Where do we find the spa? Why, it’s out the front door, past the village square, around the Byzantine chapel... and we haven’t even left the hotel grounds! The five-star Anassa resort, snuggled into Cyprus’s easterly tip, has many such gems to discover as you meander along paths bursting with hot-pink bougainvillea and beckoning you down to the beach.
The award-winning Thalassa Spa is a key slice of this paradise. It offers a serene place to swim beneath Roman columns, sink your shoulders into a seawater massage pool or shade-bathe in the spa courtyard.
Treatment-wise, the premium roll call of spa names has been further elevated with the arrival of Subtle Energies, a brand that brings a magical alchemy of aromatherapy and Ayurveda.
Its signature Indulgent Beauty therapy saves GH from the traditional ‘facial or dilemma by delivering both in two hours of top-to-toe heaven. The full body exfoliation followed by a dosha-balancing massage is so relaxing, it’s genuinely challenging to roll over for the second half. When we admire the glow from the real 24k gold-infused facial, though, we’re glad we managed it.
The ‘mind, body and soul’ ethos of Subtle Energies is complemented by Anassa’s own wellness offerings, including the most intensely reverberating sound bath we’ve ever been immersed in, and a session with a shaman to discover our spirit animal (we can neither confirm nor deny that GH is a sloth).
Away from our spa-time, we enjoy indulging in Anassa’s excellent restaurants, feasting on the hotel’s self-produced cheeses, breads, pastries, cakes, honey and much more. A typical day of gastronomic heaven might begin with an al-fresco breakfast at Amphora, progress onto poolside mezze at Pelagos, and end with exquisite Asian flavours by candlelight at Basiliko.
With our senses satiated by food, spa and sunshine, we feel delightfully spoiled at Anassa – and ready for another lie-down.
Click here to read the article in Good Housekeeping.