Wellness by the beach

Back from a wellness stay on a beautiful tropical beach, just 2.5 hours by car from Bangkok. Barai is a holistic spa resort set in lush gardens, a great place to restore body and soul.

I find Barai very pleasant and personal. You can tailor-make your own programme of treatments, which I really appreciate. You can go all out for detox, fitness or weight loss or just eat healthy food and get into a relaxed and harmonious mood with massages, personal yoga teacher and so on.

The beach is super long so you can walk for hours, which is very nice for beach walkers.

I really like their beach restaurant a few steps from my room...

Located just outside the room area, the restaurant lies very beautifully on the beach. They serve breakfast lunch and dinner. There is a very private feeling here. But guests can also eat in any of the many restaurants situated next door at the Hyatt Regency, just a few minutes away.

Barai is very exclusive - there are just 8 suites.

Welcome...

The suites are all spacious and elegant, each with its own private spa area and balcony or garden with plunge pool.

Lots of space

Huge comfortable beds

If you want to be with your family and children, you can stay at the Hyatt Regency Club next door (owners of Barai), enjoy all activities and still use the Barai spa. 

 The spa is elegant, with the feel of a temple. The architect was inspired by a visit to Angkor Watt.

Exquisite Barai spa 

The Barai spa offers individual treatments like therapeutic and relaxing massages, beauty care, scrubs and wraps.  Recently they introduced 5 full lifestyle programmes of 3 to 7 days, for relaxation, weight loss, detox, fitness and a bespoke yoga journey with personal goals, complimented by a new healthy menu.

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! 

Over and over

What makes people return over and over? I have been many times to Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and will keep returning. Here surrounded by beautiful tropical gardens, you eat good food, lie on the beach,  or keep busy with health giving activities. You get both freedom and opportunity to change your life for the better…

Views facing the sunset and a forest of tall coconut palms - a place to relax 

We have had many delighted customers at Kamalaya. Here is some recent feedback.

“What a fantastic ambiance – friendly, beautiful … We are so pleased. PT, Thai boxing, yoga, pilates, swims in the new lap pool, workshops, massage, reiki. Acupuncture…we try everything.

Not much rest but that’s our choice. We try to get an hour or so on the beach every day and have lunch together between activities. It is strength for the soul to be here.”

Beautiful natural freshwater pools with spiritual guardians

Another customer quoted here from our Haute Couture Luxury Travel Blog:

"It was a wonderful place, with so much warmth. Professional but still personal. Perfect for me; I felt better than I ever imagined was possible. 

I will definitely return…"

And another.

Meanwhile some of my own experiences can be found here. I was at Kamalaya with my friend Valerie.

Ulrika our Swedish sales manager has like me been many times. She usually does a fitness programme or optimal weight loss where you do more than lose weight,  you tone and shape your body and do a minimal detox by choosing the right items on the menu.

Ulrika with the favourite drink - plain coconut water

Ilse country manager Finland summarizes it all.

"I love Kamalaya"

You don’t have to be a health nut to love Kamalaya.

Gillian did the Relax & Renew Stress & Burnout programme.  She found many business people are taking a break to recharge after stress has eaten up all their energy. And are amazed at how good they feel.

A Relax & Renew package is one of the amazing offers from Select Collection. All food and over 10 hours of massages and other treatments are included.

Time for health

Koh Samui. A quiet arrival at the quaint airport, and a quiet time, investing in peace, health and knowledge. I am with Ulrika at destination spa Kamalaya. Here in this beautiful place by the sea, you enjoy healthy food and wonderful treatments, great for body and soul.

Arrival at this peaceful little airport

Kamalaya is on a lovely beach

 

Mystical ambience is part of the healing environment

Delicious healthy food

An abundance of all that is nourishing

Beautiful views from the resort

 

And lush tropical surroundings

We will also inspect some of our hotels on this picturesque island, as usual to stay on top of developments, so that our customers will know they are getting only the best.

 

Paradise at Paradee...

Yesterday we got a wonderful mail from a client, so I asked them if we could quote it in my blog. It's about a perfect trip to one of our Select Collection resorts in Thailand. And it makes me feel very proud of our services and our Collection of treasures...

This treasure is called Paradee


And this is the mail we got:


Hello Anki!

We arrived home yesterday morning from Thailand and Jane and I would like to tell you the following:

First: The whole journey, from the airport and back, went like clockwork.  No delays, all the drivers meeting us at the right time and place.

Everyone was pleasant and helpful. Very well organized! We could "stay cool" all the time! Especially important for us who visited Thailand for the first time.

2nd Therefore, we want to thank you very much and our rating is: The whole trip exceeded our expectations, and we give a big gold star!

3rd Jane, who is a swimming and sun lover, gives top marks to the beach at Paradee. She looked happy for the 10 whole days!



"She looked happy for the whole 10 days!"

4th We got an upgrade...with private pool and access directly to the beach (Villa 208). Absolutely amazing! We said to the General Manager that we were "more than pleased"!

 

 

5th We tested Paradee Spa several times and they did a good job. Now are bodies are supple and in perfect shape and we can start shoveling snow again!


Thank you for everything!

Sincerely,
Jane and Bo Sjunnesson
Lidingö

For our web page on Paradee, click here.

Some snapshots of Paradee (by Anki) :

A beautiful public pool

A spot to watch the sunset over cocktails

Pool villa

Passion for wellness

I will never forget my first sauna  experience as a little girl in Finland – there is nothing  quite like an authentic Finnish sauna. I think this is where my love of spas started…and the search for well-being.

I am passionate about wellness, and in helping customers to have a true wellness experience. Resorts  closest to my heart are ones that specialize in magnificent spa experiences that bring health and rejuvenation.

...along with inner serenity

For a customer who has been very ill a few years back,  I have put heart and soul in trying to help her find the right wellness resort for her needs. I have suggested Sha Wellness in Spain – a short trip, a caring staff and the treatments and equipment she needs. Among other things Sha has special equipment for getting to the physical root of sleeping problems, apart from regimes for detox and rejuvenation, aesthetics and much else. 

A route of detox and self healing

It doesn't feel like a medical clinic though it is a very good one

...and also has everything you need for relaxation and rejuvenation

I was very touched to get this mail from her:

Dearest Leija

You are fantastic and I do hope your business flourishes, because you are truly dedicated with your heart!

I am having some tests tomorrow, and will decide later!

And even if I choose not to go this time, I do hope I get a chance … another time - I definitely want Sha...

I am so impressed with your professionalism, it borders with genuine care and friendship....

I hope your business becomes super super successful and flourishing (which I am sure it is already)

….

Of course even if she does not go it was worth the effort for me, as wellness comes first…

Asian style in New York

High above New York lies the Mandarin Oriental, a byword in Asian style luxury. This beautiful property has a great location at Columbus Circle on 60th Street. No ground floor rooms here as the hotel is situated between the 35th and 54th floors.  The lower floors house offices and a shopping gallery.

Stylish Mandarin style bedrooms with a choice of view
to Hudson River or Central Park

Stunning views from stunning rooms...

...even from this bathroom
on the 42nd floor

With my love of spas, an obvious point of call on my hotel inspection yesterday was the Mandarin Oriental spa...

Beautiful spa with 25m pool

Then there is MO lifestyle, and places to meet and dine:

The popular MO Bar

Lobby lounge on the 35th floor



Asiate restaurant facing wintry Central Park...

...on the 35th floor - here you come for
excellent Asian crossover food

Our lunch at Asiate was great, under the capable eye of chef Toni Robertson. A well balanced  Sea Bass with Shellfish Bisque, White Bean Purée and Crispy Chorizo…



This was delicious!

And so was this...



Lychee green tea - lovely!

Centre of the Big Apple

Hello from a frosty and cold New York, subzero but still sunny and beautiful. I'm here with my son for site inspections and dining experiences – the must-dos of the Big Apple.

View from the Peninsula Spa

Our first hotel stay is a long-time Select favourite – The Peninsula, where our guests always get treated beautifully.

Our greeting in the room

 

Glorious

Refined service, great facilities, finger-tip controls and cutting edge room technology, combine with old magnificence. The Peninsula is over a century old...a grand icon of hospitality.

Old world elegance at the centre of
the new world 

You are brilliantly situated at the location of 5th Avenue and 56th Street, close to the best shopping and restaurants, Central Park and ...

...Apple – at the heart of the Big Apple

Not to forget perfect opportunities for pampering...

Peninsula Spa by ESPA with pool, gym

There is a great spa menu.

Very helpful and friendly staff at the spa

And the Concierge at the Peninsula is famous. Always there for you, recommending the best places to visit...

Always there for you with a smile

Select Collection has great contacts in management, sales and marketing.

James Baker Sales Manager

Time to move on...

Leaving in style

Thank you Peninsula for being so very … Peninsula (and so perfect for our customers).