Shirley Moskow
Brazilian Escapes
by Shirley Moskow, Sahay Magazines
The elegant Villa Europa in Bento Gonçalves is a destination
spa that specializes in the exclusive Caudalie vinothérapie.
The grape-inspired facial and body treatments were developed
about 10 years ago in Bordeaux, France.
Spa do Vinho at the Villa Europa
A spa experience is personal. One size doesn’t
fit all. Whether the spa focuses on luxurious pampering, therapeutic
treatments, or techniques for enhancing beauty, its services
tend to be customized. A spa offers a refuge, a haven from
the hectic demands of contemporary life. It’s a cocoon.
You should emerge like a butterfly, feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
I recently visited three spas in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s
southernmost state. Each is uniquely designed to accommodate
a different expectation. Two, Serrano Resort Convenções
& Spa and Kurotel Longevity Center and Spa, are in Gramado.
A great getaway, Gramado is a favorite vacation destination
of sophisticated South Americans who seek European ambience
and continental cuisine. The third, the Spa do Vinho at the
Villa Europa, is in nearby Bento Gonçalves, the heart
of Brazil’s fine wine-producing region.
Serrano Resort Convenções & Spa
Romance is in the air at Serrano Resort Convenções
& Spa, a luxurious lodge nestled in the Gaucho Mountains
and hugged by hillsides of hydrangeas. The centerpiece of
its secluded garden is a topiary sculpture of a man and woman
dancing with joyous abandon.
The mood at the Serrano spa is sensuous. Soft lights, tranquil
music, and aromatherapy caress the senses. Many of the treatment
rooms are furnished for couples with side-by-side massage
tables and capacious hot tubs. A single red rose is discreetly
arranged atop snuggly white towels that invite gentle rubdowns.
With the amenities of a resort and urban attractions a short
walk away, resorts like Serrano have ushered in a new wave
of thinking about spa vacations.
Kurotel Longevity Center and Spa
The award-winning Kurotel Longevity Center and Spa (KUR)
looks like an ultra-modern boutique hotel. The floors are
polished white marble. The furnishings are gleaming steel
and glass. Yet, for all its hard-edged décor, the professional
staff is warm and friendly.
This is a wellness spa. It offers a complete menu of facials,
massages, hair, cosmetic, and other spa services, but the
emphasis is on restoring and maintaining health. It aims to
give guests the tools they need to integrate healthful habits
into their lifestyle at home.
A nutritionist plans the seven small meals a day and all
the food is organic. Vegetables benefit from minimal cooking.
No red meat is served. A typical buffet lunch includes gazpacho,
tuna and salmon on toasted French bread, assorted cheeses,
risotto, and fruit trays. All the beverages are caffeine-free.
The menu features herbal teas and various juices.
The KUR is family- owned and operated by a doctor with his
wife and their four daughters, two of whom are also physicians.
A first-time guest begins with a medicinal consultation that
includes a psychologist to customize the treatment plan. This
is the protocol whether the guest books the new mom and baby
program or wants help to stop smoking, reduce stress, or control
weight.
A variety of options address stress reduction, including
a relaxation room with cushy chairs, soft music, and a waterfall,
a gentle stream of water continuously washing over a glass
wall. I tried the NASA chair, which simulates an astronaut’s
feeling of weightlessness in space. In a darkened room with
pinpoints of light on the blue walls and ceiling to represent
stars in the night heavens, I was strapped into a comfortable
reclining chair that slowly swirled and tilted to give me
the feeling of weightlessness. I found it relaxing. However,
some people react differently. I’m told that a few get
dizzy and need to get off, while others fall asleep.
The spa encourages guests to participate in exercise classes,
including Pilates, and to enjoy the swimming pool and clay
tennis courts. With a nod to nature as well as nurture, the
area also offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation
such as kayaking and hiking.
Spa do Vinho at the Villa Europa
The elegant Villa Europa in Bento Gonçalves is a destination
spa that specializes in the exclusive Caudalie vinothérapie.
The grape-inspired treatments were developed about 10 years
ago in Bordeaux, France.
According to the French web site, vinothérapie is
effective because the antioxidants contained in the grape
seed polyphrenols have an incredible capacity to fight free-radicals
and therefore aging. The Europa is one of only a handful of
Caudalie vinothérapie spas in the world and, except
for The Plaza in New York, is the only one in the
western hemisphere.
The Villa Europa resembles an Italian castle. It crowns a
hill covered with an apron of vineyards and seems centuries
old. In fact, it’s only a few years old. Think Tuscany.
That’s the view from the terrace.
As a destination hotel, the Europa makes a convenient base
for exploring the countryside’s colonial architecture,
crafts studios, historic sites, and wineries. Nevertheless,
with its luxurious furnishings, fine wine cellar, and talented
French chef, there’s little incentive to leave. The
ambiance is posh and nurturing. True, there are indoor and
outdoor pools and exercise rooms, but no one urges guests
to expend the least bit of effort. Most of the spa treatments
are delightfully passive.
As one of the hotel’s brochures states, the Villa Europa
wishes that your stay be “filled with peace, relaxation
and comfort.” Indeed, the staff spares no effort. It’s
the only breakfast buffet that I know at which the waiters
wheel cart after cart of fruits, cereals, eggs, and pastries
to you table side!
Yes, a spa is personal. One size doesn’t fit all. But
one or another is a perfect fit.
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