Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Magazine #120

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Spa Excellence

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Lifestyle Relaxation & Health Therapies

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A Professional take on SPA Business, Health Therapies, Products & Simple Relaxation 2026*ISSUE*120

C O N T E N T S *120

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Doc: Healing Earth Wellness at Laborie Estate

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The Invisible Architecture of Spa Excellence 2 From Relaxation to Restoration 4 The Intelligent Spa 6 The Power of Place 8 The Spa Without Boundaries 10 The Intelligence of Touch 12 The Value of Stillness 16 Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Awards 2026 18 Beyond the Surface! 48 The New Biology of Wellness 50 The Mind as the New Wellness Frontier 54 The Business of Belonging 56

E d i t o r s W e l c o m e A Celebration of Spa Excellence. This issue of Les Nouvelles Esthétiques & Spa is particularly special as we celebrate the people, places and ideas shaping our industr y. At its heart are the Spa Awards, celebrating spa excellence across our remarkable spa landscape and recognising the passion, creativity and commitment behind these outstanding businesses. From day, hotel and boutique hotel spas to safari experiences, unique concepts and aesthetic institutes, the Awards remind us just how diverse and dynamic our industry has become. Yet this issue is about much more than awards. The supporting editorials take us on a journey through the evolving world of wellness — exploring design, nature, heritage, science, longevity, innovation and the increasingly important connection between experience and wellbeing, while recognising the essential role of our therapists throughout. Together, these articles reflect an industry that continues to question, evolve and inspire. We celebrate established spa excellence while opening the door to new thinking and fresh possibilities.

Enjoy the read ! Les Nouvelles Esthetiques International Publisher I 7, avenue Stephane Mallarme 75017 PARIS Tel: 01 43 80 06 47 Fax: 01 43 80 83 63 www.nouvelles-esthetiques.com I Fondateur : H. Pierantoni I Directeur de la Publications: Jeannine Cannac-Pierantoni I Redactrice en chef: Michéle de Lattre-Pierantoni I International Editions • Argentina • Baltic • Benelux • Brazil • Bulgaria • Canada • China • France • Greece • Hong Kong • Hungary • Israel • Italy • Japan • Mexico • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Singapore • South Africa • Spain • Taiwan • Turkey • Ukraine • USA • Yugoslavia Les Nouvelles Esthétiques South African Edition I Max Cafe P. O. Box 81204, Parkhurst Johannesburg, South Africa 2120 I Tel: +27 83 267 2773 e-mail: info@lesnouvelles.co.za www.lesnouvelles.co.za I Publisher/Creative Director : Anthony de Freitas e-mail: tony@maxcafe.co.za I Managing Editor : Dr. Nadine de Freitas e-mail: nadine@maxcafe .co.za I Editor ial Assistant: Sarene Kloren editor ial @lesnouvelles.co.za I Adver tising Enquir ies: Dr Nadine de Freitas e-mail: info@lesnouvelles.co.za I Subscription Enquiries: Tel: +27 83 267 2773 e-mail: info@lesnouvelles.co.za or visit: www.lesnouvelles.co.za

spa excellence What makes a spa truly excellent? Is it the treatment, the facilities, the products, the design - or something far less tangible that happens when every element comes together? The word excellence is used liberally in the spa industry, yet true spa excellence is difficult to define because it rarely resides in one particular feature. It is embedded in the total experience - in everything the guest sees, feels, hears, touches and remembers. Some of the most important elements may never be consciously noticed at all. The welcome that feels genuine rather than rehearsed. The effortless transition from reception to treatment. The temperature of the room, the quality of the consultation, the timing of a therapist's touch, the scent in the air, the sound - or absence of it - and the small gesture that anticipates a guest's needs. Individually, these details may seem insignificant. Together, they create an experience. This is the invisible architecture of excellence.

Beyond The Luxury Equation Luxury and excellence are often treated as though they are interchangeable. They are not. A spa may have magnificent architecture, sophisticated technology, beautiful finishes and an impressive treatment menu and still fail to create a memorable experience. Equally, a smaller, more modest spa can leave a lasting impression through warmth, attentiveness, consistency and an extraordinary understanding of its guests. Luxury can certainly create an impression, but excellence creates a feeling. This distinction becomes increasingly important as the global wellness industry matures. The Global Wellness Institute estimates that the global spa industry reached $157.4 billion in 2024, with approximately 201,861 spas worldwide. The wider wellness economy reached $6.8 trillion, demonstrating just how significantly wellbeing has moved into mainstream consumer behaviour. As wellness becomes an increasingly important part of how people think about living, ageing, recovering and managing stress, expectations rise with it. Consumers are no longer simply purchasing a treatment; they are investing in an experience that promises to make them feel better. When wellness becomes more important, the experience of receiving it becomes more important too.

Excellence Begins Before The Treatment

The Invisible Architecture of Spa Excellence 2

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A guest's spa experience doesn't begin when the therapist enters the treatment room. It begins with the first interaction. How easy was it to make the booking? Was the information clear? Was the arrival welcoming? Was the guest recognised? Did the environment immediately communicate calm and confidence? These moments matter because a spa experience is a journey, not a series of disconnected transactions. A beautifully designed treatment room cannot compensate for a confusing arrival, just as an exceptional therapist cannot entirely overcome a guest who has spent twenty minutes waiting in reception. A wonderful treatment can also be diminished by a rushed departure. Excellence

therefore requires continuity: every touchpoint should feel as though it belongs to the same experience. The details guests don't know they're noticing There is a fascinating paradox about excellent hospitality: when it is done exceptionally well, it can become almost invisible. The guest doesn't necessarily think, the lighting was perfectly considered; they simply feel comfortable. They don't think about the towel that was placed exactly when needed; they simply feel cared for. They don't analyse why the transition between spaces felt effortless; they simply experience it as seamless. This is why excellence cannot be created through a checklist alone. Standards are essential, but excellence also requires awareness, observation and responsiveness. It is the difference between delivering a service and understanding an experience. The most successful spa teams learn to notice the details that guests may never mention but that quietly shape their perception of quality.

The Consultation is Part of the Treatment One of the most underestimated aspects of spa excellence is what happens before the hands-on treatment begins. A consultation should be more t han completing a form or confirming contraindications. It is an opportunity to listen, understand and establish what the guest actually needs from the experience. Why are they here today? What are they hoping to feel when they leave? Has that need changed since their last visit? The guest who books a massage because their back feels tense may actually be exhausted. The person booking a facial may be seeking not only skincare but an hour of uninterrupted quiet. Someone arriving for a familiar treatment may need something completely different today. True excellence allows the experience to respond to the individual rather than forcing every guest through exactly the same sequence.

constantly communicating with the guest, whether intentionally or not. The environment is part of the treatment experience long before the therapist begins working. A harsh light or overly strong fragrance can become intrusive rather than soothing. A cluttered relaxation area can create stimulation. The most sophisticated spas understand that sensory design isn't simply decoration; it contributes to how the guest experiences wellbeing. International wellness thinking is increasingly moving towards this broader understanding of experience. and a desire to move beyond scores, measurements and performance towards sensation, emotional repair, pleasure, connection and embodied care. This suggests that excellence may not always mean adding another feature. Sometimes it means understanding what should be removed.

Consistency is the Quiet Measure of Excellence One exceptional treatment does not necessarily make an exceptional spa. Excellence is tested by consistency. Can the guest receive the same level of care on a Tuesday afternoon as they would on a Saturday morning? Does the experience remain exceptional when the spa is busy? Does the newest guest receive the same attentiveness as a longstanding client? This is where excellence becomes a business culture rather than a marketing claim. It has to be understood by everyone - from management and reception to therapists, housekeeping and the people responsible for maintaining the physical environment. The guest may never know who made the experience exceptional, but the collective effort is reflected in the spa experience.

What Does the Guest Remember?

The Therapist Remains Central

Ultimately, the most revealing measure of spa excellence may be what remains after the guest has left. Will they remember the expensive product, the beautiful reception or the impressive facility? Perhaps.

Technology is transforming wellness, and rightly so. Diagnostics, personalisation, sophisticated equipment and new treatment technologies are expanding what spas can offer. But none of this diminishes the importance of the human being delivering the experience. Technical skill matters enormously, but so do communication, empathy, intuition, professionalism and emotional intelligence.

But they are more likely to remember how they felt. Did they feel welcomed, safe, understood and unhurried? Did they feel genuinely cared for? Did the spa give them something they hadn't realised they needed? That emotional memory can be more powerful than any individual feature. It is why excellence cannot simply be purchased through investment in buildings, equipment or products.

The exceptional therapist doesn't simply perform a protocol. They read the room, recognise the guest's energy and adapt their communication. They understand the importance of touch, pressure, pace and silence. They know that two people receiving the same treatment may need entirely different experiences. Information can increasingly be collected by technology, but understanding still requires people.

Celebrating excellence - and looking more closely the Spa Awards 2026 celebrate the spas, therapists and professionals who have distinguished themselves within our industry. But perhaps the most interesting question is not simply who has achieved excellence. It is what excellence looks like when we look beneath the surface.

When every Sense Becomes Part of the Experience Spa excellence is also sensory. Sight, sound, scent, touch, temperature and texture - even taste - are

This is the invisible architecture of excellence. It cannot always be photographed, and it cannot always be measured, but its presence is unmistakable.

Excellence Begins Before The Treatment

The Invisible Architecture of Spa Excellence 2

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What Does the Guest Remember?

The Therapist Remains Central

When every Sense Becomes Part of the Experience Spa excellence is also sensory. Sight, sound, scent, touch, temperature and texture - even taste - are

This is the invisible architecture of excellence. It cannot always be photographed, and it cannot always be measured, but its presence is unmistakable.

spa excellence

From Relaxation to Restoration For many years, relaxation was almost synonymous with the spa experience. We went to the spa to slow down, switch off and escape the demands of everyday life. A treatment was selected, an hour was set aside, and the expectation was simple: leave feeling more relaxed than when we arrived. But something is changing. Increasingly, the wellness conversation is moving beyond relaxation towards restoration - the desire to feel genuinely recovered, renewed and rebalanced. This may mean releasing physical tension, recovering from travel, improving sleep, quieting an overstimulated mind or simply having enough uninterrupted time to breathe. The distinction is subtle but significant. Relaxation describes a state; restoration suggests a process of returning something to balance. The Rise of Restoration International wellness tourism is beginning to reflect this shift. The Global Wellness Institute's 2026 trends identify “The Nervous System Reset” and “In Search of Deep Rest” among the developments shaping wellness travel. Destinations are responding with quieter environments, low-stimulation design, sleep and circadian-rhythm programmes, nature immersion, heat rituals and experiences deliberately designed around recovery rather than constant activity. This represents a fascinating change in the way wellbeing is understood. For years, wellness was associated largely with doing: exercising, receiving a treatment, following a programme, learning a new practice or achieving a measurable goal. The emerging restoration movement recognises that the body and mind also require periods in which nothing is demanded of them. Recovery is not inactivity; it is an essential part of wellbeing. This is particularly relevant in a world of constant stimulation. Digital connectivity, demanding work schedules, travel, information overload and the pressure to remain productive can leave people physically present but mentally unable to switch off. The desire for restoration is therefore not simply about being pampered. It reflects a deeper need for environments that help people move from stimulation towards regulation.

For the spa, this creates an opportunity to rethink the entire guest journey. The relaxation area, for example, should not simply be somewhere to wait for the next treatment. Hydrotherapy can become part of the restorative experience. Quiet rooms, outdoor spaces, nature, carefully considered sensory environments and comfortable places to linger can give the guest permission to slow down without having to fill every minute with another activity. The Space Between Treatments becomes Part of The Treatment Experience That may require a different approach to spa design and programming. If every available space is designed around treatment delivery, the spa risks becoming a sequence of appointments rather than an environment for wellbeing. By contrast, spaces designed for lingering, thermal bathing, contemplation, gentle movement or simply doing nothing can encourage guests to remain longer and experience the spa as a destination rather than a service provider. From Treatment to Journey This also changes how we think about the individual guest. Two people can book the same massage and arrive with entirely different needs. One may be physically tired after intense activity; another may be mentally exhausted after a demanding week. One may welcome conversation while another needs silence. The treatment may be identical, but the journey does not have to be. This is value of consultation, observation and professional intuition. Personalisation does not always require sophisticated technology or data. Sometimes it begins with a simple question, careful listening and the ability to adapt the experience accordingly. The therapist's communication, the pace of the treatment, the transition into the relaxation space and what happens afterwards can all contribute to whether a guest feels merely relaxed or genuinely restored. A New Value In Time The restoration movement also challenges the way

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we think about time within a spa. If a treatment lasts 60 minutes, but the guest spends another 30 minutes moving through hydrothermal facilities, sitting quietly, enjoying nature or simply allowing the effects of the treatment to settle, that additional time is not incidental. It is part of the wellbeing experience. International research supports the growing value consumers place on restorative environments. The Global Wellness Institute's Sleep Initiative found that 91% of frequent travellers surveyed were willing to pay up to 10% more for sleep-enhancing accommodation, highlighting the increasing premium placed on environments that support genuine recovery. For spas, this presents both an experiential and a business opportunity. The future may not belong solely to those that maximise the number of treatments delivered in a day, but also to those that create compelling reasons for guests to stay, linger and return. The Luxury of Not Having to do Anything Perhaps the most interesting aspect of restoration is that it challenges the industry's instinct to continually add. Another treatment. Another facility. Another activity. Another wellness technology. Yet sometimes the most valuable experience a spa can offer is the absence of demand. A quiet room. Warm water. A comfortable chair. Nature outside a window. Time without a phone. A place where nobody is asking the guest to improve, achieve or perform. In a culture increasingly obsessed with optimisation, doing nothing can become an extraordinary form of care. The spa has always promised escape. The next evolution may be offering something deeper: the conditions in which the guest can genuinely recover. Because relaxation allows us to pause. Restoration gives us something back.

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The Intelligent Spa How Technology is Changing the Architecture of Wellness The spa industry has never been short of technology. From hydrotherapy and sophisticated treatment equipment to diagnostic tools and digital booking systems, innovation has always played a role in its evolution. What is changing now is the intelligence behind the technology. Artificial intelligence, biometrics, sensors, immersive environments and increasingly responsive systems are beginning to influence not only what a spa offers, but how the entire wellness experience is designed. The Global Wellness Institute's 2026 Touchless Wellness trends identify “Autonomous Precision Where Human Choice Meets Intelligent Systems” and “The Shift Toward Adaptive, Individualized Regulation within the Environment” among the developments shaping the sector. This suggests an important transition: technology is moving beyond being an additional treatment or piece of equipment and becoming part of the architecture of the guest experience. The intelligent spa, however, should not be confused with the automated spa. That distinction matters. From Equipment to Intelligence For decades, spa technology was largely defined by equipment: something the guest used, something the therapist operated or something that delivered a particular treatment outcome. The emerging generation of technology is different because it can increasingly interpret information, adapt environments and support decision-making. Sensors can monitor aspects of the environment. Wearable technologies can provide physiological information. Artificial intelligence can process large amounts of data and generate increasingly personalised recommendations. Immersive technologies can influence sensory experience without necessarily requiring a conventional treatment. The result is a potential shift from standardised treatment delivery towards responsive wellness environments. McKinsey's 2025 Future of Wellness research found that younger consumers increasingly view wellness as a daily, personalised practice and are more open

to digital solutions and health-tracking technologies. More than 9,000 consumers across China, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States participated in the research. The consumer expectation is therefore changing alongside the technology. Guests are becoming accustomed to experiences that understand preferences, respond to behaviour and feel increasingly relevant to their individual needs. But Intelligent Does Not Mean Impersonal This is where the spa industry has an important advantage. A spa is not simply a technology environment. It is an environment of human interaction. The therapist reads the guest. The practitioner listens. The receptionist notices. A skilled professional recognises hesitation, discomfort, energy and expectation in ways that cannot always be reduced to data. Technology can measure, analyse and enhance. It can create consistency and precision. But human expertise remains essential in interpreting the person behind the information. The most interesting future may therefore not be human versus technology, but human expertise augmented by technology. The therapist who has better information may be able to make better decisions. The spa professional who understands what technology can - and cannot - tell them becomes more valuable, not less. The Environment Becomes Responsive The next development may be even more subtle. Technology is increasingly capable of changing the environment around the guest rather than simply delivering a treatment. Lighting, sound, temperature, sensory stimulation and programming can potentially be adjusted according to the intended experience. The Global Wellness Institute describes this emerging

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direction as adaptive, individualised regulation within the environment, while its 2026 trends also identify “ambient wellness” as an area of development. This introduces a fascinating possibility: the spa of the future may be less about adding more equipment and more about creating environments that respond intelligently to human needs.That could make the physical architecture of wellness increasingly dynamic. The Danger Of Over-optimisation Yet there is a necessary counterargument. The wellness industry has already discovered the temptation to measure everything. Sleep, recovery, heart rate, movement, stress and performance can all become data points. More information does not automatically produce better wellbeing. The Global Wellness Institute's 2025 consulting trends included “AI Doesn't Solve Everything”, while its 2026 trends emphasise the importance of human choice alongside intelligent systems. This is an important warning for spas entering an increasingly technological era. Technology should solve a meaningful problem, improve an experience or provide useful insight. It should not exist simply because it is new. The Intelligent Spa therefore requires something more sophisticated than investment in technology. It requires judgement. A more intelligent definition of progress. Perhaps the most exciting future is not the spa in which technology becomes visible everywhere. It may be the opposite: technology working quietly in the background, gathering information, improving efficiency, supporting practitioners and shaping the environment - while the guest experiences something that still feels deeply human. The Intelligent Spa will therefore not be defined by how much technology it contains, but by how intelligently it uses it. The future belongs neither to technology nor to tradition alone. It belongs to the spa that knows how to make them work together.

spa excellence

The Power of Place: When the Spa Becomes a Destination A spa does not need a spectacular view, a remote mountain setting or a five-star hotel address to become a destination. Some of the most memorable spa experiences can exist in surprisingly ordinary locations. What transforms them into destinations is not necessarily where they are, but what happens when you arrive. There is a particular quality that exceptional spaces possess: presence. The moment a guest crosses the threshold, something changes. The pace begins to slow, attention shifts and the outside world starts to recede. Architecture, scent, sound, lighting, materials, water, nature, silence and hospitality may all contribute, but rarely does one element create the effect alone. Together, they establish a feeling that is difficult to quantify, but immediately recognisable. The growth of wellness tourism demonstrates how valuable these experiences have become. Global wellness tourism expenditure reached $894 billion in 2024, representing 13.2% of the global wellness economy, and GWI projects the sector to reach approximately $1.38 trillion by 2029. But behind the numbers is a more interesting question for the spa industry: what makes someone choose to travel for an experience they could potentially find somewhere closer to home? Increasingly, the answer may be the place itself. The Destination Is The Experience Location can certainly create an advantage, but it is rarely enough to create loyalty. A beautiful setting may attract the first visit; the experience of being there creates the desire to return. In an increasingly sophisticated wellness market, guests have access to treatments, products, technologies and therapies in more places than ever before. What becomes harder to replicate is a distinctive environment that makes people want to spend time there. This is where the concept of presence becomes important. An exceptional spa does not simply occupy

a building. It establishes an identity. It has a particular rhythm, sensory language and emotional character that guests recognise, even if they cannot immediately explain why. A spa in a city can create an extraordinary sense of escape without pretending to be a resort. A compact urban space can become known for its quiet. Another may be energetic, social and community-oriented. A third may create an atmosphere of deep restoration through natural materials, low stimulation and exceptional hospitality. There is no single aesthetic for excellence. What matters is coherence: every element contributing to the same sense of place. Presence Begins Before The Treatment The experience starts long before the therapist places their hands on the guest. It begins with arrival. What does the guest encounter at the entrance? Is there a meaningful transition from the outside world? Does the environment immediately communicate its purpose, or does it simply look expensive? What can be heard? What can be smelled? Is the lighting calming or clinical? Does the welcome feel t ra n s a c t i o n a l o r g e n u i n e l y h o s p i t a b l e ? These details may seem small, but they establish the emotional language of the spa. Research into environmental psychology has long demonstrated that physical surroundings influence human behaviour, perception and emotional response. The spa therefore has an opportunity to use its environment deliberately: not simply to look beautiful, but to influence how people feel, move and experience time within it. This is why two spas with similar facilities can create entirely different impressions. One may feel generic; another may feel unmistakably itself. Presence cannot be purchased through décor alone. It is created through coherence. Creating Somewhere People Want To Stay There is also a significant business opportunity in creating a destination rather than simply providing

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a service. A treatment is something a guest books. A destination is somewhere a guest chooses to return to. When the environment itself becomes part of the experience, the relationship with the guest can extend beyond the treatment. Relaxation and hydrotherapy facilities, gardens, lounges, movement spaces, food and beverage, quiet areas, social spaces and memberships can all encourage guests to arrive earlier, stay longer and return for reasons beyond a single appointment. This is particularly relevant as wellness becomes increasingly integrated into hospitality and everyday lifestyles. Consumers increasingly expect to maintain their wellness routines while travelling, but the most compelling destinations go further: they create experiences that become part of why people travel in the first place. A Place People Remember Ultimately, place is about memory. We may not remember every product used or every detail of a treatment, but we remember how somewhere made us feel. The sound of water when we arrived. The scent of the space. A particular view. The warmth of a room. The welcome at reception. The feeling that, there was nowhere else we needed to be. That is what gives a spa presence. The most successful destinations are therefore not necessarily the largest, most luxurious or most technologically advanced. They are the ones that create an experience with such a strong identity that guests begin to associate the place with a particular feeling. A spa becomes a destination when people no longer ask, “Where is it?” They simply think: “I want to go there.” The destination is the experience.

spa excellence

The Spa Without Boundaries For generations, the spa experience has followed a familiar formula: a beautiful environment, a treatment menu, skilled therapists and a quiet space in which to escape everyday life. It remains powerful, but the world of wellness is expanding, and with it, the idea of what a spa can offer. The modern guest may arrive for a massage or facial, but increasingly wants opportunities to move, breathe, bathe, recover, reconnect, meditate, experience nature or simply switch off. Wellness is becoming less about a single service and more about creating an environment in which different pathways to feeling well can coexist. One of the clearest signs of this evolution is wellness tourism. The Global Wellness Institute estimates that wellness tourism generated $894 billion in expenditure in 2024, with approximately 1.24 billion wellness trips globally. Wellness travellers are therefore becoming an increasingly influential part of the tourism economy, with wellbeing itself influencing where people travel and what experiences they seek. The Treatment Is Still Important Moving beyond treatments does not mean moving away from them. Touch remains one of the most distinctive elements of the spa experience, and massage, facial therapies and body treatments remain central to the industry's identity. But they can increasingly sit within a wider ecosystem of wellbeing. A guest might begin with a treatment and continue into a hydrothermal experience; another may be drawn to movement, breathwork or meditation; someone else may value nature, stillness or simply disconnecting from their phone. The question is becoming less about how many treatments a spa can offer and more about how many meaningful opportunities for wellbeing it can create. This shift is particularly evident in destination wellness, where the experience of wellbeing can become a reason for the journey itself.

When The Spa Becomes an Ecosystem Canyon Ranch provides an instructive international example. At its Tucson resort, the wellness experience extends across Spa & Beauty, Fitness & Movement, Nutrition & Food, Health & Performance, and Mind & Spirit. Guests can work with a Wellness Guide to create a programme around their individual goals, combining treatments with fitness, nutrition, mental wellbeing, meditation, health assessments and performance science. The significance is not simply the number of modalities. It is the philosophy behind them: wellness is treated as an ecosystem rather than a treatment menu. The spa remains an important component, but it no longer carries the entire definition of wellbeing. When Water Becomes an Experience Few developments illustrate this shift more clearly than the resurgence of hydrothermal wellness. The Global Wellness Institute's 2026 Hydrothermal Initiative identifies a movement towards complete hydrothermal circuits, combining heat, cold, water, rest and ritual. It also highlights the evolution of hydrothermal facilities from a secondary hospitality amenity into an anchor experience in their own right. This changes the relationship between guest and spa. A treatment is generally something delivered to the guest, whereas a thermal or bathing experience can become something they actively move through and explore. Heat, cooling, water and relaxation become experiences in themselves, encouraging longer stays and creating new opportunities for communal wellness. Wellness Is Becoming Multisensory The boundaries are expanding in other directions too. International wellness thinking increasingly encompasses neuroscience, sensory design, movement, music, creative expression, technology and social connection. Hydrothermal environments are being designed around light, sound and scent,

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while guided rituals can bring breathwork, movement and heat together. This opens fascinating possibilities for spas. Art can influence atmosphere, music can alter our experience of a space, movement can complement treatment, technology can support recovery, and nature can become part of the therapeutic environment. Stillness can be given as much importance as activity. But this does not mean adding every emerging modality. The opposite could happen: a confusing collection of experiences without a coherent purpose. The future is about curation, not accumulation The most compelling spas will understand which experiences genuinely belong to their philosophy, environment and guests. A destination spa may find its strength in nature, thermal bathing and deep rest. An urban spa may focus on recovery, movement and shorter restorative experiences. Another may remain firmly treatment-led. There is no single formula. The opportunity is to expand the traditions that made the spa special, not abandon them. The real potential lies in everything surrounding the treatment: the welcome, the water, the movement, the quiet, the sensory environment, the connection with nature and the opportunity to linger. A spa can become a place where different forms of wellbeing meet - science and ancient wisdom, technology and touch, movement and mindfulness, social connection and solitude. This is not about adding more for the sake of more. It is about recognising that wellness has no single language, and that the spa can be a powerful environment in which many of those languages come together. The future of spa does not require us to abandon what made the industry special. It asks us to expand our understanding of where and how wellbeing can happen. In essence, redefine the entire experience.

spa excellence

The Intelligence of Touch Why, in an increasingly measured world, the human hand may be one of wellness's most sophisticated instruments. Touch is the oldest language of care. Long before wellness had diagnostics, wearables, biometric scores or carefully constructed treatment protocols, there was the human hand: calming, reassuring, connecting, warming, releasing and communicating without words. Today, science is beginning to give us a deeper understanding of why touch can be so powerful. A 2024 systematic review and metaanalysis encompassing 137 studies and almost 13,000 participants found that touch interventions were associated with benefits across a range of physical and mental health outcomes, including reductions in pain, anxiety and feelings of depression in adults. For the spa industry, this is significant. Touch is not simply what happens during a massage; it is a sophisticated form of communication between therapist, body and guest. Touch is information. An experienced therapist can feel differences in tissue, temperature, muscular resistance and movement. They can sense when pressure needs to change, when a rhythm should slow, when the body is beginning to release or when the guest needs silence rather than conversation. Much of this happens without conscious instruction. The therapist is listening with their hands. That is the intelligence of touch. More Than Technique The science of touch is becoming increasingly fascinating. Research into social and affective touch recognises that physical contact is not merely a sensory experience; it plays an important role in human connection and psychological wellbeing.

How touch is delivered, by whom and within what emotional and social context can all influence how it is experienced. This helps explain something exceptional therapists have understood intuitively for generations: not all touch feels the same. The speed, pressure, rhythm and intention of touch can change the experience profoundly. So can the environment, the relationship between therapist and guest and the sense of safety created around the treatment. A technically correct treatment can therefore be very different from an exceptional one. The exceptional therapist does not simply perform a sequence of movements. They observe, interpret and respond. Their hands are constantly receiving information and making decisions. Touch has both a technical language and an emotional vocabulary - and the exceptional therapist understands both.

The Skill Behind The Hands There is also a tendency to think of touch as instinctive - something anyone can provide. In a professional spa environment, nothing could be further from the truth. Exceptional touch is highly skilled. It requires anatomical knowledge, training, sensitivity, observation, pressure control, rhythm and an understanding of how the body responds. But it also requires something more difficult to teach: awareness of the person beneath the treatment. A therapist may begin with a protocol, but the guest's response determines how that protocol unfolds. This is where professional judgement becomes invaluable. The hands are not simply delivering a treatment; they are gathering information, responding to feedback and continuously adjusting the experience. This is intelligence expressed through touch.

The Return to Embodied Wellness What Technology Cannot Replace Perhaps this is why the timing of this conversation is so interesting. The wellness world has spent the past decade becoming increasingly sophisticated, measurable and optimised. Sleep is tracked, recovery scored, biological age calculated and physiological responses monitored. Now the pendulum is beginning to move. There is a growing desire to move beyond wellness as performance towards sensation, emotional repair, nervous-system safety and embodied care. It is not a rejection of science or technology, but a recognition that wellbeing cannot be reduced entirely to numbers. In this environment, touch feels remarkably relevant. It brings us back into the body rather than asking us to constantly analyse it. It requires presence rather than performance and creates a form of communication that does not need a screen, a score or a dashboard. Touch allows us to experience it.

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Technology will undoubtedly continue to transform wellness. It can provide new information, improve precision and reveal patterns that were previously invisible. There is enormous value in that progress. But perhaps the most interesting future lies not in choosing between technology and touch, but in understanding what each does best. Technology can measure. Science can explain. Data can reveal. But a therapist can interpret, respond and connect. And in an increasingly measured world, that human connection may become more valuable, not less. The most sophisticated spa of the future may therefore not be the one with the most technology. It may be the one that understands when technology should step forward - and when it should quietly disappear. Because the ability to feel, notice, listen and respond is an essetial skill. It is an intelligence we have carried with us all along: The real intelligence of touch.

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The Value of Stillness Modern life rewards activation. We wake to notifications, move between demands, absorb information continuously and often carry unfinished tasks from one part of the day into the next. Even leisure can involve stimulation: exercise is tracked, sleep is scored, entertainment arrives through a screen and downtime can become another opportunity for consumption. Yet the human body is not designed to remain permanently activated. The autonomic nervous system continuously regulates many of the body's involuntary functions, balancing systems involved in mobilisation and recovery. Sympathetic activity helps prepare the body for action, while parasympathetic activity is associated with restoration and recovery. Neither is inherently good or bad; both are essential. Healthy regulation depends on being able to activate when necessary and recover when the demand has passed. This makes stillness considerably more important than simply “doing nothing”. The Need To Recover Stress itself is not necessarily the problem. Activation is a normal physiological response that allows us to concentrate, exercise, solve problems, meet challenges and respond to changing circumstances. The difficulty arises when activation becomes prolonged and opportunities for recovery are continually postponed. We finish one demand and immediately begin another. Work becomes messages; messages become scrolling; entertainment becomes another stream of information. The body may have stopped working, but the nervous system can remain exposed to continuous stimulation. Stillness creates something increasingly rare: a period in which nothing is demanding a response. This does not mean the body suddenly switches off. The nervous system is considerably more complex than an on/off mechanism. Instead, periods of lower

stimulation can provide an opportunity for the body to move towards a less activated state and for attention to settle. Stillness is not inactivity There is an important difference between physical inactivity and genuine stillness. Sitting on a sofa while consuming a constant stream of information is not necessarily the same physiological or psychological experience as sitting quietly without demands. A holiday packed with activities may be enjoyable and restorative in some ways, but it does not necessarily provide the same opportunity for recovery as an unhurried period without an agenda. Stillness reduces demands on attention. There are fewer decisions, fewer stimuli and fewer reasons to respond. It can create a space in which the mind does not have to constantly process the next piece of information.

necessary and then return towards recovery when the demand has passed. The objective is not to remain calm all the time. It is to avoid becoming trapped in one physiological state. This distinction is particularly relevant to the emerging wellness conversation. The Global Wellness Summit's 2026 research identifies an Over-Optimization Backlash, describing a movement away from constant tracking and performance towards emotional repair, nervous-system safety and embodied care. It is not a rejection of science. It is a recognition that health cannot be reduced entirely to measurement. Creating Space For Recovery Perhaps one of the simplest principles of healthy living is also one of the easiest to overlook: recovery requires space.

This is one reason simple practices such as slow breathing have attracted significant scientific interest. A systematic review and meta-analysis that included 223 studies found that voluntary slow breathing was associated with increases in vagally mediated heartrate variability during and after the practice, suggesting measurable effects on aspects of parasympathetic regulation.

That space does not necessarily require a retreat, a sophisticated wellness programme or another addition to an already crowded schedule. It may be a walk without a podcast, a meal without a screen, sitting outdoors, looking through a window, breathing slowly or simply allowing a few minutes between activities rather than filling every available moment.

The significance is not that one breathing technique is a universal answer. It is that something remarkably simple can influence measurable aspects of the body's regulatory systems.

These moments can appear insignificant in a culture fascinated by optimisation. Yet the ability to move out of constant activation and allow the body time to recover is fundamental to sustainable wellbeing.

Beyond The Language Of “Reset”

Perhaps this is why stillness is becoming increasingly relevant. We have become exceptionally good at doing wellness - measuring it, scheduling it, purchasing it and pursuing it.

The phrase “nervous system reset” has rapidly entered mainstream wellness language. There is value in the idea, but scientifically, the nervous system is not a computer that can simply be switched off and restarted. A more useful concept is regulation and flexibility. We need to be able to become alert when something requires our attention, mobilise energy when

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’120

The next step may be learning to create the conditions in which the body can simply recover. Stillness is not the absence of wellness. It is one of the conditions that makes wellbeing possible.

The prestigious Les Nouvelles Esthétiques Spa Awards 2026, presented on 21 June 2026 by Les Nouvelles Esthétiques Southern Africa in association with Les Nouvelles Esthétiques Paris, celebrated excellence across Southern Africa's spa, wellness and aesthetic industries. Recognising exceptional guest experiences, innovation, service excellence and professional development, the Awards continue to inspire and elevate wellness destinations across the region. The 2026 Awards recognised outstanding properties in six categories: Day Spas, Hotel Spas, Boutique Hotel Spas, Safari Spas, Unique Spa Concepts and Aesthetic Institutes, reflecting the diversity, creativity and world-class standards shaping the future of wellness. DAY SPA CATEGORY Winner: Asher Spa & Hair - Eagle Canyon Golf Estate, Johannesburg. Owned by Tracy Pereira and Kym Quincey, Asher Spa & Hair brings beauty, aesthetics, wellness and hair services together in an elegant sanctuary. Its extensive treatment menu, sophisticated facilities and personalised hospitality reflect a strong commitment to innovation, professional excellence and exceptional guest care.

Erinvale Estate Hotel & Spa - Somerset West, Western Cape. A newly reimagined sanctuary beneath the Helderberg Mountains, blending Japonica-inspired design, Eastern wellness influences, therapeutic treatments, a relaxation garden and thermal suite.

lavender, gardens and rolling hills, offering outdoor treatment gazebos, immersive spa journeys, locally inspired therapies and warm farmhouse hospitality. SAFARI SPA CATEGORY

BOUTIQUE HOTEL SPA CATEGORY

Winner: Fijnebos Spa - Botlierskop Private Game Reserve, Garden Route. Set between the Outeniqua Mountains and Indian Ocean, Fijnebos combines hydrotherapy, open-air treatment salas, indigenous botanical rituals and luxury safari experiences, creating a distinctive harmony of adventure and wellbeing.

Winner: Delaire Graff Estate Spa - Stellenbosch, Western Cape.An exclusive wellness experience on the Helshoogte Pass, where art, architecture, vineyards and luxury meet. Inspired by nature's five elements, the spa delivers bespoke treatments and exceptional service in beautifully designed surroundings.

Finalists: Dee's African Spa at Kruger Gate Hotel - Skukuza, Mpumalanga. Inspired by Tsonga and Shangaan traditions, the spa offers an authentic African wellness experience, including a signature foot ritual and distinctive treehouse treatment room overlooking the bushveld.

Finalists: The Spa at Morea House - Camps Bay, Cape Town A contemporary coastal spa centred on restoration and balance, featuring a signature Contrast Therapy Experience combining sauna and plunge pool with bespoke massages, facials and wellness rituals.

The Spa at Lion Sands Tinga Lodge - Sabi Sand Game Reserve. A refined wilderness spa where restorative treatments, exceptional hospitality and pristine riverine surroundings create a deeply immersive connection between wellbeing and nature.

Lanzerac Spa - Stellenbosch, Western Cape. Set within a historic wine estate, Lanzerac combines Cape heritage, vineyard scenery and contemporary wellness, supported by hydrotherapy, Rasul, sauna, steam room and personalised treatments.

AESTHETIC INSTITUTES Finalists: Aronia Day Spa - Houghton, Johannesburg A holistic destination offering nine treatment rooms, Rasul, hydrotherapy, floatation therapy, outdoor gardens, Ayurvedic journeys, advanced facials and results-driven body treatments, all centred on mindfulness, balance and personalised care. Regal Rose Wellness Spa - Durbanville, Western Cape. Inspired by founder Ronel van Tonder's love of roses, this welcoming sanctuary combines elegant gardens, therapeutic massages, facials, body treatments and personalised wellness rituals with heartfelt hospitality. Vygenhoek Spa - Dullstroom, Mpumalanga. A naturefocused wellness retreat blending holistic treatments with sustainability. Traditional building techniques, locally sourced stone, natural paints and untreated timber complement its tranquil countryside setting. HOTEL SPA CATEGORY Winner: The Spa at The Oyster Box - Umhlanga, KwaZuluNatal. An iconic beachfront destination renowned for timeless elegance and exceptional hospitality. Its spa offers personalised treatments, a Middle Eastern hammam, plunge pool and fitness facilities, setting a benchmark for luxury hotel wellness in South Africa. Finalists: The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff Johannesburg. An elegant retreat combining contemporary luxury with African-inspired wellness, signature rituals, indigenous botanicals, bespoke treatments and Johannesburg's only outdoor spa lounge with sweeping city views.

The Silo Hotel Spa - V&A Waterfront, Cape Town. An intimate urban sanctuary offering tailored consultations, premium skincare, personalised treatments, couples' experiences, sauna and fitness facilities within one of Cape Town's most iconic landmarks. The Feather Hill Boutique Hotel & Spa Potchefstroom. A refined hilltop retreat combining luxury accommodation, fine dining and an extensive hydrotherapy area with therapeutic massages, facials and body treatments. UNIQUE SPA CONCEPT Winner: Healing Earth Wellness at Laborie Estate - Paarl. A distinctive wellness destination integrating architecture, nature, innovation and holistic care. Its hydrotherapy journey, indigenous botanical rituals, wellness studio and accessible design establish a compelling model for inclusive, destination-led wellbeing.

Winner: The Hyding - Hyde Park, Johannesburg. A pioneering integrative wellness destination bringing together doctors, psychologists, chiropractors, biokineticists, nutritionists and wellness practitioners. Advanced therapies, aesthetics, recovery, longevity-focused services and holistic facilities create highly personalised wellness journeys. Finalists: Terre Paisible Medical Rejuvenation & Spa Franschhoek. A private, contemporary destination combining advanced medical aesthetics with luxury, personalised treatment programmes and a tranquil setting overlooking a serene pool. Pulse Dermatology & Laser - Oranjezicht, Cape Town. Founded by Amy Knoetze, Pulse combines clinical excellence, advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies, aesthetic medicine, regenerative therapies and professional education in a refined, patient-centred environment.

Finalists: The Fernery Lodge & Spa - Tsitsikamma, Eastern Cape. A forest sanctuary where indigenous wilderness, waterfalls, forest bathing, personalised treatments and exceptional hospitality create an immersive naturebased wellness escape.

Professional Skin Care Lab - Parktown North, Johannesburg. Celebrating 25 years, this evidencebased aesthetic clinic combines pharmaceutical-grade skincare, advanced technologies, experienced therapists and a beautifully renovated environment to deliver individually tailored skin-health programmes.

The Grotto Wellness Spa at The Capital 15 on Orange - Cape Town. An underground, grotto-inspired sanctuary featuring the Thermal Symphony, polar pool, steam room, sauna and Night Spa, delivering an innovative urban wellness experience.

The 2026 Spa Awards celebrate an industry defined by excellence, innovation, meaningful guest experiences and a commitment to continuous evolution, and we look forward to hosting the Spa Awards in 2027, as Southern African spas continue to flourish within an increasingly international wellness marketplace.

Indigo Fields Farmhouse & Spa - KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. A countryside retreat surrounded by

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Hotel Spa 2026 Category Winner

The Spa at The Oyster Box ccupying an iconic position on Umhlanga's spectacular beachfront, The Oyster Box is synonymous with timeless luxury, exceptional hospitality and the unmistakable beauty of KwaZulu-Natal's Indian Ocean coastline. Set within the hotel's lush subtropical gardens, The Spa at The Oyster Box offers an intimate sanctuary where the pace of everyday life gives way to relaxation, restoration and beautifully considered wellbeing experiences.

From the moment guests enter the spa, an atmosphere of calm and refinement sets the tone. Beautifully appointed treatment rooms provide peaceful spaces for personalised therapies, while the traditional Middle Eastern hammam introduces an evocative ritual of cleansing, warmth and renewal. A serene plunge pool and fully equipped fitness centre further extend the spa experience, offering guests opportunities to restore both body and mind. The treatment menu has been thoughtfully curated to embrace the many reasons people seek out a spa. Therapeutic massages encourage the release of physical tension and invite deep relaxation, while restorative facials focus on caring for the skin and leaving it refreshed and revitalised. Signature body rituals provide a more immersive experience, combining therapeutic touch with sensory elements, while indulgent spa journeys allow guests to surrender to a more leisurely rhythm. What makes the experience particularly special is the way the spa complements its remarkable surroundings. Beyond the treatment rooms, the gardens and oceanfront setting create a natural sense of spaciousness and tranquillity. The sound and presence of the Indian Ocean become an almost effortless part of the experience, reinforcing the feeling that this is somewhere to pause, breathe and simply be. The Spa at The Oyster Box also benefits from the distinctive character of its celebrated hotel setting. The Oyster Box has built its reputation on attentive, gracious service, and that same philosophy is reflected in the spa, where every element is designed to make guests feel welcomed, and completely at ease. Combining a magnificent coastal location, sophisticated facilities, carefully selected treatments and impeccable hospitality, The Spa at The Oyster Box offers more than a traditional spa visit. It is an opportunity to step into one of South Africa's most iconic settings and experience wellness with a distinctly luxurious sense of place - where restoration comes naturally and time seems to slow down.

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Hotel Spa 2026 Category Winner

Finalists: Spa Awards 2026

Category: Hotel Spa

The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel, The Westcliff

Erinvale Estate Hotel & Spa

et beneath the magnificent Helderberg Mountains in Somerset West, the newly reimagined Erinvale Estate Hotel & Spa blends contemporary luxury with the understated elegance of Japonica-inspired design. Calm, minimalist interiors, natural textures, and beautifully considered spaces create an atmosphere of serenity throughout the wellness sanctuary. Guests enjoy therapeutic massages, advanced facial therapies, and bespoke rituals inspired by Eastern wellness philosophies, complemented by private treatment rooms, a relaxation garden, and a restorative thermal suite. Surrounded by the historic beauty of the Cape Winelands, Erinvale offers a refined retreat where thoughtful design, personalised wellbeing, and peaceful surroundings come together to create a memorable spa experience.

erched high above Johannesburg's renowned urban forest, The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff presents an elegant retreat where contemporary luxury meets Africaninspired wellness. Signature experiences, including The Jozi Gem, The African Traveller, and seasonally inspired rituals, celebrate indigenous botanicals and time-honoured healing traditions while embracing innovative spa therapies. Guests can enjoy beautifully appointed treatment suites, bespoke facials, restorative massages, curated wellness journeys, and exclusive couples' experiences before unwinding at Johannesburg's only outdoor spa lounge with sweeping city views. Combining personalised service, exceptional facilities, and the renowned hospitality of Four Seasons, the spa offers a sophisticated wellness experience that perfectly reflects the vibrant spirit and natural beauty of Johannesburg.

Lanzerac Spa ituated within the historic Lanzerac Wine Estate in the spectacular Jonkershoek Valley, Lanzerac Spa combines centuries of Cape heritage with contemporary wellness in one of the Winelands' most picturesque settings. Surrounded by vineyards and dramatic mountain scenery, the spa invites guests to experience restorative massages, advanced facial therapies, signature body rituals, and personalised wellness journeys using premium local and international skincare collections. Exceptional facilities include a heated indoor pool, hydrotherapy experiences, Rasul chambers, sauna, steam room, and elegant relaxation lounges overlooking the surrounding vineyards. Complemented by the gracious hospitality for which Lanzerac is renowned, every visit becomes an immersive journey where timeless elegance, exceptional wellbeing, and the beauty of the Cape Winelands are seamlessly intertwined.

Previous Spa Awards Winners & Finalists: Hotel Spa Category

2023

2024

2025

Winner -

House of Tshegofatso The Houghton Hotel Spa

Leeu Spa by Healing Earth

The Spa at Fancourt

Finalists -

Finalists Royal Spa at The Palace The Spa at the Twelve Apostles Hotel Kievits Kroon Winelands Spa

The Grotto Wellness Spa The Capital 15 on Orange Mount Grace Hotel & Spa Kievits Kroon Winelands Spa

Erinvale Estate Hotel & Spa Fairmont Spa at Cape Grace Hotel Equilibrium Boutique Wellness Spa at Fairview Hotel

Finalists: Spa Awards 2026

Category: Hotel Spa

The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel, The Westcliff

Erinvale Estate Hotel & Spa

Previous Spa Awards Winners & Finalists: Hotel Spa Category

2023

2024

2025

Winner -

House of Tshegofatso The Houghton Hotel Spa

Leeu Spa by Healing Earth

The Spa at Fancourt

Finalists -

Finalists Royal Spa at The Palace The Spa at the Twelve Apostles Hotel Kievits Kroon Winelands Spa

The Grotto Wellness Spa The Capital 15 on Orange Mount Grace Hotel & Spa Kievits Kroon Winelands Spa

Erinvale Estate Hotel & Spa Fairmont Spa at Cape Grace Hotel Equilibrium Boutique Wellness Spa at Fairview Hotel

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Day Spa 2026 Category Winner

Asher Spa & Hair eaning “happiness and blessings”, Asher Spa & Hair brings together an impressive spectrum of beauty, wellness, aesthetics and hair services in one sophisticated destination at Johannesburg's prestigious Eagle Canyon Golf Estate. Yet beyond its extensive treatment menu and beautifully appointed surroundings, it is the sense of personalised care and genuine hospitality that gives Asher its distinctive character.

Founded and owned by dynamic mother-and-daughter team Tracy Pereira and Kym Quincey, Asher reflects their shared passion for creating exceptional experiences for every guest. Their commitment to professional excellence, innovation and attention to detail is evident throughout the spa, where contemporary treatments and advanced technologies sit comfortably alongside the restorative rituals that make spa time so appealing. Guests can choose from an extensive range of treatments designed to support beauty, wellbeing and relaxation. Advanced skin rejuvenation and aesthetic therapies cater to those seeking results-focused care, while therapeutic massages provide an opportunity to release tension and restore a sense of balance. Manicures and pedicures, spray tanning, collagen stand-up tanning and ozone therapy add further choice, allowing guests to create an experience tailored to their individual needs. Asher's appeal extends beyond its treatment menu. Its setting within Eagle Canyon Golf Estate provides a tranquil backdrop removed from the pace of everyday Johannesburg, while the spa's elegant facilities create an environment designed for lingering and unwinding. Particularly special is the luxurious couples' suite, complete with a private jacuzzi and panoramic views across the golf course - an indulgent setting for sharing quality time while enjoying a little well-deserved pampering. The inclusion of hair services alongside spa, beauty and aesthetic offerings further enhances Asher's comprehensive approach, making it possible to combine multiple elements of a personal wellbeing and beauty journey in one visit. At its heart, Asher Spa & Hair is about bringing together expertise, choice and heartfelt guest care. Whether the goal is relaxation, rejuvenation, beauty maintenance or simply taking time out, every experience is shaped around the individual. It is this combination of professional standards, personalised attention and an inviting sense of tranquillity that positions Asher as a sophisticated modern wellness destination - and a place where happiness and blessings are beautifully reflected in the experience.

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Day Spa 2026 Category Winner

Finalists: Spa Awards 2026

Category: Day Spa

Regal Rose Wellness Spa

Aronia Day Spa

ust five kilometres from the vibrant heart of Durbanville, Regal Rose Wellness Spa offers a welcoming sanctuary inspired by founder Ronel van Tonder's vision of creating a place where guests can reconnect with themselves through beauty, tranquillity, and heartfelt hospitality. Reflecting her enduring love of roses, elegant rose gardens and thoughtfully curated interiors create a calming atmosphere from the moment guests arrive. Therapeutic massages, revitalising facials, bespoke body treatments, and personalised wellness rituals are carefully tailored to nurture body, mind, and spirit. Combining warm personal service with an atmosphere of understated elegance, Regal Rose Wellness Spa invites every guest to slow down, restore balance, and experience the timeless restorative power of genuine wellbeing.

et within a tranquil landscaped estate in Johannesburg's leafy suburb of Houghton, Aronia Day Spa is a boutique wellness destination dedicated to holistic wellbeing and personalised care. The spa features nine elegant treatment rooms, a Rasul chamber, hydrotherapy bath, floatation therapy, and peaceful outdoor relaxation gardens that encourage complete restoration. Signature experiences include Ayurvedic spa journeys, the Moonlight Spa Package, and the distinctive Aronia Juice Ritual, complemented by advanced facial therapies and results-driven body treatments using premium cosmeceutical brands. Guided by a philosophy of mindfulness and balance, every treatment is thoughtfully tailored to restore harmony, vitality, and wellbeing, creating a refined sanctuary where guests can reconnect with both body and mind.

Vygenhoek Spa ocated in the tranquil trout village of Dullstroom, Vygenhoek Spa is recognised for its holistic approach to wellness and its deep respect for the surrounding natural environment. Every aspect of the guest experience has been thoughtfully designed to promote relaxation, restoration, and balance through carefully selected treatments and authentic wellness rituals. The spa itself reflects an enduring commitment to sustainability, incorporating traditional building techniques, locally sourced stone, natural paints, and untreated timber to blend seamlessly with its beautiful countryside setting. Surrounded by peaceful landscapes and unspoilt nature, Vygenhoek Spa offers a restorative retreat where luxury, tranquillity, and environmental consciousness combine to create a truly memorable wellness experience.

Previous Spa Awards Winners & Finalists: Day Spa Category

2023

2024

2025

Winner -

Asher Spa & Hair

Spa de la Veille

Aronia Day Spa

Finalists -

Life Day Spa - Rosebank Evolve Day Spa Casalea Spa

Dolce Vita Beauty Centre Rifumo Boutique Spa Casalea Spa

Spa de la Veille Thai Sabai Day Spa Rifumo Boutique Spa

Finalists: Spa Awards 2026

Category: Day Spa

Regal Rose Wellness Spa

Aronia Day Spa

Previous Spa Awards Winners & Finalists: Day Spa Category

2023

2024

2025

Winner -

Asher Spa & Hair

Spa de la Veille

Aronia Day Spa

Finalists -

Life Day Spa - Rosebank Evolve Day Spa Casalea Spa

Dolce Vita Beauty Centre Rifumo Boutique Spa Casalea Spa

Spa de la Veille Thai Sabai Day Spa Rifumo Boutique Spa

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Safari Spa 2026 Category Winner

FIJNEBOS SPA Botlierskop Game Reserve & Villas estled between the majestic Outeniqua Mountains and the Indian Ocean, Fijnebos Spa forms part of the exclusive Botlierskop Private Game Reserve, offering a rare combination of wilderness, wellness and refined hospitality. Here, the restorative qualities of the spa are complemented by the sights, sounds and rhythms of the African bush, creating a wellness experience that feels naturally connected to its remarkable surroundings.

The spa's impressive hydrotherapy facilities provide a tranquil focal point, with indoor and outdoor pools inviting guests to pause, unwind and reconnect with the restorative power of water. Treatment rooms offer peaceful spaces for personalised therapies, while open-air rooma bring guests even closer to nature. Surrounded by indigenous landscape, a treatment becomes an opportunity to slow down and become aware of the environment - from the sounds of the bush to the gentle movement of the surrounding vegetation. Fijnebos' signature rituals draw inspiration from nature, incorporating indigenous botanicals and holistic healing traditions into deeply restorative experiences. The emphasis is on nurturing rather than simply escaping, allowing guests to experience treatments that reflect the natural character of the reserve Yet the experience extends well beyond the spa. Luxurious villa and tented suite accommodation provides an intimate base from which to explore the reserve, while gourmet dining adds another dimension to the stay. Guided game drives, horseback safaris and bush walks offer exhilarating encounters with the landscape and wildlife, creating an intriguing counterpoint to the slower pace of spa time. It is this interplay between adventure and restoration that gives Fijnebos its distinctive appeal. A morning spent exploring the reserve can give way to an afternoon of hydrotherapy and therapeutic treatments; an active day in the wilderness can end with quiet reflection surrounded by nature. Rather than separating wellness from the destination, the experience allows the two to become part of the same journey. Fijnebos Spa captures the essence of safari wellness at its most compelling - where exceptional facilities and thoughtful treatments meet the untamed beauty of the African landscape. It is a destination where adventure does not compete with relaxation, but enhances it, creating an immersive retreat in which nature, tranquillity and authentic African hospitality come together beautifully.

Previous Spa Awards Winners & Finalists: Safari Spa Category

2023

2024

2025

Winner -

Amani Spa & Wellness Radisson Blu Mosi-OA-Tunya Livingstone Resort

Ivory Lodge Spa at Lion Sands

FIJNEBOS SPA Botlierskop Game Reserve & Villas

Finalists -

Veldhaven Spa at Dee's African Spa at Kruger Bona Bona Game Lodge Gate Hotel Thanda Safari Private Veldhaven Spa at Game Reserve Bona Bona Game Lodge

Amani Spa & Wellness Radisson Safari Hotel, Hoedspruit Dee's African Spa at Kruger Gate Hotel Narina Lodge - Lion Sands

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Safari Spa 2026 Category Winner

Previous Spa Awards Winners & Finalists: Safari Spa Category

2023

2024

2025

Winner -

Amani Spa & Wellness Radisson Blu Mosi-OA-Tunya Livingstone Resort

Ivory Lodge Spa at Lion Sands

FIJNEBOS SPA Botlierskop Game Reserve & Villas

Finalists -

Veldhaven Spa at Dee's African Spa at Kruger Bona Bona Game Lodge Gate Hotel Thanda Safari Private Veldhaven Spa at Game Reserve Bona Bona Game Lodge

Amani Spa & Wellness Radisson Safari Hotel, Hoedspruit Dee's African Spa at Kruger Gate Hotel Narina Lodge - Lion Sands

Finalists: Spa Awards 2026

Dee's African Spa at Kruger Gate Hotel ituated on the banks of the Sabie River, just moments from the world-famous Kruger National Park, Dee's African Spa offers an authentic wellness experience inspired by the traditions and healing wisdom of the Tsonga and Shangaan cultures. Every treatment begins with a signature foot ritual before progressing to restorative massages, rejuvenating facials, specialised body therapies, and uniquely African wellness experiences designed to restore balance and vitality. The spa's distinctive treehouse treatment room allows guests to relax while immersed in the sounds and wildlife of the surrounding bushveld, creating a sensory connection with nature that is uniquely African. Combining cultural authenticity with warm hospitality, Dee's African Spa offers an unforgettable safari wellness experience.

Tinga Lodge - Lion Sands ocated within the internationally acclaimed Lion Sands Game Reserve on the banks of the Sabie River, Tinga Lodge reflects the exceptional standards that have made Lion Sands one of Africa's most respected private safari destinations. Each lodge within the collection offers its own distinctive character, while sharing an unwavering commitment to luxury, conservation, and personalised guest experiences. The Spa at Tinga Lodge embraces this philosophy through restorative treatments inspired by Africa's natural rhythms, delivered in elegant surroundings overlooking pristine wilderness. Surrounded by ancient riverine forest and abundant wildlife, guests experience moments of profound stillness where wellbeing and nature become inseparable. Combining refined hospitality with immersive safari experiences, The Spa at Tinga Lodge offers a restorative journey that captures the timeless spirit of the African bush.

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Unique Spa Concept 2026 Category Winner

Healing Earth Wellness at Laborie Estate et within the historic Laborie Wine Estate in Paarl, Healing Earth Wellness brings a distinctly contemporary expression of wellbeing to the Cape Winelands. Surrounded by the beauty and tranquillity of the estate, the wellness destination brings together architecture, nature, therapeutic innovation and holistic care to create an experience designed to restore connection with oneself and the world around us.

From its thoughtful integration with the landscape to the considered flow of its spaces, every element has been designed with wellbeing in mind. The result is an environment that feels both modern and grounded, providing guests with the space to slow down, reconnect and experience wellness in a more meaningful way. At the heart of the experience is an exceptional hydrotherapy journey, offering a restorative exploration of water, heat and relaxation. This is complemented by Healing Earth's signature rituals, which draw inspiration from Africa's indigenous botanicals and traditional healing wisdom. Together, these experiences provide a distinctive sense of place, connecting contemporary wellness practices with the rich natural and cultural heritage of the continent. Wellbeing extends beyond the treatment environment. A versatile wellness studio provides a dedicated space for yoga, meditation, sound healing and mindful movement, creating opportunities for guests to explore different pathways to relaxation and self-awareness. Whether through stillness, movement, sound or therapeutic touch, the approach recognises that wellbeing is personal and that there is no single way to experience restoration. Accessibility is another important part of the design philosophy. The entire facility has been purposefully created to welcome guests of all abilities, demonstrating that thoughtful wellness design can be both beautiful and genuinely inclusive. Rather than treating accessibility as an addition, it is integrated into the experience itself. Healing Earth Wellness also benefits from its setting within Laborie Estate, where historic surroundings and the natural beauty of the Winelands provide a peaceful counterpoint to modern life. The relationship between architecture, landscape and wellness gives the destination a sense of spaciousness and calm that encourages guests to stay awhile and fully immerse themselves in the experience. More than a place to receive a treatment, Healing Earth Wellness offers an opportunity to explore wellbeing as a complete experience - one that embraces the body, mind and spirit while remaining connected to nature and African heritage. It is this thoughtful combination of hydrotherapy, holistic rituals, movement, innovative design and inclusive hospitality that makes Healing Earth Wellness a compelling destination for those seeking a deeper and more conscious approach to wellbeing.

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Unique Spa Concept 2026 Category Winner

Finalists: Spa Awards 2026

Category: Unique Spa Concept

The Fernery Lodge & Spa

Indigo Fields Farmhouse & Spa

idden within the ancient Tsitsikamma Forest in the Eastern Cape, The Fernery Lodge & Spa offers a remarkable wellness escape where dramatic coastal scenery, indigenous forest, and cascading waterfalls create an unforgettable natural sanctuary. Designed to embrace its extraordinary surroundings, the spa invites guests to experience restorative treatments inspired by the healing power of nature. Elegant accommodation, tranquil gardens, and immersive forest bathing complement personalised therapies that encourage deep relaxation and renewal. Combining exceptional hospitality with one of South Africa's most spectacular wilderness settings, The Fernery Lodge & Spa delivers an authentic wellness experience where nature becomes an integral part of every restorative journey.

estled in the picturesque KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Indigo Fields Farmhouse & Spa offers an enchanting countryside retreat where nature, tranquillity, and holistic wellness exist in perfect harmony. Surrounded by rolling hills, fragrant lavender fields, and indigenous gardens, guests enjoy immersive half-day and full-day spa journeys designed to restore body, mind, and spirit. A collection of secluded treatment gazebos, thoughtfully positioned beside the river and throughout the property, creates a uniquely immersive outdoor spa experience where birdsong, flowing water, and fresh country air become part of every treatment. Combined with warm farmhouse hospitality, locally inspired therapies, and charming accommodation, Indigo Fields invites guests to slow down, reconnect with nature, and embrace the restorative rhythm of the Midlands.

The Grotto Wellness Spa at The Capital 15 on Orange ocated within The Capital 15 on Orange in Cape Town, Western Cape, The Grotto Wellness Spa offers a distinctive underground sanctuary where contemporary design meets immersive wellness. The spa's unique grotto-inspired setting creates an atmosphere of complete tranquillity, enhanced by an extensive selection of therapeutic treatments and signature wellness experiences. Among its highlights is the celebrated Thermal Symphony, guiding guests through the restorative warmth of the steam room and sauna before an invigorating plunge into the polar pool. Together with its sought-after Night Spa experience, The Grotto delivers an innovative urban wellness journey that revitalises the body, calms the mind, and lingers long after the visit has ended.

Previous Spa Awards Winners & Finalists: Unique Spa Concept Category

2023

2024

2025

Winner -

Sante Wellness Retreat & Spa

Die Stalle Spa at Bosjes

Finalists -

Yadah Castle - Hammam Yadah Castle - Hammam Turkish Spa & Bath Turkish Spa & Bath Soaring Eagles Guest Lodge Verde Vita Spa at & Spa Hotel Verde Woodlands Spa Oyana Spa Mommy Wellness - Someset West

The SPA at The Twelve Apostles Hotel

Finalists Yadah Castle - Hammam Turkish Bath & Spa Gold Spa by Healing Earth The Cocoon Collection, Zanzibar Glasshouse Rejuvenation Verde Vita Spa at Hotel Verde

Finalists: Spa Awards 2026

Category: Unique Spa Concept

The Fernery Lodge & Spa

Indigo Fields Farmhouse & Spa

Previous Spa Awards Winners & Finalists: Unique Spa Concept Category

2023

2024

2025

Winner -

Sante Wellness Retreat & Spa

Die Stalle Spa at Bosjes

Finalists -

Yadah Castle - Hammam Yadah Castle - Hammam Turkish Spa & Bath Turkish Spa & Bath Soaring Eagles Guest Lodge Verde Vita Spa at & Spa Hotel Verde Woodlands Spa Oyana Spa Mommy Wellness - Someset West

The SPA at The Twelve Apostles Hotel

Finalists Yadah Castle - Hammam Turkish Bath & Spa Gold Spa by Healing Earth The Cocoon Collection, Zanzibar Glasshouse Rejuvenation Verde Vita Spa at Hotel Verde

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Boutique Hotel Spa 2026 Category Winner

Delaire Boutique Hotel & Spa

et high on the Helshoogte Pass between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, Delaire Graff Estate occupies one of the most spectacular settings in the Cape Winelands. Celebrated for its extraordinary combination of art, architecture, hospitality and vineyard landscapes, the estate offers an experience where beauty is woven into every detail. The Spa at Delaire Graff continues this philosophy, creating an exclusive sanctuary where nature, tranquillity and personalised wellbeing come together. Inspired by the five elements of nature, the spa invites guests to reconnect with a slower, more restorative rhythm. Elegant treatment suites overlook tranquil indigenous gardens, creating a sense of privacy and calm, while private access to an infinity pool, Jacuzzi and beautifully designed relaxation spaces encourages guests to linger beyond their treatment. The experience is deliberately personal. Bespoke massages are tailored to individual needs, while advanced facial therapies provide focused skincare and restorative body rituals encourage both physical relaxation and sensory renewal. Each treatment is delivered with meticulous attention to detail, allowing the experience to feel less like a scheduled appointment and more like uninterrupted time dedicated entirely to oneself. The setting adds another dimension to the journey. Surrounded by the dramatic beauty of the Cape Winelands, the spa feels naturally removed from the pace of everyday life. Indigenous gardens, expansive mountain and vineyard views, and the quiet elegance of the estate create an environment in which relaxation feels almost effortless. Here, nature is not simply something to admire from a distance; it becomes an integral part of the wellness experience. Delaire Graff's distinctive appreciation of art and design is equally evident within the spa, where sophisticated interiors and considered spaces complement the surrounding landscape without competing with it. The result is an atmosphere that feels refined yet peaceful, luxurious yet deeply connected to its natural setting. For guests seeking more than a conventional spa treatment, The Spa at Delaire Graff offers an opportunity to completely step away from the everyday. It is a place to slow down, restore and reconnect - surrounded by some of the Cape's most beautiful scenery and guided by an approach to wellness that is as individual as the guest.

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Boutique Hotel Spa 2026 Category Winner

Delaire Boutique Hotel & Spa

Finalists: Spa Awards 2026

Category: Boutique Hotel Spa

The Silo Hotel Spa

The Spa at Morea House

ccupying the upper floors of Cape Town's architectural landmark at the V&A Waterfront, The Silo Hotel is renowned for its bold contemporary design, world-class art collection, and spectacular panoramic views across Table Mountain and the harbour. Hidden within this remarkable setting, The Silo Hotel Spa offers an intimate sanctuary where personalised wellness takes centre stage. Tailored consultations ensure every facial, massage, and signature treatment responds to individual needs, while premium local and international skincare collections enhance each experience. A couples' treatment suite, fitness centre, sauna, and dedicated manicure and pedicure studio complete this sophisticated urban retreat. Blending exceptional service with contemporary elegance, The Silo Hotel Spa delivers restorative wellbeing in one of South Africa's most iconic luxury destinations.

art of Marriott's distinguished Autograph Collection, Morea House is a contemporary coastal retreat where refined design, award-winning Mediterranean cuisine, and warm hospitality capture the effortless sophistication of Camps Bay. The Spa at Morea House embraces a modern philosophy of wellbeing centred on restoration, balance, and meaningful connection. Its signature Contrast Therapy Experience combines the therapeutic warmth of the sauna with the invigorating plunge pool, stimulating circulation, encouraging recovery, and awakening the senses. Bespoke massages, restorative facials, and personalised wellness rituals complete the journey within beautifully designed treatment spaces that reflect the hotel's understated luxury. Blending sophisticated wellness with intuitive hospitality, The Spa at Morea House creates an experience that is both deeply restorative and unmistakably memorable.

The Featherhill Boutique Hotel & Spa

erched above Potchefstroom with sweeping panoramic views, The Feather Hill Boutique Hotel & Spa offers an elegant retreat where luxury, relaxation, and fine dining come together effortlessly. The boutique hotel combines beautifully appointed accommodation with the renowned Vista's Restaurant, celebrated for its exceptional cuisine and spectacular hilltop setting. Complementing the guest experience, Feather Hill Spa features an extensive hydrotherapy area and a carefully curated menu of therapeutic massages, restorative facials, and signature body treatments designed to promote complete wellbeing. Thoughtful hospitality, tranquil surroundings, and refined facilities create a destination where guests can relax, reconnect, and enjoy one of the North West Province's most distinctive boutique wellness experiences.

Previous Spa Awards Winners & Finalists: Boutique Hotel Spa Category

2023

2024

2025

Winner -

Healing Earth Transformative Wellness at Brahman Hills

Finalists -

Vergenoegd Löw Boutique Hotel & Spa Vivari Boutique Hotel & Spa The Turbine Hotel & Spa

Palm House Boutique Hotel & Spa The Featherhill Boutique Hotel & Spa The Turbine Hotel & Spa

Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa

Finalists The Featherhill Boutique Hotel & Spa Palm House Boutique Hotel & Spa Steenberg Boutique Hotel & Spa

Finalists: Spa Awards 2026

Category: Boutique Hotel Spa

The Silo Hotel Spa

The Spa at Morea House

The Featherhill Boutique Hotel & Spa

Previous Spa Awards Winners & Finalists: Boutique Hotel Spa Category

2023

2024

2025

Winner -

Healing Earth Transformative Wellness at Brahman Hills

Finalists -

Vergenoegd Löw Boutique Hotel & Spa Vivari Boutique Hotel & Spa The Turbine Hotel & Spa

Palm House Boutique Hotel & Spa The Featherhill Boutique Hotel & Spa The Turbine Hotel & Spa

Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa

Finalists The Featherhill Boutique Hotel & Spa Palm House Boutique Hotel & Spa Steenberg Boutique Hotel & Spa

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Aesthetic Institute 2026 Category Winner

The Hyding ucked away in the leafy surrounds of Hyde Park, Sandton, The Hyding offers a distinctly contemporary approach to wellness - one that brings together science, restorative therapies and ancient philosophies within a private urban sanctuary. Founded on Japanese principles of harmony, balance, simplicity, purpose and continuous improvement, the destination is designed for those seeking meaningful restoration without having to leave the city behind.

The Hyding's philosophy moves beyond the traditional idea of a spa as an occasional escape. Here, wellness is viewed as an ongoing practice, with prevention, personalised care and long-term wellbeing placed at the heart of the experience. A multidisciplinary team of wellness practitioners brings together expertise across chiropractic care, biokinetics, clinical psychology, medical aesthetics, skincare, light therapy, Reformer Pilates, nutrition and bespoke spa experiences, creating an unusually integrated approach to health and wellbeing. The spa experience itself reflects this philosophy. Bespoke treatments combine therapeutic precision with mindful touch, thermal wellness and clinically informed skincare, while Japanese-inspired rituals introduce a sense of simplicity and presence. Signature experiences include massages, body rituals, facial therapies and thermal and water-based treatments, allowing guests to select an experience according to their individual needs and desired level of restoration. The setting is equally considered. Inspired by the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi - finding beauty in simplicity and imperfection - the interiors and treatment spaces use natural materials, calm textures and thoughtful design to create a sense of quiet within one of Johannesburg's most energetic environments. The result is an atmosphere that feels private, refined and grounded, encouraging guests to slow down from the moment they arrive. Yet The Hyding's greatest distinction may be the way it brings different dimensions of wellbeing together under one roof. A spa treatment can form part of a broader journey that includes movement, recovery, aesthetic care, psychological wellbeing or nutritional support, reflecting a growing understanding that health is interconnected rather than divided into separate categories. For busy professionals and city dwellers, this creates a compelling proposition: a place to step away from the demands of everyday life without needing to escape the city entirely. The experience is designed to fit into modern life while encouraging a more intentional relationship with wellbeing. The Hyding represents a new generation of urban wellness destinations - where spa, health and restorative care meet in an environment shaped by purpose, privacy and thoughtful design. More than a place to pause, it offers an opportunity to consider how small, intentional moments of care can become part of a healthier, more balanced way of living.

Spa Awards Les Nouvelles

Esthetiques Aesthetic Institute 2026 Category Winner

Finalists: Spa Awards 2026

Category: Aesthetic Institute

Pulse Dermatology & Laser

Terre Paisible Medical Rejuvenation & Spa

ounded by Amy Knoetze, whose career in medical aesthetics spans more than two decades, Pulse Dermatology & Laser has earned a reputation for combining clinical excellence with highly personalised patient care. The newly renovated Oranjezicht clinic reflects this philosophy through spacious treatment suites, elegant pressed ceilings, warm wooden flooring, and refined contemporary interiors that create an immediate sense of comfort and confidence. Equipped with advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies, the clinic offers doctor-led aesthetic medicine, regenerative skin therapies, injectables, IV wellness treatments, body contouring, and bespoke skin health programmes tailored to individual needs. As both a centre for patient care and professional education, Pulse Dermatology & Laser continues to advance aesthetic medicine while setting a benchmark for innovation, excellence, and evidence-based results in South Africa.

et amidst the tranquil beauty of Franschhoek, Terre Paisible Medical Rejuvenation & Spa combines advanced medical aesthetics with sophisticated contemporary luxury. Designed to ensure complete privacy, the elegant facility features beautifully appointed treatment suites, calming interiors, and serene relaxation areas overlooking a tranquil pool. Every medically guided treatment programme is individually tailored, combining advanced aesthetic procedures with personalised wellness solutions that enhance natural beauty and confidence. Blending clinical innovation with understated elegance, Terre Paisible offers a refined sanctuary where science, wellbeing, and exceptional patient care come together to deliver outstanding aesthetic outcomes.

Professional Skin Care Lab elebrating 25 years of excellence, Professional Skin Care Lab in Parktown North continues to set the benchmark for evidence-based aesthetic skincare under the leadership of industry expert Gina Gall. Recently reimagined, the beautifully renovated clinic now opens its treatment rooms onto tranquil landscaped gardens, where abundant natural light and seamless indoor-outdoor spaces create an atmosphere far removed from the traditional clinical environment. Supported by advanced technologies, pharmaceutical-grade skincare, and a highly experienced team, every treatment programme is individually tailored to achieve exceptional skin health and lasting results. Combining scientific expertise with warm, personalised care and contemporary design, Professional Skin Care Lab continues to define excellence in aesthetic skincare.

Previous Spa Awards Winners & Finalists: Aesthetic Institute Category

2023

2024

Winner -

SCINMed Wembley Square

Finalists -

Pulse Dermatology & Laser Anti-Aging Art Senses Wellness Institute

Avara Wellness Spa The Laser Beautique Linksfield Revive Skin and Body Clinic - Ruimsig

2025 Winner Terre Paisible Medical Rejuvenation & Spa

Finalists Professional Skin Care Lab Revive Skin and Body Clinic Waterfall SCINMed Wembley Square

Finalists: Spa Awards 2026

Category: Aesthetic Institute

Pulse Dermatology & Laser

Terre Paisible Medical Rejuvenation & Spa

Previous Spa Awards Winners & Finalists: Aesthetic Institute Category

2023

2024

Winner -

SCINMed Wembley Square

Finalists -

Pulse Dermatology & Laser Anti-Aging Art Senses Wellness Institute

Avara Wellness Spa The Laser Beautique Linksfield Revive Skin and Body Clinic - Ruimsig

2025 Winner Terre Paisible Medical Rejuvenation & Spa

Finalists Professional Skin Care Lab Revive Skin and Body Clinic Waterfall SCINMed Wembley Square

Spa Awards Spa Recognition Winners 2026 The Les Nouvelles Esthetiques Spa Awards are proud to celebrate the outstanding efforts of individuals and spas driving the exceptional standard of excellence of the Southern African Spa Industry. “We focus a large amount on the actual spas, however there are a number of individuals, who go above the call of duty and through their work or innovation, the entire industry is inspired and benefits” Dr Nadine de Freitas

SPA Ambassador Jacoline Wentzel The Spa Ambassador Award recognises an individual whose contribution extends beyond professional achievement - someone whose leadership, influence and commitment have helped shape and elevate the spa and wellness industry. This year's recipient, Jacoline Wentzel, is an internationally respected spa consultant, entrepreneur and industry leader whose influence has extended across Africa's spa and wellness landscape for more than two decades. As Managing Director of The Spa Warehouse since 2005, Jacoline has built an organisation serving leading spa and wellness destinations throughout Africa and Mauritius, supplying prestigious spa brands, advanced equipment and luxury furniture, while providing specialised consulting and design services. Her influence extends well beyond her business. Having guided more than 100 spa projects, she has contributed strategic insight, operational expertise and a sophisticated understanding of luxury wellness environments. Her commitment to industry development is further reflected in her leadership as an Executive Board Member and Founder of the SA Spa Association, Chairlady of the South African Chapter of the Spa & Wellness Association of Africa, and member of the Cape Town Committee of SAASHP.

Professional Excellence

Recognised with the Woman of Wonder Award 2021, and more recently as a finalist for the Scape Supplier of the Year Award 2025 and FEDHASA Hospitality Consultant of the Year Award 2026, Jacoline continues to champion excellence.

Gina Gali The Professional Excellence Award recognises an individual whose expertise, dedication and consistently high professional standards have made a meaningful contribution to the aesthetics and skincare industry. This year's recipient, Gina Gali, owner of Professional Skin Care Lab, is regarded as one of South Africa's leading skincare specialists, bringing more than 26 years of experience as an aesthetic skin expert, supported by international qualifications. For Gina, professional expertise goes hand in hand with education. She is passionate about helping clients understand their individual skin needs and, importantly, equipping them with the knowledge required to maintain the results achieved through professional skincare. Her approach reflects an understanding that successful skincare extends beyond the treatment room. It is about creating knowledge, realistic expectations and an informed approach to ongoing skin care. At the heart of her work is a desire for every client to experience more than visible improvement. Gina strives to create a profound sense of skin rejuvenation, radiance and self-assurance, recognising the confidence that comes from feeling comfortable in one's skin. The Professional Excellence Award celebrates this combination of experience, knowledge, education and genuine dedication to the client - qualities that have defined Gina's career and continue to make her a respected professional.

SPA Management Excellence Monique Botha The Spa Management Excellence Award recognises the dynamic spa manager who successfully balances the many demands of spa leadership - from building and motivating a strong team and maintaining a positive working environment, to delivering an exceptional guest experience while ensuring efficient spa operations. The 2026 award was presented to Monique Botha, Spa Manager at Delaire Graff Spa, recognising her leadership and contribution to an environment where excellence and personalised guest care are central to the spa experience. Monique brings more than 15 years of industry experience to her role. Her approach is centred on creating highly personalised guest experiences, with a philosophy that views wellness not simply as a luxury, but as a way of life. Maintaining such a consistently elevated experience requires much more than operational oversight. It calls for thoughtful leadership, an ability to inspire and support a team, careful attention to service standards and a clear understanding of the complete guest journey. Monique Botha's achievement is a fitting acknowledgement of the vital role exceptional spa management plays in transforming a beautiful spa into an outstanding one.

spa excellence

Beyond the Surface! Why Your Spa Needs the Performance Protocol The aesthetic industry is reaching a turning point. For years "wellness" was defined by perks. A luxury facial or a relaxing massage. But today's highachieving clients are shifting their focus from superficial pampering to biological performance and longevity. At the heart of this revolution is a critical question every spa owner must ask: Is your client's body actually ready to receive the treatment you're providing?

The Secret to "Rest and Digest" We often talk about the "glow" of a treatment, but that glow is a biological process. To fully absorb the nutrients from a medical-grade facial or to heal efficiently after microneedling, the body must be in a Parasympathetic state - known as "Rest and Digest." This state is triggered by Alpha and Theta brainwaves. However, most clients walk through your doors in a "High Beta" state, meaning in a stressed, overthinking and stuck in a "fight or flight" mindset. In this state, the body redirects blood flow away from the skin and gut to the muscles. Essentially, a stressed client is biologically closed for repair. No matter how expensive the serum or injectable, the body cannot fully "digest" the benefit.

The Cellular Power Plant & Systems Diagnostic This is where VitaNeu changes the game. It is a diagnostic tool that measures mitochondria - the

power plants of every cell, plus an individual's Autonomic Nervous System (Parasympathetic and Sympathetic states), the Central Nervous System (the brain) and overall stress resilience. By measuring mitochondrial health and nervous system balance, you stop guessing and start providing a tailored protocol based on your client's actual cellular capacity and their ability to handle stress. • Low Mitochondrial Capacity: Leads to "skin fatigue," slow healing and poor treatment results. • Autonomic Nervous System Imbalance: Indicates the body is stuck in "survival mode," preventing the absorption of nutrients and repair.

The NeuroVIZR Revolution To solve the stress problem, we implement NeuroVIZR. Using advanced light and sound patterns, it gently guides the brain out of the "Beta" noise and into the Alpha/Theta healing zones in minutes. This primes the Central Nervous System (CNS), ensuring the body is in the optimal state to absorb treatments like Botox, Dermal Fillers and Skin Rejuvenation.

Why This Matters for Your Business When you combine VitaNeu and NeuroVIZR, you aren't just selling a service; you are selling a Central Nervous System transformation. • Superior Results: Treatments work better and

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last longer when the body is primed to heal. • Recurring Revenue: Clients don't just see a change on the surface; they feel a deeper shift in their well-being. This creates undeniable loyalty. • Market Uniqueness: This technology - originally developed for high-level performance - sets your spa apart as a leader in the longevity movement.

5 Undeniable Facts for the Modern Spa Owner • Perks are Out, Performance is In: True wellness is measured by cellular energy (ATP) and nervous system balance, not just relaxation. • Stress Blocks Beauty: A client in a "High Beta" state is biologically unreceptive to repair. • One Size No Longer Fits All: Every client has a unique metabolic signature. VitaNeu provides the data to personalize their journey. • Mitochondria Dictate Aging: Whether a cell is exhausted or inflamed, mitochondrial health determines how fast a client ages. • Cognitive Health is Skin Health: Without brainwave alignment, physical treatments only perform at a fraction of their potential. For more information on implementing these systems: VitaNeu | Toni Carroll: tonic@vitaneu.org NeuroVIZR South Africa | Riaan Greyling & Alicia Swanepoel: info@mentalresilience.co.za

spa excellence

The New Biology of Wellness From feeling well to understanding what makes us well. A guest arrives at a spa carrying more than a treatment request. They may be tired from poor sleep, physically depleted from a training programme, mentally overloaded by constant stimulation or simply aware that they want to take better care of their health. They may also arrive with a growing awareness of their own biology - tracking sleep, monitoring recovery, reading about metabolic health or becoming curious about longevity. The wellness guest is changing. And with that change comes an opportunity for the spa to change the conversation. This is where the new biology of wellness becomes relevant to the spa. For decades, spas have worked primarily with the experience of wellbeing: relaxation, touch, movement, heat, water, rest and sensory pleasure. Today, science is providing a deeper understanding of the physiological processes that sit behind many of these experiences - and opening entirely new conversations around recovery, healthspan, metabolic health and healthy ageing. The important point is not that spas should become medical practices. It is that wellness is becoming more scientifically informed, and the industry needs to understand what that means.

A More Informed Wellness Guest The modern consumer is increasingly interested in what happens beneath the surface. The Global Wellness Institute's 2026 Aging Well trends highlight the movement from lifespan towards healthspan - the desire not simply to live longer, but to maintain physical function, cognitive ability and independence for longer.

This is changing expectations. A guest may now ask about recovery after exercise, sleep quality, stress, metabolic health or the role of particular wellness practices in supporting long-term wellbeing. Some of that information will be excellent. Some will be incomplete. Some will be marketing dressed in scientific language. The spa therefore becomes part of a much larger conversation about health - whether it intends to be or not.

The Science Behind Familiar Experiences What is fascinating is that much of this emerging biology does not require the spa to reinvent itself. The spa already works within several of these areas. A massage is not simply an indulgence. It is an experience of touch, physical attention and relaxation. Heat and hydrotherapy are longstanding components of spa culture. Quiet provides an opportunity to step away from constant stimulation. Movement can support physical function. The environment itself can influence how a guest experiences rest and recovery. The emerging science does not necessarily tell the spa what to do differently. It can help explain why the fundamentals matter.

The Therapist in the Middle This is where professional knowledge becomes increasingly important. The therapist does not need to become a doctor, but neither should the growing complexity of wellness leave them dependent on whatever happens to be trending online. A well-informed therapist can understand the principles behind emerging wellness conversations, recognise when a claim is supported by credible evidence, and communicate confidently without making promises beyond their exper tise. That knowledge also strengthens the client

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’120

relationship. When a guest asks a question about recovery or longevity, the most valuable response may not be an elaborate explanation. It may simply be an informed conversation, a thoughtful recommendation within the therapist's role, or recognition that another qualified professional should be involved. Professional confidence increasingly comes from knowing what you know - and understanding what you still need to learn.

From Treatment to Wellbeing Ecosystem The spa is not responsible for every aspect of a person's health. But it can become one part of a much wider wellbeing ecosystem. The future is unlikely to be about replacing the therapist with technology or turning every spa into a longevity centre. It is more likely to be about bringing better knowledge, better environments and better-informed human interaction together.

Wellness Becomes More Intelligent The new biology of wellness is ultimately not about making the spa more complicated. It is about making our understanding of wellbeing more complete. The guest brings greater curiosity. Science brings new knowledge. Technology makes more of our biology visible. And the spa professional brings something none of these can provide alone: the ability to translate a wellness experience into a meaningful human interaction. Because as wellness moves deeper into the biology of the human being, professional excellence will increasingly depend not only on what we do, but on how well we understand why it matters.

spa excellence Why brain health and neurowellness are moving into the mainstream. For much of the modern wellness industry, the body has been the primary canvas. We have measured movement, strength, flexibility, sleep, nutrition and recovery, while mental wellbeing was often positioned alongside physical health rather than understood as deeply interconnected with it. That distinction is beginning to disappear.

The Mind as the New Wellness Frontier

The next frontier of wellness may be considerably closer to home - inside the brain. Brain health is increasingly being recognised as a lifelong dimension of wellbeing, encompassing cognitive, sensory, social-emotional, behavioural and motor functioning. The World Health Organization takes a broad view, recognising that brain health is influenced not only by physical health, but also by healthy environments, learning, social connection, safety and our ability to adapt throughout life. This broader understanding is helping to move neurowellness from an intriguing niche into a much larger conversation.

Beyond Mental Wellness Mental wellness has traditionally focused on emotional wellbeing: managing stress, building resilience, improving mood and creating healthier ways of coping with everyday life. Those priorities remain important, but the emerging brain-health conversation is broader. It asks how we support the brain throughout life through movement, sleep, nutrition, social connection, learning, sensory environments and recovery. This is reflected in the Global Wellness Institute's 2026 Mental Wellness Initiative, which identifies “Lifespan Brain Health” as its first major trend, alongside gut-brain science, social cognition and “Neuro-Regulated Environments in the Age of the Digitally Adapted Human”. The significance is considerable. Rather than thinking about mental wellness only when a person is stressed, overwhelmed or experiencing difficulty, brain health invites us to consider the brain as something we support throughout the entire life course. It is a move from reactive mental wellness to proactive brain health.

The Brain Across a Lifetime One of the most interesting developments is the growing recognition that the brain does not simply mature and then remain unchanged. It continues to adapt. Learning, relationships, physical activity, sleep, environment and experience all interact with the brain across different stages of life. This has important implications for how we think about wellness because the needs of a child, a young adult, a midlife professional and an older person are not necessarily the same. Introducing an era-based understanding of brain health, drawing attention to different periods of development, stability and ageing across the lifespan. This is particularly relevant as populations age and people increasingly seek not merely longer lives, but longer periods of cognitive clarity, independence, purpose and participation.

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The implication for wellness is profound: brain health is not simply something to worry about later. It is something to cultivate throughout life.

The Brain Is Not Separate From the Body Perhaps the most important change in thinking is that brain wellness cannot be isolated from physical wellbeing. Exercise, for example, is increasingly considered not simply a way to improve physical fitness, but as part of a broader approach to brain health. Sleep is fundamental to cognitive and emotional functioning. Nutrition influences the systems supporting brain function. Social connection matters. So does recovery. This is where the spa has an unexpected advantage. Many of the experiences spas have provided for decades - massage, movement, relaxation, quiet, sensory environments and human connection - are already part of a much larger conversation about whole-person wellbeing. The science is giving us new language with which to understand their significance. A quiet room, for example, is not simply an attractive amenity. It may provide an opportunity to step away from continuous sensory and cognitive demands. A treatment involving touch is not simply a physical experience. The quality of human contact, attention and interaction is part of the experience of wellbeing. This does not mean every spa treatment should suddenly be described in neurological terminology. It means that the context in which the experience occurs is becoming scientifically more interesting.

The Digitally Adapted Brain There is another reason neurowellness is gaining momentum: the environment in which the modern brain operates has changed dramatically. We live with continuous connectivity, notifications, screens, information streams and demands for attention. The issue is not technology itself, but the sheer volume and persistence of stimulation. The Global Wellness Institute's 2026 research describes this emerging concern through the concept of neuro-regulated environments - spaces designed to help people recover from the cognitive and sensory demands of digitally saturated lives.This raises a fascinating question for wellness design: What does an environment ask of the brain? Does it stimulate or soothe? Encourage attention or allow it to rest? Add sensory information or remove it?

Create Connection or Provide Solitude? Wellness Architecture trends similarly identify neuroarchitecture, psychological safety and circadian lighting as emerging areas in the design of environments for wellbeing.Perhaps the future of spa design will consider not only how a space looks, sounds and feels, but what it asks the brain to do.

The Return of the Sensory There is an intriguing paradox here. As technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, some of the most interesting developments in neurowellness are bringing attention back to very old human

experiences: touch, breath, movement, nature, music, quiet, social connection. Trends describe a growing movement towards neurowellness, while simultaneously highlighting a backlash against over-optimisation. and a renewed appreciation for pleasure, connection and lowstimulation experiences. For the spa industry, this is encouraging. The future does not require abandoning the practices that have defined the profession. It may require understanding them with greater sophistication.

A Conversation for the Therapists The growth of neurowellness does not mean that therapists need to become neuroscientists. It does, however, create an opportunity to recognise the expertise already present within the profession - and to continue developing it. A skilled therapist understands the value of touch, rhythm, pressure, movement, atmosphere and human connection. They understand that a guest can arrive physically tense, mentally overloaded and emotionally exhausted, and that the treatment experience can create conditions in which recovery becomes possible.

The Whole Person Perhaps the significance of neurowellness is ultimately less about creating another category of treatment and more about changing how we understand the person in front of us. We are not a collection of separate systems. The body influences the mind. The mind influences behaviour. Environment influences both. Sleep, movement, nutrition, relationships, sensory experience and recovery are woven together. The World Health Organization's definition of brain health reflects precisely this broader perspective, recognising that physical health, environment, learning and social connection all contribute to brain function across the life course. For the spa industry, that creates an exciting possibility. The spa has traditionally created experiences that help people feel better. The emerging science is beginning to explain why certain environments, behaviours and human interactions may support that sense of wellbeing. The next frontier of wellness may therefore not be somewhere beyond the body. It may be learning to understand the body and brain as one interconnected system - and recognising that some of the most powerful wellness experiences have been helping both for generations.

The Mind as the New Wellness Frontier

Les Nouvelles Esthetiques no’120

The implication for wellness is profound: brain health is not simply something to worry about later. It is something to cultivate throughout life.

spa excellence

The Business of Belonging For years, spa success has largely been measured through familiar numbers: treatment revenue, occupancy, average spend, retail sales and therapist productivity. These remain important measures of a healthy business. But another question deserves increasing attention: do your guests simply visit your spa, or do they feel that they belong there? The distinction is commercially significant. A transaction ends when the treatment ends. Belonging creates the possibility of an ongoing relationship. As wellness becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life, consumers are looking for more than occasional moments of escape. They are seeking places, communities and experiences that support how they want to live. This is contributing to the growth of wellness clubs, memberships, social wellness concepts and environments where people can return regularly rather than visiting only when they feel they “need” a treatment. For spas, this creates an opportunity to rethink what the customer relationship can become.

From Appointment to Relationship The traditional spa model is largely transactional. A guest chooses a treatment, makes an appointment, receives the service and leaves. The objective is naturally to encourage that guest to return. But belonging changes the relationship. The spa becomes part of the person's routine. Membership can be one expression of this, but membership alone does not create belonging. A monthly fee does not automatically produce emotional connection. People belong to places because they feel recognised, comfortable and connected to something they value. That may be a community, a philosophy, a particular approach to wellness or simply the feeling that this is somewhere I am known.

The Economics of Belonging There is a compelling commercial logic behind this shift. A spa dependent primarily on treatment bookings is constantly required to generate the next transaction. A relationship-based model can create multiple points of engagement: hydrotherapy, relaxation facilities, movement, workshops, social experiences, retail, food and beverage, wellness consultations or regular treatments. The objective is not to sell more things to the same customer. It is to create more reasons for the customer to remain connected. This can also change the economics of spa space. A relaxation area or hydrothermal facility that may previously have been considered a supporting amenity can become part of a membership proposition. A programme that brings guests together can create community as well as revenue. A quiet lounge can become a place people choose to spend time rather than simply somewhere they pass through between treatments. The spa begins to generate value not only from what happens in the treatment room, but from the relationship that surrounds it.

Recognition Matters Belonging is also profoundly human. People notice when they are remembered. A familiar welcome, knowing a guest's preferences, recognising a milestone or simply acknowledging someone by name can transform an efficient service into a relationship. This does not require elaborate personalisation technology. In fact, increasingly sophisticated wellness businesses may need to be careful that technology does not replace the very human recognition they are trying to create. The feeling of being known is different from being tracked. A spa can collect enormous amounts of customer data and still feel impersonal. Another may

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have comparatively simple systems but create extraordinary loyalty because its people genuinely notice their guests. Technology can support recognition; it cannot manufacture it.

Beyond the Individual Belonging can also extend beyond the relationship between guest and spa. The emerging social wellness movement suggests that people increasingly value opportunities to connect with others around shared interests and healthy behaviours. Wellness spaces can facilitate this through events, educational programmes, movement, workshops, community initiatives and carefully considered social environments. The opportunity is not to turn every spa into a social club. Some guests come precisely because they want privacy and quiet. The opportunity is to create different ways of belonging. For one person, that may mean a familiar therapist. For another, a morning movement class. For someone else, a monthly ritual, a favourite relaxation space or simply knowing that there is somewhere they can go when they need to step away from everyday life.

The Future of Loyalty Perhaps the most powerful form of loyalty is not created through points, discounts or promotional offers. It is created when a guest thinks: “This place is part of my life.” That is a very different commercial proposition. The spa is no longer simply selling treatments. It is creating a relationship, a routine and potentially a community around wellbeing. And this brings us back to the broader question of spa excellence. The most successful spas may ultimately be those that understand both sides of the equation: the excellence of the experience and the value of the relationship.