Spa Spy: Las Ventanas | The Telegraph
The Telegraph | 31 January 2011
Spa Spy: Las Ventanas al Paraiso,
Los Cabos, Mexico
Our sleuth investigates the curative claims of wellbeing retreats worldwide
The spa Situated in a secluded part of this elegant, manicured, luxury resort, the spa has separate areas for men and women, each with a very hot Jacuzzi and icy plunge pool, sauna and steam room. Relax on a lounger at the quiet desert garden reception and choose from an extensive menu of traditional and exclusively created treatments. Spy has a horror of cold water yet, encouraged by the staff, embraced the hot/cold hydrotherapy cycle and came out loving the exhilarating tingly sensation.
Spa Spy’s symptoms Spa Spy loves a tough, intense gym workout but can feel tight and achy afterwards, despite a stretching routine. Inflexible ankles and tight hamstrings are a particular bugbear.
The prescription Thai yoga massage was developed centuries ago to release tension and increase vitality and flexibility.
The procedure The therapist did all the work, using his hands, feet and elbows to manipulate Spy’s body, massaging and stretching each part and folding her into shapes that felt comfortable and supported. The technique uses acupressure, gentle stretching and applied yoga. Imagine how a piece of origami paper feels and you’re most of the way there.
The verdict Thai yoga massage is usually given as a course for more acute problems, so a one-off session could only have limited benefit, but Spy still felt relaxed, stretched and flexed — just what her body, post workout required.
The medical opinion “Is this lazy man’s yoga? The deep stretches and pressure points used in Thai yoga massage help the muscles lengthen and relax, they boost blood circulation, too,” says Professor David Peters, clinical director of the School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster. “But don’t do it if you have a serious heart condition or uncontrolled high blood pressure, nor if you have osteoporosis or an artificial joint. Strong forms of massage aren’t recommended for anyone with cancer or haemophilia.”
The feelgood factor A fabulous dry, sunny and hot climate on this western desert peninsula of Mexico warms the whole body, so that a dip in the swim-up bar for cocktails and fresh ceviche at lunchtime is a real tonic. Enjoy expansive views out to the pounding surf of the Pacific, fine-dining each evening, a tequila-tasting masterclass, a personal butler for your suite and strolls along the pristine beach or around the gardens with their sculptural cacti and swaths of bright bougainvillea hanging from balconies. Service is first-class, as celebrities such as Kate Winslet appreciate.
Details Thai yoga massage, $US300 for 120 minutes. Suites from $655 per night, plus tax and service (www.lasventanas.com). American Airlines flies from London Heathrow to Dallas Fort Worth for onward connections to Los Cabos, Mexico, from £852 return (0844 4997300, www.aa.com).