BY BECCA HENSLEY
HauteWELLNESS
WELLNESS FROM THE SOURCE Indigenous healing around the globe
AS EVERY GARDENER KNOWS, A TOMATO PLUCKED FROM HER OWN vine trumps the same fruit grown somewhere else. Likewise, wellness centers that summon their surroundings not only connect their guests to the locale, but also provide them with a deeper, local experience. Below, I’ve reminisced about some of my most memorable, soul stirring forays to the source for healthful benefits. You’ll want to visit, too. 88
SWITZERLAND In Switzerland’s sunny, southern, Italian-speaking lake region, profuse vineyards and gardens yield a bountiful harvest. Known for gastronomy, the area also gets accolades for its indigenous wellness offerings, many inspired by the landscape. Castello del Sole, a Relais & Châteaux hotel, sits on Lake Maggiore, part of a fertile area particularly rich with vineyards and orchards. The retreat goes to great lengths to allow the terroir to lead. I notice it at the farm-to-fork, Michelin-starred restaurant and at the resort’s WWF bird sanctuary among the well-tended grounds. However, it’s within Castello SPA & Beauty where I let the terrain be spread over my body. Here, grapes from the field where I’ve picked them off the vine with a local farmer the day before are used to make the wellness center’s renowned vinotherapy treatments. This modality, which harnesses the residue of winemaking for antioxidant-rich spa products—creams, oils, and scrubs—serves as the font of Castello SPA’s healing offerings. “From the field to your face,” says my therapist.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CASTELLO DE SOLE
The healing landscape around Ascona.
