Hot Spot: Italy’s Espace Henri Chenot Wellness Spa
The spa for Europe’s most wellness-oriented. (Photo: Courtesy of Espace Henri Chenot)
The Scoop:
You may not have heard of Henri Chenot, but among the spa-going European elite, he’s something of a legend. Born in Spain but raised in France, Chenot has spent 40 years treating patients in his method, a unique blend of Chinese medicine and Western science. It is not unheard of for many of his clients to travel from around the world to spend a few days at one of his spas.
The Backdrop:
L’Albereta, an idyllic Relais & Chateaux hotel, is located in the heart of Italy’s Franciacorta (the Italian version of Champagne) wine region. The gorgeous hotel is set among picturesque rolling hills dotted with vineyards. An easy hour-and-a-half drive from Milan, the hotel and its renowned spa is a popular destination for Italians looking for a luxurious wellness getaway. The spa does offer full diet and wellness programs ranging from three to fourteen days, but also allows guests to pop in for a single treatment or two. I opted for the latter.
The Treatment:
The spa offers everything from customized facials and massages to Zerona laser body treatments. However, the Hydrotherapy treatment is their signature offering. The treatment begins with an aromatherapy hydro massage. You step into a pristine, high-tech looking bathtub and an aesthetician adds a custom mixture of essential oils to the water to help facilitate the removal of toxins and fat deposits from your skin tissue. Meanwhile, the specially designed jets in the bathtub provide stimulating massage that helps to increase blood circulation and lymphatic drainage.
After about 20 minutes in the bath, your aesthetician returns to towel you off and takes you to an adjacent room where she slathers a mud mask on your body, wraps you in plastic and sets you to rest on a waterbed for further detoxification and relaxation.
Finally, after rinsing off the body mask, you are returned to the bathtub where a cold-water jet is added to the mix. As it massages your body, it tones and firms the skin and boosts your metabolism, ensuring that your hydrotherapy treatment keeps working for you long after you step out of the tub.
The Result:
The morning of my treatment at Chenot, I had accidentally opted for a 40+ kilometer bike ride. As someone who considers a spinning class to be a death-defying cycling experience, the hills of Franciacorta were certainly a challenge. Add to that the fact that I was on day ten of a pasta and red wine only diet and I was clearly in need of a little detox-slash-relaxation.
Though at first I found it hard to sit still in the jet-filled bath, I eventually found my muscles softening and my mind slowing down. After the treatment, not only did my skin feel and look better, but I also felt toned and (miraculously) not at all sore from my killer bike ride. If you ever find yourself in Franciacorta – or have been looking for a destination spa worth the trip – Espace Henri Chenot should be on your short list.
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