Sardón de Duero, Spain – 17th August 2015: Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine, the exclusive abbey hotel and winery dating from 1146 in Spain’s Duero wine region, has set a new standard for spas in Spain with the opening of ‘El Santuario’ on 1st July 2015.
The nurturing and innovative sanctuary of holistic healing and wellness features 930 m² (10,000-sq.-ft.) of ultra-luxurious facilities, a ground-breaking “fusion wine” vinotherapy spa concept based on a blind tasting of wines, a signature treatment menu, Europe’s first ‘Spa Sommeliers’ who guide guests on their wellness journey and the highest level ofindividualisation and guest service including Spa Butlers who welcome guests and assist at every step of their spa experience.
“We have juxtaposed an historic, 12th-century abbey hotel and winery with a 21st-century wellness centre to create an unprecedented guest experience in Spain,” said Andres Araya, the hotel’s Managing Director. “Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine is defined by its exquisite facilities, savvy hospitality, storied ambiance and pampered personalisation, wrapped in holistic healing at a transformational new spa.”
Among the new spa’s guest facilities are: four individual treatment rooms, a Spa Suite, outdoor rain showers, indoor heated pool, outdoor pool with a snack menu and separate ladies and men’s wellness areas each with a sauna, steam baths, experience showers, hydrotherapy pools, relaxation room and changing areas. Among the wellbeing offerings are Pilates, personal training sessions, yoga, meditation and Qi Gong.
The Spa Sommelier is a transformational concept and the touchstone to the success of El Santuario: a consummate professional with a critical role in the spa experience – to interpret and apply synergistic principles and practices, analyse and determine the needs of guests, and recommend effective treatments that enhance wellness and wellbeing. The Spa Sommelier conducts a ‘blind tasting’ – of oils to smell and wines to taste – and depending on palette and aroma preferences, designs appropriate spa experiences to target the guests’ physical and spiritual needs at that specific moment in their wellness journey. For guests who do not drink alcohol, the wines are replaced with seasonal teas and juices.
El Santuario’s menu connects guests to the two defining aspects of Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine: The hotel is a classic property with a 900-year-old history, and so the menu offers a full range of classical spa treatments and services, while the abbey’s deep-rooted wine culture is embodied in a bespoke fusion-wine vinotherapy spa concept of personalised spa journeys based on local wine traditions. Le Grand Cru, for example, is the ultimate oenotherapy experience combining a soothing footbath, body exfoliation with grape seeds and essential oils, vitamin drink, nurturing anti-aging body wrap and soothing pumices massage.
In order to maintain the property’s historic ambiance, the modern spa was built underground, below the abbey’s original stables – which brought the significant architectural challenge of overcoming the exceptionally high moisture level of the soil due to the proximity of the Duero River. The architect came up with an ingenious concept to solve the problem: he designed an impermeable “shoe box” structure and built the spa inside of it.
Simultaneously, the stables were converted into eight additional guest rooms with direct spa access, which also opened on the 1st July. The new guest rooms brought the hotel’s total to 30 rooms and suites.
Setting the table for guests’ spa experiences is nutritious, healthy and light Spa Cuisine – that is also tantalisingly delicious. The menu was created by Pablo Montero, the hotel’s Head Chef – who in November 2014 earned a Michelin Star for LeDomaine’s Refectorio restaurant – in conjunction with his mentor, Andoni Luis Aduriz, who is one of Spain’s superstar chefs and restaurateurs as well as LeDomaine’s Gastronomy Manager.
El Santuario is among the most energy-efficient and sustainable spas in Spain. A system with state-of-the-art technology uses solar panels and groundwater pumps to generate energy for heating and cooling. Geothermal storage systems compensate for the seasonal fluctuations in energy demand. A dedicated water-treatment plant allows water to be recycled and used for irrigation.