Balance November 2017 - 64

bac k to the futu r e
GE T T HEE TO
A MON A S T ERY :

A D I V I NE
R E T R EAT

The dining hall (left),
minimalistic but
stylish interiors
(right), healthy fare
for all (below left)

and simple.
Accompanied
only by the
sound of classical
music, guests tuck
into a delicious
and healthy array
of fresh berries, local
honey, lovely crusty bread and
miniature egg frittatas. The absence of speech
is a good way to start the day - a moment to
yourself, to focus and bring direction.
Not all meals are eaten in silence. Lunch
and dinner are more convivial, with beer and
wine on the menu. The hotel prides itself on
offering nutritious, varied meals based on the
principles of mindful eating with plenty of raw
and vegetarian dishes to boot.
And there's a good foundation behind the
restaurant's concept - Imane Lahlou, director of
holistic health experience is a naturopath with a
PhD in Food Science and Technology.
Her idea of dinner is a light, buffet-style meal
aimed at improving digestion. And it's some
of the tastiest 'healthy' food I've ever eaten.
I serve myself salads of roasted veg and tofu,
fish with lemon and cranberry, rosemary and
sage tempeh, delicious mushroom and truffle
mousse, plus an ingenious apple and rocket
soup. I try it all and leave feeling satisfied but
not overly full.

NUN THE WISER
On a walk, I spot one of the sisters waiting for
a lift (some of the present-day sisters live on
the premises, in a separate wing). Dressed in
a traditional white habit, she smiles at me,
before reaching into her pocket and pulling
out her phone. The scene seems to embody
the mix of tradition and modernity so evident
here. 'The Augustinian sisters have always been

64

forward-thinking women,' the hotel's tourism
development manager, Marie-Eve Perron,
tells me on a tour of the museum. It houses a
selection of 40,000 precious artefacts collected
by the sisters over the years. My favourite object
is a surgical kit once used to extract musket
bullets from wounded soldiers during the Battle
of the Plains of Abraham in 1759 - the sisters
were extremely proficient nurses.

CREATURES OF HABIT
The decision to convert the monastery into a
hotel came, Marie-Eve explains, from the sisters
themselves, whose numbers are now at an
all-time low of just 12, with an average age of 83.
'They knew that if they did not act, they
would not survive,' she says. 'They see it as an
accomplishment that their values - and the
importance they place on healing both body
and soul - will continue into the future through
this hotel.'
I try out some soul healing of my own with
a restorative yoga class, which takes place
beside a beautiful stone fireplace in a room that
was once a tea salon for the sisters to receive
guests. I'm in excellent hands. My instructor,
Marjolaine, has been teaching yoga for more
than a decade and guides me through a series of
poses in her soft, lilting voice. 'Honour yourself
and this place of healing,' she breathes. 'Let
your breathing massage your heart space.'
Using a bolster and cushion, we sink into light
twists, gentle backbends and forward folds,
holding each position for a few minutes. It's
slower than the Vinyasa flow I'm used to, but the
relaxed pace mellows my mind. When I come
out of Savasana as the session ends, I actually
feel as though I'm floating.
Like my whole stay, it feels nothing short
of heavenly. I may not have reached complete
inner peace, but at least I'm on my way. B

BA LA N CE November 2017

MONASTERO SANTA
ROSA, ITALY

Overlooking the Bay of
Salerno on the Amalfi Coast,
this 17th-century monastery
has been lovingly converted
into a hotel. Pièce de
résistance is its cavernous
spa. Four nights B&B is
from £1,750pp, based
on two sharing, including
return flights from UK
and private transfers.
scottdunn.com

CASTILLA TERMAL
MONASTERIO DE
VALBUENA, SPAIN

This sumptuous spa resort
is set inside one of the
best preserved Cistercian
monasteries of the 12th
century. The hotel's decor
fuses original features
with contemporary style.
Spabreaks.com offers a
three-night therapeutic
experience from £320pp,
including B&B, aromatherapy
massage and unlimited
access to the thermal pool.
spabreaks.com

BELMOND HOTEL
MONASTERIO, PERU

Originally built in 1592, this
hotel is 11,000ft above
sea level in Peru's ancient
capital, Cusco. It opened
as a hotel in 1995 and today
the property is set around
a pretty courtyard with an
ancient cedar tree, and has
two good restaurants and
a lobby bar. Rooms start at
£216 per night.
belmond.com/Monasterio
http://www.scottdunn.com http://www.Spabreaks.com http://www.spabreaks.com http://www.belmond.com/Monasterio
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Balance November 2017
