A CURATED PERSONAL RESTORATION RETREAT BY TARYN

Note: The author is a returning guest and she has written the blog after her 4th stay at the Retreat on her 4-night Personal Restoration Retreat.

I have been fortunate enough to always stay in Villa 1, so this stay is based around Villa 1. 

Day One (Thursday) 

After a refreshing arrival drink at reception, it’s down to the villa to settle in.  You’re got your phone to DoNot Disturb – or even, if you dare, aeroplane mode.  Unpack your clothes in the spacious dressing room to set yourself up well for your stay.  While the kettle boils, go out onto the deck and shift the table and chair to the right-hand side corner of the deck – it catches the sun first.  Take the footstool out to to complete your set up.  Then you are set to take out your beautiful ceramic teapot on the tray, sit back in the sun and enjoy the sun, your tea, the view and maybe a magazine from the handy pile. 

To aid in your wind down, a nap is the perfect next step.  Leave the sliding door open ( but be sure to close the screen door) so that you can be lulled into sleep by the omnipresent sound of running water from the stream next to the villa.  Snuggle up on the sofa under the cosy rug. If, like me, you aren’t a natural napper, try a yoga nidra track (Ally Boothroyd on You Tube is good). 

Now that you’re settled, it’s time to start sampling the treatments.  Into your togs and jandals, and the provided robe, pop on some of the provided insect repellent on your face, neck and arms, grab your bathing bag (complete with water bottle) and head off to your private session in they hydrotherapy spa in the forest.  It’s perfect to soothe away those travel aches.  The spa has different stations, which work different parts of your body, so do move around the seats for a full body experience.  At the final station, don’t try to sit with your bottom down on the seat.  Instead, throw your legs over the shelf with your feet against the jets.  Then allow your bottom to float up, so that you are lying on the surface of the water. 

On your way back to your room, stop inside the 24-hour Wellness centre and browse the bookshelf for a good read to take back to your room.  By the time you get back to your room, it’s probably close to time to throw on some clothes and wander up to reception for cocktail hour (or non-alcoholic cocktail hour).  If you aren’t in the mood for chatting, the library at reception is good to browse while you enjoy your beverage.  This is followed by a delicious three course meal in the dining room. 

It’s wonderful to finish the day with your first forest bathing session in the hot tub.  There’s something magical about lying back and watching the stars come out behind the tree canopy.  You may even see a bat or an owl.  Sweet dreams… 

Day Two (Friday) 

If you set your alarm for 7.30 am, you should have enough time to roll out of bed, hit the marble shower and make it to the Wellness centre for the yoga practice.   Do not skip the yoga, even if you have never done it before. You will feel stretched and amazing.  Bring your towel and bathing bag with you so that you can pop into  the Finnish sauna for a quick session straight after yoga.  The heat on those stretched muscles really helps with the relaxation. 

From there, you roll straight into the incredible breakfast buffet.  It follows the same format every morning, but the elements change slightly.  You will get to sample a wide variety of delicious breakfast food. 

Friday is a great day for the guided nature walk.  Immersing yourself in the forest like this really does bring home the concept of forest bathing.  Being guided gives you the confidence to take yourself off into the forest later by yourself, and you see things you would be unlikely to notice yourself. 

Lunch on the deck allows you to enjoy the views and birdsong. 

Day Two brings your first body treatment.  Get the deep tissue work done today, so that you can really start to ease those muscles. 

It also brings more forest bathing. Try the hot tub before the sauna, as otherwise you may find the hot tub too hot. 

The river can really start to call, and it is so satisfying to make contact with it – although you do need to be a little athletic.  You can go down at the bottom of the lawn and dip your toes in, go to the swimming hole ( get a staff member to spot you if you want to swim), or go for a peaceful wander through the forest and clamber down onto the rocks next to the first bigger bridge.  It feels like you are sitting in the river. 

I like to bring a puzzle with me, and some of the down time on Friday is perfect to set it up. A 500 piece puzzle is about right for the trip. 

After dinner, it’s time for the sleep session. If you’re feeling particularly relaxed, you can even wander along in your pyjamas. 

Day Three (Saturday) 

Day Three has the same base elements as Day Two (although the order may be slightly different) – yoga, breakfast, lunch, body therapy, forest bathing and dinner.  By now, you may be feeling the start of a return of your energy and a desire to exercise.  Go for a swim in the magnesium pool, and test yourself against the current of the swim machine.  Leave the forest for quiet, contemplative strolls where you notice the forest rather than pounding through on a run or power walk. 

Switching up your body treatment to include a facial is a great option today, so that your whole body has been pampered. 

There is a very short (1 minute) forest walk behind the swimming pool and next to the river that you constantly hear from villa 1.  It feels restful to take a mini break and immerse yourself briefly in the forest on your way back to villa 1 after your meals. 

When enjoying quiet time in your room, leave the sliding door open (even just an inch if it is cold), so that you can enjoy the burbling river.  Do the same with your window at night to help lull you to sleep. 

Day Four (Sunday) 

Again, the same key elements of as Day Two are present.  Your mind might be ready now to explore some principles of wellness or yoga and a good fossick in the library will yield some treasures to enjoy at your leisure. 

You might also be feeling ready to stretch yourself a bit today – give hot & cold contrast therapy a try with a cold shower after your hot tub or sauna.  It’s invigorating. 

The afternoon of Day Four is the perfect time to enjoy a hot stone massage. Katerina really actively uses the stones as part of the massage, leaving you feeling quite blissful at the end. Follow this up by snoozing in the sun in one of the beanbag sun loungers by the pool.  You will feel like you could just melt in place. 

You may be tempted to leave the retreat to explore the area, but don’t. Just enjoy this gift to yourself of time to be quiet, rest and contemplate. 

Day Five (Monday) 

How can it be leaving day already?  It’s a chance to sleep in, and then enjoy a nice cup of plunger coffee in bed.  If you want to embed some good habits for when you get home, ask reception to have the yoga studio ready for you and go up and enjoy your own practice.   

After your last breakfast, head off for another hydrotherapy spa session to ease your body in to travel.  Follow this up with a session in the massage chair.  It is hard to believe that a massage chair could leave you feeling that good! 

Finish it all off with a last immersion in the forest, walking in and sitting by the stream to let it all drift past you. 

And then it is time to go back to everyday life, but feeling restored to a better version of you.