With Retreat Wellness, all you need is four hours to reset and recharge
With Retreat Wellness, all you need is four hours to reset and recharge.
If you’re time poor, blocking out a week to unwind somewhere tropical is a major commitment. However, half a day should be manageable for even the busiest executive, providing some benefit without the travel time. Designed to bring positive energy back into your life, Bodywize has created Retreat Wellness, a bespoke programme to reintroduce health and harmony, which life in the urban jungle tends to deplete.
This 2,231sqft haven offers calm in the heart of bustling Causeway Bay, bathed in natural light with lush accents inspired by nature. The journey begins with the yoga class of your choice, in my case an hour-long Air Yoga by Bodywize group class, in which Master Nandu settles the four of us into our silk hammocks, and goes over basics with the beginners to ensure safety. We spend time in deep stretches to release tension and improve joint mobility, adding challenging squats and lunges into the mix to build strength.
A real sense of satisfaction comes from achieving the inverted poses, as we hang upside down bat-like, feeling silly yet smug. Master Nandu remains keenly aware of individual ability throughout, and tailored the session to suit all abilities. Little tip: wear a T-shirt to cover the shoulders, as tank tops are not permitted for hygiene reasons.
To refuel, a light lunch of tuna niçoise salad with honey mustard dressing, blueberry yoghurt and tomato juice is served amidst the quiet sanctuary of the Bodywize yoga and fitness lounge, its chilled-out ambience the perfect way to escape city life. After lunch, a 30-minute wellness consultation takes place with naturopath specialist Dr Karan in which he addresses physical, analyses eating habits and recommends easy, realistic changes you can make to improve health – commonsense suggestions we probably know in theory, but are less exacting in execution.
Retreat Wellness provides a fast track in the gentlest way possible, to establishing healthy habits.
Saving the best for last, the experience concludes with a two-hour Time for You Ritual, personalised pampering using natural products and traditional massage techniques. Designed to meet your wellness objectives, the time can be spent on face, body or a combination of the two.
I opt for both and am first recommended a relaxing Kundalini Massage centred around activating the kundalini, what is believed to be the dormant energy at the base of the spine, to realign the body’s rhythm and restore balance, which proves to be most soothing.
To follow is an O2 Collagen Infusion facial using oxygen therapy to detoxify and enhance cell renewal with its anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory properties. A filtration system converts ambient air into 95 per cent pure oxygen, applied at high pressure on the face to push nourishing ingredients of the mask applied earlier deeper into the skin in refreshing bursts of cool air.
Claiming to increase collagen production, firm, minimise pores and lighten imperfections, I notice instant radiance, hydration and a brighter complexion immediately afterwards. While there are no shortcuts to nutrition and fitness and overall well-being, the Retreat Wellness provides a fast track, in the gentlest way possible, to establishing healthy habits. The four-hour session offers an ideal minibreak if you need a pick-me-up without having to carve out a large chunk of time in your demanding schedule. www.bodywize.com.hk.
