Babylonstoren, South Africa

At your service

We share some of our favourite treatments, programmes and services

Babylonstoren, Western Cape, South Africa

30 minutes

ZAR750 (US$41, €42, £37) A vibrant green rasul is part of a thermal area extension

PHOTO: BABYLONSTOREN FARM

Babylonstoren gets muddy with rasul rituals

South African wine estate, garden hotel and wellness retreat Babylonstoren, which takes inspiration from the hanging gardens of Babylon, has a deep connection to nature. In homage to this, it’s just created a couple’s mud ritual in its new vibrant green mosaic rasul.

Starting with a self-exfoliation, the do-it-yourself ritual sees guests apply a rich clay mask – harvested from a nearby lake and infused with essential oils extracted from African botanicals – to their bodies and hair. Following this, they relax in the steam chamber before cleansing and buffing the skin to remove the mask.

The rasul is part of Babylonstoren’s new Hot Spa thermal extension which also includes an indoor-outdoor pool, salt room, sauna, steamroom, hammam and two vitality pools.

Channel your inner Viking at Eleven’s Icelandic retreat

Adventure travel operator Eleven has curated a new wellness retreat for guests at its remote Deplar Farm lodge in Iceland.

Set on a secluded peninsula in northern Iceland, the Live Well Retreat, which launches in January, is a comprehensive wellness experience inclusive of cutting-edge spa amenities, nutritious cuisine and exhilarating guided adventures.

Daytime activities include intentionally curated practices such as mindful horseback riding and Nordic skiing, Viking sauna rituals and climate-based Tata Harper spa treatments.

Guests can expect each element to be grounded in Eleven Life’s four pillars: mindful movement, nutrient-dense meals, consistent breathwork and nature-based connection.

PHOTO: ELEVEN Deplar Farm, Iceland

Four days

Starts at US$8,700 (€8,809, £7,693) The retreat will be held on a secluded peninsula in Iceland