There are two main theories about the origin of the word spa. The first holds that “Spa” is an acronym of the Latin phrase “Salus per Aquam”, meaning “health through water”, while the second holds that the word “Spa” comes from the Belgian village of Spa, where Roman soldiers used warm mineral springs to treat aching muscles and battle wounds.
In early history, we encounter the term thermae in Ancient Rome. Later, the concept of a “health resort” appears in the Belgian town of Spa, while beyond Europe we find Japanese ryokan, Turkish hammams and Finnish saunas or steam rooms.
We can confidently say that spa culture today champions a holistic approach that sees the human body and mind as a whole. The importance of this approach is best illustrated by the figures: the global spa industry grew from US$60 billion in 2007 to US$98.6 billion in 2015, while the number of spa destinations rose from 71,762 to 121,595 over the same eight years.
As Monart Spa Destination is one of the world leaders in the spa industry, I will try to explain in detail why this is so.
The spa experience begins on entering the spa, where guests are asked to switch off or silence their mobile phones. Guests are welcomed at reception and their health details are recorded to avoid possible adverse health effects arising from particular conditions, allergies or intolerances.
Monart’s thermal suite is the heart of the entire spa. Based on the ancient ritual of hot and cold bathing, a journey through each of its nine thermal rooms offers the ultimate experience of relaxation, rejuvenation and refreshment.
Heated benches, Kneipp baths and foot baths mark the start of the journey through the thermal suite. A room offering a range of showers at different temperatures and pressures is ideal for use between treatments. In the salt room, steam and salt are used to help soften the skin, improve circulation and ease respiratory difficulties. The caldarium uses intense heat and low humidity to relieve stress, tension and pain effectively. The infrared sauna uses light to generate heat and warm the body directly, reducing muscle tension, particularly in the upper and lower back, improving circulation and accelerating detoxification. The sanarium, or gentle room, is a kind of combination of a Finnish sauna and a Turkish bath, soothing joints and muscles with a pleasant blend of heat and humidity. The aromatic steam room, or Turkish bath, uses the scent of eucalyptus to relax the body and muscles and encourage sweating, which expels toxins from the body and cleanses the skin. The traditional Finnish sauna uses heat to relax muscles and release tension in the body, stimulates the body’s metabolic processes, with increased sweating improving blood flow to the skin, the elimination of harmful substances and the cleansing of pores, and also benefits the circulatory and respiratory systems. The outdoor wooden sauna with its ice bath uses intense heat and low humidity to encourage exfoliation, toning and softening of the skin, while the ice bath energises it. The 55-square-metre hydrotherapy pool has nine different stations, where hydro-massage jets massage different muscle groups to relieve tension and stress.
The treatment menu includes facials, full-body treatments and body wraps suitable for everyone, as well as specialist treatments tailored to men, pregnant women and people with medical conditions. Hairdressing, pedicure and manicure services are also available. It is also important to emphasise that only award-winning natural Pevonia skincare and clinically tested professional Image Skincare products, a brand founded by a plastic surgeon, are used. The products used in Monart Spa, Monart merchandise and everything you need for a complete spa experience, as well as mementoes to take home, can be purchased in the Monart Spa retail shop.
After time in the thermal suite and a treatment room, guests are advised to spend at least 15 minutes in either the dark or the light relaxation room with a cup of tea. It is worth mentioning that a yoga studio is available alongside the superbly equipped gym.
The spa café, located within the spa area, is the ideal place to continue the day, with an exciting selection of healthy salads, snacks, smoothies, juices and teas.