London's Left Bank

Did you know that London has it's very own Left Bank? No, neither did I until I checked in to the Rafayel, on the Thames in Battersea and read the hotel's brochure. Hidden away about ten minutes by cab from Vauxhall Bridge, Hotel Rafayel is half way between Wandsworth and Battersea bridges. My car had broken down – which was okay as I had breakdown cover – but I had to take a taxi and my driver admitted he had never heard of the place.

My river view suite – one of 65 rooms in the hotel – was modern and felt very much like the product of a new build: slick and functional. The Banyan restaurant has an eclectic menu with – predictably given its name – an Asian bent. Starters included some failsafes such as tandoori, mixed grill gnocchi and Scottish smoked salmon, although there were a few oddities, like strawberry and feta salad. Mains included Banyan style monkfish in lime and coriander with chilli chips as well as a biryani and chicken tikka. There were plenty of nods to British cuisine in choices such as Angus fillet steak with shitake mushrooms and potato rocket puree and good old fish and chips.

I was delighted by the people who worked at the Rafayal: the driver, the concierge and the fairy cake maker. Aman, a 17 year old from Afghanistan, who picked me up at the station (this service is available to anyone on request) was absolutely charming. Errol, the concierge, was warm, smiley and informative and even Adam the master cake maker stopped to chat with me about my stay.

Rafayel on the Left Bank

34 Lombard Rd - London SW11 3RF
Adjacent to London Heliport
Tel. +44 (0)20 7801 3600,
www.hotelrafayel.com

Sublime Spa in Spain

‘How are you today?’ asks the pretty girl behind reception of SHA spa as we enter the gleaming reception. Putin’s wife stayed here the previous week, with rather more glamorous recent visitors including Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow. Nearby Benidorm where Brits flood in daily for all inclusive holidays in the sun is a world away.


My best friend and I had loaded our suitcases with books, magazines and even our laptops, imagining we might get bored, but our days were varied and full. We became obsessed with our schedule, poring over it’s every detail. Every morning at 8am we walked to the beach or the lighthouse before breakfast. We went to talks on nutrition, had lessons in macrobiotic cooking and even took part in a tea ceremony. Early evening, it was yoga, tai chi or meditation. This was interspersed with daily massage, flotarium sessions, and acupuncture. The evening saw dancing classes, or a showing of a film – on Chinese healing, perhaps, or something more mainstream such as Super Size me in the library.


That afternoon, as we take a long walk along the beach of Altea, not a million miles from Benidorm, with smiling Eliza from guest relations, we realise we don’t really know what macrobiotic food is. Eliza tells us enthusiastically how she has changed her diet as a result of working at SHA, even giving up yoghurt, which is practically a Bulgarian national dish. We are surprised to hear that tomatoes, for example, are not macrobiotic and learn that daikon, a Japanese vegetable that absorbs fat and is full of minerals is very important in macrobiotic cooking.

I am enthralled by our afternoon cookery lesson. Not, I have to say, by the recipe of stir-fried vegetables with smoked mint, but by our teacher, Pablo Montaro Fernández the head chef who is, well – dishy. Pablo has his own vegetarian restaurant in Alicante but admits it is a challenge to create menus that are both gastronomic and healthy. Also, with menus effectively decided by ‘Doctor Ken’, he has limited scope for creativity.


Dr. Ken’s suggestion to eat local, seasonal foods according to the environment you are in makes sense to me. So, for example, only eat tropical fruit when you are in the tropics. The majority of people come to SHA for weight loss, to detox, de-stress and to give up smoking. According to Ken, one of the most important thing we can do is detox from sugar and butter – even if you don’t eat much of them, they are in so many foods already.

I loved the menu but for someone who doesn’t eat fish, or vegetarians, there is very little on offer, and because the menu doesn’t change, by the third day it had become a bit samey. But I was happy to have the prawn carpaccio on a big bed of rocket ringed by fine parmesan shavings several times during my stay as it was outstanding.

SHA Spa
Verderol 5 El Albir 03581 Alicante Spain
Tel. 0034 966 811 199
www.shawellnessclinic.com
Under the SHA foundation a percentage of income from SHA spa is used to support Latin America’s most deprived children.

Spas in Spain (SIS)
Tel. 0034 689 073 451
www.spa-in-spain.com
Spas in Spain offer an online booking service, for which there is no charge, for spas throughout mainland Spain and the islands. You
can search by area, hotel or category (for example, spas for men, city spa breaks and week-long ayurvedic holidays). The owners, who offer a conscientious service, have personal knowledge of mainland Spain, and the hotels, treatments and packages offered on the site.

SHA is a Healing Hotel which has properties all over the world.