Michael Hepworth
Spectacular Spa Wellness Experience at
Villa del Palmar at the Island of Loreto
By Bonnie Carroll
Loreto (Perfect Skin Today)6/8/15/–Took a non-stop Alaska Airlines flight from LAX to Loreto Mexico for a celebration of spa and wellness that included original mock cocktails and personalized menus of vegan, vegetarian and gluten free recipes during a Wellness Week Retreat at Villa del Palmar at the Islands of Loreto, a magnificent property that sits majestically overlooking the Sea of Cortez.
The focus on healthy eating and drink was orchestrated by food and beverage director Oscar Torres, who designed healthy cocktails, and Executive Chef Alfonso Peregrina and his dedicated team who prepared diet specific culinary delights to enjoy between wellness week activities that included a full schedule of yoga, hiking, kayaking, water sports, exercise programs at the spa, and massage treatments.
Executive Chef Alfonso Peregrina, who spent ten years working as a chef in Cancun and one year in Spain is a native of Puebla, has become a specialist at creating wellness program recipes for hotel guests. Vegan and vegetarian requests are responded to with beautiful and delicious culinary creations to please any health conscious gourmand.
Three hotel restaurants, including Casa Mia, Market Restaurant and Danzante Fine Dining Restaurant provide a bevy of delicious menus and beverages to please the palate of every guest, and the staff present special weekly events including an Italian night dinner buffet filled with fantastic pasta dishes, pizza favorites and more. The gluten free pizza was outstanding. They also offer a weekly beach party barbecue with a live musical review and fire dancer.
Yoga therapy and stress reduction classes for the Wellness Week Retreat are held on the beach to stimulate the mind, body spirit connection and are lead by expert Michelle Collins, a certified yoga instructor who specializes in pranayama breath work & meditation, is a Mayo Clinic Wellness Coach and USUI Reiki Master with extensive knowledge of Aryuveda. Michelle takes guests on a seaside journey of inner peace and relaxation before they indulge in pampering spa treatments or a bevy of water activities, which can include PADI-certified SCUBA diving lessons and snorkeling tours in the waters Jacques Cousteau called the “Aquarium of the World.”
The elegant green and white Sabila Spa is an impressive temple of health, crowned with an elegant atrium chandelier as you enter, and offers panoramic views of the exquisite hotel property from the expansive state-of-the-art exercise area. Lush jacuzzi pools include cold, warm & hot, as well as inviting eucalyptus and lavender baths, plunge showers, saunas, chic steam rooms, and spacious massage and treatment rooms. The comfortable juice lounge offers refreshing beverages including the oh-so-delicious ‘green drink’ of parsley, spinach, celery, orange and pineapple juice that becomes a daily ritual for hotel guests. An adjacent beauty salon within the spa offers all the latest products and services to keep you looking sensational during your stay.
Sabila Spa and Wellness director Claudine Riemer proudly announced that this beautiful property is currently listed as number eleven on the Trip Advisor ‘Best Spa in Mexico’ list. I personally predict it will be #1 before the end of the year. According to Riemer “the Wellness Week Retreat at Villa del Palmar at the Islands of Loreto embodies an organic healing process for the mind, body and soul.” The therapists at Sibila are experts who focus on individual body issues, using fine Pevonia products and the latest new treatment aids. Claudine Riemer and her staff are happy to assist guests with an individual workout and diet regimen to implement during their stay at the resort.
The scene stealing hotel pool is in the shape of a turtle, the turtle body being a large main pool, and the feet and head serving as a salt water pool, private guest pool, jacuzzi and a colorful pool for children. The ambiance of the pool is blissful, only interrupted daily by a very entertaining water aerobics instructor. The pristine beach offers swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, yoga classes or just relaxing by the sea, where a bar staff provide cooling refreshments. It is from the beach that snorkelers, scuba divers, and fishermen depart to enjoy the pleasures of the islands in the indigo waters of the Sea of Cortez.
The Rees Jones designed Danzante Bay Golf Course is scheduled to open its first nine holes in October or November 2015, providing a golfing and dining experience on the course. “We are working to create a resort where the whole family can enjoy a special vacation to truly experience the beautiful islands of Loreto. We are constantly working to improve our services and provide new offerings for guest enjoyment,” said General Manager Sixto Navarro.
It is really impossible to communicate adequately the exquisite beauty of this property and the surrounding area. The color of the Sea of Cortez is extraordinary as it changes from indigo to emerald green, and the sunsets will remain a vision in my mind always. Visiting Villa Del Palmar is a gift to yourself; a respite to restore your own good health. For retreat or reservation information visit their website.
Villa Del Palmar at the Islands of Loreto
Michael Hepworth
287 S.Robertson Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
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