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!