Pezula Hotel Resort & Spa – A World Class Spa Reflecting The Local Environment

(2005-11-22) Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa

There are some spas that could be picked up and transported to another country and no-one would notice. Not so with the Pezula Resort Hotel Spa, however, which is highly integrated with its surrounding environment and the local products.

Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa www.pezula.com/hotel/hotel.htm is the newest luxury resort hotel in Africa; located high above the lagoon-side town of Knysna on the Western Cape’s Garden Route. Officially opened in February this year (2005), the resort boasts an award-winning spa (recently awarded Best Spa in South Africa by Professional Beauty Awards 2005).

The spa is extensive, the size of five tennis courts, containing a heated pool and lounging area, a fully equipped state-of-the-art gymnasium, a sauna and steam room, nail bar and hair salon. The post treatment room has heated water beds that gently massage the entire body.

Guests are encouraged to arrive at least one hour before appointments to make the most of the facilities and to relax before their spa experience. There are nine therapists in total, all of whom are South African.

The Pezula Resort Hotel spa caters for a variety of needs, offering medicinal treatments for conditions such as skin sun damage, acne, scar tissue or wrinkles, as well as an extensive spa menu of treatments designed purely to aid relaxation.

Essential oils are blended with extracts from the local fynbos to provide Pezula with its own range of products. Chosen for their anti-oxidant, curative and restorative properties, they provide a range of resources for use in treating and pampering guests.

The Maruwa Collection includes African-inspired treatments, which took a year to research. Ingredients include mongongo oil (which has cell regeneration properties), baobab oil shea butter, Cape camomile, wild Aloe ferox, blue mountain sage and lavender. The Collection is named after the traditional and local Shona dialect’s word for flowers.

Local produce is used in the signature treatments, which have been developed exclusively for the Spa by Lisa Smit. For example, the Muwuri Body Scrub uses sea salt and essential oils, the Daka Mud Body Wrap combines Buchu Fynbos, rich in medicinal properties, with clay and essential oils, and the Matombo Massage Treatment uses fynbos body salts.

The Signature Steam Room, where the Mhute Steam Treatment takes place, is clad with marble and mosaics, containing two heated marble slabs combined with mellow lighting.

The Mhute Steam Treatment starts with an entire body scrub with Maruwa Body Exfoliator (grapeseed oil and apricot kernel-based scrub). After a short shower Maruwa Body Mud (fynbos and clay-based mud) is applied. Then the room fills with warm steam which locks in the moisturising vitamins and minerals from the mud.

The Phumla Massage incorporates African healing and uses body alignment techniques, deep stretches and muscle manipulation using Maruwa Shea Butter; it’s great for people who like deep tissue therapy.

The Spa www.pezula.com/spa/spa.htm also offers a ’12-step programme for skin abusers’, the 105-min Dermalogica Stress Release Facial. After thorough cleansing, the skin is examined under a magnifying glass using the Dermalogica face mapping technique to identity problem areas and those needing preventative care, such as fine lines on forehead and dehydrated skin under eyes.

An examination www.pezula.com/spa/spatreatments.htm using a UV Woods Lamp then shows up any further skin damage that can’t be seen by the naked eye. After the examination, the facial goes on to exfoliate, extract impurities and soothe the skin.

Moisturising serum is applied and guests receive a facial massage working Dermalogica moisturiser into skin before the final touch of multi vitamin power firm cream for eye and lip areas is applied.

Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa comprises 78 suites in individual lodges, offering stunning views of the ocean or lagoon. All are fully equipped with a mini kitchen offering a fully stocked fridge and pantry, with homemade treats such as cookies, shortbread, biltong and crisps.

The hotel’s restaurant, Zachary’s, is headed up by executive chef Geoffrey Murray who uses local organic products to produce signature dishes, including prawn tartlet served with red onion reduction, sugar-cured salmon trout with fennel seed and star anise and white peppercorn crème brulée.

The restaurant is complemented with an excellent selection of over 5,000 bottles of both local and international wines.

Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa can be accessed by road along the scenic Garden Route from Cape Town. Daily flights connect Johannesburg and Cape Town to George Airport, just under an hour’s drive from Knysna.

Guests can also charter the hotel’s private helicopter or eight-seater jet, which are available to transport guests to nearby attractions, golf courses and destinations further a-field in South Africa.

Day spa packages start from R650 (approx £54) for the 2½ hour Untamed African Melody, which includes the Maruwa Scrub with Vichy Shower, Jet Lag Recovery Hydrotherapy and Phumla Massage.

Three and five-day packages are also available from R3100 (approx £259) for the three-day Detox & Revitalizing Body and Mind treatment, including: lifestyle consultation; fitness assessment and nutritional consultation; two personal training sessions; Maruwa Salt Scrub; Vichy Shower; two Hydrotherapy Treatments (detox and slimming); three massage treatments (back, neck and shoulder, Phumla and Swedish Massages); Daka Mud Body Wrap; designer facial; Indian Head Massage; and conditioning hair treatment.

Rates at Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa start from R3490 (approx £292) for a single and R3700 (approx £310) for a double room, including VAT and full English breakfast.

For reservations at the Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa visit http://www.pezula.com

Pezula Spa Product Information and Signature Treatments

The Pezula product range is of high quality, using carefully selected active ingredients from indigenous extracts and oils. The actives include:

Rain Forest Extract (from various tropical fruit and plants) – nourishing, firming, moisturising and anti ageing benefits to the skin.

Marula oil (Maroela) – rich in antioxidants, restorative and moisturising, used for rehydration of the skin.

Mafura butter (extract from the Mafura tree, known as Mitimai in Swahili) – indigenous medicinal extract with healing powers including the ability to restructure the epidermis. It is nourishing and therefore effective in age reversal. Soothes itching and heals wounds.

Mongongo nut oil (found mainly in SW Angola and the Kalahir desert) – similar properties to the cashew nut – high content of Linoleic acid which can be synthesised by the body to increase cell turnover. Has hydrating, regenerating and restructuring properties on the skin.

Aloe Ferox extract (the flower of regeneration) – known for healing, soothing and natural anti-inflammatory powers. Rich in amino acids, enzymes and various mineral salts. Moisture binding and promotes cell building. Enhances the tissue’s ability to utilise other active ingredients.

Rooibos extract (only grown in the Western Cape) – soothing and healing powers.

Baobab oil (extract of Baobab tree) – nourishing and moisturising to the skin. Has been used for centuries by the local inhabitants for its healing powers.

Kalahari Watermelon oil – known for its rehydrating properties.

Cape Chamomile (endemic to remote mountain areas in South Africa) – deep blue colour due to presence of azulenic compounds. Can assist in the treament of depression and stress-related ailments. Improves sleep patterns. The azulene component provies an anti-inflammatory effect.

Blue Moutain Sage oil (South Africa’s alternative to Tea Tree oil) – anti-fungal and anti-bacterial effect.

Sheabutter (extracted from the kernel of a sheanut) – an important staple in the diet of local people (consistency and appearance of butter). Known for natural anti-inflammatory preoperties, high content of unsaponifiable elements and vitamin F.

Treatments

African Massage Room

Recommended as an anti-stress treatment, guests enter a darkened room, with soft African relaxation music playing in the background. Rainforest burner oil releases a light fragrance. The relaxing body massage oil is applied to the body using long, harmonious strokes.

The rainforest massage sheabutter, with its soothing essential oils of frankincense and cedarwood, is gently warmed and then applied using passive movements – the joints are massaged with no resistance or assistance of muscular activity on guests’ part; total de-stress.

Steam Room Treatment

This begins with a gentle exfoliation to cleanse and purify the skin, leaving it smooth and soft. A velvety clay, containing Kalahari Melon oil and Mongongo nut oil is smoothed over the entire body. A rainforest, fynbos, rain or sea breeze fragrance will fill the air whilst steam is being released into the surrounding chamber.

The clay is then rinsed off after which a luxurious, moisturizing body oil is massaged into the skin, producing a well-being effect that lasts for hours.

Aromathern Capsule Treatments

This unique treatment begins with muscular salt soak with added pieces of fynbos and seaweed. Lie back, relax and inhale the aromas of Blue Mountain Sage, Cape Chamomile, Marjoram and Eucalyptus essential oils.

After soaking, guests will receive an ultra hydrating experience where either a firming Aloe Ferox gel or hydrating milk and honey wrap is smoothed over the entire body.

To reinforce the wraps hydrating action, guests are cocooned in a capsule which will release a gentle fragranced steam. After this, a silky body lotion containing Aloe Ferox Extract and Mafura butter will be massaged into the skin. Emerge with renewed clarity of mind and well-being.

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