The Algarve’s Longevity Health and Wellness Hotel offers rest, recuperation and how-to lessons in self-care, says Becky Ambury.
There is nothing new about health tourism. Whether it’s the ancient Greeks packing up their robes and heading to the temples at Epidaurus, the healing centre of the classical world, or the fashion in the 18th century for taking the waters in Bath (having inherited them from the Romans), we have always craved a break from the daily grind for the good of our wellbeing.
Having recently stumbled into my forties, I am no exception. So when the opportunity came to sample a rejuvenating health programme at the Longevity Health and Wellness Hotel in Alvor on Portugal’s Algarve, I snapped it up before any younger colleagues got a sniff.
The Longevity group was founded ten years ago by chief executive Nazir Sacoor, an actuary who, while calculating the lifespan of insured parties, alighted on some factors that seemed to be crucial to reaching a good age. As such, other than the bathrobes, it’s not your typical fluffy spa getaway – Longevity means business when it comes to wellness. The group comprises three Algarve properties – the Alvor one is the flagship, which Sacoor describes as “a place where we can pull all our experience and expertise together to combat and reverse chronic inflammation – preventing disease before it happens and repairing where we already find it”.
Despite being a vital protective response, inflammation is the villain of the piece when it comes to health, blamed for ailments ranging from cancers and diabetes to eczema and arthritis. Yet without it we would be prey to a host of irritants, which would soon dispatch us. We can reduce the likelihood of an overzealous autoimmune response by cutting back on sugary and processed foods, getting adequate sleep, exercising, limiting alcohol, and engaging in mindful activities, such as yoga and meditation. Still, going it alone while immersed in your stressful day-to-day existence can be difficult. Taking a wholesome break can provide the necessary support.
Tailor-made breaks
The new flagship property is a 15-minute walk from the seaside village of Alvor, home to miles of those golden sands characteristic of the Algarve. When I visited in early October it was still warm, in the mid-twenties, yet the beaches were pleasingly empty. Cobbled streets and seafood restaurants serving the day’s catch added to its charms.
In contrast, the hotel is extremely contemporary, a sleek, futuristic white edifice shaped like a wave. Its 70 rooms and suites, all with balconies, are minimally yet comfortably decorated, a suitable fit for the brand’s serious edge.
Guests can book a simple recuperative spa break, adding extra therapies if desired, or sign up for a tailor-made programme, the elements of which range from health assessments, nutrition and fitness right up to dental treatment and plastic surgery. The more involved medical procedures are carried out in conjunction with the Hospital Particular do Algarve.
As part of my programme, the first stop was a biophysical examination, which sounds far worse than it was. All I had to do was stand on what looked like weighing scales and grip the handles. This clever bit of tech measured body fat, muscle, body mass index, basal metabolic rate, and fat/muscle distribution. I wasn’t too worried about this analysis – surely cycling 15 miles a day and eating a healthy diet of fruit and veg meant I was in pretty good shape for my age, although if the test showed otherwise I’d be tempted to go back on the fags and booze. Fortunately, the results were positive, although I was mildly disappointed that I hadn’t been given a green card to a life of debauchery.
Next was an even more intimidating assessment – a face evaluation. I met with Dr Joana Santos, a preventive medicine and anti-ageing expert. This warm, engaging woman dispelled my preconceptions about the maleficence of medical practitioners involved in cosmetic surgery.
Another piece of kit took a photo of me and then, using facial recognition technology, scanned it for uneven skin tone, lines, large pores and age spots. The images I was shown were reasonably depressing, although I was assured that my skin was in pretty good condition (with the caveat “for my age”). Dr Santos did pick out some areas I should attend to. Wearing sunscreen year round was essential, and I should use clay facemasks twice a week for my gaping pores (who knew pores sagged?). I had been suspicious that I would be told I needed an immediate course of botox and an emergency facelift. However, there was none of that. She recommended a specific type of facial and suggested what I should look for in a moisturiser. And perhaps I could consider laser treatment in the future.
High-tech therapy
After a tasty lunch, I headed off for a Flor de Sal (aka sea salt) and matcha body scrub, followed by a detox massage. Both were wonderful and I left in a kind of daze. While in my zonked state, I took a look at some of the other treatments on offer. Several space-age machines caught my eye, including a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber, which uses higher pressure to reduce free radicals, and something called an Iyashi Dome, which is a type of sauna that you lie in while infrared technology “detoxifies the body and treats skin ageing”.
At a more basic level, nutrition and diet are key parts of the hotel’s strategy. Guests can take part in a monitored juice fast – I did it for a day and found 24 hours on the shakes and soups was nowhere near as gruelling as I thought it would be. The hotel’s two restaurants – the Pure Café, which is on the top floor next to the rooftop pool, and Mediterranico – both use local produce that is designed to reduce inflammation. Despite its worthiness, everything I ate was delicious, even if the portions were small. Breakfast in the Pure Café was a particular highlight and comprised an extensive buffet and a hot menu.
The next day I attended a juice and soup workshop with nutritionist Ana Rita Ferro – good fun and filled with useful tips for making nourishing blends (apparently you should always add protein to avoid high blood sugar levels). That was followed by a facial, which left my skin looking better. Then I opted to laze by the pool rather than try one of the many organised activities on offer, from Tibetan Bowls relaxation to dance and guided walks.
At the end of my stay, I felt relaxed and in fine fettle, and better informed about how to stay well. There was a sense that guests were not just coming for a break but to learn how to practise better self-care in a hectic world.
Standard room rates in May start from €180 (without wellness programme).
