Le Blanc Spa Resort in Cancun, Mexico is a perfect destination for anyone with this idea.

The world-class resort offers traveler everything they need to overcome the stress of life, and deliver it to you in one word: Perfection.

Le Blanc Spa Resort towers majestically over one of Mexico’s most beautiful stretches of private beach, just 15 minutes from downtown Cancun and 25 minutes from the airport.

It covers five acres of land and offers more than 250 air-conditioned luxurious rooms with an ocean or lagoon view, balcony, double Jacuzzi, flat screen LCD TV with satellite and much more.

There are plenty of international restaurants, bars and lounges, outdoor pools, a Jacuzzi and a fitness center.

And that’s just the basics, as expected, there is an abundance of personal services which will be delivered to you to cater for all your needs.

Le Blanc really is a great destination for any honeymoon, independent holiday, or just for a well needed break from your personal life.

The five star resort will be sure to give you a fresh start to the year and a refreshed mind.

Part of the new Château Élan at The Vintage, the luxury spa complex has 18 treatment rooms dedicated to exclusive spa rituals, traditional hydrotherapies and social relaxation. It is one of very few places in the world where people can experience Terraké treatments supplemented by products from prestige group, Thalgo.

Terraké treatments are inspired by the principles of ‘four worlds’. Each world offers whole-body treatments with its own precious ingredients, scents, textures, techniques and music.

Thalgo specialises in marine cosmetology and spa therapies; its products draw richness and effectiveness from the marine universe to help drive efficient, effective results.

Examples from the exclusive Château Élan spa menu:

• Rare Essence facial treatment (for women): exotic botanicals, fruit butters and rare flowers combine in a double mask application for a succession of delicious sensations to regenerate and nourish the skin.

• Balneotherapy: Thalgo’s Detoxifying Algae and essential oils are added to the whirlpool of a geisha tub; the algae works with the effects of underwater massage to relieve tension.

• ‘Stretching After Exercise’ body exfoliation, massage and wrap (for men): smoothing sugar softens the skin while a stretching-stroke massage eases the body and mind; next, it’s into a nourishing body wrap made with sweetly-scented fruit and cereal butters.

Château Élan is also pleased to introduce spa treatments for teenagers, The Hydrolounge (a comfortable, fire-warmed ‘wet’ area) and a social spa area complete with alcohol and catering.

In addition to treatment rooms, the Spa will house 20 luxury spa suites giving guests privileged access, as well as total privacy courtesy an ‘airbridge’. Features unique to spa suites include a sensual plinth-mounted spa bath that is open to the room, and an ErgoMotion bed providing massage therapies and a ‘Zero Gravity’ option for neutral body position. Guests wanting total seclusion can opt for a suite with a Sanctuary Courtyard.

All resort interiors are tailored in muted tones and warm textures. All rooms include original artworks, spa baths, Nesspresso Essenza coffee systems, French Thalgo bathroom amenities, digital entertainment and online connectivity.

According to CEO Erik Stuebe, “The Spa at Château Élan is not only Australia’s newest spa, it’s one of the largest and most luxurious in the country. No expense has been spared and no detail has been overlooked.

“I will add, however, that while spa treatments are about relaxation and wellness, we believe that a little bit of indulgence can go a long way. Visitors to our social spa rooms will find the champagne is properly chilled…”

For more details, visit: www.chateauelan.com.au

Orient-Express Hotels (www.orient-express.com) has been going since 1976, when the company first purchased Hotel Cipriani in Venice and then shortly afterwards, recreated the celebrated Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, which weekly, links London, Paris and Venice as well as other destinations. Today, the company owns or part-owns and manages 50 businesses, 40 of which are highly acclaimed hotels that are each unique in style, from the Mount Nelson in Cape Town and Rio’s Copacabana Palace, to the Grand Hotel Europe in St. Petersburg and Maroma Resort & Spa on Mexico’s Riviera Maya. They even have two restaurants, including ‘21’ in New York, two river cruise operations and six tourist trains.
 
A few of the group’s spas and what they offer:

• The Beach spa at Jimbaran Puri Bali, Bali, Indonesia
(www.jimbaranpuribali.com)

This spa reflects the strong Indian influence on Indonesian culture, The Beach Spa offers several Ayurvedic treatments. The signature massage, known as Abyhanga, is a rhythmic herbal oil massage intended to release impurities and toxins from the body. Another is the Shirodhara therapy, during which a thin and constant stream of oil is poured on to the center of the forehead said to be the third eye, acting as a gateway to total rejuvenation of the entire body.

• Ayung spa at Ubud Hanging Gardens, Bali, Indonesia
(www.ubudhanginggardens.com)

The spa is perched along the steep rice terraces of Ubud and the winding Ayung River below flows below. Indulge in the 60-minute Coconut & Rice Scrub. Since ancient times, the coconut has been used by Balinese women to heal and beautify skin complexion, so this traditional recipe is made out of grated coconut and coconut milk to smooth the skin and rice powder to gently exfoliate. Indulge with this ultimate exfoliation ritual that removes dead skin cells, followed by an energizing herbal bath.

• The Spa at La Résidence Phou Vao, Luang Prabang, Laos
(www.residencephouvao.com)

At Luang Prabang’s first luxury spa, pavilions are decorated in an inviting mix of ethnic craftsmanship and modern comfort. In the elegant setting, enjoy the Sip Sen traditional Lao massage, originally cultivated in monasteries of Laos and handed down through generations of Buddhist monks. The philosophy is based on freeing life force which runs throughout energy lines called “sen” to achieve total wellness. This very respectful way of applying pressure with thumbs and palms was once exclusively applied to Royal families to help the body to relax, detoxify, balance, heal and energize, giving a new sense of wholesome well-being.

• Napasai sap, Koh Samui, Thailand
(www.napasai.com)
 
Royal Thai massage, or Nuat Pen Boran, has been practiced as part of Thai medicine to heal Royal family members of the Kingdom of Siam for over 2,500 years. The massage is given very slowly to facilitate the tendency toward mindfulness, so that any resistance or discomfort resulting from a particular position can be detected thus minimizing the risk of injury. During the massage, the therapist uses hands, thumbs and fingers to apply pressure on sen energy points. The therapist will also gently pull, twist and manipulate the body in a way that is compared to “passive yoga.” All these movements aim to create a smooth energy flow within the body, which is believed to help loosen joints, stretch muscles and tone internal organs.

• The Spa at Keswick Hall, Charlottesville, Virginia
(www.keswick.com)

Located in the heart of Virginia wine country, among the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, The Spa at Keswick Hall offers an indulgence of the vine. The Keswick Reserve is a vineyard-inspired spa regimen developed to take advantage of the health benefits of the red wine grape. Using elements from the grape’s vine to the seed, the entire body is infused with anti-oxidants and anti-aging polyphenols which also help protect against further damage from the atmosphere’s free radicals. The Keswick Reserve service includes a red wine greeting, 60-minute grape seed oil massage, Shiraz body scrub, red wine body mask, Pinot Noir facial with mask and a Shiraz face & body smoother.

• Kinan spa at Maroma Resort & Spa, Riviera Maya, Mexico
(www.maromahotel.com)

As guests venture out to the pristine white beaches of Maroma, a small brick-colored pyramidal structure on the south end becomes visible. This is a source of spiritual and physical healing and rebirth for many – it is Temazcal. The Maya Temazcal is similar to a North American Indian sweat lodge in which a source of heat (in this case super heated lava rocks) is doused with herb-infused water to create aromatic and healing steam, which removes toxins from the body and balances the energy flow of the people within. Offered at dusk by the Temazcalera, Nancy, this ritualistic treatment weaves together ancient traditions, chants and meditation - guests often report seeing visions, which are later interpreted. The body is also nourished during the treatment using fruit essence and enriched mineral mud. After the mud dries and the sunsets, guests are taken to the sea for a cooling plunge that symbolizes a re-birth and leaves an overall feeling of cleanliness, calm and inner peace.