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Morpheus explores the world of luxury from his home base in Athens, Greece, and shares some of his experiences with the readers of TravelDailyNews.
In this story: Six Senses Spa at the Porto Elounda De Luxe Resort, Crete, Greece
I have to admit it: I love spas. They help time-starved professionals like myself arrive at a point of complete physical and mental relaxation much faster than any other afternoon activity I can think of. Therefore, I indulge in a spa treatment or two each time an opportunity arises.
During a recent trip to Crete, I visited the Six Senses Spa, the famed Thai company’s first venture in Europe. The Six Senses Spa is part of the hotel complex comprising Porto Elounda and Elounda Peninsula, both designed and operated by the architect Spyros Kokotos. These five-star hotels have greatly contributed to the hotel saga of Elounda, a place in the east part of the island that arguably has the highest density of private-pool suites in the whole of the Mediterranean.
The arrival of such a prominent spa brand did not go unnoticed. In less than three years, the Six Senses on Crete started scooping awards and was ranked among Europe’s best spas, a good reason for me to pay it a visit.
I admire those spas that stand out for their personality. And this one truly has plenty of personality thanks to its aesthetics (more on this shortly) and its manager Elli Soumaki. A former Greek swimming champion, Elli now runs the Spa in a very inspiring and stimulating manner and is the ideal ambassador of the Six Senses philosophy: Use creativity and design to adapt the Spa’s concept to the unique heritage of Crete and to take guests on exhilarating sensory journeys through many forms of holistic healing in harmony with the environment.
Elli handed me the spa menu with dozens of treatments on offer. She immediately sensed my despair caused by this flood of information and responded to my silent cry for help by recommending the Turkish Scrub Bath. I am still very thankful that she made that choice for me.
I was escorted to the Turkish steam bath complex and was handed over to Margarete. The young German lady explained that I initially had to enter the first chamber of moderate heat and then to proceed to the hotter part in order to work up a sweat and prepare my mind and body for the cleansing ritual in the third chamber. I followed her suggestions and on my way across the rooms I admired the modern interpretation of traditional Ottoman design at this stylish hamam. I finally arrived at the large heated marble slab on which I rested my weary body and entrusted myself to Margarete’s Saxonian sense of duty.
This is what I like about good spas: You immediately sense if you are in the hands of a properly trained professional who truly cares about your wellbeing and I surely was. Margarete meticulously scrubbed me from tip to toe as part of the customary exfoliation and soap massage (using crushed olive pits and bergamot-scented soap) and washed away all my cares before she sent me off to the relaxation area.
With all my muscles totally relaxed, it was time for me to explore the premises of the Spa. Before arriving at Six Senses I expected a place with an Asian flair. What I found was a Spa free from all Asian clichés, with a striking contemporary décor and some stunning displays of modern art. Several sorts of stone from Mediterranean countries were used for the interior with its earthen tones, the skylights and running water. Two installations by the sculptor Kostas Varotsos, the two-floor Spiral and The Floating Rocks on the upper level, set the tone here. However, what sets the Six Senses apart from those dark spas confined to basements is its prime location in the higher part of the hotel complex offering plenty of daylight and views of the sea.
I plunged into the indoor seawater thalasso pool and swam out to its open-air section. I tested most of the pool’s twelve water jets, each massaging different parts of the body. However, be warned: Basking in the sun on the serene pool terrace and taking in the glorious views of the golf course, the beach and the bay will make you easily lose track of time.
The multinational team of 30 staff members keeps pampering guests from the time they arrive to the time they leave the Six Senses Spa. The menu of treatments and activities is extensive and well-balanced, including Asian classics such as Thai massage and Yoga, Greece-inspired signature treatments, specialty massages, private training sessions, water fitness programmes, body wraps and facials based on natural products. There is also a private spa suite for those very special couple treatments.
And what about the signature treatment aptly named Sensory Spa Journey, “a unique variation of a four-hands massage performed by two therapists synergistically to take you on a journey of the five senses and beyond”? Hmmm, let’s do this one on my next visit.
About the Hotel
Porto Elounda offers plenty of recreational choices besides the Six Senses Spa such as several water sports including scuba diving, tennis courts and a gym and is one of only two hotels in Greece with a private golf course. Its private beach is complemented by indoor and outdoor pools. There is also a dedicated children’s facility offering both indoor and outdoor activities. In addition to regular rooms, the Porto Elounda and the adjacent Elounda Peninsula offer a selection of suites and pool villas as well as several fine dining restaurants and meeting rooms.
Six Senses Spa, Porto Elounda De Luxe Resort and Elounda Peninsula All Suite Hotel are part of Elounda Hotels & Resorts. http://www.elounda-sa.com/
Morpheus wants your feedback! Let him know about your good or strange spa experiences. You can send him an e-mail (morpheus.tdn@gmail.com) or hook up with him on Facebook (he goes under the name Morpheus Morfeas). Some of the letters sent to Morpheus (or excerpts thereof) may be published here.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
