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HOTEL ESENCIA - THE CHICEST HOTEL ON THE RIVIERA MAYA - LAUNCHES ‘SELF-DISCOVERY’ SPA RETREATS FOR SOLO TRAVELLERS

The ‘Sólo Para Mí’ (Just For Me) wellness programmes encourage guests to slow down the pace and indulge in a little self-care, amidst the Mexican bolthole’s soothing, verdant surroundings

February 3rdMexico

February 2020 – Located on the eastern peak of the Yucatán Peninsula between Cancun and Tulum sits Hotel Esencia, on what is widely considered the most beautiful stretch of beach on Mexico’s Caribbean coast. This Spring, the hotel will launch new restorative, ‘self-indulging’ spa and wellness experiences, specifically tailored to discerning solo travellers. The hotel’s naturally calming surroundings amidst 50 private acres of lush Mayan jungle, while looking out onto the tranquil, ivory sands of the Riviera Maya, lend themselves perfectly to a cocooning spa escape.

The three and five-night Sólo Para Mí packages – which translates to ‘Just For Me’ – begin with a locally-inspired Copal Incense Cleansing Ritual and 30 minutes of meditation, as well as spa workshops in a traditional herbal ‘laboratory’, where travellers can learn to concoct their own natural lotions and potions using the purest ingredients harvested from the waters of the Caribbean and Mayan soil. The retreats also incorporate signature healing and regenerating rituals from the Esencia Spa; an hour-long consultation with one of the spa experts to tailor guests’ experience and their chosen spa treatments from arrival; daily private yoga classes at the hotel’s open air palapa; learning to cook like a local and experimenting with traditional Hispanic flavours and spices; and exploring the calm Caribbean waters with reef snorkelling sessions, led by the hotel’s expertly trained watersports team.

There are restoring spa treatments to sample from the Esencia Spa menu, comprising the likes of a Stress Relief Ritual; an ancient Mayan recipe that harnesses the healing powers of mint, pepper, cloves and rosemary applied using hot therapy on specific points of the body that accumulate stress. This massage helps to relieve pain and built-up muscle tension caused by stress. The Deep Relaxation treatment meanwhile uses a special massage technique involving herbal compresses, to take the mind into a state of deep relaxation and rest. There is also the Lime Ritual, inspired by the region; a purifying massage using lime, that has been considered a natural element for purification since Ancient Mayan healers used it to absorb illness and harmful inner body heat. In this ritual, the therapist alternates the use of limes with dynamic hand strokes. For the more adventurous and curiously minded solo traveller, there are also local exploration opportunities to picturesque, untouched grounds and natural wonders close by upon request.

The perfect place to relax, rebalance and leave feeling recharged, the Esencia Spa is a true sanctuary housed under a towering traditional thatched roof palapa, which has been designed for optimal energy flow, where guests will begin to de-stress from the moment they arrive. The spa integrates hallmarks of modern wellbeing with ancient customs of cultivating beauty, balance, and peace. Each programme also includes daily á la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner, with all soft drinks and freshly squeezed juices and smoothies.

Located just 50 minutes from Cancun and 30 from Tulum, Hotel Esencia is full of character, charm and heritage. Rates for the Sólo Para Mí packages are as follows:
Three nights from $3,232 (currently approx. £2,481)
Five nights from $5,371 (currently approx. £4,122)
Rates are based on single occupancy and are subject to tax and service. All packages are offered on a full board basis (daily á la carte breakfast, lunch and dinner, including soft drinks)
www.hotelesencia.com

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SIBBJÄNS ARRIVES ON GOTLAND, SWEDEN

February 2nd

SIBBJÄNS ARRIVES ON GOTLAND, SWEDEN

SIBBJÄNS ARRIVES ON GOTLAND, SWEDEN

A REGENERATIVE FARM STAY SHAPED BY SEASONS, FRIENDSHIP AND CRAFTSMANSHIP

Sweden

Sibbjäns began quietly, the combined dream of Jonas Nordlander and Sanna Rönn, who with close friends and many meaningful couples Pontus and Kina Zeidler share a life between Stockholm and Gotland. Over the past four years, they have steadily transformed this former horse farm into a regenerative stay that feels singular to anywhere else in Scandinavia.

After a soft opening in 2025 for friends and family, the farm stay now enters 2026 as its first full season, opening more intentionally to a like-minded global community drawn to nature, food, and thoughtful design.

 

A PLACE TO REST

 

22 individually designed rooms sit across the Hotel and ‘The Bunkhouse,’ each named after important women in the family and among their friends. Adorned with classic Scandi touches of sheepskin throws, limewashed walls, soft palettes, and contemporary art, the spaces are designed for comfort.

Buildings are framed by wildflowers and constructed using traditional methods, much of the work completed by hand, with local craftsmanship central to the process. Architect Maja Berg has been a key contributor, working alongside Erik Larsson, a Master of Gotlandic Craft Heritage, who built some of the original buildings himself and continues to pass on traditional building knowledge to the next generation.

THE KITCHEN FOLLOWS THE FARM

At the heart of Sibbjäns is a working farm home to hens, Mangalitza pigs, horses, and sheep, with agriculture guiding both the kitchen and the guest experience.

In the gardens, lead gardener and local Karin Winarve brings a quiet hand to what thrives here across meadows, vegetable beds, and fruit-growing plots. Produce is grown on-site and harvested seasonally, forming the backbone of a true farm-to-table approach—one that pauses entirely during the winter months when the land rests.

 

EXPERIENCES & ‘VIKING WELLNESS’

New for the 2026 season, wellbeing at Sibbjäns is restorative rather than prescriptive. Inspired by Nordic traditions and the physicality of outdoor life, the evolving wellness offering includes:

  • A hand-built yoga barn

  • A wood-fired sauna

  • An outdoor gym

  • Recreational spaces

  • The beginnings of what will become one of the world’s most beautiful tennis courts.

The surrounding landscape invites guests to engage with nature on its own terms, from cycling or horse riding across open farmland to kitesurfing along Gotland’s windswept coastline (widely regarded as one of the finest spots in Europe for the sport). This is ‘Viking wellness’ in spirit—elemental, grounding, and quietly transformative.

 

SWEDEN’S ‘SUNSHINE ISLAND’

Gotland is Sweden’s sunniest destination, known for its distinctive light, limestone landscapes, and strong ‘right to roam’ ethos. Open from Easter through to Christmas and closed entirely during the dark winter months, Sibbjäns follows the natural calendar rather than resisting it.

Reaching it is part of the journey:

  • A short flight from Stockholm to the island’s capital of Visby, followed by a drive across the island.

  • A ferry crossing that reinforces the sense of arrival somewhere distinct and deliberately unhurried.

  • For those preferring a more direct approach, arrival by helicopter is also possible.

At its core, Sibbjäns remains a place for friends old and new built slowly, grounded in nature, and designed to endure.

BRENNERS PARK-HOTEL & SPA REOPENS AFTER LANDMARK RENOVATION

November 5th

BRENNERS PARK-HOTEL & SPA REOPENS AFTER LANDMARK RENOVATION

A New Chapter Begins as Europe’s Legendary Grand Hotel Returns

Alive with the Spirit of the Black Forest and the Cultural Pulse of Baden-Baden

Germany

Following a meticulous two-year transformation, Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, the original grande dame of the Oetker Hotels portfolio, proudly reopens its doors – ushering in a revitalised era of timeless hospitality and contemporary finesse.