Luxury on the Lake

Why is it, that Italian food is so special? I am no food expert, but while at Lefay it became apparent that perhaps part of the secret, is their simplicity. A platter of cold meats, fresh salad and a plate of pasta in the right setting can make the heart race. Or maybe it's Italy's genius for adding vitality to everyday ingredients? A pasta dish thrown together with pesto and pine nuts, as well as the inevitable pepper - a simple yet mouthwatering dish. 

Most of the ingredients used at Lefay are sourced locally, so that fresh burst of flavour can be noticed in every dish. Many of the herbs and ingredients are grown onsite (in the resort gardens or Olive groves), organic too of course, even the pasta is made by the chefs during the day. It goes without saying therefore that the food at Lefay is rather exceptional, even to Italian standards. During our stay, we enjoyed a very modern take on the typical Mediterranean diet, starting with the buffet style breakfast served in the stunning Limonaia restaurant;

Each morning we chose from the different breakfast sections; eggs cooked before our eyes, overflowing bowls of fresh fruit, apricots, bananas, apples, nectarines and more, platters of cheese and meats, sweet pastries, fresh orange juice, even bottles of Prosecco! 

At lunch time we sauntered up to the Trattoria La Vigna, where on the warmer days we sat on the shaded terrace area overlooking the lake, and enclosed by potted lemon trees. We chose from the A La Carte menu offering a selection of pastas and risottos, the fish of the day, or choosing from the buffet section. Forget other buffets you've experienced before because Lefay do buffet's differently - a cuisine haven with platters of beef Carpaccio, parma ham sliced before us and delivered to our tables, creamy bowls of plump mozzarella and truffle infused hard cheeses just for the starter! A selection of freshly baked bread, bowls of pasta and rice dishes as well as various pizza and focaccia selections were presented for mains, before possibly the greatest desert selection that I'd ever had the pleasure of devouring! My favourites included the creamy panacotta squares, banana creme br�l�e, and passion fruit mousse!

Ingredients picked fresh from the hotel gardens

We spent our evenings enjoying an aperitif in the beautiful hotel bar, before choosing between the Trattoria or La Grande Limonaia restaurants for dinner. The latter is the hotel's main restaurant, where dishes included Steak, Lobster and fresh Fish, all cooked to absolute perfection along with a selection of seasonal vegetables. We were tempted by the extensive wine menu too, choosing to sample various (ahem) beverages from the local Bardolino region. Those on the Spa programme can also stick to a healthier set menu which had equally as mouth-watering dishes! We finished the evening with scrumptious italian classic deserts; a passion fruit and lemon parfait cocooned inside a frozen lemon skin was my personal highlight!

Lefay has successfully ticked all the boxes, the food, the spa, the location are all unbeatable - and we are already plotting our next visit!

Lefay Resort & Spa on Lake Garda is bookable through Small Luxury Hotels.

xoxo

The Discovery Programme

Things I took away with me from Lefay included a glowing tan, some heavenly bath and hair products and some of Lefay's herbal tea; but most importantly, I took away mindfulness, and words of wisdom from the resort's in house doctor about how to relieve stress and tension from everyday life.

On our first full day at Lefay, I met with Doctor Corradin with whom I discussed sleeping and eating patterns, my dreams and my everyday worries. He felt my pulse and was able to tell things that even I didn't know about myself (even though they were worryingly true!) before making recommendations about small changes I could make to my lifestyle in order to combat my stress and worries. The Doctor prescribed me three special treatments to tackle my energy using methods from Chinese Medicine and healing. My first treatment used warm carbon sticks on my back to relax my muscles and channel my light and heavy energy, it wasn't long before I drifted into a trance of relaxation while listening to renditions of Beethoven classics. I awoke refreshed and calm before the full body massage began, using smooth olive oil from the resort's own olive farms, and inhaling Eucalyptus and mint burning oils - a multi sensory massage experience. The all over treatment is aimed at revitalising the flow of internal energy and although I dozed off after the treatment, the next day I really noticed the benefits, springing out of bed and feeling far more alert and 'present' than any other day.

A facial massage treatment was next, with the aim of relaxing my facial muscles (starting by massaging my hands and feet), before the process of facial cleansing and moisturising began, purifying the skin and soothing the contours. Stimulating the King energy points, I left the Spa feeling calm, but with a clear mind - usually I leave spa treatments in a semi-daze, so this was certainly a new experience! I spent the rest of the afternoon reclined on the spa terrace, sipping on the Nettle detoxifying tea, feeling physically and mentally awakened - an addictive feeling which i'll be using the Doctor's tips to recreate back home.

There was more to come though! We had a private session in the Spa's Salt-water lake, 'La luna nel Lago'. Descending into an underground darker pool carved from natural rock, we submerged ourselves into the marin salt water heated to 38 degrees, surrounding by pools of crystallised salt extracted from the Red Sea, and gazing up at an incredibly realistic larger than life moon sculpture, while allowing our bodies to absorb the minerals from the water.

The Spa lies at the heart of Lefay, and merges the ancient principles of Classical Chinese Medicine with modern western techniques; the in-house Doctor and Spa Manager have created a range of health programmes with are aimed at rebalancing and rejuvenating the body, mind and spirit through the recovery of vital energy, and the rediscovery of a healthy way of living. As a forever-busy Londoner, it was an eye-opening experience, and after just three days at Lefay I recognised the importance of taking a step back sometimes, switching off and enjoying some me-time.

Small Luxury Hotels offer various bespoke packages at Lefay Resort & Spa in the prestige junior suite, including breakfast and private transfers to the resort, as well as the various Spa programmes.

xoxo

Luxury Italy : The Lefay Resort & Spa

A word of warning: the following posts may induce cravings for sun, pasta and vistas of the lake, or at the very least daydreams of Prosecco, infinity pools and sun-dappled gardens. You've been warned.

Tucked into the rolling hills that surround the majestic Lake Garda, the Lefay Resort and Spa is a haven of Italian luxury. Offering a wellness experience unlike anything else I've ever experienced; the resort encapsulates a new concept of luxury combined with environmental sustainability while respecting local and regional traditions. Every part of Lefay has been carefully considered - as you'd expect from a five star hotel, and it's these small details and personal touches that make the hotel a fine example of Italian luxury at its very best.

We ascend the steep and twisting road that leads to the resort, and struggle to take our eyes off the vista before us; the gargantuan Lake Garda stretches as far as the eye can see, shimmering in the sunlight, and the small villages on the lake side look like toy towns, complete with charming coloured walls and rickety decking onto the lake. The resort is nestled amongst olive terraces and lemon groves and fits in subtly with it's surroundings.

It's hard to believe that the founders, the Leali family are not seasoned hoteliers, but instead, Lefay is their first foray into hotels. Their philosophy of creating a concept of overall wellness while achieving environmental sustainability is clear in every part of the hotel; of which the heart lies within the incredible spa. Inspired by local lemon houses and crafted into the hillside, the Italian design features include Olive tree wood flooring in every room, warm toned Italian marble, and panoramic floor to ceiling windows - it embraces nature, while being comfortable and luxe. 

There are just 90 suites in the resort, giving an intimate feel, and although we stayed during the start of the quiter season, we often felt like we had the spa area to ourselves, but there was still a bustling atmosphere in each of the hotel's restaurants (more about that later!). We stayed in the prestige suite - Lefay's equivalent of a standard room, but there was certainly nothing standard about it! A walk in wardrobe, marble bathroom with jacuzzi bath with lake view, seating area, writing desk, separate WC... this place is bigger than my first flat in London! Our patio doors opened up to a wide terrace with a 'pinch-me' perfect view of the lake - it felt like something out of a film when pressing the button that electrically opened the curtains to reveal the lake view each morning!

As with the rest of the resort, the bedrooms are environmentally friendly too - the energy is produced using wood chip biomass, while rainwater is collected for the irrigation, and photovoltaic panels generate about 60% of the resort's energy. Walls in the rooms are painted with chemical free water paint, and bed linen is of natural cotton fibre.

Our days started with the most picturesque breakfast in the hotel's Limonaia restaurant; we made our own juices from the buffet of fruit and vegetables and enjoyed healthy dishes along with delicious pastries, while enjoying the morning sun on one of two terraces each side of the restaurant. After that, we began the Lefay Discovery Programme - an innovative Lefay Spa method which you'll find out more about in tomorrow's post!

As it's a part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the world, it's no surprise that everything about Lefay has been done to exceptional standards, from the service of the resort's staff, to the food, the Spa and the hotel environment, join me tomorrow for more on the Spa, and Friday for the hotel's exceptional cuisine. 

To see more of the hotel, join me over on YouTube for my Vlog of our stay!

xoxo

Lefay is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World - further information here!

Switzerland in Style

It had never really occurred to me to visit Switzerland in the Summer time. With memories of Winter wonderlands as I visited Swiss towns during ski trips when I was younger, I knew little about what the postcard-perfect country would have to offer during the warmer months.

The GoldenPass train journey between Geneva and Gstaad gave us the perfect introduction to Switzerland in the warmer months. Far more than just a journey from A to B, the route took us through some of the country's most stunning scenery; the turquoise waters of lake Leman stretches for as far as the eye can see, surrounded by the impending mountains.

We flew through the valleys, whistling high above the lakes, past churches, tiny farm houses and chalets with logs neatly stacked high ready for the winter months. We stopped off for a glass of Prosecco to take in the view at Montreux, before boarding the Classic style GoldenPass up to Gstaad. The traditional wood panelled carriages with panoramic windows made the journey quite unlike any we'd ever been on before, and as the train heaved itself up into the resort of Gstaad, we soon realised that our stylish means of travelling was far from over.

Awaiting our arrival at the station was a very dapper looking driver, inviting us into the hotel's gleaming 1962 Bentley. No sooner had we relaxed into the plush leather interiors (and quizzed the driver about the car's previous owner; Roger Moore) before we pulled up to castle-like Le Grand Bellevue, our home for the next four days.

With the life-size tweed camel in the lobby, and Chesterfield sofas that span the entire length of the bar area, the first impressions of the hotel are that this place doesn't compromise on fun and personality, while maintaining that five-star (and then some!) luxury that you'd expect. We were greeted by Daniel, the proud owner of the Grand Bellevue, who told us how he had spent the past two years completely refurbishing the hotel with his interior designer wife, after a career in high-end hospitality.

A see-through fireplace in the reception area leads through to a vast lounge area, where Bird-print wallpaper from east London's House of Hackney, and hanging bird cage chairs creates an inviting atmosphere for guests wanting to unwind after a day on the slopes, or just exploring the stunning surroundings.

We were led up to the fifth floor of the hotel into the Etoile room, where the doors opened to reveal a beautiful open plan room, a huge king sized bed, and a chic grey toned bathroom complete with jacuzzi bath tub under panoramic windows and Bamford toiletries. We knew it would be hard to tear ourselves away from the room, but the charming window seat framed a view so perfect that it could almost have been a painting; the chocolate-box chalet buildings and majestic mountains beckoned us away from our new plush surroundings.

In the hotel's beautiful grounds, guests can enjoy a game of croquet, or one of the hotel's cocktail creations. The exclusive Gstaad Yacht Club is also on hotel grounds, beneath which is the hotel spa with it's Finnish outdoor sauna, herb sauna, salt sauna (this place has a lot of saunas) to name but a few. We headed there to enjoy a bespoke meditation and massage treatment (heavenly) before some serious detoxing in the therapeutic Turkish Steam Bath.

The hotel is just moments walk from Gstaad's designer boutique-lined promenade, where people watching is almost as much fun (and most definitely cheaper) as exploring the designer chalets. With Louis Vuitton, Hublot, Prada and Ralph Lauren to name but a few, this ski resort town is quite unlike any other.

Charlie and I refrained from frittering away our savings by taking to the hills to make the most of the fresh air and tranquility of the beautiful surroundings, taking cable car trips up to the peaks, before refuelling on traditional cheese fondue back at the hotel's Petite Chalet, but more on that tomorrow!