Stay Well In Singapore

A luxury spa is just part of what makes for a relaxing hotel stay

- Catharine Nicol

Singapore has long been leading the Asian Green City Index. The city welcomes you with almost as much greenery as steel and glass, thanks to regulations stating developers must replace the same amount of vegetation their building displaces... and the tropical climate, which does the rest naturally.

Many of Singapore’s hotels follow suit, not only practising renewable and sustainable initiatives, but also piling on amenities to help fuel guests’ wellbeing.

Proximity to nature, innovative exercise, mindbody practices and plant-focused diets are just some of today’s wellness must-dos that hotel guests will find in abundance. It’s the ideal opportunity to boost your physical, mental and spiritual energy, and return home feeling even better than when you left.

A prime example, PARKROYAL on Pickering is an architectural breath of fresh air. More like a series of vertical flowerbeds than a hotel, the curvy architecture is designed like tiers of rice fields sprouting lush tropical plants at every turn. Spaciousness rules, whether in the rooms, the brilliantly hip Orchid Club Lounge, the lobby or on the wellness floor. The fifth floor is devoted to wellness – it’s home to the gym, the pool (flanked by birdcage-shaped cabanas) and the 300-metre garden walk that skirts the circumference of the hotel.

Here too, the hushed, dim interiors of St Gregory Spa are ideal for switching off from the day. The Elemis Well-Being Massage starts with a body brushing that wakes up every nerve end – great for jet lag – followed by a massage that addresses aches and pains by loosening muscles. The vigorous Chinese-style Tui Na Massage is an award-winner, plus there’s a full menu of 15- or 30-minute express treatments – ideal when time is at a premium.