Experts of Light

At Select Collection Spa we now feature the exclusive spa brand Valmont. People ask me "what is so special about these products?"

Valmont started as a medical brand to repair damaged skin and mastered the secrets of producing new healthy cells. Now focusing on beauty and rejuvenation, Valmont uses the latest technology to transport minerals from Swiss glacial water and protein into cells deep in the skin.

The proteins become collagen to make our skin resilient, glowing and young(er).

This might sound like a chemistry lesson … but in fact these secrets are very interesting and educational – and we needed our expert trainer from Switzerland Anne Launer to explain more in detail.

Therefore we arranged a Valmont event in our beautiful office. 

Learning about products that make the skin glow

Anne told us about the secret of Valmont; how ALL their products work as anti-ageing, from toners and cleansers to creams, serums and masks. Just choose the right products for your specific skin type – whether you need to focus on dry skin, oily skin, fine lines, lifting results etc.

The new line promoted last week in Stockholm is truly innovating – in Expert of Light series Valmont has added zinc which has an amazing brightening effect. This works to create an even toned and glowing skin. The results are spectacular: beautiful skins with a natural, healthy look. Valmont has also developed a new treatment called Brightness of Ice using only Expert of Light products.  

More about our spa and Valmont at the bottom of this blog. But first some nice pictures of our special evening.

From Select Collection Nathalie Meyer and Anna Ingelson

Lucky winner of the luxurious Brightness of Ice treatment Annette Rosencreutz

Wonderful champagne from Diebolt Vallois

Canapes with Swiss cheese for the occasion and Swedish specialities like Skagen

With Josephine Palmquist, Kajsa Gatenbeck and Hanna Hjämerhag

Our Fredrik Ljung surrounded by lovely ladies Gunvor Engström and Kanthi Beck

Preparing Clarifying Pack samples on hands to work their magic during our Valmont Presentation

We are proud to be the only spa in the Northern region to feature Valmont treatments and products. Their philosophy goes hand in hand with ours; to be exclusive in the way that clients need thorough consultation in order to obtain the best results (whether it means choice of travel destination and experience, or the right way to take care of your skin and looks …). Therefore Valmont products are not sold in duty free shops etc. As we do at Select, for the choice of Valmont at our Stockholm Day Spa, it has been Personally Inspected and Carefully Selected!

Note: Valmont has different lines for different age groups, and within each line products for different skin types. This makes the product selection vast and comprehensive, but you will need help and consultation to find the right products.

Great tip: Next time you come to plan your holiday to the sun with us – make sure to also try the Valmont sun care products. As with all Valmont products – they work on anti-ageing at the same time as they protect your skin. And since they produce new healthy cells during your hours at the beach, the tan will also stay longer … reminding you of your relaxing days long after you come back! 

One&Onlydelights

A perfect lunch of delicatessen delights was spread out on our long kitchen table at Select Collection for a mingle and meeting with our cherished partners One&Only.

Visiting us on Tuesday were Lore Koenig Executive Director Sales at One&Only, and Pauline Massena, Head of Sales at One&Only Le Saint Geran, one of our Mauritius gems.

Here are a few snapshots of this occasion....

Pauline, Lore and Neil our product director outside Select Collection at Grev Turegatan 8

The One&Only visitors in our cosy, arty and elegant reception area

And our delicious spread generously provided by One&Only...

Lore and I are old friends. We always have a lot to talk about - apart from our thriving business relationship.

Select customers love One&Only, which is one of the world's most elite and luxurious hotel chains. For the existing One&Only resorts in our current Select Collection, click HERE.

Mexico close and far

Thinking of Mexico and two places for a lovely Mexican experience. One is faraway hotel Maroma – an intimate hotel on Riviera Maya where Select Collection has a special offer at present. The other – for those seeking Mexican food and ambience closer to home – restaurant Coba in Stockholm.

Maroma on Riviera Maya and a long, white beach

Coba a little closer - but plenty of Mexican flavour in Birger Jarlsgatan

Coba is celebrating a new cook this coming Thursday 14th May with a special evening. Music till late, a special price at the bar till 8 pm, and tasty treats to try from the new menu.

Table bookings 08-611 77 10. More about restaurant Coba here.

Coba was named after a Mayan site in Mexico – not far from Riviera Maya where Maroma is situated. Appropriately, Jonatan who runs Coba, invited two chefs from Maroma for the launch of the restaurant two years ago –and they have left behind some delicious Mexican secrets.

Here is one of the fantastic restaurants where the chefs worked at Maroma...

 

Beach restaurant at Maroma

Maroma is a charming, rustic boutique hotel on a stunning wide white beach. There are four bars and restaurants serving delicious fare, both traditional and fusion Mexican. The offer at present, which can be booked through Select Collection, is for eight nights including two free. A beautiful place to be....

Maroma

Crystal clear turquoise water

See Select Collection’s web page on Maroma here.

For information about the Maroma special offer phone: 0046-8 678 15 15.

Lovely London

I love London. Now I had three good reasons to visit. A wedding, a new luxury hotel to experience on behalf of Select Collection, and a new Select office in London...

Calling at our beautiful new London office in the West End just opposite the Cafe Royal

The wedding was at a private club called Savile Club, just five minutes from The Beaumont.

It was the wedding of Alex and Yulia. Alex is the son of Valerie, my very good friend and also a customer of Select Collection.

Yulia and Alex

Beautiful dress

Graceful descent - Yulia and her father

At the wedding

With Valerie's very happy mother at a pre-wedding lunch

A courtyard at the private club

 Note that for interested customers we can help with elite London events as we have contacts at a number of private clubs in London.¨

We stayed at a lovely hotel, The Beaumont...

Beautiful bathroom in the Presidential Suite

The Beaumont facade

The Mayfair Suite

Beautiful interiors

The Colony Grill Room

Studio Superior

And parked at The Beaumont

The owner's car, a handmade English Bristol

Beach - city - haven

One of our most popular hotels for a family beach holiday, One&Only Royal Mirage has a backdrop of skyscrapers, but is a lovely low rise sanctuary with Arabian design, among green lawns and flowers. The beachfront is a whole kilometre long, and there are sparkling swimming pools along with tennis, watersports and more…

There is so much to do at Royal Mirage, so many shops and so many restaurants (nine),  that you don’t need to leave…unless for some adrenalin fun at Aquaventure or to experience the highest building in the world.

One&Only Royal Mirage has three hotels – The Palace (231 rooms), The Arabian Court (172) and The Residence (48) – all with seaviews.

On my recent Dubai visit we called for lunch and hotel inspection. Here are a few of my snapshots…

Delicacies

One&Only Royal Mirage - relaxed lunch

Beachside and healthy

Nice company - Nicolas Messian, Hotel Manager Royal Mirage 

Arabian style amidst palms, lawns, pools and flowers - with a backdrop of glittering Dubai city

Beautiful white sandy beach with view over to The Palm island

New look, old favourite

The Ritz-Carlton is one of our favourite hotels in Dubai. On the beach among palms and pools it faces Palm island over the water and is close to JBR Walk, the celebrated waterfront promenade. We called to dine with our lovely contacts and inspect the hotel's new rooms.

Great company...

Luca Guerra Director of Sales (right) and Nikita Leshchenko Sales Executive, who takes special care of our clients  

Delicious food

And some of the beautifully renovated rooms...

Warm and mellow tones

Suite

After renovations and improvements the hotel now has 294 rooms and suites including 60 suites and 41 club rooms all with patios or balconies facing the sea, pools and/or tropical gardens. It has one of Dubai's nicest settings, just a few minutes walk from the upmarket boutiques, cafes and restaurants of the beach promenade and little over 1 km from Dubai Marina.

Select Collection customers get special treatment at the Ritz-Carlton Dubai, another reason that the hotel has an increasing proportion of Scandinavian guests. The hotel is known for its friendly staff and personal service.

Among the choice of restaurants and bars at the hotel ...

Great atmosphere in the Japanese restaurant

Dazzling Le Baie Lounge with swim-up pool bar