well as the cities of Marbella, Málaga, Ronda and Gibraltar. It is also just a 50-minute drive from Malaga airport.
Stepping inside the serene and opulent lobby, I was instantly impressed when I arrived at the spa. Think stone floors, grand columns, classic moulding, sunlight streaming in through the windows, and magnificent bouquets of flowers. It felt tranquil and welcoming, and smelt divine.
Upon further exploration, I discovered that the spa offers guests over 2,000 square metres of Roman Baths that includes a sea salt hammam, a heated swimming pool set in landscaped gardens, 10 treatment rooms, Greek and Finnish saunas, an aromatic spa circuit with three steam aromatherapy baths, Laconium room, a Floatarium, a cold plunge pool, and a gym. The spa was huge and you could easily spend a whole day moving through all the different sections.
Life is a journey: a personalised wellness break I was invited to find my personalised path to wellness, because one size rarely fits all. This is especially true when it comes to your personal health and wellness goals, whereby we are often led to believe that there is one solution for any given problem. Yet, such a generalised approach ignores all the nuances of our bodies, internal and external factors, and individual lifestyles.
The team at Anantara Spa asked me to detail where I was feeling tension or the parts of me that felt unbalanced, then put together a personalised wellness break programme which was designed to address every single concern. They do this for all their guests and encourage them to focus on what matters to them, which will be different from what matters to others; no sets of needs are right or wrong, they are simply unique.
My experience As part of my personalised wellness break programme, I was invited to start with an Anantara Signature Massage to help me loosen up after a morning of travel, followed by the spa’s very own aromatic spa circuit, and then some quiet time in the aromatic relaxation space.
My Anantara Signature Massage was fantastic; all the muscles in my body were softened, especially my tight shoulder ones; it stimulated my circulation and restored my flow of energy. I am sure I departed the massage a couple of inches taller and grinning like a Cheshire cat.
After my massage, I completed the aromatic spa circuit, which I loved. The circuit is a step-by-step guide to experiencing the various immersive aromatic and therapeutic rooms. The guide explains the recommended order in which to visit the rooms, how long to spend in them, and what to do in them. It also advises on the temperature and wellness benefits of each room.
I especially loved the first room, the Salt Bath room, which was a soothing 45 degrees Celsius and contained a big pile of mineral salt that I could scrub my whole body with. The salt cleansed and exfoliated away all of my dead skin and set me up for the other rooms.
After the Salt Bath room, I headed into the Bali Bath room, which was 38 degrees and scented with rose, which has a soothing and anti-inflammatory effect, so beneficial for the respiratory system. The room smelt amazing – as did the next room, which was the 40 degree India Bath room that was scented with lavender for relaxation. I finally went to the 45 degree lemon infused Hamman, which was purifying and refreshing. After my aromatic spa circuit was completed, I went to the aromatic relaxation space, which was a white-washed lounge full of beds and light refreshments.
All in all, I must say, it was a spa experience you are unlikely to replicate anywhere else.
When you are not hanging out in the spa… If you can bear to venture away from the spa, the hotel also houses several gorgeous restaurants with incredible food and Instagram-worthy settings. I was lucky enough to eat at two of the restaurants.
La Loggia restaurant, led by Executive Chef Manuel Navarro Mena, serves authentic local dishes from Malaga on a picturesque veranda overlooking a lake and golf course. All the dishes served are made with fresh seasonal products from the local market. I highly recommend the Coin tomato with tuna belly and fried garlic vinaigrette starter; it is absolutely delightful.
La Veranda restaurant, an elegant restaurant with a charming terrace, and run under the expert guidance of chef Santiago Altuna, serves international dishes with vibrant flavour and style. I really enjoyed my country-style egg starter with truffled mash potato and artichoke.
Both restaurants offer an extensive list of non-alcoholic mocktails for those who are on a healthy holiday. I could not get enough of The Mixture mocktail, which consisted of roasted pineapple with cinnamon, pineapple juice, yuzu juice, coconut puree and honey – all blended together into what I can only describe as a smooth elixir from heaven! (I am definitely going to try and recreate this mocktail at home.)
Finally, the hotel itself is truly lovely; it is timeless and palatial, with spacious rooms and the biggest marble bathroom I have ever seen – I feel like I could have had a whole spa experience in the bathroom alone, it even had its own French balcony. The rooms are classic and calm with Andalusian works of art and furnishings. Thoughtful touches including some complimentary local produce and pool side accessories were also offered.
The verdict Anantara Spa provides an oasis of tranquillity and with summer just around the corner, this could be the best place to start your summer season feeling fresh, rested, and revived.
The spa was unique and yes, the personalised wellness journey successfully met all my needs. I felt pampered and looked after; it was exactly what the doctor ordered and I could have easily spent the whole week there.
Visit anantara.com/en/villa-padierna-marbella to learn more.
Born in Hong Kong and based in London, Sarah Highfield is a travel and wellness writer. Follow her travels on Instagram: @SarahHighfield .
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