Recently I joined a 4-day Health and Fitness Retreat at Marbella’s Puente Romano Beach Resort, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. It was the chance for me to have an insight into the contemporary trends in active lifestyle holidays. The classic elements of a luxury Mediterranean escape were there of course (as you might expect as the property is on the exclusive Golden Mile, between Marbella and Puerto Banus) but so were modern training facilities, and varied sports activities complemented by nurturing therapies, and healthy cuisine, writes Andrew Forbes (The Luxury Editor).

PUENTE ROMANO BEACH RESORT

The 180 spacious suites in this Andalusian village-style resort are spread across three-story villas each surrounded by lush landscaped subtropical gardens and waterfalls, leading down to the Mediterranean sea. The 55,000m2 resort includes some 15 restaurants with cuisines from all over the world, including the beach front Sea Grill, Nobu Restaurant & Lounge Marbella, an organic restaurant, as well as Leña by Dani Garcia.

…beautiful suites set amongst lush gardens…

 

Guests looking to maximise privacy and social distancing will appreciate the private villas, and the guest rooms with independent access (no need to pass through a busy hotel foyer).

Puente Romano is also home to probably the most exclusive Health and Fitness training facility on the coast, with cutting-edge design, new Technogym equipment, and studios for spinning, pilates, yoga, barre, and boxing.

Puente Romano Health & Fitness also has an on-site clinic managed by Executive Health, providing comprehensive health diagnostics and expert advice on nutrition. This includes advanced body screening, providing information on heart and digestive health. Over recent years Puente Romano hotel has become a destination for its beautiful sea side setting with elegant suites and a glamorous cocktail and dining scene. The hotel has a number of exclusive bars and restaurants including Nobu Marbella, and bars overlooking ‘La Plaza’, the sparkling and chic central courtyard that comes to life each evening.

This upscale resort is also welcoming a new generation of visitors drawn to Puente Romano’s fitness facilities, as well as mainland Spain’s only Six Senses Spa.

CURATED EXPERIENCES

Travel is all about unique and memorable experiences and a stay at the Puente Romano beach Resort is no exception. The concierge team has curated 100 experiences that guests can enjoy, from star gazing, having a flamenco dance lesson to driving on a racetrack. Our health and fitness retreat kicked off with sailing along Marbella’s shore, aboard ‘La Cruz’, the hotel’s fully crewed yacht. It was an unforgettable afternoon, watching dolphins darting and diving beside the hull, and views of Sierra Blanca – a powerful reminder that a wellness holiday here is unique luxurious.

Puente Romano’s yacht is available for guests to enjoy on a private, chartered basis. Each sailing excursion will include use of the spacious lounge areas, kitchen, living room, main cabin as well as two guest cabins, equipped with their own bathrooms. Catering is provided by your preferred Puente Romano Restaurant, including Nobu Marbella.

ACING IT

Opened by Bjorn Borg in 1979, the famous clay courts of the Club de Tenis Puente Romano have hosted many tennis greats, so it was with some trepidation that the next day I joined a class with Juan Nieto, the Head Coach who is sometimes joined by Marko Djokovic, assistant coach to his brother, World Champion Novak Djokovic.

…experience world-class coaching…

Despite not picking up a racquet in years, I needn’t have worried. Juan’s enthusiasm and energy quickly boosted my confidence and the class made for a fun, satisfying and active morning.

One of Spain’s most iconic clubs, with 8 clay courts, 2 plexipave courts, 4 padel courts, as well as a fitness centre,  the Puente Romano tennis Club offers personalised programmes with world-class coaches.

ART OF MINDFULNESS

Mario Simón García oversees the new health and fitness training facilities of Puente Romano’s gym. He is a former a member of the Spanish national Kung Fu team and championship medal winner, and specialist in biomechanics (the science of body movement), as well Tai chi, Qigong, and Taoist Meditation. Under his guidance, I begun to learn some of the basic fundamentals of Tai chi. This Chinese martial art, sometimes called Shadow Boxing, is like a slow motion version of classical Asian self-defence. It’s a mindful activity, demanding concentration, so your head is cleared of preoccupations and distractions, and one begins to feel much calmer. This is part of growing trend to offer a more holistic approach to fitness.

HITTING THE GYM

Over recent years Puente Romano Beach Resort has emerged as a trailblazer and innovator for hospitality trends in the Mediterranean. That’s certainly the case with the resort’s new gym. With a striking design, bringing together nature (thanks to an expanse living wall of oxygenating plants), together with the urban edge of a boxing studio and evening DJ sets as your train, this is no regular gym. It’s the epitome of the new trend of health and fitness as a lifestyle – stylish, fashionable and inspiring.

In addition, guests can enjoy horse riding, water sports, and a complimentary round of golf at the magnificent Marbella Club Golf Resort.

EATING WELL

There’s nothing more rejuvenating than eating well, and at Puente Romano the restaurant chefs can advise of the healthiest dishes.

Chef Eleni Manousou, at the award-winning Nobu Marbella restaurant, for example, can tailor a healthy menu for guests, creating dishes like the ‘Vegan Garden’ (exquisitely prepared baby vegetables on a bed of mashed Edamame beans), together with sashimi, sushi and fresh Mediterranean fish that can be delivered to your room, or enjoyed on the heated all-season open-air terrace over-looking La Plaza.

SIX SENSES SPA

This relaxing sea-view oasis with hydrotherapy pool, cold plunge pool, herbal steam room, sauna, hammam and nurturing, private treatment rooms is at the heart of the Puente Romano wellness offering.

…CBD oil massage therapies…

Relax aching muscles and calm your mind with the new CBD oil therapies available at Six Senses Spa Marbella. Choose also from a menu of Mediterranean inspired treatments offered by skilled wellness experts.

Another new trend in wellness is the use of CBD oil in spa treatments ad therapies. CBD (Cannabidiol) is the non-psychoactive compound from the cannabis plant. Massage oil infused with CBD is considered anti-inflammatory, helping in recovery and healing following heavy exercise or even injury.

Six Senses Spa Marbella, located above the Puente Romano gym, has developed a CBD massage therapy to ease aching muscles, sore joints and help relieve chronic pain. It is also suggested the oil can help with deeper relaxation and calming of the mind. Sounds good right? And it makes for the perfect end to an active and healthy vacation in the sun.

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